Women Entrepreneurs on the Increase in Holland

More and more women in the Netherlands are becoming entrepreneurs, according to a report�from the EIM, an independent Dutch research and consultancy organisation.

This study provides insight into the development of female entrepreneurship. The data comes from�various sources. Figures were collected from Statistics Netherlands and the Chamber of Commerce. In addition, a survey was carried out and a group discussion was held with women entrepreneurs.

The�figures
In 2000, women made up 25% of startups.� By 2009 this had grown to 35%.

In absolute terms the number of female start-ups increased from about 300,000 to 350,000, which is 32 percent of the total number of entrepreneurs. Thus, one third of Dutch entrepreneurs�are women.

Characteristics of female entrepreneurs
Women entrepreneurs are often highly educated and fairly innovative. Half of them work at least 36 hours a week. Most of them run a profitable company, but their average profit is about 60 percent of that of male entrepreneurs.The cause for the lower profit level is perhaps linked with various characterists of female entrepreneurship:

• Only one quarter of women are the main wage-earner.
• Being their own boss is of more importance to women than the growth of their business.
• Women attach great importance to a good balance between work and home.
• Women are often active in sectors that are less profitable, such as launderettes and hair salons.

Annual turnover
60 percent of female entrepreneurs have a turnover of up to ? 50.000 a year. More than 70 percent have a turnover of less than ? 100.000 and 90 percent remains below the ? 500.000. Six percent have a turnover of more than one million euros�

Source: �NL Patentoffice.� The original article can be read here

Katharine Towne Thandie Newton Rachel Weisz Ivana Bozilovic Chyler Leigh