Female entrepreneurship in the project "venha crescer com Esteio" (RS): a comparison between two organizations

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to make a comparison about characteristics, motivations and difficulties between two organizations with women entrepreneurs as founders of the project “Venha Crescer com Esteio” (“Come Grow with Esteio”). The method used was a multiple qualitative case study with data collected through interviews with the founder entrepreneurs of the two companies. In the data analysis the characteristics of the entrepreneurs were confronted, their motivations and their main challenges and difficulties in the command of a business. In regard of the characteristics of the founders, it is noted that the companies were created for different purposes and the way of undertaking of each interviewee is a reflection of their organization that are different among themselves, although it is remarkable that they have similar characteristics. Regarding to motivations, one can identify that they have distinct aspects, but that in a certain way reveal views and common goals. While, for one, it meant income generation, for the other it was personal satisfaction and self-fulfillment. Optimism and persistence are the most common features presented. In the context of the difficulties and challenges for the companies surveyed, it was observed that the most frequent factors were lack of capital, access to financing, business management and work valuation.