Johann Landsberg, Verona Leendertz, Stephan van der Merwe
Abstract
The South African economy is under pressure with low growth and high unemployment. An increase in entrepreneurial activity can act as a catalyst for economic growth and employment. Female entrepreneurs still lag behind male entrepreneurs. In the past decade, the interest in female entrepreneurs has increased, and the ratio between female and male entrepreneurs is improving yearly, even though female entrepreneurs face unique challenges. This study explores the critical soft skills female entrepreneurs in South Africa need to succeed in business. The qualitative study collected data via semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions and analysed through coding with Atlas. ti 9 ™. The results suggest that South African female entrepreneurs have specific soft skills training needs, and entrepreneurial education programmes should be customised to address these needs. The government and the Department of Education should encourage entrepreneurship education from a young age and promote customised and gender-equal entrepreneurship education.