Despite an overall sense of optimism at small businesses, those owned by women are facing more growth challenges than male-owned firms. Citing data from the latest Private Capital Access Index (PCA Index) from Dun & Bradstreet and Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, an article from TMCnet.com points out that 57% of women-owned small businesses say that the current business financing environment is hindering their growth, compared to 42% of all surveyed small and midsized businesses. Women-owned firms are also having more trouble hiring employees. Similarly, 24% of women-owned small businesses reported that additional federal interest rate hikes would restrict their growth (compared to 21% of all small and midsized companies surveyed), and 15% believe it would inhibit their ability to raise capital (versus 11% of all small and midsized businesses). “Given the current climate of bringing awareness to the equality issues women have faced, it’s not surprising to see that women-owned small businesses are facing challenges beyond what their male-owned counterparts are reporting,” says Nalanda Matia, lead economist at Dun & Bradstreet, who is quoted in the article.