ATLANTA, Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly three fourths of U.S.-based women entrepreneurs are optimistic about their business, despite more than half (56 percent) believing a recession is likely if Congress fails to raise the nation's debt ceiling before the U.S. Treasury runs out of cash. According to the Cox Business Snapshot of Women Entrepreneurs™ survey, 79 percent of women owned businesses have not been impacted by the current government shutdown.

The findings were revealed in a blind survey of 624 U.S. women business owners. The survey was conducted in October to coincide with National Women's Small Business Month. Complete findings from the Cox Business Snapshot of Women Entrepreneurs are available at www.coxblue.com/SMBwomen.com 

According to the Small Business Administration, women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing segments of the small business community, accounting for 30 percent of small businesses today. In 1970, only 5 percent of small businesses were women-owned.

The Cox Business survey reveals a variety of factors are driving women to enter the entrepreneurial ranks, ranging from the opportunity to be their own boss (61 percent) to having more control of their "own destinies" (52 percent). At the same time, other women business owners chose entrepreneurship as a way to pursue their passion (47 percent); 32 percent to make more than they could by working for someone else and 28 percent to spend more time with family/children.

Jill Campbell, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Cox Communications said, "This survey reveals that women are enthusiastically taking control of their professional destinies and taking the entrepreneurial road to self-sufficiency, personal satisfaction and financial success."

Challenges Remain for Women Entrepreneurs
While the number of women-owned businesses is climbing steadily, 85 percent of survey respondents believe there are still business challenges unique to women entrepreneurs. Of that group, 73 percent believe gender bias still exists; followed by 71 percent of respondents who believe entrepreneurship increases their workloads due to family responsibilities. More than half (55 percent) responded there are industries that still lack opportunities for women.

When looking at the issues that had a large or moderate impact on their road to entrepreneurship, women business owners stated:

• 55 percent work/life balance,
• 48 percent knowledge on how to run a small business
• 41 percent leadership experience,
• 36 percent access to funding,
• 37 percent mentors to show them the ropes.

Facing additional challenges in the entrepreneurial environment, many women business owners turn to professional networks to help them achieve business success. Of the respondents, an overwhelming majority (89 percent) say their networks play an important or critical role in supporting their success. Another two-thirds feel that women make an effort to support other women in their entrepreneurial efforts.

"These women entrepreneurs are on the right path," said Porter Gale, author of Your Network is your Net Worth. "Your ability to build a network of authentic personal and professional relationships, far outweighs your financial capital. In fact, it is the most important asset in your portfolio. Collaborating with people with similar interests and values provides a strong foundation and enables anyone to reach a higher level of success than they could on their own."

More details on the 2013 Cox Business Snapshot of Women Entrepreneurs can be found on CoxBLUE.com, the company's social destination for business.  Follow @Coxbusiness on Twitter and join the conversation using #SBwomenStats on Twitter to share the results with your network. 

About the 2013 Cox Business Snapshot of Women Entrepreneurs
Cox Business commissioned a blind survey of women entrepreneurs in October 2013. Respondents to the online survey included a total of 624 U.S.-based women business owners. Of that group 38 percent reported being in business for more than 10 years. Industries represented included consulting, retail, healthcare, food industry, technology, real estate, hospitality, manufacturing, accounting and more.

Cox Business provides voice, data and video services for more than 300,000 small and regional businesses, including healthcare providers, K-12 and higher education, financial institutions and federal, state and local government organizations. The organization also serves most of the top tier wireless and wireline telecommunications carriers in the U.S. through its wholesale division. Según  Vertical Systems Group, Cox Business is one of the largest providers of business Ethernet services in the U.S. based on customer ports and has been consistently recognized for its leadership among small/midsize business data service providers. Cox is currently the seventh largest voice service provider in the U.S. and supports one million phone lines. For more information about Cox Business, Haz clic aquí or call 1-800-396-1609 FREE.

Acerca de Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet and telephone services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising.

Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; for seven years, Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com/espanol y www.coxmedia.com.

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SOURCE Cox Communications