0814 robbpftexas

Emails, Alicia Robb, Ph.D., principal, Marin Economic Consulting, Aug. 15-16, 2014

2:42 p.m.

Aug. 15, 2014

I think it’s a bit misleading in that the NUMBER of businesses is increasing at a faster rate, but that is more a reflection of the lower base. If you look at growth in sales, employment, and payroll, women-owned businesses are actually growing more slowly based on the most recent Census data.

________________________________________

Alicia Robb, Ph.D.

Principal, Marin Economic Consulting

www.marineconomicconsulting.com

On Aug 15, 2014, at 2:41 PM, Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin) <wgselby@statesman.com> wrote:

We are checking a claim by Greg Abbott, a Texas gubernatorial nominee, that the “growth rate of women-owned businesses in Texas has nearly doubled that of the nation since President Obama has taken office.”

In particular, I’d be interested in your thoughts on the methodology presented in AMEX OPEN-commissioned reports here and here.

My editors wondered, too, about the growth in male-owned businesses in the described time periods.

Is there other research on point to what he was talking about?

2:58 p.m.

Aug. 16, 2014

well, that comes from page 5…again, I don’t really find that number (growth rate in the number of women owned businesses) meaningful because it is again a reflection of a small base and a better gauge of progress would be women as a % of firms, payroll, and revenue in texas, verus US or something like that. I know the consultant from womenable that did the report. While she’s not an economist, her methodology was adequate for what they wanted her to do.

________________________________________

Alicia Robb, Ph.D.

Principal, Marin Economic Consulting