An Examination on the Challenges that Black Women Experience in Starting a Business in Georgia: A Phenomenological Study
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Authors
Hodges, Chiffon
Issue Date
2026-03
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Intersectionality , disadvantage theory of entrepreneurship , gender , race , discrimination , Black women entrepreuners , Business, Engineering, Science, & Technological Innovation
Alternative Title
Abstract
The problem addressed in this study was the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experienced when starting and sustaining a business in Georgia (Williams, 2024). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experience when starting a business in Georgia and to identify strategies that promote business sustainability and success. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 15 Black women entrepreneurs who owned or sustained businesses in Georgia, focusing on the systemic challenges they encountered during business initiation and sustainability. The intersectionality theory and disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship examined how gendered racism, discrimination, and institutionalized chauvinism converged to shape entrepreneurial trajectories. The disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship posits that Black women pursue entrepreneurship not solely for opportunities but also due to exclusion from traditional labor markets and systemic racial barriers that hinder financial success. The phenomenological approach was employed to obtain rich narratives that illustrated structural and relational constraints, including funding issues, lack of support, non-acceptance, and racial and gender discrimination from dominant entrepreneurial networks, and persistent racialized and gendered bias. Participants provided strategic insights for rising Black women entrepreneurs and emphasized the importance of community building, mentorship, resilience, and engagement in professional development. Based on the findings, Black women-owned businesses in Georgia accounted for a significant share of new ventures and entrepreneurial networks, yet these networks remained inequitable and under-resourced. The findings suggested a need for policy reform and support from other Black businesses and from local, state, and federal agencies. This study contributed to the growing body of entrepreneurship literature by enriching the knowledge of entrepreneurship through the lens of intersectionality theory and the disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship. These frameworks collectively highlighted the interconnected systems of oppression that shaped the participants’ entrepreneurial voices as business owners in Georgia, thereby impacting the sustainability and viability of their businesses.