There is no question that generations from now the beginning of the 21st century will be reported in the history books as the time women took center stage in business, medicine and law. While men are relying on "the old boy's network", women are educating themselves: women are more than 60% of all colleges students; 51% doctorates; 50% law students; 51% medical students; and 45%+ master degrees.

This chart demonstrates how this trend will continue. (imagehttp://mjperry.blogspot.com/2010/04/update-on-increasing-college-degree-gap.html)

The fact is women have also decided not to stand still in the entrepreneurial movement. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 47.7 percent of women versus 62.1 percent of men believe they are capable of starting and running a business. Women entrepreneurs are starting businesses in record numbers and at any age. I recently had a call from a Mom of a ten year old woman (girl) entrepreneur asking me for a referral, which I happily gave, and another call from a 69 year old woman entrepreneur requesting business coaching.

With education comes confidence and often an entrepreneurial calling. Yes, women are fickle about why they start businesses. In other words, there are almost as many scenarios for why a woman starts a business as there are women who start them. Here are a few scenarios. Which one fits you?

(Some of the names have been changed to protect the idiots they used to work for).

Susan graduated from college in 1977 and went directly to corporate America as an intern to the production assistant at a TV network. She worked her way up to executive producer over the next 12-15 years by doing every job asked of her from editing, to writing, to reporting and more. In order to stay on an advancing career path, she changed companies three times always improving on her position and with a little bump in salary. Once at the top, Susan realized that her future and, more importantly, her industry's was ominous.

Susan felt confident that her hard work and diligence had prepared her for entrepreneurship and with financial support and a business plan, she launched a production company offering corporations in-house high quality production pieces for their websites. Susan's desire to control her own destiny as a woman entrepreneur was visualized and then realized.

Camilla is a 22 year old college student at King's College in London studying Hispanic Studies. At 18, she decided to take a year off to travel and get a feel for the world around her. On her return, she decided to do some research on some of the products she had seen in other countries to assess their potential for an online business. In 2010, alongside her studies she launched lovekimono.com, selling ladies evening wear. Of course, starting a business while still at University is not without its challenges, but Camilla has also found that it has many benefits as well. A learning environment is the perfect place to start a business and all that is required is a small space where a small retail business can be organically grown. She found that anything is possible when you put your mind, heart and soul into your work and you believe in yourself to see it through.

Camilla is a true entrepreneur who reached out to me to tell her story and feature her website. That's what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

Pat holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She was a former middle school teacher and adjunct professor of human relations. She’s taught in 4 colleges and universities as an adjunct professor and religion education for over 25 years.

Pat grew up helping in the family grocery store in Beresford South Dakota, learning about customer service at the age of eight. Learning that to ‘serve’ was a privilege and honor. She launched her speaking and training company because she knew she had something special people needed to hear. Her clients are banks, hospitals, health care companies, local and national organizations and more. Pat is an entrepreneur because she believes completely in her ability to educate the world with her wisdom. patmcgill.net

Finally, Janet has worked in the male dominated industry of construction for 20 years. Although she started in the office, she managed to push her way through out to the field doing the type of work she dreamed about. She gained the respect of those around her, proving she was capable of doing just about any job a man could do, but continued to be held back because of false stereotyping.

Janet called me and told me about her dream to start a small construction company specializing in a certain niche. She had the contacts, the vendor relationships, the know-how and the guts to compete with her former company. With money from friends and family, a business plan, and a business coach, Janet launched her firm and had customers lined up to work with her.

Janet became a woman entrepreneur because she saw the void in the construction business that she could fill. She did it because she believed in her ability to do the job from beginning to end.

Women entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes and in all ages. They start businesses because they want to control their own destiny, because they want to share what they have found with the world anbd make a profit, because they have lived a life worth talking about and empowering others to live, and because they have been held back from their fullest potential.

Women launch businesses because they know everything is possible and nothing is beyond reach. In the comments, please tell me why you launched your business.