Women in business navigate unique challenges and redefine traditional roles in society. GoDaddy acknowledges their remarkable achievements and shares the stories of women entrepreneurs who inspire and drive change.
The Middle East and North Africa region is witnessing a surge in female startup activity rates
The Middle East and North Africa region is witnessing a remarkable surge in female startup activity rates. According to GoDaddy’s 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Survey, 40% of women in the region reported being self-employed with almost all (98%) small business owners agreeing that “Life is better after becoming an entrepreneur”.
GoDaddy shares examples of influential women entrepreneurs from its customer base
In UAE, Yara Barqawi’s career shift exemplifies how passion can be turned into a significant business venture, as seen with “Serendipity”. Transitioning from a decade-long career as an architect, she began her journey into yoga exploration, initially freelancing. Then, she eventually founded “Serendipity” as a comprehensive wellness destination. Yara faced challenges at first with establishing Serendipity’s online presence, she then turned to the services of GoDaddy and effortlessly crafted a website for her establishment, featuring essential information, class schedules, and event updates. This professionally designed website, created with GoDaddy website builder, has since become the focal point of her online presence, enabling her to drive sales in a cost-effective manner.
Similarly, in Egypt, Aya Kourtam’s journey illustrates how passion mixed with a clear vision can lead to the creation of a unique wellness space venture like “Ahimsa”. In 2015, Aya’s journey into the world of yoga began upon getting her certification as a yoga instructor after nearly five years of dedicated practice. She then was inspired to establish her own wellness space after observing a lack of green spaces and holistic wellness hubs in Egypt. With the assistance of GoDaddy, she embarked on creating her online presence, Aya seamlessly constructed a website to provide essential information to potential clients and streamline her booking process. Leveraging GoDaddy’s Studio, website builder, and domain services, Aya brought her vision to life.
Selina Bieber, Vice President for International Markets at GoDaddy, stated: “International Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognise and honour the extraordinary contributions of women entrepreneurs. Yara and Ara are examples of entrepreneurs who have turned their passion into a business idea and grown their business with help from being online. “.
Bieber added, “With a focus on leveraging digital tools, GoDaddy aims to equip entrepreneurs with practical tools and resources to feel confident and thrive in the online landscape, with the ultimate goal of successfully growing their business.”
GoDaddy highlights the challenges that women entrepreneurs encounter along with tips to overcome them.
Here are 6 challenges that female entrepreneurs face, accompanied by some tips to overcome them:
- Gender Bias and Stereotypes: Women entrepreneurs often encounter bias in business environments, which impacts their credibility and opportunities for growth. Surround yourself with individuals who understand the challenges of women’s entrepreneurship. Join networking groups, attend industry events, seek mentorship from experienced professionals, and advocate for inclusivity.
- Balancing Work and Family: The traditional gender roles and expectations in the UAE can make it challenging for women to manage their businesses while fulfilling their familial duties. Consider delegating tasks where possible and leverage GoDaddy’s website builder and GoDaddy Studio to construct a user-friendly website and create eye-catching social media using the pre-curated templates which saves time and energy.
- Access to Funding: According to GoDaddy’s 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Survey, 21% of self-employed women in the UAE reported facing challenges getting funding or access to capital. Seek out alternative funding sources. Build a solid business plan and network with organisations that support women entrepreneurs for financial guidance and support.
- Representation in Leadership Roles: Women entrepreneurs encounter barriers to reaching leadership roles, limiting their influence and resource access. Pursue leadership development and executive training, advocate for gender diversity, and demonstrate leadership through thought leadership and community engagement.
- Access to Training: There are a variety of resources to help entrepreneurs develop skills and knowledge to start and grow their businesses. Take advantage of GoDaddy’s online resources such as blogs, educational video content, and webinars, to expand your knowledge and stay updated on industry trends.
- Digital Transformation & Access to AI Tools: According to GoDaddy’s 2024 survey results, 30% of self-employed women encounter a significant challenge in ensuring data security and privacy, 30% face a challenge in coping with the learning curve associated with new technologies, while 23% reported limited access to AI tools due to the high implementation costs. Invest in cybersecurity training and resources and network with experts for guidance. You can also dedicate time to continuous learning through online courses and seek guidance from industry professionals. GoDaddy has also curated an AI prompt library, and tools like GoDaddy Website Builder come with AI technology built-in to enable small business owners to leverage the power of generative AI to help their business grow.
On the occasion of this International Women’s Day, GoDaddy remains dedicated to supporting the needs of entrepreneurs by providing them with the essential tools, expert guidance and support to succeed in achieving their business milestones and bringing their vision to reality.
