The Invisibility Zone: Black & Brown Women Care Entrepreneurs

Overview

Black & Brown women who operate childcare or eldercare businesses while also receiving public assistance exist at the intersection of four entrepreneurial pathways. Despite their resilience, they are simultaneously workers, founders, hustlers, and caregivers — yet policies and financial systems place them outside recognition.

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Cohort Progression & Traps

1. Corporate Side Hustler

Balances formal employment with an informal care business on the side.
Systemic Trap: Household income counted twice — once via wages, once via child/eldercare income — creating a penalty loop.

2. Solopreneur

Transitions into running the micro-business full-time, typically solo.
Systemic Trap: Survival cash flow only; scaling or hiring risks triggering benefit cliffs. Burnout and exhaustion mark the upper limit.

3. Entrepreneur

Effectively operates as an entrepreneur with strong demand (waitlists, repeat customers).
Systemic Trap: Lack of formal registration/bookkeeping means banks and public programs do not recognize their business as “real,” shutting out financing, grants, or relief.

4. Pre-Founder