For women who also want to have children at the same time as co-founding a startup, I think it's important not to underestimate how difficult this is.
When my wife was first breastfeeding I timed how long she spent breastfeeding and changing nappies and bathing the young baby. It was LITERALLY over 9 hours per day (timed to the minute). To think that it's possible to ALSO run a startup at the same time is in my opinion crazy. With older children it's a lot easier but still difficult.
I have several female friends who are also successful entrepreneurs. Some seem to make it work with their family life, but my experience is with most that they have a very hard time and that it often devastates their family life and relationships.
So yes there examples of women who run a company and also have young children, but I think they are the exception rather than the rule.
For women who do not want to have children, or who are not going to have children for many years in the future, no issue.
No need to single out women in this context. If you want to be a father that's there for your children, both on the infant stage and later stages of their lives...being in a top-level leadership position is simply not possible. Ditto for most other career paths that require your undivided attention.
Cultural norms is the only reason we single out women in this context. A lot of people don't appreciate the level of dysfunction that can occur in other areas of life simply from being ambitious and hard-working. I personally know many professionals that I greatly admire and respect (while acknowledging that I would never make the sacrifices they do to be where they are), but I'm sure as hell glad I'm not married to them.
When my wife was first breastfeeding I timed how long she spent breastfeeding and changing nappies and bathing the young baby. It was LITERALLY over 9 hours per day (timed to the minute). To think that it's possible to ALSO run a startup at the same time is in my opinion crazy. With older children it's a lot easier but still difficult.
I have several female friends who are also successful entrepreneurs. Some seem to make it work with their family life, but my experience is with most that they have a very hard time and that it often devastates their family life and relationships.
So yes there examples of women who run a company and also have young children, but I think they are the exception rather than the rule.
For women who do not want to have children, or who are not going to have children for many years in the future, no issue.