(BPT) - The number of business-savvy mothers blazing the trail as entrepreneurs is at a record high. "Mompreneurs" are transforming the business landscape, not just for themselves, but also for future generations. According to Wells Fargo, growth in the number of female business owners has outpaced the market in recent years, with women-owned companies representing 39% of all businesses.
What could be a driver of this shift? Legacy. One-third of female business owners surveyed in recent Kiddie Academy® research cite their primary motivation for starting a business as a desire to leave a lasting impact for their children and grandchildren. For these women, entrepreneurship isn't just a path to work-life balance - it's an act of generational empowerment that's essential to their communities.
Mompreneurs fill unique gaps in the market because they often start businesses based on personal experiences. This results in the creation of products and services that effectively solve problems for families and local communities. They're showing their children what's possible when you take a personal passion or value and turn it into a business.
According to the same Kiddie Academy survey, 90% of respondents believe it's important for children to see more female business owners in their communities. Female representation can change what children believe is achievable as they form ideas about their own potential.
Children raised in "mompreneurial" households grow up with firsthand exposure to the highs and lows of business, the dedication it takes to launch and grow an idea and the courage it takes to follow one's dreams. For daughters, it can plant the seeds of self-confidence. For sons, it can shape respect for women as leaders and equals in the workforce.
"I know that when my children see me going to work each day, I'm making a profound impact on their perception of women business owners," said Emily Zaghi, franchise owner of three Kiddie Academy locations in New York and mother of three young children. "Beyond the legacy I'm building for my family, I also have so much more freedom to be part of my children's lives."
Nearly 70% of mothers say flexibility to spend more time with family is a major reason for starting their business, according to Wells Fargo. With that, mompreneurs have created support ecosystems for themselves and each other, redefining what work-life balance looks like. More and more, moms are designing businesses that prioritize flexibility and purpose.
When a mother becomes an entrepreneur, she's not just building a business, she's building a legacy - the ripple effects of which can last for generations.