Not sure if others agree, but one we’ve seen play out again and again: business stories featuring female founders and leaders often gain more media traction than those featuring men.
That’s not to say women don’t face significant barriers in business. Access to funding, board representation, and leadership opportunities still skew male. But when it comes to public relations and media coverage, women often have an edge—whether they realise it or not.
So why do journalists seem more likely to cover a business when a woman is at the helm? And what can male founders learn from this?
The “Interesting” Factor: Why Female-Led Business Stories Stand Out
Media outlets thrive on stories that are unique, unexpected, or go against the grain.
For decades, business leadership has been dominated by men—so a female-led business naturally offers a more compelling angle.
This is backed up by research:
- A 2019 report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found that women-led startups receive less funding but generate more revenue—a great news hook for financial and business reporters.
- Studies from Nieman Lab and Reuters Institute show that stories about women in leadership consistently rank higher for audience engagement.
- The BBC 50:50 Project found that stories featuring women perform better on social media, making them more attractive to digital-first newsrooms.
Headlines That Write Themselves: The Media’s Love for “Firsts” and “Few”
Journalists love a story about breaking barriers.
How often do you see headlines like these?
- “Meet the First Woman to…”
- “One of the Few Female CEOs in the Industry…”
- “Breaking Barriers: The Female Founder Disrupting [Industry]”
Because business leadership is still heavily male-dominated, female entrepreneurs often fall into these “first” or “one of the few” categories, making them instantly newsworthy.
For male founders, the lesson here is clear:
- If your company is genuinely doing something new or breaking industry norms, highlight it.
- Don’t rely on credentials or experience alone—focus on the bigger story behind your success.
The Relatable Factor: Women as Better Storytellers in PR
We’ve seen this time and time again:
- When we pitch a female founder’s story, the quotes are often more personal, engaging, and compelling.
- Women are more likely to talk about challenges and how they overcame them, which makes for better storytelling.
- Men, on the other hand, often default to corporate-speak, making their pitches sound like advertising rather than a human story.
Journalists don’t want to write about a company—they want to write about people. And the best PR comes from founders who aren’t afraid to be human.
If you’re a male founder, learn from this:
- Be honest about the challenges you’ve faced.
- Don’t just talk about growth and numbers—talk about the real moments behind the success.
- Avoid overly polished, jargon-heavy quotes. Instead, say something real.
The “Tokenism” Conversation: Is This a Good or Bad Thing?
This is where things get tricky.
Does the fact that female-led businesses get more media attention mean the media is “biasing” coverage towards women?
It depends how you look at it.
- If journalists only feature women in “barrier-breaking” stories and ignore them for general business news, that’s a problem.
- If media outlets seek out female entrepreneurs to appear diverse but don’t truly engage with their stories, that’s also a problem.
- If women get covered more but still receive less funding, fewer leadership opportunities, and lower salaries, then media attention isn’t fixing the core issue.
The ideal world?
One where a great business story is just a great business story—whether it’s led by a man, a woman, or anyone else.
But we’re not there yet.
Final Thoughts: What This Means for Business Leaders
1. For female founders: Leverage the opportunity—but don’t rely on it. Make sure your business is strong, your insights are sharp, and your PR strategy is solid.
2. For male founders: Take notes. Learn how to tell a more engaging, personal, and human story.
3. For journalists: Keep pushing beyond surface-level “first female” angles and dive into what actually makes these businesses interesting.
At the end of the day, PR is about telling great stories. And while media trends might favour women in some ways, the businesses that truly win are the ones that know how to stand out—no matter who’s running them.