Entrepreneur.com: While the franchise industry continues enjoying steady economic growth year over year, female franchise ownership is in the midst of an economic boom. That’s according to a recent report from the International Franchise Association indicating that women-owned franchise businesses shot up by almost 50 percent since 2012. Women franchise owners made up 30.6 percent of the market by 2017, compared to just 20.5 percent only five years ago. Franchising appeals to aspiring female entrepreneurs for a number of reasons, according to the article, including schedule flexibility, built-in support systems, better access to loans and more.