California's female entrepreneurs face small business challenges

Female entrepreneurs who own and operate small enterprises in Long Beach, California, are facing a variety of challenges, from business advertising to continuing economic uncertainty, according to the Long Beach Business Journal (LBBJ).

For Candice Hofer, owner of new and resale clothing retailer Bixby Exchange, her company's hidden location makes business advertising crucial to improving the store's visibility.

"You could pass by and not even see (the shop) unless you've stopped in front of us," she told the news source. "Our biggest challenge is advertising and letting people know that we're here."

Self-employed licensed marriage and family therapist Brigitte Dutil recognized the importance of business promotions and networking, but says the cost of launching business marketing campaigns holds her back.

"Financially, I'm not a rich business so I have to be very careful where I spend my money with regard to marketing and things of that nature," she told the media outlet.

Although 55 percent of small and medium-sized business owners surveyed for a recent Valpak study believe their companies have either already recovered from the recession or will in the next six months, some sectors still have a long way to go before they're back on a stable path.

"(People) don't have the disposable income to buy new homes or cars, so we are not insuring newer cars or homes," Sue Williams of Kelly Williams Insurance Agency told the LBBJ. She said the same goes for companies that are on their way out, and even clients who do purchase policies tend to go for basic coverage as opposed to more comprehensive offerings.