2023 was a milestone year for women in business, as women gained more “seats at the table” at every level of the workforce, from an increase in the number of female CEOs at Fortune 500 companies to a surge in female entrepreneurship in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Women-led enterprises account for 42% of all businesses in America as of early 2024 — that’s more than double the number in the early 2000s. Studies have shown that women build businesses that outperform those of their male counterparts, generating higher revenues and creating more jobs. Although they receive less startup funding, women-led businesses prove to be more valuable over time, even their investment portfolios generate better risk-adjusted returns than men’s. Critical steps include closing the pay gap across the employment spectrum, securing equal rates of venture capital funding for female entrepreneurs, and creating greater levels of C-suite inclusivity for minority women business leaders.