12.15.22
The Power of Women Angel Investors for Gender Equality in Business
Leslee Hill, Director, WEOC Women's Business Center at NIIC
Photo by Rodnae Productions on Pexels
Women have come a long way. We are a solid economic pillar, continuously moving boldly as we carry big visions that make a difference. But there’s no denying there remains a disparity. There is yet much to accomplish.
The good news—there are tools and platforms that can help more women leaders succeed and inspire others. They’re yours for the taking.
The Rise of Women Angels
One major activity that holds immense power is investing. When done wisely, it creates opportunities to build a better world. Apart from creating personal wealth, it’s all about backing causes that matter and turning dreams into realities.
In the world of entrepreneurship, angel investors support promising startup owners who take their first steps by providing capital, usually in exchange for ownership equity. Compared to other lenders, “angels” offer more favorable terms. They are more focused on helping entrepreneurs establish their small businesses over profitability. Proving the strength in numbers, some build angel investor networks to pool funds for greater support.
In 2021, “the percentage of women angel investors increased to 33.6%,”according to the Angel Capital Association (ACA). This growth is important as female investors are more likely to consider the gender of founders. According to the 2019 ACA Angel Funders Report, women-owned companies that are backed by angels grew from 5% in 2015 to 21% in 2018.
The Need to Equip More Women to Become Angels
Reality #1: Despite the improving statistics, fewer women invest because no one talks to them about investing.
Reality #2: Despite the rise in female-owned businesses, women are still leaning more toward consumer spending (controlling $20 trillion annual expenditures globally) over the building of generational wealth.
It’s time to change the picture. Can you imagine what will happen if more women are empowered to invest?
By learning wealth-building strategies deemed smart for wealthy males but too risky for women, we can stop poking fun at women for shopping for shoes and start respecting them for shopping for investment opportunities. By creating more women investors, we will see an increase in more women CEOs and founders. Women in these roles will also hire more executive-level women to grow their companies. This will, in-turn, start to balance the number of women in key leadership roles and encourage a more balanced pay system throughout the company.
The impact of women engaged in investments goes further than you think.
Here to Guide You
Are you ready to take part in making positive changes in society? Angel investing is a journey. If you’re interested, it’s time to find a group that will mentor and train you before deploying money.
The WEOC Women’s Business Center (WBC) at NIIC is dedicated to empowering women in the field of investing so we can further elevate our movement for gender balance.
We invite you to join the WEOC WBC Get Real: Glass Floor Network. You’ll learn about investing in small businesses from experts and listen to women business owners pitch for funding. It’s a perfect venue to jumpstart your investing journey.
As you realize your dream to become a successful investor, you help other women realize theirs, as well. We’re here to walk with you so you can soar high.
Visit the WEOCWBC.Net for details.
