We live in a world that is owned by men, designed by men and managed by men, and yet we expect women to participate.
But did you know …
1. Women dominate higher education. Most college and university campuses across North America are 60-40 female.
2. Approximately 70% of all American females work outside the home, and women make up nearly 50% of the total workforce.
3. During the recession, 82% of job losses befell men, and mothers are the major breadwinners in 40% of American families.
4. The earning power of women globally is expected to reach $18 trillion by 2014
If you’re a man running a business, and if the power and influence females wield hasn’t completely registered on your radar, well, then,what we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.
If your store, restaurant, bank, hotel lobby, mall, or other public space or amenity doesn’t acknowledge the female factor; if it doesn’t invite women in and make them feel at home, at ease, safe, hygienic, respected and in control, if it doesn’t take into account what women want and expect (which is different from what men want and expect), well, then, it’s bad business.
Paco Underhill is the CEO of Enirosell and the author of Why We Buy and soon to be published What Women Want.