Expectations for the first quarter of 2024 are encouraging, with an impressive 91.7% of female entrepreneurs anticipating a quarter equal to or better than the previous year. Digging deeper into these figures, more than 50% envision a better year, while 39.3% expect to maintain an equal performance to the previous year. Only a small percentage, 8.3%, foresees an unfavorable first quarter in 2024.

As a novelty in the survey, we inquired about the most pressing current needs of the sector's businesswomen. In response, 54% of the women entrepreneurs expressed the expansion of their businesses as their main need, followed by 13% who are looking for a comfortable retirement and 10.6% who yearn to acquire a home.

These data indicate a diversity of goals and aspirations among women entrepreneurs, with business growth and expansion being the main priority, followed by long-term personal and financial well-being.

In conclusion, the data not only evidences the exceptional performance and resilience demonstrated by women MSE entrepreneurs in El Salvador during 2023, but also illuminates the main challenges they faced and the crucial needs of the sector today.

Within this report, it highlights the outstanding contribution of these women to economic development, leading more than 50% of the economic units in the sector, emphasizing the relevance of carefully considering public policies to effectively address key needs and challenges.

Translated by: A.M