Why More Women Over 40 Are Starting Businesses Right Now (And Why It's Not Slowing Down)

In 2024, women started about half of all new businesses in the United States. And the trend isn't skewing young — more people are starting businesses in their 50s and beyond than at any point in recent history. If you've been feeling a pull toward building something of your own, you're not alone and you're not late. This episode of Just a Number, the business podcast for women entrepreneurs over 40, unpacks exactly why this shift is happening and what it means for the woman who's been thinking about making a move. You can also read the full transcript here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Women launched roughly half of all new businesses in the US in 2024, and the rate of older entrepreneurs starting businesses has been rising steadily over time.

• Midlife entrepreneurship isn't only driven by corporate burnout — women are starting from education, healthcare, caregiving backgrounds, and years of what could be called informal entrepreneurship.

• At midlife, most women stop looking for a brand-new idea and start recognizing that the skills they already have solve real problems people will pay for.

• Technology has lowered the barrier to entry significantly — a real business no longer requires a storefront, a full team, or significant upfront investment.

• The simplest starting point is one clear sentence: I help ___ do ___ so they can ___ — and your first few yeses usually come from people who already know and trust you.

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