Why is it easier for founders of color to be leaders in traditional business than information sector ?

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Founders of color often find it easier to emerge as leaders in traditional business sectors compared to the information sector for several reasons:

### 1. **Historical and Cultural Familiarity**:

- **Traditional Business Sectors**: Industries like manufacturing, retail, food service, or real estate often have a longer history of inclusion for people of color, particularly in regions where entrepreneurial opportunities have been nurtured over generations. Founders from diverse backgrounds might already have familial or community connections in these sectors, making it easier to establish leadership.

- **Information Sector**: Tech and information industries are relatively newer and have been historically dominated by white, often Western, male founders. The cultural and demographic makeup of the information sector tends to be more exclusive, with entrenched networks that can be difficult to break into.

### 2. **Capital and Investment Challenges**:

- **Traditional Business**: Capital in traditional sectors may come more easily from community-driven or family-based sources. These industries often have more established paths to financing, even for those with limited networks, and investors are generally more familiar with these models.

- **Information Sector**: The tech and information sectors often require venture capital or angel investors who are primarily white and male. These investors may have implicit biases and may be less likely to invest in founders of color, particularly if they come from different cultural or socio-economic backgrounds. This bias creates a higher barrier to entry in the information sector.

### 3. **Technical Gatekeeping**:

- **Traditional Business**: Leadership in traditional industries doesn’t always require deep technical expertise. Success is often based on a combination of business acumen, local market knowledge, and operational management skills, which can be more accessible for people of color.

- **Information Sector**: The information sector requires specialized technical skills, often in computer science, engineering, and software development. There are significant barriers to gaining these skills, such as access to quality education, mentors, and early exposure to technology. People of color, especially in disadvantaged communities, may not have the same access to these resources, making it harder to become leaders in tech.

### 4. **Networking and Industry Bias**:

- **Traditional Business**: The pathways to leadership in traditional sectors are often shaped by local relationships and networks, where people of color may have better access due to community ties or shared experiences.

- **Information Sector**: In tech, networking tends to happen in more elite, homogenous circles (e.g., Silicon Valley, venture capital hubs), which have historically excluded people of color. The old boys' network, along with corporate culture that prioritizes certain “types” of founders, makes it harder for people of color to navigate the space.

### 5. **Perceptions of Leadership**:

- **Traditional Business**: Leadership in traditional sectors is more easily defined through clear, measurable outcomes like sales growth, profitability, and community impact. Founders of color can more easily prove themselves in these areas based on tangible results.

- **Information Sector**: In tech, leadership is often equated with innovation, vision, and "disruption." These abstract qualities are subject to bias, as they are often seen as embodied by a narrow demographic. Founders of color may have a harder time being seen as "visionaries" in a sector where innovation is shaped by entrenched norms and perceptions.

### 6. **Socioeconomic Barriers**:

- **Traditional Business**: These sectors often allow for more straightforward, bootstrap-style growth. A founder can start small and scale up over time, leveraging personal or community savings.

- **Information Sector**: Starting a business in the information sector can require substantial upfront investment, from access to cutting-edge technology to hiring top talent. Founders of color often face greater economic constraints, which limits their ability to take risks in this sector.

### 7. **Systemic Racism in Tech**:

- The tech sector has been widely criticized for its lack of diversity and inclusivity. Incidents of discrimination in hiring, promotion, and funding for founders of color are more pronounced in the information sector. This creates an environment where it’s more difficult for people of color to thrive or be accepted as leaders.

### 8. **Cultural Expectations and Role Models**:

- **Traditional Business**: There are more visible role models of people of color succeeding in traditional industries, offering inspiration and guidance. These role models provide a sense of legitimacy and encouragement to follow similar paths.

- **Information Sector**: Role models for people of color in tech are less common, and the success stories that exist may not be as widely known or accessible. The lack of representation contributes to a belief that tech leadership is less attainable for people of color.

In summary, systemic barriers, biases, access to capital, and cultural norms within the tech industry make it harder for founders of color to rise as leaders in the information sector. Traditional business sectors, by contrast, tend to offer more familiar, accessible paths to success, though challenges still remain in both arenas.