Live online chat: Paving the way for women in business

Female entrepreneurs own about a third of U.S. businesses but receive just 10% of investor financing. Laura Vanderkam, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors and the author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, and David Ronick, a start-up coach, say efforts to “level the playing field” will not only help women but also help boost the economy.

They will both share tips and answer questions about how women can improve their financial and entrepreneurial opportunities during a live online chat at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. Submit your questions and comments below.

Laura Vanderkam Columnist

Vanderkam's site

Vanderkam began writing columns for USA TODAY as an intern at the newspaper in 2001. Her work has also appeared in Scientific American, City Journal, Wired, Reader's Digest and The Wall Street Journal. She was the recipient of a 2006-07 Phillips Journalism Fellowship and lives in New York City.

Ronick is the co-founder of upstartbootcamp.com, which helps budding entrepreneurs start their businesses smarter via on-demand courses, coaching and webinars. Ronick has helped more than 100 founders plan and launch new ventures, and is the author of Hit The Deck: Create a Business Plan in Half the Time with Twice the Impact.

David Ronick Start-up coach

upstartbootcamp.com

Before launching upstartbootcamp.com, Ronick co-founded an early social networkand an out-of-home ad network. Ronick is a contributing writer for Inc.com, and a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Business School, where he judges its business plan contest.