In France, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Japan and Hong Kong, 80% of female entrepreneurs believe that in order to succeed, they need the support of a network of female entrepreneurs.
The findings are unequivocal: while women attach more importance than men to being their own boss (72% vs 65%), in France only 28% of women wish to become entrepreneurs. Social constructs are cited as deterrents to women’s ambitions.

In France, 91% of female “wantrepreneurs” feel that women entrepreneurs are inspiring. Yet only 12% of women can name a successful female entrepreneur.

Women are more aware of the risks of entrepreneurship than men.

This greater awareness seems to underlie the lower level of risk-taking among women compared to men. French women clearly picture the – negative – impact of entrepreneurship on their family life and apprehend the difficulty of balancing work and home.

An entrepreneurial project that becomes a constant struggle once the mental and structural barriers are overcome.
In France only 28% of women (vs 39% of men) aspire to become entrepreneurs..
And even if French women do not think that they are less credible than men in their professional positions (26% of both women and men claim to experience the “impostor syndrome”, the feeling of being a fraud) mental and structural barriers remain firmly in place.
65% of female wantrepreneurs confirm that fear of failure could dissuade them from making a go of entrepreneurship (only 54% of men say they have felt that fear)

Once those barriers are overcome, 72% of French female entrepreneurs feel they need to show more authority than men in order to be respected (compared to 63% in the United Kingdom, 69% in South Africa, 54% in Japan, 71% in Hong Kong).

What, then, is to be done? By reinventing the way people regard women entrepreneurs, by providing new frames of reference to rising generations, by acting purposefully, whether one is a man or a woman: in these ways, each individual can become a Role Maker and embolden successive generations of audacious leading women. Moreover, 72% of French female wantrepreneurs say it is necessary to be supported by a network of women entrepreneurs if they are to finally break through the glass ceiling.

Today Maison Veuve Clicquot wishes to affirm its commitment and embolden successive generations of audacious leading women.
Role models are key to women’s ability to envision their future and take the plunge into entrepreneurship. But role models alone are not enough anymore. More than ever today, women need not just inspiration but real assistance and support. This new sisterhood marks a shift of perspective, from Role Models to Role Makers: women who mentor, train, and inspire by cheering other women on, encouraging them to be bold and spring into action.

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Study conducted by Market Probe. Panel : 10 171 people in 5 countries. Results analysed by BETC Corporate.