It started with curiosity. I am a woman and I own a rowing business. The rowing industry is a small one, and I began to wonder how many other women in rowing businesses were there. I could think of a few. Initial searches focussed on rowing businesses 100% owned by women. Turns out, those are a bit hard to find. There are definitely couples which own rowing businesses and women in rowing businesses owned by a family or investors. While there are lots of women in rowing, not so many in rowing businesses.

Should we care about the number of women in rowing businesses?

Does it matter? That was my next question. I have recently done some consulting work with the Women’s Enterprise Organization of Canada and with the Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba. Those projects not only introduced me to wonderful female entrepreneurs but also gave me the opportunity to review some of the literature and data on women in business. In Canada in 2018, 37% of self-employed people were women. In the USA, 39% of business were owned at least 51% by women. Women tend to own smaller enterprises and are skewed towards certain sectors, especially in services. This is unfortunate, because other data shows that businesses owned or run by women tend to be more profitable. Gender equity is considered good for businesses, even though it is a long way from being achieved.

What about women in rowing vs. women in rowing businesses? In Canada roughly 58 % of Rowing Canada Aviron members are female. I could not find any statistics on women-owned rowing businesses, but a quick scan of the Rowing Industry Trade Association (RITA) members suggests that Rowing The World is the only member company fully female owned. All very interesting, but I kept wondering if it matters.

Female participation is deemed important in adventure travel, another niche industry although a bigger one than rowing. I am also a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. A recent news article discussed the growth of women in adventure travel, whether as guides or CEOs. Over 50 women were mentioned, many of them owners. According to the article, women are transforming adventure travel, especially through a focus on local experiences, supporting other women-owned businesses and sustainability.

The answer to the “does it matter” question came to me indirectly from Daniela Nachazelova. She is a Czech rower who recently published Women’s Voices in Rowing, perhaps the definitive book so far about women in rowing. After listening to Steady State Network’s podcast with her, I ordered the book – a donation is made to the World Rowing Gender Equality, Inclusion, and Diversity Commission with each purchase. 14 stories of elite rowers and their struggles and successes are presented. I wonder if any are the same women whom we showcased in a blog post last year and also if any now own a rowing business? I will have to read the book to find out. There is much to discuss about women in rowing but what caught my eye was a comment by a reviewer of the book who said: “Not an in your face book on inequality, but a more powerful one about the movers who are making it happen. Understated and powerful, they deserve recognition.” That’s my answer. We don’t need to demand more equality or special treatment for women-owned rowing businesses. But recognizing and celebrating those business, sharing their stories and encouraging other women is important. Let’s get started.

Rowing businesses owned by women

The following is not an exhaustive list, and I look forward to comments and suggests for expanding it in the future. I am thrilled to feature a few of my friends plus a few others found with a bit of research. But first a historical curiosity. Rower Women must be the first ever rowing business that was owned exclusively by women. Apparently, beginning in the 15^th century in Stockholm Sweden, women had a virtual monopoly on rowed water taxis, until competition from steam technology ultimately put Rower Women out of business in the late 1800’s. One observer described them as “good women who row like devils”. I know at least one Swedish female rower and I am thinking that perhaps not much has changed.

• Iva Boteva – iRow Tours and Fitness Studio (USA). It is a pleasure to call Iva a friend, even as we somewhat compete with our rowing travel businesses. Iva inspired me to spend a few days between tours rowing in her native Bulgaria at Plovidiv, something I would highly recommend.
• Charlotte Pierce – Ready Row! USA. Another friend with a curiosity about all aspects of the sport in America.  She is thinking about joining RITA, which would make two of us …
• Gill Laidlaw and Jen Hinds – Always Oarsome (UK). What fun it has been to work with two of the most enthusiastic people I have ever met! Looking forward to one day running tours in beautiful northern England.
• Sisters Brid Ryan and Aedin Corbyn – Queen B Athletics (Ireland). I don’t have the pleasure of know these women, but Patricia Carswell, another entrepreneurial woman rower whose opinions I respects, does. So they must be good.
• There seem to be a lot of other clothing companies owned by women in rowing, including Alexandra Lisi Lengel of Catch & Feather (USA), Kate Giles of Crew Room (UK) or how about Nicole Baranowski of Hairstrong (Canada), a scrunchie for athletes.
• Annabel Eyres, the artist behind Rock The Boat (UK). We have a soft spot for art that features rowing.
• While there are several camps owned by couples or families, I could only find one wholly owned by a woman – Lesleh Anderson Wright of SteeringUwright (USA). Providing training programs but not at a camp, Faster Masters Rowing is owned by Rebecca Caroe and Marlene Royle, the later of whom also owns Roylerow.

Women in rowing and women in rowing business – lots to celebrate.