Many women are still finding it hard to climb the corporate ladder, which has been tilted against them for generations. Women now make up 44% of the global workforce but hold just 31% of vice president-level roles and above, according to new research from LinkedIn. Leadership progress inside companies has slowed, even as women continue to gain ground in education and workforce participation.

But a different path to leadership is gaining momentum. Women now own over 40% of all U.S. businesses, employing 12.6 million people and generating $2.8 trillion in revenue, according to a recent report by Wells Fargo. The number of women-owned businesses grew 12% from 2022 to 2025, nearly double the growth rate for businesses owned by men.

Entrepreneurship is increasingly becoming an alternative route to influence, autonomy and long-term wealth as women entrepreneurs pursue goals seemingly less accessible in the corporate world:

1. Ownership and autonomy: 75% of women say they want to be their own boss.

2. Flexibility and control: 62% want more control over how and when they work.

3. Long-term assets: More than half of women aim to build a financial asset.

4. Income growth: A third expect entrepreneurship to increase their earnings.

The trend is particularly strong among younger women and women of color, who are ambitiously launching new businesses. In 2024, women started half of all businesses in America, according to a report by Gusto. For a deeper look at the data—including insights from LinkedIn economist Matthew Baird and investor Codie Sanchez—read the full story here.

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Practical insights and advice from Forbes staff and contributors to help you succeed in your job, accelerate your career and lead smarter.

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Careers Q&A: Why Are More Women Buying Businesses? A Conversation With Codie Sanchez

As corporate leadership pathways stall for many women, entrepreneurship is now an attractive alternative. I spoke with Codie Sanchez, the founder of Contrarian Thinking, an advisory and investment firm that helps entrepreneurs buy and scale businesses, about this trend.

Caroline Castrillon: Why do you think more women are turning to entrepreneurship?

Codie Sanchez: Women represent nearly 30% of founders globally and generate 2.5 times more revenue per venture capital dollar than men. When you see that efficiency but still see women get only a sliver of funding, you stop asking for a seat at the table and start buying the table.

As companies flatten their management structures, do you see more professionals turning to ownership instead of traditional corporate advancement like promotions?

Flattened org charts mean fewer rungs on the corporate ladder and more people trapped on each one. When ambitious professionals hit that ceiling, they take those skills they built inside a Fortune 500 and apply them to a small business where every operational improvement hits their own profit and loss numbers.

You often talk about buying “boring businesses” rather than starting companies from scratch. Why can buying existing companies be a powerful path to entrepreneurship?

Starting from scratch is sexy, but buying an existing business is where the quiet millionaires are made. If a woman can manage a corporate profit and loss statement, she can manage the profit and loss of a laundromat or med spa and keep the upside.

If someone feels stuck waiting for a promotion, what advice would you give them?

My advice is to stop asking how to get picked and start asking what you can own.

News from the world of work.

In another sign of shifting worker priorities, remote work has overtaken salary as the most desired job perk, according to FlexJobs’ latest State of the Workplace report. In a survey of more than 4,000 U.S. professionals, 79% said they are more likely to accept a new job in 2026 than they were a year ago, citing remote work options, higher pay and better work-life balance as the top reasons.

As AI continues reshaping the workplace, a new survey from Resume Now finds that 63% of professionals believe the technology will make work feel less human. While much of the conversation around AI has focused on potential job loss, this survey suggests workers are also concerned about how it could erode human connection and judgment at work. Meanwhile, 57% say the biggest issue in 2026 tied to AI adoption will be the deterioration of human skills.

A bill introduced in the New York City Council last week would raise the city’s minimum wage to $30 an hour, a proposal that has drawn mixed reactions from workers and business owners, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. If passed, New York would overtake Seattle ($21.30 an hour) as the U.S. city with the highest minimum wage.

Thanks for reading! This edition of the Careers newsletter was edited by Anjelica Tan, Chris Dobstaff and Jeffrey Marcus.

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