Across America, there is a widespread view that women are inferior to men in the field of entrepreneurship. However, “the common perception that women primarily start small hobby-related businesses that are less likely to grow is contradicted by substantial evidence showing that women own businesses in all industry sectors and that many want to grow them in size and scope." (Brush, Carter, Gatewood, Greene, & Hart, 2001, page 4). In the United States in 2007, nearly 7.8 million businesses were owned by women (National Women's Business Council, 2012). Some may believe that this view has permeated society because men are more successful at starting a business than women. However, businesses led by women are no more likely to fail than those led by men (Rosa, Carter, & Hamilton, 1996) (Kalleberg & Leicht, 1991). That said, women would be even more successful as entrepreneurs if they had equal access to finance as their male counterparts. One way companies receive funding is through angel investors. Angels provide financial support and bring “industry expertise and a network of potentially valuable contacts (e.g., gold-plated rolodex) that can serve as intangible assets for the company…” (Amatucci & Sohl, 2004, p. 186) . They focus on the success of the company, rather than earning profits or a majority stake. Women receive less funding from angel investors due to the realization of stereotype threat related to three traits linked to success in entrepreneurship: confidence, risk tolerance, and social capital. This causes a cycle that discourages female entrepreneurial success; Women-led businesses lack the necessary seed funding, which hinders their success, and their ability to become angel investors themselves. This ci...... half of the document ......tes/default/files/NWBC%20Final%20Narrative%20Report.pdfOster, N. (2013, November). Men versus women: risk aversion. In BlackRock, the blog. Retrieved December 14, 2013, from http://www.blackrockblog.com/2013/11/06/men-women-risk-aversion/Rosa, P., Carter, S., & Hamilton, D. (1996). Gender as a determinant of small business performance: Insights from a UK study. Small Business Economics, 8(6), 463-478. Retrieved December 13, 2013, from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00390031#Sohl, J. E., & Hill, L. (2007). Women business angels: insights from angel groups. Venture Capital, 9(3), 207-222. doi:10.1080/13691060701324536Stengel, G. (2013). It's not just Warren Buffet who is optimistic about women. At Forbes. Retrieved December 15, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/geristengel/2013/05/08/its-not-just-warren-buffet-who-is-bullish-on-women/