Asserting Yourself in a Man's World

Although there are more and more women in the labour market, women are still in the minority in some industries. This is the case in the construction industry, where women employees make up 12.3% of the workforce in France^[1], 9%[2] in the United States and only 3%[3] in Japan. However, the situation is improving. For instance, in the French entrepreneurial sphere, more than one construction company in two is managed or co-managed by a woman.[4] In predominantly male sectors, women entrepreneurs may have an even harder time being recognised and may suffer biases about their skills that could undermine their self-confidence. For these women, it can be a daily challenge to have their value and legitimacy as leaders recognised, to build a network and to dare to climb up the ranks.

Tina Woodside, a participant in the fourth edition of the Women Entrepreneur Program, can attest to this. Getting respect as a woman in the construction industry was the first challenge she faced at Earth Basics Contracting. She is now president and co-owner of this U.S.-based civil engineering company.

Asserting oneself in a male environment can be all the more daunting for women entrepreneurs who are on their own. At a time when, globally, only 54% of women say they have access to a mentor,[5] joining a network or program such as the Women Entrepreneur Program is a valuable resource.

"If there’s one piece of advice that I could give to other women, it is to believe in yourself. You have the power to do whatever it is you want to do. Go do it!”

For the fourth consecutive year, this program, in partnership with the Women Initiative Foundation, has provided about 40 women entrepreneurs from 14 countries with an international network and week of training at Stanford University. This is a unique opportunity for these women entrepreneurs to acquire new skills and engage in dialogue as a means of developing leadership skills, regardless of their industry.