As a woman, have you ever felt like running your own business is just too complicated?

Do you sometimes question whether your skills and abilities are good enough to start a business?

Have you ever doubted whether your ideas are worth bringing to life?

If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, you are not alone.

And no—you are not the problem for feeling that way.

Women entrepreneurs face unique challenges. We often have to navigate obstacles and barriers that can make developing an entrepreneurial mindset feel out of reach. Despite the significant progress women in business have made, the gender gap still persists.

We know that the gender gap is a result of a range of complex and long-standing factors that impact not only on entrepreneurship, but on many aspects including health, education and work.

Gender inequality can impact female entrepreneurship in several ways: access to funding, networking opportunities, society-expectations bias, balancing responsibilities, policy and legal barriers and of course, economic impact.

This is why it’s common for women to feel afraid, insecure, or hesitant when it comes to owning a business. From home to school to the workplace, we are part of a system that often sends the message that women don’t belong in entrepreneurship.

From home to school to the workplace, we are part of a system that often sends the message that women don’t belong in entrepreneurship. But while the gender gap exists, so does female resistance.

Women entrepreneurs are creating meaningful change and making a growing impact on society and the global economy—especially in Europe. To continue pushing forward and accelerating women’s business empowerment, we need to equip ourselves with the right tools and knowledge.

One powerful way to keep the fight alive and reclaim our power is through education—by learning the skills and gaining the confidence we were often denied. It doesn’t matter what your occupation is, whether you’re a mother or not, your age, or your academic background—we all have the potential to shift perspectives, build economic independence, and grow through entrepreneurial knowledge.

Empowerment comes from taking action.

That’s why I invite you to take the first step and discover your entrepreneurial self through these free resources. In Entrepeneurship4ll you will have access to a variety of easy-to-follow courses that cater to your needs.

Through Women Learning Together you’ll find empowering activities designed to support you and help you recognize and build on the valuable skills and experience you already possess. Lastly, in Women 5.0 you’ll discover an initiative dedicated to building a more inclusive digital future and supporting women in entrepreneurship.

And you—what’s your dream business? What’s the first step you need to take? Remember, small actions aren’t so small when it comes to achieving big goals.

This article was written by Cynthia Flores, Research & Evaluation Specialist for Enterprise Evolution. Cynthia is a Clinical and Social Psychologist and Erasmus Mundus Scholar, pursuing the Global MINDS master’s program. Her experience includes therapeutic work grounded in gender and feminist perspectives, intercultural training, and workshop facilitation. Connect with Cynthia on LinkedIn here.