New York City Offers Funding, Credit and Free Programs for Women Entrepreneurs. Here's a Rundown.It's Women's History Month, but we can celebrate women all year long by making a point to support women-owned businesses each and every day.

On a hot day in August 2018, I toured an array of small businesses along Tompkins Avenue in Brooklyn. The avenue, widely known asBlack Girl Magic Row, is comprised of 15 retail spaces owned by black women. With businesses ranging from vintage clothing stores to yoga studios, customers were in and out of shops while women-business owners were seen making the sales. I think of this avenue as a place where New Yorkers can support and celebrate women-owned businesses, and although it's Women's History Month, it's important every month to highlight the critical role women have in today's economy.

女性企业家的业务sses are on the rise. They make up39 percentof the 28 million small businesses in the U.S., contribute$1.6 trillionin national revenue and employ nearlynine millionpeople. From 2007 to 2016, the number of women-owned businessesincreased by 45 percent, a rate five times faster than the national average. Women-owned enterprises strengthen the national economy, and their growing presence is an indication that we need more of them.

According to the Centre for Entrepreneurs, many women may also bring a distinct skill set that sets them apart in running a successful business. Women entrepreneurs are reportedly more likely to work towardssustainable business earningsand display greater ambitions to becomeserial entrepreneurs. But the success of women entrepreneurs should not be taken for granted. While some women may choose entrepreneurship because of opportunity and experience, others choose it because of need.

While opportunity-based entrepreneurship happens in order to capitalize on a perceived market opportunity, need-based entrepreneurship occurs because the person lacks a means of generating an income. Many entrepreneurs create businesses out of necessity rather than opportunity.

For some, need-based entrepreneurship can begin through side hustles, when an entrepreneur balances a full-time job with an additional job. Side hustles are key for those looking to supplement their income, with75 percentof women starting one for additional income compared to 58 percent of men. Supplementing one's income is becoming more popular, with28%of millennial women actively seeking and pursuing this type of occupation.

Non-economic factors may also motivate women to pursue need-based entrepreneurship. TheNational Women's Business Councilinterviewed nine women and found that eight of them cited gender-specific issues as critical motivators for starting their businesses, including workplace discrimination, restrictive workplace policies and societal expectations for childcare and household management.

No matter the driving factor, it's important to understand why many women choose entrepreneurship, the challenges they may face and how we as consumers can better support them.

One potential first step in helping women entrepreneurs is helping to raise awareness about the indisputable barriers they face. Women still own far fewer companies than men. And among women who do own their own businesses, they often face very different challenges than their male counterparts. The unequal access to capital, comparative lack of mentors and the large gender pay gap often presentpersistent barriersfor women entrepreneurs. Additionally, women receive far less venture capital funding than men, totaling2.2 percentof $130 billion in 2018. They also only make up9 percentof all VC decision-makers.

If women had an equal opportunity to become entrepreneurs, the global GDP could ultimately rise by3 to 6 percent, boosting the global economy by$2.5 trillion to $5 trillion. We need to do more work to close the prosperity gap. As commissioner of NYC Department of Small Business Services, for me that starts in New York.

In 2015, we published areporthighlighting the challenges women entrepreneurs face when starting and growing their business. We then launched Women Entrepreneurs NYC (WE NYC) to attempt to help level the playing field for women entrepreneurs. Programs provide various opportunities:WE Masteroffers tools and tips that help business owners refine their skill sets,WE Connectconnects women entrepreneurs with networking activities and helps to build potential mentorship relationships, andWE Legalprovides women entrepreneurs with a range of support and legal services aimed at negotiation and legal protection — such as negotiating a fair lease on commercial space, reviewing human resource documentation and protecting their intellectual property. Finally, there'sWE Fund, which helps women entrepreneurs access the capital they need to grow their businesses, and WE Fund Credit, a business line of credit of up to $100,000 for women entrepreneurs with limited credit history.

The City of Boston has adopted a similar program, Women Entrepreneurs Boston (WE BOS). WE BOS aims to provide the skill-building opportunities, technical help and networks to help women entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses.

Yes, it's Women's History Month, but we can celebrate women all year long by supporting women-owned businesses each and every day.