Childcare Crisis Throwing Shade on Women Entrepreneurs: New Survey Says “Fix This Now!”
Hold onto your coffee mugs, folks, because a bombshell new survey just dropped, and it’s about to shake up the way we think about women-owned businesses and, you guessed it, childcare. Turns out, finding someone trustworthy to watch the kids while you’re out there crushing it in the business world is kinda important (who knew, right?).
This isn’t just some random online poll, either. This is a legit study called “Care for the Economy,” cooked up by the awesome folks at United WE (they’re all about empowering women in leadership) and backed by the bigwigs at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. They surveyed a whopping 750 women business owners from all walks of life, across a whole bunch of states, representing all different income levels and backgrounds. In other words, this is the real deal, people.
So, What’s the Tea?
Get this: the survey found that a mind-blowing number of women entrepreneurs are straight-up struggling to make their businesses work because of the whole childcare sitch. It’s like trying to run a marathon with one shoe untied—totally doable, but way harder than it needs to be.
The Struggle is Real (and It’s Hurting Business)
Let’s break it down, shall we? A majority of the women surveyed confessed that their businesses would be totally killing it if they had better childcare options. We’re talking next-level thriving here, folks. And get this—over sixty percent said that crappy childcare options are throwing a wrench in their business operations on the daily. It’s even worse for women who are putting in major hours (think thirty-plus a week) or raking in the big bucks (over a million dollars a year). Talk about adding insult to injury!
What Women Really Need (Hint: It Involves Naps and Snacks)
The survey didn’t just point out the problem, though. It also dug deep to find out what kind of childcare solutions would actually make a difference for these entrepreneurial rockstars. Drumroll, please…
- Flexibility is Queen (or King): Turns out, the traditional nine-to-five grind doesn’t exactly scream “entrepreneur.” Thirty percent of the women said that flexible scheduling was like the holy grail of childcare—you know, the kind of childcare that can roll with the punches when you’ve gotta pull an all-nighter to meet a deadline or take a client call in the middle of a playdate.
- Where Are All the Tiny Human Wranglers? Finding awesome care for infants and toddlers is about as easy as finding a unicorn who can do your taxes—nearly impossible. Twenty-nine percent of respondents said this was their biggest childcare headache, and honestly, can you blame them?
- Early Birds and Night Owls, Unite! Another biggie? Twenty-seven percent of the women said they desperately needed childcare options that worked with their crazy schedules—you know, the kind of places that are open before the roosters start crowing and after the streetlights come on.
To Nanny or Not to Nanny? That is the Question
The survey also spilled the tea on how women are currently juggling the whole childcare thing. Turns out, those who are rolling in dough are more likely to go the formal route (think fancy-pants daycare centers and preschools) than rely on family or friends. But hold up—don’t go firing your babysitter just yet! The survey also found that more and more women are mixing and matching formal and informal childcare options to create a system that actually, you know, works for them. Because who says you can’t have it all?
Expert Opinions: Listen Up, People!
To give this whole thing some extra oomph, the survey also tapped a couple of childcare gurus to weigh in on the situation. And trust us, these folks know their stuff.
First up, we’ve got Tim Green, the data whiz over at United WE. He dropped some serious knowledge bombs about why finding good care for the littlest ones is so dang hard (spoiler alert: it’s mostly because you need, like, a zillion adults to wrangle a room full of toddlers). He also pointed out that the traditional childcare system is about as outdated as your grandma’s dial-up internet when it comes to meeting the needs of today’s go-getter entrepreneurs.
Childcare Crisis Throwing Shade on Women Entrepreneurs: New Survey Says “Fix This Now!”
Hold onto your coffee mugs, folks, because a bombshell new survey just dropped, and it’s about to shake up the way we think about women-owned businesses and, you guessed it, childcare. Turns out, finding someone trustworthy to watch the kids while you’re out there crushing it in the business world is kinda important (who knew, right?).
This isn’t just some random online poll, either. This is a legit study called “Care for the Economy,” cooked up by the awesome folks at United WE (they’re all about empowering women in leadership) and backed by the bigwigs at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. They surveyed a whopping 750 women business owners from all walks of life, across a whole bunch of states, representing all different income levels and backgrounds. In other words, this is the real deal, people.
So, What’s the Tea?
Get this: the survey found that a mind-blowing number of women entrepreneurs are straight-up struggling to make their businesses work because of the whole childcare sitch. It’s like trying to run a marathon with one shoe untied—totally doable, but way harder than it needs to be.
The Struggle is Real (and It’s Hurting Business)
Let’s break it down, shall we? A majority of the women surveyed confessed that their businesses would be totally killing it if they had better childcare options. We’re talking next-level thriving here, folks. And get this—over sixty percent said that crappy childcare options are throwing a wrench in their business operations on the daily. It’s even worse for women who are putting in major hours (think thirty-plus a week) or raking in the big bucks (over a million dollars a year). Talk about adding insult to injury!
What Women Really Need (Hint: It Involves Naps and Snacks)
The survey didn’t just point out the problem, though. It also dug deep to find out what kind of childcare solutions would actually make a difference for these entrepreneurial rockstars. Drumroll, please…
- Flexibility is Queen (or King): Turns out, the traditional nine-to-five grind doesn’t exactly scream “entrepreneur.” Thirty percent of the women said that flexible scheduling was like the holy grail of childcare—you know, the kind of childcare that can roll with the punches when you’ve gotta pull an all-nighter to meet a deadline or take a client call in the middle of a playdate.
- Where Are All the Tiny Human Wranglers? Finding awesome care for infants and toddlers is about as easy as finding a unicorn who can do your taxes—nearly impossible. Twenty-nine percent of respondents said this was their biggest childcare headache, and honestly, can you blame them?
- Early Birds and Night Owls, Unite! Another biggie? Twenty-seven percent of the women said they desperately needed childcare options that worked with their crazy schedules—you know, the kind of places that are open before the roosters start crowing and after the streetlights come on.
To Nanny or Not to Nanny? That is the Question
The survey also spilled the tea on how women are currently juggling the whole childcare thing. Turns out, those who are rolling in dough are more likely to go the formal route (think fancy-pants daycare centers and preschools) than rely on family or friends. But hold up—don’t go firing your babysitter just yet! The survey also found that more and more women are mixing and matching formal and informal childcare options to create a system that actually, you know, works for them. Because who says you can’t have it all?
Expert Opinions: Listen Up, People!
To give this whole thing some extra oomph, the survey also tapped a couple of childcare gurus to weigh in on the situation. And trust us, these folks know their stuff.
First up, we’ve got Tim Green, the data whiz over at United WE. He dropped some serious knowledge bombs about why finding good care for the littlest ones is so dang hard (spoiler alert: it’s mostly because you need, like, a zillion adults to wrangle a room full of toddlers). He also pointed out that the traditional childcare system is about as outdated as your grandma’s dial-up internet when it comes to meeting the needs of today’s go-getter entrepreneurs.
And then there’s Kelsey Lents, founder and CEO of Two Birds Childcare and School, who’s basically a superhero in the childcare game. She’s been there, done that, and got the t-shirt when it comes to struggling with the same old, same old childcare models. But instead of just complaining about it, she decided to do something totally badass and create her own solution: Two Birds. Think of it like the ultimate childcare hack—flexible scheduling, check. All-inclusive care, double check. Co-working spaces and parent resources, triple check! This is what happens when you combine entrepreneurial spirit with a dash of “I’m tired of this nonsense.”
The Price Tag of Parenthood: Ouch, My Wallet!
Let’s be real for a sec—childcare ain’t cheap. In fact, according to a recent analysis by the U.S. Department of Labor, the cost of childcare is enough to make your eyes water in all fifty states. We’re talking about a major financial burden for families, especially those just trying to make ends meet. And guess what? This cost barrier hits women entrepreneurs particularly hard. Imagine trying to launch a business, grow your customer base, and, oh yeah, pay for childcare that costs more than your rent. It’s a recipe for stress, burnout, and maybe a few too many late-night chocolate binges (we’ve all been there).
Time for a Change: What Needs to Happen (and Like, Yesterday)
So, we’ve established that the childcare crisis is real, it’s impacting women entrepreneurs like nobody’s business (literally), and something needs to change. But what exactly? Well, Wendy Doyle, the powerhouse president and CEO of United WE, has some pretty strong opinions on that matter. She’s calling on policymakers to step up their game and treat childcare like the essential business input that it is. We’re talking about giving it the same weight as other critical resources that businesses need to thrive.
Doyle and her crew at United WE aren’t just about talk, though. They’re putting their money where their mouths are and proposing some concrete solutions. First up on their hit list? Expanding the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, because every little bit helps, am I right? They’re also throwing their support behind the Small Business Childcare Investment Act, because investing in childcare is like investing in the future of our economy (and who doesn’t love a good ROI?).
Wrapping it Up: The Future is Female (and Flexible)
This groundbreaking survey isn’t just a bunch of numbers on a page; it’s a wake-up call. It’s time to ditch the outdated notion that childcare is a “personal problem” and start treating it like the economic engine that it is. When women entrepreneurs have access to quality, affordable, and flexible childcare, they can truly unleash their full potential, and that’s a win-win for everyone. So, let’s get this bread (and childcare) because the future of our economy depends on it.