The Status of Women and Entrepreneurship in Utah: A 2025 Update

In this episode we discuss a recently released policy brief titled “The Status of Women and Entrepreneurship in Utah: A 2025 Update.” This report builds on earlier studies from 2016 and 2020, offering fresh insights into the progress women entrepreneurs have made in Utah’s booming economy, as well as the challenges that still remain. Drawing from recent data, national trends, and expert perspectives, the research provides a clear picture of where women-owned businesses are thriving and where barriers continue to hold them back. What do these findings tell us about the future of entrepreneurship for Utah women, and what solutions are emerging to strengthen their success? We’ll explore all of that and more in today’s episode.

Dr. Susan Madsen, a Professor of Organizational Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University and the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project and A Bolder Way Forward, is joined by two guests. First, Ann Marie Wallace, State Director of the Women's Business Center of Utah, and a spoke leader for the Entrepreneurship Spoke in A Bolder Way Forward. Second, Dr. April Townsend, co-author of the report and a research fellow for the Utah Women & Leadership Project.