Wise women, complex challenges : barriers to success for lower-income microentrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area

Abstract

Microenterprise has recently received significant public attention and support as an economic development and poverty alleviation strategy in the United States. Considering the economic, social and professional benefits of microenterprise, self-employment will continue to be pursued by many lower-income women in the future. This study explores the role of barriers in the development and success of lower-income women's business ownership. Through a survey and in-depth interviews with clients of Women's Initiative for Self-Employment, a microenterprise program in San Francisco California, and interviews with microenterprise professionals, barriers to self-employment are identified and discussed. Barriers in question include lack of capital, training and technical assistance, lack of support from family and friends, childcare and transportation, in addition to others identified by the study sample. Special attention is given to the role of housing as a barrier to self-employment for lower-income women. Recommendations to address these barriers to lower-income entrepreneurs are presented.