Let’s face it: Women represent a large percentage of Maine’s rock-star entrepreneurs.

Nationally, women-owned businesses represent 30 percent of U.S. businesses, according to the 2014 State of Women-Owned Business Report. Between 1997 and 2014, the number of women-owned businesses grew at 1.5 times the national average.

The same report estimated that there were 41,200 women-owned businesses in Maine in 2014 — a 35 percent increase since 1997. These businesses generated an estimated $3.66 billion in sales to benefit our state.

But despite the growth, energy and community being created in recent years, women-owned businesses employ only 6 percent of the country’s workforce and contribute just under 4 percent of business revenues.

So in anticipation of Startup Weekend: Women’s Edition, June 12-14 in Portland, several of the event’s organizers described the challenges they see women entrepreneurs facing — and the solutions.

Kate Anker, Creator of Running With Scissors artist studios in Portland

Challenges
I think women often are or feel like they are, going it alone. They may not have any or many peers in their field and even fewer that are women or in similar situations that they are; ie secondary bread winner, primary care giver to their children and possibly their parents and parents-in-law, entrepreneur in a non-entrepreneur family/friends, not business trained or schooled.  There is often a history of low peer support throughout their path making it a much more risky, unsupported and scary venture.  Also, making those who do make it far more resilient, driven and passionate.

Solutions
Women need to support each other. Share their stories, successes and failures. The startups need role models and the working need peers. They need to be supported publicly as well – not in a patronizing way, but an equal way – as startups, working and accomplished.  Women also need to be encouraged to allow themselves to do it – we are sometimes our worst enemy – often as a result of the lack of support, role models, peers, etc. Public support of strong women’s and business organizations need to be heavily funded, supported and fostered so they can reach as many women as possible.

Britt Bolnick, Owner of In Arms Coaching in Portland

Challenges
Work/life balance: Over and over again I hear from women that they believe, feel or fear that in order to have their business be a success, they have to sacrifice family, self-care, relationships, free time, etc. They get stuck trying to do everything and feeling guilty and overwhelmed. They get stuck as they lose their joy, experience burn-out, or simply feel like they have to accept feeling like they’re running in all directions at all times.

Solution
Well, in my field (biz coach), it’s getting support. Most helpful is support around finding clarity, prioritizing, finding the support you need (team members, etc.), and learning to delegate. In my experience support is one of the top make-it-or-break-it tools that women have the ability to utilize.

Liz Trice, co-founder of PelotonLabs coworking space in Portland

Challenges
Isolation, lack of support and resources, and lack of confidence.

Solutions
Get into an environment that provides peer support. Get a mentor. Try new things.

Abbie McGilvery, independent social media strategist

Challenges
Many of the struggles entrepreneurs face are the same no matter what your gender (doubting yourself, questioning the validity of your own ideas, dealing with failure as part of the process), but women face the additional challenge of needing to overcome longstanding cultural stereotypes that, unfortunately, do play a part in the decision-making process of businesses, leaders and consumers.

As women, we have often been taught to believe that we are simply moms who should be at home taking care of our kids. (Who needs a business of their own? Isn’t being a Mom and working a steady job making you happy? Isn’t that enough to fulfill your heart and your passion?)

I’ve even heard women express that they feel they shouldn’t be the breadwinner in the family simply because it would step on their partner’s toes or cause conflict. (Why would I want to change everything and cause such an uproar? Is my passion that important anyway? Everyone is depending on me.)

Perhaps women feel they can’t follow their dreams because they are afraid of the consequences if the idea fails. (How will this affect my kids, my family, my house? Is it too risky?) Or perhaps women are simply afraid of the feeling of failure itself — but aren’t we all?

Solutions
The best way that women can set themselves up for success is to surround themselves with other people (especially women!) who are willing to support them, cheer them on and help to pick up the pieces when things fall apart. A support system of people (who don’t think you’re crazy) is vital in the success of a small business, especially in the early growth stages where doubt and fear of failure speak the loudest.

Women need to come together to discuss “wild” ideas, design innovative projects, nurture one another and set positive examples for the young women going out into the world to follow their dreams. Women need to believe that we are better together.

Sarah Guerette, director of the Women’s Business Center at CEI 

Challenges
Women-owned businesses are categorically underfunded. While money isn’t everything (expertise, connections and a marketable idea are important, too), financial stability is crucial during business startup and growth.

According to the “Kauffman Firm Survey,” men start firms with nearly twice the capital that women do. On top of that, only 4.4 percent of the total dollar value of all small-business loans goes to women. Babson College studies showed recently that only 3 percent of all venture capital dollars go to businesses with a female CEO.

Solutions
Women need the confidence to seek funding, the skills to put together quality business plans and financial projections. We need to support policy that encourages women entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them, like the Women’s Small Business Ownership Act of 2014. And funders need to be encouraged to examine any gender biases, and to seek out and encourage women led businesses with growth potential.

On Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 14, in Portland, women will have the chance to explore their business ideas at Startup Weekend: Women’s Edition.

On Friday, participants will pitch business ideas, and teams will form organically around the most popular, viable ideas. Participants then work throughout the weekend to develop the idea into a foundational business plan and minimal viable product before pitching it as a team to a panel of judges on Sunday night. The coaches, organizers, participants and judges are all women.

There will be a free preview event from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 18, at Little Tap House to give would-be participants a taste of what Startup Weekends are like. Click here for more information about the preview event.

The early bird price for the weekend, which is available until May 20, is $75. This includes full access as well as meals throughout the weekend. Startup Weekend: Women’s Edition is offering discounts and scholarships for students and recent immigrants.  

Registration is now open. Tickets can be purchased online at: http://bit.ly/SWWEPortlandMaine. For more information or any questions, please contact portlandmainewomen@startupweekend.org.