Entrepreneurial Coaching and Self-Efficacy as Catalysts for Business Growth Among Women Entrepreneurs in Gauteng, South Africa

Entrepreneurship aims to contribute significantly to economic development, a trend that has been progressively growing over time. Nonetheless, female entrepreneurs continue to face substantial challenges, including limited access to financial resources and sociocultural barriers. The influence of Entrepreneurial Coaching (EC) offers a valuable perspective for analysing entrepreneurial self-efficacy and business growth. Grounded in Systems Theory, the research examines how EC interventions can bolster the confidence of women entrepreneurs and facilitate adaptive responses to business challenges. Utilising a quantitative, explanatory research design, the study employed convenience and snowball sampling to recruit 257 women entrepreneurs who received coaching. The relationships among EC, the six dimensions of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), and business growth outcomes were analysed utilising Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Although seven hypotheses were proposed, only four were supported, whereas three were refuted. The findings show a positive correlation between EC and business growth. The supported hypothesis concerning coping with unexpected challenges, investor relations, and core purpose (value proposition) was accepted. Conversely, hypotheses regarding new product and market development, innovative environments, and the development of critical human resources were not supported. This research extends the existing literature on Entrepreneurial Coaching by demonstrating that the capacity to navigate unforeseen challenges, manage investor relations, and adhere to core purposes is correlated with business growth among women entrepreneurs. Thus, the significance of the study lies in the integration of Entrepreneurial Coaching, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, and Business Growth.