She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women’s Entrepreneurship Since World War II

Women own over 40% of businesses in the United States and are responsible for a large majority of new business startups. How did this come to be?

Dr. Debra Michals, associate professor and chair of the humanities department at Merrimack College, answers this question in her book She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women’s Entrepreneurship Since World War II (Rutgers University Press, 2025). Contrary to popular misconceptions about feminism pushing women into business, Michals finds that economic need drove women into business. More surprisingly, Michals finds that sexism and racism increased the numbers of women entrepreneurs by limiting their access to economic resources by other means.

In support of her work Dr. Michals received funding from the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society at the Hagley Museum and Library. 

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