ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR ENTREPRENEURS Ali-Sha Alleman, Ph.D. December 2017 Dissertation Chair: Halaevalu Vakalahi, Ph.D. School of Social Work The importance of life satisfaction has compelled working women of color to find alternatives to the traditional workplace. Using a phenomenological approach, this qualitative study examined the life satisfaction of 12 women of color entrepreneurs relative to their lived experiences, between the ages of 25-65 who have left the traditional workplace and have been in business for at least five years. A multidimensional conceptual framework including Intersectionality, Resilience theory and Life Satisfaction was used for this study. By using snowball sampling, women of color entrepreneurs were asked to refer and connect other entrepreneurs to the study. Narratives of participants lived experiences were captured using semi-structured interviews. This study examined the following questions: 1) How is life satisfaction perceived by women of color entrepreneurs versus as employees? 2) What are the lived experiences of women of color entrepreneurs? 3) What motivates women of color entrepreneurs? There were seven categories: motivation, emotional/physical health, attitudes towards risk, family support, intersectionality, resilience, and interpretation of life satisfaction; and 20 themes (e.g. workplace rigidity, spirituality, freedom, and a holistic view of life satisfaction). (Findings suggested life satisfaction as entrepreneurs despite economic, regulatory and gender barriers). Implications for future research, practice and policy are discussed. LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR ENTREPRENEURS by Ali-Sha Alleman A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY December 2017 LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR ENTREPRENEURS by Ali-Sha Alleman has been approved May 2017 DISSERTATION COMMITTEE APPROVAL: ______________________________, Chair Halaevalu Vakalahi, Ph.D. ______________________________ Laurens Van Sluytman, Ph.D. ______________________________ Paul Archibald, Dr.P.H. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My foremost gratitude and appreciation is expressed to the women who willingly participated in this study, shared their stories and became a voice for women of color entrepreneurs. My spirit was enriched by their stories. I especially thank the following people who supported and encouraged me throughout this journey: My advisor, mentor and dissertation chair Dr. Halaevalu Vakalahi, for her guidance in helping me find my voice and having continual confidence in my abilities. I am grateful for the countless hours spent rereading my work. My dissertation committee Dr. Halaevalu Vakalahi, Chair, Dr. Laurens Van Sluytman and Dr. Paul Archibald who challenged me to go deeper and let the process happen. Dr. Chipungu and Dean McPhatter for their encouragement and constant loving support. My husband and my family who have been a nurturing influence and a sustaining force in my life, especially my mother, who has been a constant cheerleader My cohort, whose unconditional friendship, patience, insight and constant feedback was invaluable throughout this journey. Morna Boyle, Phillip and Stephanie Geller, for their friendship, brainstorming and nurturing when I needed it. Dr. Russell and Kate Greifzu, who edited this dissertation. To the organizations that helped with this study: Morgan State University Entrepreneurs Assistance Center, Impact HUB, Mompreneurs, Fallsway Farmer’s Market, Southwest Business Center, and Last Wednesday. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES VI CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 3 PREVALENCE OF THE PROBLEM 16 SIGNIFICANCE TO SOCIAL WORK 18 PURPOSE OF STUDY 19 CONSTRUCTS 20 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 22 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 33 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 38 STUDY DESIGN 38 SAMPLING 39 RECRUITMENT 39 SETTING 40 HUMAN SUBJECTS 41 CONSENT 41 ETHICAL DILEMMAS 41 DATA COLLECTION 41 DATA ANALYSIS 42 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS 44 PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS 46 THEMES 47 SUMMARY 71 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION 72 WITHIN CONTEXT OF CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 76 LIMITATIONS 79 IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH 80 iv IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION 82 IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE & POLICY 83 CALL TO ACTION 86 REFERENCES 87 APPENDIX A 103 APPENDIX B 105 APPENDIX C 109 APPENDIX D 111 APPENDIX E 114 APPENDIX F 115 v LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1: Demographics ......................................................................................................................46 Table 2: Categories and Themes ....................................................................................................47 Figure 1: Conceptual Framework for Women of Color Employees/Entrepreneurs ..34 vi LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR ENTREPRENEURS CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION The importance of life satisfaction compels many working women of color to find alternatives to the traditional workplace. In seeking to escape systemic challenges and barriers, such as lack of schedule control, pay inequity, and discrimination that interfere with life satisfaction, such women are exiting traditional employment and entering entrepreneurial settings (Ahmad, 2014; Streir, 2010). Employers in traditional work settings expect women to embrace the workplace as their primary responsibility, with little consideration for their family or other obligations (Brodkin, 2015; Copeland & Snyder, 2011; Noonan, Estes, & Glacs, 2007; Wright, 2013). For professional women of color, primary responsibility means committing to long work hours and heavy workloads, often without pay equity or possible career advancement (Kephart & Schumacher, 2005). For low-income women of color, work is often in unstable environments that lack consistent hours (that makes it difficult to plan the remainder of their lives, be that child care or anticipated income), benefits, family leave, or advancement (Brodkin, 2015), resulting in extremely limited time for a private life and family commitments. These challenges and expectations lead employers and even women of color themselves to question their loyalty to workplaces that often contribute little to meeting the demands of their lives (Ahmad, 2014; Kephart & Schumacher, 2005). In an effort to counteract the effect of a constrictive work environment, many women of color are exploring entrepreneurism as a strategy to regain control of their schedules and professional growth and to improve their life satisfaction (Ahmad, 2014; Henley, 2007; Schjoedt & Shaver, 2005). Job satisfaction is one of the main contributors 1 to life satisfaction (Binder & Coad, 2013; Diener, 1984; Krishnaveni & Sripirabaa, 2015); the literature shows that entrepreneurship typically offers a flexible schedule as well as opportunities for professional growth and autonomy, factors that enhance life satisfaction (Kolvereid, 2006; Schjoedt & Shaver, 2005; Streir, 2010). This study explored how women of color perceive their life satisfaction as entrepreneurs compared to life satisfaction as employees by documenting the narratives of their lived experiences. It used a phenomenological approach to capture what is at the core of being a woman entrepreneur of color, by interviewing those women who have five years or more as a full-time entrepreneur. Therefore, this study is interested in how personal motivations along with family and support network contribute to such women’s perceptions of their life satisfaction. Thus, using a conceptual framework that incorporates the interconnectedness of intersectionality, resilience theory, and life satisfaction, this study proposed that the perspective of women entrepreneurs of color regarding their life satisfaction will be shaped through their multiple identities within a neoliberal work and entrepreneurial environment. At the intersection of being a woman of color in a perceived male-oriented vocation, this study intended to capture the nuances of how women of color entrepreneurs perceive their life satisfaction. Furthermore, this study set out to expand the social work literature about women entrepreneurs of color. Most social work studies consider the entrepreneurship of women of color or their microenterprise to be primarily a poverty alleviation approach to build and support economic self-sufficiency (Alter, 1995; Kim, 2014; Sanders, 2004; Streir, 2010). Therefore, they focus little attention on how the non-pecuniary rewards of entrepreneurship, such as the control, autonomy, and schedule flexibility, play a role in 2 the actual lived experience of women entrepreneurs of color (Kolvereid, 2006; Schjoedt & Shaver, 2005). Nevertheless, the literature suggests that these non-monetary returns have a positive impact on life satisfaction and overall well-being (Eager, Grant, & Martitz, n.d.; Naudé, Amoros, & Cristi, 2013; Wennekers, Uhlaner, & Thurik, 2002). Moreover, the studies of women entrepreneurs have been conducted through large secondary data sets that lack categorization by race and family status (Langowitz & Minniti, 2005; Schjoedt & Shaver, 2005; Terjesen & Amoros, 2010; Verheul, Van Stel, & Thurik, 2006). Often, utilizing single-item survey-based techniques results in the entrepreneurial experiences being interpreted through a restrictive lens that does not include the nuances of life satisfaction. Additionally, these quantitative studies fail to show an in-depth analysis of how women entrepreneurs of color themselves experience or define life satisfaction. Statement of the Problem Women of color of all socioeconomic statuses and ethnicities have been disenchanted with workplace barriers that interfere with life satisfaction (Hughes & Dodge, 1997). Professional women of color have reported having long work hours, lack of professional growth, workplace discrimination, and pay inequity (Ahmad, 2014; Kephart & Schumacher, 2005). Low-income women of color endure low wages, job insecurity, and little sense of control over hours, since employers typically determine at short notice whether they need staffing or not (Brodkin, 2015; Jacobs & Padavic, 2015). Both groups of women express frustration over the inability to balance work and family demands with their work schedules (Eager, Grant, & Martitz, n.d.; Hennessy, 2009; Jacobs & Padavic, 2015). 3