Wentworth noted that, despite having good financials and a business plan for Forty Winks, she and her partner found it difficult to rent space in Harvard Square.
“We were young. We were women. We had no established business before the store. So we definitely had to fight a bit harder to be taken seriously,” she said.
Renting a storefront has been one of the main impediments for young entrepreneurs. Nist said that she and Garber had to wait until their first location was a success before settling in the pricier Harvard Square area.
While discussing the obstacles that businesswomen contend with, Garber referenced the career woman’s ongoing struggle for balance.
“Women always carry the weight of the world,” Garber said. “Being able to balance your life is definitely the most challenging thing.”
Several of Harvard Square’s businesswomen have found partnership to be an effective way of mitigating some of these challenges.
Nist said that within her female entrepreneurial network, approximately half of the businesses are run by pairs. The division of responsibilities, combination of talents, and ability to receive a second opinion are all boons of partnership.
Nist added that the psychological dimension of having a co-owner relieves some of the stress involved with the risks of entrepreneurship.“You’re taking the plunge with someone else, and that makes it so much easier,” she said.
Local support for female entrepreneurs comes from partnership, the HSBA, and a now diversified community of established business owners and new arrivals.
With 117 woman-led businesses in the Square, female entrepreneurs have developed a network to maintain the strength of their growing community. “We hope to continue to see that grow,” Jillson said.
—Staff writer Nikki D. Erlick can be reached at nikkierlick@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @nikkierlick.