Clearing the Hurdles Women Building High-Growth Businesses

by Brush, Candida G.; Carter, Nancy M.; Gatewood, Elizabeth; Greene, Patricia G.; Hart, Myra M.

• ISBN13: 9780137141159
• ISBN10: 0137141157
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-14
• Publisher: Ft Pr

Summary

Women Building High-Growth Businesses "Even in the 21st century, much of the world still systematically excludes 50 percent of the smartest people from full responsibility. Entrepreneurship rewards excellence and results, not gender, and this book is a wonderful gift to women who would like to respond to corporate America by saying, ls"Thanks, Irs"ll do it myselfrs"." --Jim Collins, Author,Good to Great,and Co-author,Built to Last "Savvy and inspirational, Clearing the Hurdles is an important book for women intent on growing new businesses. The team of talented authors provides information, insights, and advice that will educate, motivate, and challenge women aspiring to become successful entrepreneurs." --Laura Tyson, Dean, London Business School "With women creating new businesses at a faster rate than males, it is imperative that todayrs"s venture capitalists take an active role in mentoring and recruiting women to become venture capitalists, business owners, technologists, entrepreneurs, and government leaders. Clearing the Hurdles is not only a wake up call; it is a roadmap to start this long overdue project." --Mark Heesen, President, National Venture Capital Association "Clearing the Hurdles examines all elements behind the lack of access to capital for women entrepreneurs who want to build high-growth companies. If you are a woman who has a vision for a high-potential business, this book was written for you." --Connie Duckworth, Kathy Elliott, Sharon Whiteley, Founders, 8Wings Enterprises, and Co-authors,The Old Girls Network: Insider Advice for Women Building Businesses in a Manrs"s World "Clearing the Hurdles debunks the myths and defines the barriers that entrepreneurs confront--a perfect roadmap for women embarking on the entrepreneurial journey." --Kay Koplovitz, Founder, USA Networks, and former Chair, National Womenrs"s Business Council Starting, funding, and growing a new venture are significant challenges for every entrepreneur. For women, the hurdles are even higher, due to widely held perceptions about them, their capabilities, and their businesses. Now, five leading experts on women entrepreneurs offer systematic solutions to the challenges, offering timely advice to women dedicated to achieving success and claiming the rewards. Clearing the Hurdlesdraws on five years of original research, performed as part of the Diana Project--a major initiative that explores ways women grow businesses. The authors identify key factors associated with funding, growth, and success: the founderrs"s goals, expertise, and commitment; strategic direction; team building; effective use of networks; and access to capital. Most important, they offer concrete strategies for overcoming obstacles: strategies proven in the marketplace by women entrepreneurs. Wealth creation: Donrs"t get left out! Learn what it takes to build your high-growth business Get credible Fill the technical and management gaps in your expertise Get strategic Choose the right business, build the right plan Get connected Link yourself to the right resources, networks, and people Get over the funding hurdles. This book is a training manual for women who want to claim their place as winners in the entrepreneuria

Author Biography

Dr. Candida Brush is Associate Professor in the Strategy and Policy Department, Boston University School of Management. She is the Founder and Director of the Council for Women’s Entrepreneurship and Leadership and Research Director for the Entrepreneurial Management Institute.

Dr. Nancy M. Carter is the Richard M. Schulze Chair in Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, MN, and is Leverhulme Visiting Professor at the London Business School. She previously held the Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies at Marquette University where she directed the Center for the Study of Entrepreneurship and the Center for Family Business.

Dr. Elizabeth J. Gatewood is Jack M. Gill Chair of Entrepreneurship and Director of The Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Indiana University. She has served as Executive Director of the University of Houston Small Business Development Center and was the founder of the Women’s Roundtable Program. She founded and directed the Center for Business and Economic Studies at the University of Georgia.

Dr. Patricia G. Greene is Dean of the Undergraduate School at Babson College. She formerly held the Ewing Marion Kauffman/Missouri Chair in Entrepreneurial Leadership at the University of Missouri--Kansas City and the NJ Chair of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Rutgers University. Prior to her academic career she was active in starting, growing, and managing long-term care facilities.

Dr. Myra M. Hart, Class of 1961 Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Harvard Business School, currently leads the school’s Models of Success initiative and directs the writing of case studies featuring women protagonists. A founding officer of Staples, she participated in raising multiple rounds of venture capital, served as VP of Operations, and led the early expansion as Group VP of Growth and Development. She is also chair of the Center for Women’s Business Research.

Table of Contents

Preface

Women Becoming Entrepreneurs

No Glass Ceilings Here

An Entrepreneurial Venture Begins

Venture Growth Is a Choice

Women-Led Ventures

Slow to Grow

Are There Changes in the Offing?

Private Equity-The Last Big Hurdle

The Hurdle Analogy

The Plan for This Book

Notes

Women Entrepreneurs: Pathways and Challenges

The Entrepreneur

Strategic Choices

Resources

Hurdles to Overcome

Higher Hurdles for Women

Why Are the Hurdles Higher?

Winning the Race for Success

Notes

Funding Sources for Businesses on the "Grow"

Money and the Start-Up Process

Growth Capital versus Start-Up Funds

Bootstrap Financing

Sources of Equity Capital

Angel Investing

Government-Supported Investments

Venture Capital

Notes

Motives, Aspirations, and Commitment

The Entrepreneurial Choice

Motives for Entrepreneurship

Women's Aspirations Contrast with Entrepreneurial Reality

Family Role Expectations

Women's Self-Expression Leads to Perceptions

Truths and Realities

Moving Beyond the Expectations

Summary

Notes

Women and Human Capital

What Do Resource Providers Look For?

Assumptions about Women Entrepreneurs

Sorting Fact from Fiction

Overcoming the Hurdle

Enhancing Your Human Capital

Summary

Notes

Financial Knowledge and Business Savvy

Challenges Built into the System

Do Women Underinvest in Their Businesses?

Do Women Have the Requisite Financial Knowledge, Skills, and Experience?

Separating the High Potential, High Performers from the Rest

The Springboard Survey: A Study of Women Entrepreneurs Leading High-Potential Enterprises

What Can Women Do to Clear the Financing Hurdles?

Notes

Growth Orientation and Strategies

Are Women-Owned Firms Smaller?

Why Are Women-Owned Firms Smaller?

Why Are Women-Led Ventures Perceived Differently?

The New Generation of Women Entrepreneurs

Strategies for Growth

Overcoming High Hurdles

Summary

Notes

Building Useful Networks and Cashing in on Social Capital

Are Women Unplugged from the Right Networks?

Formal Networks

Informal Networks

Benefits of Networks

Network Boundaries and Barriers

The Case for Homogeneous Networks

The Case for Heterogeneity

Social Capital-The Currency of Network Exchange

Reputation and Trust

Spending Social Capital within a Network

Some Networks Are Like Foreign Countries

Women Have Diverse Networks

Women Benefit from Strategic Sponsors

Creating Effective Networks

Notes

Women Building Management Teams

Perceptions about Women

Fact and Fiction about Women and Teams

Building a High-Potential Team

Challenges in Team Formation

Summary

Notes

Networking for Venture Capital

A Brief Histor

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.