When we think about entrepreneurship we always talk about starting a business from scratch. But, to start from scratch you need a good idea, lots of time, and the ability to support yourself until the new business can turn a profit.

If you are less patient and not sure about an idea, one solution is to buy a business. For women, this is also a way to grow businesses faster. My colleague, Myra Hart reports that men are much more likely to buy businesses than women. More than 73 percent of women start from scratch while only 60 percent of men do. This suggests that 13 percent of men get into the game by buying businesses.

Why does this matter? Men owned businesses are larger and grow faster. When you buy a business you have a built in customer base, sales, a reputation and less risk than a new start up which has yet to prove its feasibility.

Women should consider buying a business especially if they are interested in growing a venture. Here at Babson one of our faculty has created a highly successful class called Buying a Small Business. The students love the class and this is a great way for women to get into the game.