A recent report shows that over the past 5 years, in Italy, women entrepreneurs have fared better than men.

Since 2009 the total number of entrepreneurs, meaning by that term holders and shareholders of companies, has increased from 4 million to 4 million 514 thousand 308 thousand in 2013 .  Women have shown a greater capacity for resilience than men. In view of the fact decrease of 158 thousand entrepreneurs (-5%) , among women the losses were lower.  The combined effect of the various trends resulted in a slight increase although the level of feminization of Italian business : the impact of women entrepreneurs on the total number of entrepreneurs has in fact increased from 29.8 % in 2009 to 30.1% in 2013.

The economy of Southern Italy had more impact on entrepreneurs between 2009 and 2013.  Even in North production losses were significant.  In the NorthEast, men were more severely hit than women.  Of note is the situation in Central Italy , which records a better economic and employment situation.

The services sector continues to be the industry that enjoys better health.  The number of women entrepreneurs has remained virtually unchanged over the difficult years, 2009-2013.  Women have  further consolidated their presence in those sectors in which womne-run companies traditionally play a central role :

Organizing events, catering, beauty  salons, and tatoo salons have flourished. The sector that provides social assistance is small, but women account for 59% of the business.

Women entrepreneurs are entering traditional male businesses with great success.
Financial assets and insurance , brokerage , brokerage, subcontractor where women account for only 29.5%, but this is up 4.3% in the last year and continues to expand. In real estate women representing 44.5% of the entrepreneurial base.

In short, no matter how strongly affected by the crisis, women not only in recent years have shown a greater resilience than men , limiting the negative effects on the business system, but proved even more able to detect the areas of innovation, of change and growth offered by the service sector by the crisis and seize the opportunity to get back into the game and turn it into a real opportunity.

The main findings that emerge from the Observatory Confcommercio – CENSIS on the evolution of women’s entrepreneurship in the service sector between 2009 and 2013 is that women cope better than men.

Surviving an Econnomic Downturn