| In the last 20 years, where women work,
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| | Older Baby Boomer women are retiring
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| how women work, and what kinds of jobs
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| | early to start new businesses. According
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| women are seeking have changed. As more
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| | to AARP, entrepreneurship is growing in
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| and more corporations have re-organized
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| | those 50 years and older. In addition,
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| and downsized, as more children of Baby
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| | they predict that people who take early
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| Boomer mothers are leaving home, and as
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| | retirement or whose jobs just disappear
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| more traditionally employed women are
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| | will drive solo business formation in the
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| waking up to the fact that they want more
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| | future.
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| out of life than just simply getting a
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| | Two Greatest Challenges to Women
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| paycheck, the world of small business
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| | The greatest challenges for women
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| ownership is exploding.
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| | starting up businesses are access to
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| As a whole, the United States is becoming
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| | capital and general lack of know-how.
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| more entrepreneurial. More than 1/3 of
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| | However, these challenges are not
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| all people involved in entrepreneurial
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| | stopping women from starting up. Today,
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| activity are women. According to an April
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| | women have the same access to money as
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| 2005 report by the U. S. Small Business
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| | men do. In fact, many start-up fund
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| Administration, Office of Advocacy and
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| | sources are specifically targeting women
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| Business Times, there are an estimated 10
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| | through grants and new venture capital.
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| million privately held businesses in the
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| | Women can be as creative in their
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| United States that are owned by women.
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| | approach to money as they want to be,
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| More people own small businesses in the
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| | making use of incubators, partnerships,
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| United States than ever before. According
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| | or more traditional methods of funding
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| to the U. S. Small Business
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| | such as home equity lines of credit,
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| Administration's report dated June, 2006,
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| | angel funding, or commercial loans.
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| it is estimated that there are 25.8
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| | Women are also realizing that, just
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| million small businesses (including
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| | because they don't have a business
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| self-employed and sole proprietors) in
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| | degree, it doesn't mean they won't be
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| the United States. According to the same
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| | successful at running a business.
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| report, over the last decade small
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| | Accounting needs can be outsourced.
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| businesses have generated 60 to 80
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| | Teleseminars can be taken. Books can be
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| percent of new jobs, and they employ 50.6
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| | read. Questions can be asked. Experience
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| percent of the country's private sector
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| | can be gained. Women know that they don't
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| workforce.
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| | have to do it all by themselves!
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| In addition to starting new businesses,
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| | In addition, women are finding that their
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| there are also an increasing number of
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| | life and work experiences count for
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| entrepreneurial Americans who are buying
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| | something when starting up a business.
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| existing small businesses, instead of
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| | They recognize the treasure-trove of
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| starting their own. According to a report
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| | applicable, relevant experience that they
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| by Wachovia, small business acquisitions
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| | have amassed over the years and are
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| are growing in popularity. On any given
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| | tapping into these storehouses for their
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| day in the United States, 1.7 million
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| | start-ups. Moreover, they know that
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| businesses are for sale.
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| | whatever they don't have right now, they
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| Why Women are Starting Businesses
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| | can learn as they go.
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| Women are starting businesses for two
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| | If you are a woman considering small
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| main reasons: lifestyle and money. Many
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| | business ownership, this is a perfect
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| run their businesses from home so they
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| | time for you. Don't let lack of money or
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| can be there for their children, instead
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| | expertise stand in your way. Have
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| of being dependent on daycare and other
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| | confidence in your valuable life
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| non-family support care.
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| | experience, and draw from it when
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| Other mid-Baby Boomer women (those in
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| | starting your business. Then get creative
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| their 40s) have achieved a level of
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| | about funding. Never before have banks
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| success in the traditional workplace and
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| | and other creative lending sources been
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| are striking out on their own, eager to
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| | more supportive of women-owned small
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| call their own shots and take charge of
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| | business start-ups.
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| their financial futures.
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|