NASE Advocacy Efforts

Women Small Business Owners - 86% Definitely Voting in November 4th Elections

WASHINGTON, DC – With a week to go before this year’s 2014 midterm elections, a new, flash survey by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation’s leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, shows women entrepreneurs engaged and looking for candidates who support the small business community.         
 
The NASE survey of the opportunities and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs was conducted online from October 15th – 24th and is comprised of over 150 women who own small and micro-businesses from across the country.   The survey found that only 3% of the women surveyed indicated they would not be voting in this upcoming midterm election.  Furthermore, over 83% of those surveyed cite it is either “very important” or “somewhat important” that candidates running for office and/or elected officials have a stated “pro-business” agenda. 

Additional highlights of the NASE women entrepreneurs survey released today includes:

- Over 80% of the respondents said it was either “very important” or “somewhat important” for Congress to address individual tax reform in 2015.

- Over 80% of respondents used personal funds to start their business, with less than 10% securing a traditional small business loan.

- Nearly 80% provide some level of health care coverage to their employees (or themselves).

- Their #1 concern is finding ways to market and grow their business (58%), followed by the cost of health care (38%).

NASE's Vice President of Government Relations Katie Vlietstra recently penned in Huffington Post that Congress should immediately address health care, women’s entrepreneurship and tax reform for the small business community.  Self-employed women and women-owned small businesses continue to be a growing force in our country’s economy.  A recent U.S. Senate Committee report indicated that "women-owned business are a $3 trillion economic force and support 23 million jobs, but still face significant barriers compared to their male-owned counterparts when it comes to obtaining loans and growing their businesses."