4 Reasons You Should Work in a Women-Led Business
Written by AD&V®
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | AD&V® is dedicated to advanced and energy-efficient sustainable architecture & interior design that enhances people’s experience of the world and improves their lives.
In celebration of International Women's Day and Women's Month, we want to recognize the impact of women-led businesses.
Companies led by women help guide individuals, professionals, and other businesses towards a more equal and better future. Here are four reasons why you should work in a women-led business.
1. SUCCESS & SECURITY
Women-led businesses have been proven to be more successful than those led by men. Several research studies indicate that women led businesses outperform those led by men. One analysis found that women CEOs in the Fortune 1000 drove three times the returns than enterprises run predominantly by men.Successful women-led companies also tend to provide their employees with better and equal pay for women, health and wellness benefits, and other important compensations like paid and extended maternity leave. Women understand first-hand the struggles of balancing family and work life and tend to be more flexible and accommodating to situations that may arise. Companies led by women are good for both employees and the business.
2. EMPOWERMENT
Working in a women-led business empowers other women to take ownership of their profession. When women see other women take on leadership roles, they get empowered and motivated to take on new projects and roles that they may have not had the opportunity or confidence to do so beforehand.Just last month for example, the Puerto Rico Builders Association (PRBA) made history on the Island by naming Architect Vanessa De Mari as the first woman president of the association. During her presidency, De Mari will focus on the opportunities and challenges that the construction industry faces today, such as the rise of construction costs, the shortage of materials and labor, the responsible development of the coast, Puerto Rico’s reconstruction, among other issues.Having the first female president in the PRBA paves the way for other women architects to feel empowered to take on leadership roles in and out of the office. This not only applies to the architecture industry but for all other industries as well.
3. GROWTH
Job promotions, entrepreneurship seminars, and leadership workshops are some of the opportunities and tools offered in women-led businesses to help others continue to grow professionally. As minorities who have always had to work twice as hard to achieve anything, women are more in tune with the challenges minorities and other women face. For this reason, many women are using their influence to provide opportunities for others.For example, AD&V’s president, Monique Lugo-López, was recently named president of the Puerto Rico Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIAPR) and she’s focusing the AIAPR’s work plan on equity and publicizing the impact of women architects in Puerto Rico.As part of this effort, the AIAPR is holding an important exhibition during this Women’s Month titled “Women in Architecture: The impact of women architects in Puerto Rico.” This exhibit will give public visibility to more than 62 women who have contributed to the Architecture profession and to the development of Puerto Rico in different realms including design, leadership, professional practice, education, research, public service and volunteer work.More importantly, the exhibition will also help launch emerging women architects, offering them the opportunity to publicize their work, advance their careers, seek mentorship, and connect with others in the industry. When women have access to executive and leadership positions, they create new opportunities for others to grow and succeed.
4. INSPIRATION
Women-led businesses inspire other companies and industry professionals to follow in their footsteps and to hire more women. At AD&V, 75% of leadership positions are held by women. Between last year and this one, we’ve continued to hire more women as part of our ongoing effort to promote professional women for management positions in the architecture and design industry. Businesses led by women inspire others to work towards achieving gender equality, both at work and in our communities.Women-led businesses go beyond the work that they do. They use the tools and resources that they have to empower, inspire, grow, succeed and work for the common good to positively impact the future of the next generations.