Sync Consults Limited led a research project on women-owned and women-led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) in Uganda. On behalf of Consumer Centrix LLP (CCX), we conducted primary research with over 200 multi-sectoral WSMEs across 12 regions in Uganda. CCX was hired by Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative We-Fi (The World Bank), Argidius Foundation, and Dutch Good Growth Fund (Triple Jump). The initiative integrated global research with fieldwork in Uganda, Colombia, and Pakistan.
The research results from the 3 countries supported the development of a global segmentation framework of women-led/ owned small and medium businesses (WSMEs) by CCX. The framework is complemented by an actionable toolkit that can be used by financial and non- financial intermediaries, investors, program designers, donors and regulators to guide them in describing, targeting, and effectively serving WSME segments. The research explored both “HER” (the entrepreneur) and “HER BUSINESS” (the enterprise) attributes, to reveal critical barriers to financing for WSMEs. These findings directly informed the segmentation framework and practitioner toolkit, equipping stakeholders to precisely identify, target, and support WSMEs while empowering women entrepreneurs to recognize and harness their growth drivers.
The primary goal of this intervention is for stakeholders to move beyond viewing women-owned/ led SMEs (WSMEs) as one segment in order to effectively meet their needs. Segmentation analysis and the development of a new global segmentation framework is needed to improve targeting and support to women SMEs and avoid one-size-fits all solutions in attempts to address the markets. Existing segmentation approaches don’t comprehensively address the needs of divergent women SMEs and yet are needed to better match products/ services, identify enterprises with significant growth potential, and understand the growth path and market opportunities for different segments. This should ultimately lead to more accurately profiling, engagement, and empowerment of WSMEs.
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