WA women lead in business start-ups

WESTERN Australian women are leading the country in new business start-ups, according to recent research from the Small Business Develop-ment Corporation.

For the past three years, the number of women operating a small business in WA has increased by 31 per cent, compared to the national average of 9 per cent.

SBDC managing director George Etrelezis said women were opting to start their own business because of the flexibility and independence having their own business offers.

“Small business offers women the opportunity to be creative and successful while also juggling the many demands of the ’90s,” he said.

WA has also led the country in small business growth, with average annual growth rates of 5.1 per cent compared to a national growth rate of 3.5 per cent.

Recent research indicates that 51 per cent of private sector employees are employed by a small business – accounting for 345,000 Western Australians.