I started ProGroup over 20 years ago. Since 1986, if I had gotten a cookie every time someone asked, upon our introduction, some version of the following questions, I'd be a fat and happy person rather than a chubby and frustrated one. Do any of these sound familiar to you?

• "Who's the real owner?"
• "Do you work part-time at it?"
• "Is it, like, your hobby?"
• "Do you work out of your home/kitchen/basement?"
• "Do you do this for spending money?"
• "Do you work alone?"
• "Does your husband approve?"
• "How long do you plan on doing this?"

What frustrates me is that the assumptions behind these questions have a direct, negative impact on all women entrepreneurs.

According to a team of scholars, business experts, and sociologists who got together to do an award-winning study of women entrepreneurs, called the Diana Project, two major myths explain why women-owned businesses remain smaller than others:

1. Women don't want high-growth businesses.
2. Women don't have the experience or qualifications to be good business risks.

These assumptions are at odds with numerous studies done on women-owned businesses. One example is a study done by the Center for Women's Business Research. In its research, done over several years with thousands of companies, the Center found that women-owned businesses are just as strong financially and as worthy of credit as the average U.S. firm. Compared to statistics for all firms, they have similar performance on bill payment and identical levels of credit risk.

Yet the stereotypes persist. This skewed view is having dramatic consequences for women who want to start or grow businesses and need bank financing, lines of credit, short-term or long-term loans, or venture capital. You can only borrow so much money from the sources women too frequently go to. A much higher percentage of women business owners try to expand by using their personal savings and credit cards combined with personal loans from friends and family members. An amazingly low 5% of venture capital goes to woman-owned companies. According to the Diana Project, the top three reasons for this disparity in funding are:

1. Women still earn an average of 75% of male wages over their careers, so they end up with less personal savings to invest in business start-ups.
2. Women don't have "money people" in their networks and they can't get to them.
3. Women get turned down for loans despite stellar performance and financials.

Another repercussion of the stereotypes about women-owned businesses is that it's much more difficult for women-owned and women-led organizations to get large contracts with Fortune 1000, 500, or 100 companies and with our government. Two prevalent myths affect those who make the hiring and procurement decisions, according to the Center for Women's Business Research:

1. Women-owned businesses won't deliver the volume of product needed on time.
2. Women-owned businesses will back out due to loss of interest or business failure.

These assumptions just aren't true according to studies by the Center and other research organizations. In fact, women-owned businesses are right on par with all others regarding on-time delivery, quality of goods sold, and percentage of rejects. In fact, they rank above male-owned businesses in terms of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Data also show that woman-owned businesses have equal failure rates with all businesses, so they are no more likely than any other business to close their doors.

So, during Women's History Month, take a little time to examine your world with "women who are making history" in mind. Please do the following for all of the women in your life:

• Look at Yourself: Ask yourself if any of the assumptions and myths about women business owners may be affecting your business decisions.
• Examine Your Place of Work: Find out if unfair policies or practices regarding women business owners or customers or vendors are occurring.
• Ask Questions of Your Vendors and Suppliers and Financial Partners: Ask to see demographic data about their customers, vendors, and suppliers and tell them you are checking out their commitment to women business owners before you decide to do business with them.

If you want a solid business reason for doing all of this, please click here to check out more demographic data about women business owners, the fastest growing business trend in the United States.