Markets and Economy
Gender, Age and Small Business Financial Outcomes
New research from the JPMorgan Chase Institute explores how owner demographics influence the growth and ultimate success of small businesses.
New research from the JPMorgan Chase Institute explores how owner demographics influence the growth and ultimate success of small businesses.
Small businesses contribute significantly to US economic growth and dynamism. Understanding how those firms start and develop is critical to understanding the financial health of the overall small business sector.
In its latest research, the JPMorgan Chase Institute explores how the success of small businesses differs by owner demographics. Based on the analysis of transaction data from 1.3 million small businesses, the report finds that gender and age differences among owners result in substantially different growth trajectories and financial outcomes.
Here are some of the key findings:
- Young and female small business owners are well-represented among firms that grow organically, but underrepresented among firms with external financing.
- Firms with founders 55 and older are the most likely to survive, but the least likely to have employees.
- Female-owned businesses start with 34 percent less revenue and experience slower revenue growth than male-owned firms.
- Small business outcomes vary by region, often as a result of policies enacted at the local and city level.
