Forget the glass ceiling. Women are busy building the whole building.

Answer: 49% (a 69% increase over 5 years!)

Questions:

• What do you think is driving so many more women to start businesses now compared to five years ago?
• How does starting a business create financial opportunities for a whole community, not just the owner?

• If you were going to start a business, what financial steps would you need to take first?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day you can use in your classroom. 

Behind the numbers (Empower): 

"Women are in their entrepreneur era, becoming their own boss at unprecedented rates. The most recent data shows female entrepreneurs are responsible for 49% of all new businesses — a 69% increase from 2019 to 2024. The surge is part of a broader boom in new business formation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, new business applications were up nearly 37% in January 2026 compared to January 2025, suggesting strong momentum heading into the new year. January marked the largest year-over-year increase since April 2021, when volumes rose almost 112%." 

About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.