Things have changed since then, but not too much. And among the general population, women still make 72 cents for every dollar earned by men, an obstacle that has remained more or less intractable for decades. But those statistics don't tell the entire story. Women are starting businesses, in fact, at twice the rate of men. Another problem, Thompson points out, is that women often overexplain their proposals.
Women use twice as many words to say something as men.
It's one thing when you're presenting to your peers, and another when you're talking with people who are totally different than you. Reading through the lines in the business press, you get the impression that it's this guy and this guy and this guy who grew up 40 miles away from each other and went to the same schools. Alike One way that women are giving each other a chance to succeed is through mentoring groups and networking organizations, which give women an opportunity to talk and share their experiences without having to battle for attention with men. There's a real feeling of community. Diana Reid, a San Francisco resident who serves as the president of FWE's Bay Area chapter, says that although women still have a tough time winning the trust of venture capitalists and bankers, groups like FWE have given them new opportunities through programs like the Springboard venture capital forum, which gives women a chance to present their business plans to angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate investors.