Mamerta Gárate: Female Power and Inheritance

The widow of Juan José Laborde was Mamerta Gárate, originally from the Asteasu town. After the death of her husband, at the age of fifty-six, Gárate took over the reins of the family lithography business in close-by Tolosa.

Thanks to the considerable fortune she inherited, which included numerous farmhouses and properties in Argentina, she was able to maintain and modernize the lithographic workshop with the most important technical advances of the time. Under her direction, the company became known as “Viuda de Juan José Laborde e Hijos” and was later merged with the Labayen family.

Globally, only one-third of businesses have a woman among the principal owners. This proportion varies by country income level, with about 25% of businesses having female owners in low-income countries, compared to 36-37% in middle and high-income countries. When women gain power in companies –as in the case of Gárate—it is under specific circumstances, such as during crises or in the context of start-ups. Women are more likely to ascend to leadership roles during periods of instability or organizational crises, a phenomenon often referred to as the “glass cliff.” Companies may view women as better suited for these roles due to perceived traits like collaboration, resilience, and crisis management skills. In family-owned businesses, women may step into leadership roles following the death or incapacitation of the founder. Start-ups also provide a less hierarchical environment where women can establish themselves as founders or co-founders. Despite their presence in start-ups, women founders face significant barriers in accessing funding. For instance, less than 25% of deep-tech start-ups have women on their founding teams, and funding disparities persist.

Women are often stereotyped as more empathetic and collaborative leaders, which can make them appealing choices during crises but may also pigeonhole them into support roles rather than positions of power. Choosing women to lead during crises often makes it easier to blame them if they fail due to the precarious nature of such leadership roles, increasing their likelihood of being scapegoated. Traditional corporate pipelines often exclude women from top roles due to systemic biases and the “broken rung” phenomenon, where fewer women are promoted to managerial positions early in their careers. Start-ups offer women an opportunity to bypass traditional corporate hierarchies and create their own paths to leadership. While progress is being made, systemic changes are necessary to ensure women’s representation at all levels of leadership beyond crises or entrepreneurial ventures.

REF: CC BY-NC 4.0 2015 / KUTXATEKA / Photo Carte / Zugasti, Agustina (Vda. de Martín)