Women entrepreneurs are a rising force in business, bringing new ideas and innovative products and services to every sector of the U.S. economy. As part of its long-standing commitment to supporting women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, Qurate Retail Group conducted a survey of more than 1,000 women small business owners on the factors that fuel entrepreneurial success. The survey concluded, among other findings, that choosing the right partnerships and people is the single most important factor in an entrepreneur’s growth as a leader, especially among companies with more than 10 employees.

“Entrepreneurs bring incredible passion and drive to their businesses, which is why they are such a force in innovation,” said Leslie Ferraro, president of QxH, Qurate Retail Group’s largest business unit, comprising its QVC and HSN brands in the U.S. “As a business moves out of its start-up phase and into new realms of growth, it becomes even more critical to shift focus to assembling the right team and selecting the right partners and distribution platforms to grow the brand for the long term. Launching and fostering the growth of up-and-coming brands is part of our DNA as a retail company and remains a core tenant of our brand experience.”

Number of Employees	Percent of respondents who said choosing partnerships and people is the top-ranking factor to growth as a leader
1 – 10 employees	37%
11 – 25 employees	59%
26 – 50 employees	53%
51 – 100 employees	63%

This finding reflects a broader pivot that women entrepreneurs make as their businesses grow: from executing against goals (which is critical at launch) to building a team that can sustain long-term growth. When asked to select a quote that best captures their business experience, respondents from smaller companies focused on the idea of getting things done, while respondents from larger small businesses saw alignment with concepts of inclusivity and teamwork: