28 CLEARING THE HURDLES: WOMEN BUILDING HIGH-GROWTH BUSINESSES
You might have thought about these questions before. Having the
right answers and the ability to deliver on them are major challenges
for all entrepreneurs. These challenges are the hurdles entrepreneurs
face in their race for success. Somehow, though, the hurdles are higher
for women. Women have to work harder, race faster, and persist longer
in their efforts to grow a large-scale business. Where do these higher
hurdles come from?
Higher Hurdles for Women
We believe it comes down to a collision of beliefs about entrepreneurs
in general and specific perceptions and expectations about women’s
roles and capabilities. Entrepreneurs are portrayed as risk-taking, inde-
pendent, aggressive, highly ...