Leandra Joseph, COO WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV
Laura Londin, The Booth for Business
Women-owned businesses now represent more than 40% of all U.S. companies and generate over $2 trillion in revenue. Yet despite this growth, less than 2% of women-owned businesses surpass $1 million in annual revenue. The question is no longer whether women are starting businesses; it is why so few are scaling them.
According to Leandra Joseph, Chief Operating Officer of WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV, the answer goes beyond the commonly cited barrier of access to capital. “Certification opens the door,” she said, “but readiness is what happens when businesses walk through that door well.”
That distinction is where many businesses fall short.
There is no denying that women founders face funding challenges. Limited access to capital continues to slow growth and restrict investment in hiring, systems, and expansion.
But Joseph offers a more nuanced perspective. “Women are debt averse, not risk averse,” she said.
This distinction matters. The issue is not a lack of ambition, it is how capital is approached and deployed. Even when funding becomes available, many founders are not fully prepared to use it in a way that drives sustainable growth.
As a result, access alone does not solve the scaling problem.
Access creates opportunity, but readiness determines whether that opportunity turns into revenue.
Joseph compares certification to a gym membership: “You have to use it.” Programs like WBENC certification are designed to connect women-owned businesses with corporate procurement opportunities, partnerships, and networks. But those opportunities only translate into growth when businesses are prepared to deliver at scale.
Readiness shows up in three critical areas:
Founders need to understand their cash flow, pricing, and profitability. Without this, decisions are reactive rather than strategic.
Scaling requires systems, processes, and a team that can support increased demand.
Businesses must clearly define their niche and customer to compete for larger contracts and partnerships.
Without these elements in place, growth stalls, even when opportunity is present.
Another barrier is what Joseph describes as a mindset challenge. Many women founders continue to operate with a “side hustle” mentality, even as their businesses grow. This creates a ceiling.
When a business remains dependent on one person, growth is limited by time and capacity. There is no infrastructure to support expansion, no delegation, and no long-term strategy for scaling.
Shifting from solopreneur to CEO requires more than hiring. It requires treating the business as an enterprise with systems, structure, and financial planning to support growth.
To help bridge this gap, WBENC has developed programs focused on preparing businesses for scale.
The SAGE Advice Program, presented by WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV, for example, targets women-owned businesses generating between $500,000 and $800,000 in revenue. Over six months, participants focus on cash flow management, building an “A-team” of advisors, and creating a clear business plan. The goal is to move businesses from early growth into sustainable scale.
Joseph has seen what happens when readiness is prioritized. She has seen businesses grow from $120,000 in revenue to millions within a couple of years after gaining the right support, structure, and strategy. These results highlight a critical point: growth is not just about access; it is about preparation.
Joseph summarizes the path forward in three words: “access, readiness, and relationships.”
Access to opportunities is improving through certification and corporate programs. Relationships can open doors to partnerships and contracts. But readiness remains the missing piece.
Many founders are not fully prepared to step into larger opportunities, whether that means managing higher revenue, leading a team, or delivering at scale.
For founders looking to move beyond six figures, Joseph recommends starting with a clear, practical approach.
But none of this works without a strong financial foundation. If you do not understand your numbers, you are not ready to scale.
Women-owned businesses are not lacking in opportunity or ambition. They are operating in an environment where readiness determines who scales and who stalls.
For women-owned businesses, scaling is not just about gaining access. It is about being prepared to turn that access into revenue.
Melissa Houston, CPA, CEPA, is co-founder of ProfiVise, an AI-powered financial platform designed to help business owners grow profit, manage cash flow, and build business value in real time.
ProfiVise transforms accounting data into clear, decision-ready insights, making it easy for non-financial business owners to understand their numbers and take action with confidence. By connecting directly to financial systems, it provides real-time visibility into cash, profitability, and risk - helping owners act early, make smarter decisions, and avoid costly surprises. With forward-looking analysis, simple dashboards, and proactive alerts, ProfiVise enables business owners to run their businesses with clarity, confidence, and control.
The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace professional accounting or tax advice.
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