In recognition of Women's History Month (March), the National Women's Business Council has updated its fact sheet, Women Business Owners and their Enterprises. Majority-owned, privately-held women-owned firms number 6.7 million, and account for 30 percent of all businesses in the country. Between 1997 and 2004, these firms grew 23 percent compared to 9 percent of all U.S. businesses. There are an estimated 15.6 million women business owners in the U.S. as of 2002. Further, it is estimated that 15.6 million women have sole or shared ownership of businesses in the U.S.

You'll find the Fact Sheet on the NWBC Web site under Research and Publications/Key Facts (www.nwbc.gov/ResearchPublications/keyFacts.html). There also is a link from the home page (www.nwbc.gov) under What's New.

The National Women's Business Council is a bi-partisan federal advisory council created to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners. The Council's mission is to promote bold initiatives, policies and programs designed to support women's business enterprises at all stages of development in the public and private sector marketplaces -- from start-up to success to significance.

For more information about the Council or this fact sheet, please contact: Sandy Seppala, Director of Communications, National Women's Business Council, 409 Third Street, SW, Suite 210 Washington, DC 20024, 202.205.6827, Sandra.seppala@sba.gov, www.nwbc.gov