Ugh. It's no wonder women are so tired. 😴

The economic power of women-owned businesses is immense, they employ 11.4 million people and generate $2.1 trillion annually. Yet, this scale masks a significant disparity: their average revenue is just 40% of that generated by men-owned businesses. This gap underscores systemic issues, from funding inequalities to the gender wage gap.

An analysis of over 12,000 women-owned small businesses on Yelp reveals an entrepreneurial landscape dominated by service industries. Photography companies claimed six of the 10 highest-rated women-owned businesses.

The data also reflects a broader trend of women entrepreneurs prioritizing social impact and building businesses with a purpose.

Despite progress, barriers remain significant. Only 2.4% of venture capital funding goes to female founders, while the average loan size for women-owned firms is much lower than for male-owned businesses.

While conversations about housework often focus on visible tasks, research reveals that mothers handle 71% of household tasks requiring mental effort compared to just 45% by fathers. Invisible work consumes two to three hours per week, and when combined with household tasks, women spend about double on household activities.

This dynamic plays out daily in countless households, as one viral video illustrates how partners often default to asking rather than taking initiative.

The unequal distribution has real consequences for women's wellbeing. Research found fathers often overestimate their contributions while studies show women handle the vast majority of anticipating needs, providing reminders, and monitoring tasks. Other research found this cognitive labor is associated with psychological distress, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and burnout in women. While men are spending a record amount of time on household activities, true equity requires acknowledging and redistributing the invisible cognitive work of household management.