Valid for 30 years after the date of manufacture – 04/12/2024 – Ana Fontes

One of the thousands of difficulties in the journey of entrepreneurship for women is, without a doubt, ageism. In both their personal and professional lives, age is always an issue for them. We don’t have the privilege of being too young to make a mistake, and the term “mature” with a charming air is also only for men; for women, the famous “old” remains as the main adjective.

With maturity, questions about the ability to create, innovate, change and recalibrate routes begin to intensify, always in that tone of “can you do it?” And so, with their self-esteem more fragile, these entrepreneurs begin to face limited networking, difficulty in obtaining credit, difficulty in competing in business rounds and even in interacting with partners and potential clients. In addition to technical difficulties, this setback also has to do with identity, fear of failure, social pressure. Ageism also stirs up the fear of not being taken seriously in the —cruel— world of business. The famous “only those who lived know”.

And how do we change this game? We continue trying and investing in the education of the entire society to avoid ageism. Speaking in practical terms: with a support and mentoring network among mature entrepreneurs, specific events offering opportunities and connections, mentoring programs with personalized guidance. Entrepreneurship has always sounded to me like change and innovation. And there is no innovation and change without women and diversity, including age. It’s always good to remember that maturity also offers solutions to problems already faced, wisdom and years of experience in various subjects.

Instead of being seen as a type of burden, they should see us as we really are: experienced women who, precisely because of our long experience, can add a lot to the environments in which we operate.

The corporate and business world does not need to be the setting for a Discovery Channel documentary, nor suits, ties and sober colors. It can be inclusive, diverse and powerful. Women entrepreneurs need space and investment to continue contributing strongly to the country’s economy and their communities. Support for women must be lifelong.

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