Women’s roles in business have been defined throughout history by societal and cultural expectations of what a woman should be. Up until the late 20th century, those were expectations of fragility, of softness and weakness. The advent of the female entrepreneur began as these obstacles began to dissolve, though today they still face problems that most male entrepreneurs seem to have the privilege of skipping over.
According to a report titled “Gender, Age and Small Business Financial Outcomes,” women-owned businesses don’t receive the same initial support as ventures begun by their male counterparts. Women are less likely to receive external financial aid, thus making their first few years, when a business is more at risk of failing (50% of businesses will fail within the first five years, according to research done by the Small Business Association), even more difficult to navigate.
And yet, in the face of massive adversity, statistics show women remain steadfast and determined to become business owners in a system stacked against them. Since 2007, the number of women-owned businesses has increased by 58%, and as of 2018 there are 12.3 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. alone.
United Title is one such business. Rachael Grove launched her title and escrow business in 2002 after a lengthy career in the field. Having worked in the title service industry since she was 18, Rachel reports that she has personally experienced gender bias from others in the industry, but also from clients, “One of my associates is a man, and there have been so many times where someone calls to speak with me and then asks to be transferred to ‘that gentleman I spoke to before’ and it’s frustrating because we give the same answers,” explained Rachel.
It’s an experience many female business owners and professionals can all relate to, but it’s one that has the power to make you feel alienated and alone. S.H.E. Week aims to change that. By giving Rachael and others like her a network of women in the community, the Chamber hopes to encourage women to speak out knowing that they are not alone in their experiences, and to share what they’ve learned with other women in order to grow and shape their business into the best it can be.
It’s this network, this support system that made S.H.E. Week so appealing to Rachel, “An event like this, it makes you more aware of how many women are succeeding. Not to say it’s easy, either, just that it’s refreshing to realize how many women have taken on such demanding leadership roles in our community,” she said. Being involved in S.H.E. Week has allowed her discover and connect with multiple women-owned businesses in Frederick County that, until S.H.E. Week, she’d never known about. And while S.H.E. Week may be mostly a celebration it’s also an opportunity. An opportunity to educate the community, to inspire change in perspectives and behaviors, and to unite business women in a way that benefits them personally but also impacts the community as a whole.
United Title is a sponsor of S.H.E Week.
About United Title
Since its’ establishment in October of 2002, United Title Service LLC. has been one of the leading providers of real estate settlement service providers in the area. Providing excellent service to homeowners and home buyers throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania has been the mission of UTS for more than a decade. The driving force behind the success of the company is the superior knowledge and experience of the staff, Rachael Grove, Dan Martz and Maria Strite. With more than 50 years of combined experience in the real estate settlement service industry, UTS has the ability to handle the full range real estate transactions from Residential Sales and Refinances to complex Commercial transactions. In 2013, UTS added the services of David Silverman of Skyline Legal Services for the purpose of assisting distressed homeowners in negotiating Short Sale transactions.
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.