Self-Employment Up Sharply For Women, Blacks,
And Latinos
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Self-employment rates for
women, blacks, and Latinos have risen sharply since 1979, according
to a study released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S.
Small Business Administration. During the period, self-employment
rates increased across ethnic groups and gender, with an overall
increase of more than five percent.
“Self-employment is a critical part of our
economy,” said Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy.
“Self-employment provides the main source of income for a
diverse group of over 12 million Americans. The increase in self-employment
rates for women, blacks, and Latinos show that small business
ownership can move minorities and women further into our economic
mainstream.”
Written by Robert Fairlie with funding from the
Office of Advocacy, Self-Employed Business Ownership Rates in
the United States: 1979-2003 was released at the Washington offices
of the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE).
“This study provides definitive evidence
for the growth trend we’ve seen in entrepreneurship over
the years,” said Robert Hughes, president of the National
Association for the Self-Employed. “Particularly strong among
women, blacks and Latinos, these numbers help to better quantify
the appeal of self-employment and the impact this segment of the
small business population has on the economy.”
The report delves into the data behind published
figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Unlike BLS
figures, this report includes incorporated as well as unincorporated
self-employed. The study found that over the period studied the
self-employment rate increased 33 percent for women, 37 percent
for blacks, and 15 percent for Latinos. The white rate increased
ten percent while the male rate increased two and a half percent.
The Office of Advocacy, the “small business
watchdog” of the government, examines the role and status
of small business in the economy and independently represents
the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and
the President. It is the source for small business statistics
presented in user-friendly formats and it funds research into
small business issues.
For more information, visit the Office of Advocacy
website at www.sba.gov/advo.
Created by Congress in 1976, the Office of Advocacy
of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent
voice for small business within the federal government. Appointed
by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the Chief Counsel
for Advocacy directs the office. The Chief Counsel advances the
views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress,
the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policy
makers. Economic research, policy analyses, and small business
outreach help identify issues of concern. Regional Advocates and
an office in Washington, DC, support the Chief Counsel’s
efforts. For more information on the Office of Advocacy, visit
www.sba.gov/advo, or call (202) 205-6533.
