In 2022, the establishment of the organization—along with succession planning and the image of self-employed professionals—is at the very top of the BFB’s agenda as the year’s key focus. We are receiving support for this, particularly from our new and long-standing political partners, who are just as aware of the relevance—and indeed the urgency—of this issue as we are, as the sole umbrella organization for freelance chambers and associations.
As the voice of nearly 1.46 million self-employed professionals—who, together with their approximately 4.2 million employees, generate over 11 percent of the gross domestic product and thus more than one in every ten euros—we are focusing more intensely than ever this year on the trio of business start-ups, succession, andself-employment more intensively than ever this year.
We deserve this: To date, we in the liberal professions have made an above-average contribution to the start-up momentum. The upward trend continues unabated. According to statistics compiled by the Institute for Liberal Professions (IFB), there are currently just under 1.46 million self-employed freelancers; twenty years ago, the figure was 739,000—half as many. Figures from the Institute for Small Business Research (IfM) in Bonn underscore this momentum and provide a more nuanced picture. Every year, the IfM Bonn specifically focuses on entrepreneurs and, since 2012, has also calculated the number of freelance business startups.
The results are impressive: Between 2012 and 2020, new business start-ups declined by 22.6 percent across all economic sectors combined, and by 32.3 percent in the commercial sector. Bucking the trend, we in the liberal professions achieved a substantial increase of 15.6 percent. But that’s not all; based on current data, startups in our fields are also particularly resilient and above-average in stability—meaning they are built to last: Consequently, we freelancers are also exceptional in the new political dimension of sustainability.
In many liberal professions, for example, self-employment is virtually a given due to the independent nature of the work, as many job profiles are inherently designed for self-employment. Across the entire economy, roughly two-thirds of new business founders are men and just over one-third are women. According to figures from the IfM Bonn, women account for 52.8 percent of new business founders in the liberal professions. This is likely to remain the case: First, because the number of well-educated women—especially women with college degrees—is trending upward in the population. The liberal professions benefit from this particularly, as 80 percent of professionals in these fields have themselves completed a college degree. Second, because role models shape career choices. Where there are already many women, there are also many role models, and other women in turn choose career paths inspired by them.
However, a vibrant startup climate does not happen on its own, as our latest major economic survey also shows: the spirit of entrepreneurship and self-employment have suffered as a result of the crisis. In this regard, we welcome the initiative outlined in the coalition agreement to “restore confidence in the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation, and business” and the announced package of measures.
We must make greater use of women’s potential for starting businesses, particularly among female freelancers. We see a high willingness to start businesses, especially among female freelancers—a momentum that we must harness and support. According to a recent survey by the IFB (a special analysis from the latest BFB economic survey on female freelance entrepreneurs), 84.3 percent of female freelancers started new businesses, compared to 66.8 percent of men.
Women’s potential stems from freelance female entrepreneurs’ keen sense for innovative business concepts, which is also driven by new occupational profiles emerging as a result of the shift toward the service sector. Furthermore, the use of new technology is not limited to startups but is also a hallmark of freelance startups. Furthermore, the appeal of self-employment—due to more flexible time management—is likely to play a role as well.
Startups founded by women are often associated with different approaches to service delivery, leadership, and collaboration—all of which are important in the economy’s transition toward sustainability. For the sole purpose of achieving the goals of this transformation, policymakers should take advantage of this opportunity and support the entrepreneurial potential of female freelancers with targeted initiatives. This includes better promoting funding opportunities for female founders and publicizing them more proactively. For them, as for all founders, it is essential to further expand and ensure high-quality child care to improve the work-life balance. Furthermore, society’s appreciation of entrepreneurship and self-employment should be better fostered. Germany needs more entrepreneurial spirit and a greater desire for self-employment.
As its first target group, the BFB, in collaboration with the magazine EMOTION, is reaching out to young women with two events, the “Web Conventions – A Woman’s Matter: Starting a Business,” which address the multifaceted aspects of women-led startups. The patron is Bärbel Bas, President of the German Bundestag. Nearly 200 interested participants joined the first session, titled “Define Goals, Overcome Fears, and Master Challenges,” on February 17, 2022.
The second part of the BFB Women Entrepreneurs’ Congress, “A Woman’s Affair: Starting a Business,” scheduled for March 17, 2022, will delve deeper into networking and financing for potential startup projects. Participants include female influencers and founders, as well as representatives from numerous institutions. The event will also feature a discussion with four members of the German Bundestag.
