For over 15 years—practically my entire adult life—I’ve been an entrepreneur. This path has brought me joy and plenty of challenges, especially as a woman in Hungary.
In recent years, there’s been noticeable change: the share of female entrepreneurs in the country has risen. According to one report, there are now over 1,000 companies led by women generating billion-HUF revenues. That’s great news—it shows more women are stepping up and that leading a large company as a female entrepreneur is possible. Yet, it’s clear the proportion of women entrepreneurs still falls short of the EU average, and many structural and mindset barriers remain.
From my experience, flexible work schedules are a key reason women choose entrepreneurship in Hungary: it helps them balance childcare and family needs. This flexibility is a core motivator for many of us. But it also means women’s businesses often serve as a side income. Many can only run their ventures if their partner essentially supports the family financially while they manage the household and earn a bit on the side. This isn’t necessarily a bad model—it works well for many—but it does come with limits.
These limits become even clearer when state regulations or social expectations don’t help but add challenges. For example, small-scale entrepreneurs—often women who chose this path for its flexibility—were hit hard when the KATA tax system was abolished. Many female entrepreneurs working alongside childcare fell into this category.
Additionally, sick leave and childcare benefits (like CSED, GYED) aren’t favorable if you don’t have a steady, registered salary or if you work as an entrepreneur.
You can’t afford to take time off without losing income when your child is on fall break—yet often, the responsibility falls on the mother to manage this.
This issue exists in traditional jobs too: employers understandably hesitate to hire mothers with young kids because they anticipate more absences due to child illnesses. The problem worsens because it’s assumed mothers stay home with sick kids, not fathers, making things harder for both employed and entrepreneurial moms.
The “glass ceiling” and the fact that certain jobs often go to those with "buddy" connections don’t help women either. I’ve personally turned down work because I felt uncomfortable with a male client who insisted on “clarifying things over coffee” or spending half an hour on calls about stuff we could have handled with a quick message. Eventually, I realized he wasn’t just assigning me the task because I could do it well—he wanted more from me. This led to awkward situations and I left the project, which meant a serious financial loss. I can imagine many female entrepreneurs face similar challenges men don’t have to deal with in the same way.
Overall, I’m still happy I chose this lifestyle—and today, I wouldn’t want to do anything else. Working as a female entrepreneur has given me so much through the freedom to balance my family and work. I believe that when more women dare to start their own businesses, the market and mindsets will change.
So here’s my encouragement to every woman: if you have a great idea or a skill you can turn into income, don’t hesitate to dive in! Women absolutely have a place and a role here. The more of us there are, the more the system will adapt—because it has to, if we don’t step back.
