This study reveals that women entrepreneurs in Surakarta show significant adaptability and innovation in dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the main strategies adopted is product diversification to meet changing market needs. Table 1 below includes all of the interview main points from the respondents. For example, Rina K, a souvenir craftsman in Karanganyar, noticed a change in customer preferences during the pandemic. To answer these challenges, he expanded his product variety:

This move helps retain the existing customer base and opens up opportunities to attract new consumers through digital platforms. This finding aligns with the research of (Manolova et al., 2020), which stated that women entrepreneurs managed to take advantage of new opportunities through product innovation during the pandemic. The same thing was done by another respondent, Kusumawati, who focuses on diversifying home décor-based products. She realized that the demand for versatile decorations is increasing as more people spend more time at home:

This strategy helps it stay relevant amid declining demand for souvenirs for events. Diana, a confectionery entrepreneur in Laweyan, also innovated by adapting her products to the needs of the pandemic, such as clothes and home wear:

This step shows how adapting to specific market needs can improve business resilienc e. Maya, from the confectionery sector, also took advantage of a similar opportunity with a f ocus on the production of clothes:

This combination of product innovation and marketing transformation helped his business survive difficult times. Meanwhile, Siti, a culinary entrepreneur in Kartasura, Sukoharjo, developed frozen food products to answer customers' needs for food with a longer shelf life:

This innovation allows its business to reach a broader market while providing added value for customers. In addition to product diversification, digital transformation is crucial f or women entrepreneurs to maintain and expand their market reach, especially in the postpandemic context. Rina K, for example, uses Instagram and marketplaces to market her pr oducts:

These findings are supported by (Gao et al., 2023), who stated that adopting e-commer ce and digital marketing improved the financial performance and sustainability of MSMEs during the pandemic. Maya also optimizes its e-commerce platform to reach new customers. He learned product photography skills to make his products more visually appealing: "Definitely. I use an e-commerce platform to make sales. I also learn product photos to make it more attractive when advertised" (Interview, January 16, 2025).

This step reflects the importance of additional skills to use digital technology optimally. Yuni, another entrepreneur, also uses social media such as Instagram and Facebook for promotion, combining it with e-commerce platforms to expand market reach:

Digital technology even allows entrepreneurs like Dian Pratiwi to reach markets outside the region and abroad:

Digital transformation has been proven to open up wider market opportunities while increasing business competitiveness. Community and government support facilitate digital transformation and women's business development. Digital marketing training held by the MSME community and the government is one form of this support. Diana Pratiwi expresse d her hope that technology training can be held more intensively: "I hope there will be more focused training on technology so that women entrepreneurs can be more digitally literate" (Interview, January 16, 2025).

Fitri Handayani added that easily accessible capital assistance and digital marketing training are urgently needed:

Fitri Handayani added that easily accessible capital assistance and digital marketing training are urgently needed: "I hope there is more accessible capital assistance. In addition, training on digital ma rketing is also crucial for us" (Interview, January 16, 2025). This hope reflects the importance of collaboration between the government, communi ties, and entrepreneurs to increase the resilience of women MSMEs post-pandemic. Thus, fl exibility, creativity, and the use of digital technology are key elements of the sustainability of women's businesses post-pandemic. These findings support the research of (Damayanti et al., 2024), which highlights the importance of entrepreneurial capacity in the recovery of M SMEs. In addition, digital literacy and social collaboration have been proven to strengthen t he competitiveness of female MSMEs, as explained by (Waluyo et al., 2022) and (Subekti et al., 2023). With the right strategy, women entrepreneurs can continue to survive and contrib ute significantly to the recovery of the local economy.

Table 2 below shows the results of interviews with women entrepreneurs in the former Surakarta area revealed that digital technology, such as social media and e-commerce platforms, plays an important role in supporting the recovery and development of MSMEs after the COVID-19 pandemic. Most informants use social media, especially Instagram and WhatsApp, to promote products and communicate directly with customers. For example, Siti Rahmawati revealed that social media and food delivery platforms make it easier for customers to order their products:

This statement shows that social media functions not only as a promotional tool but also as a means of faster and more efficient consumer interaction. This result is in line with the research of (Gao et al., 2023), which stated that digital adaptation supports business sustainability during times of crisis. The same thing was conveyed by Diana Pratiwi, who emphasized the importance of combining marketplaces and social media to expand customer reach:

This statement underscores that digital technology increases the competitiveness of MSMEs by providing access to a broader market (Cueto et al., 2022). Rina Kusuma also highlighted similar benefits of social media, specifically Instagram and marketplace platforms, to reach customers from different locations:

In line with that, Endah Susanti added that WhatsApp is a very effective means of receiving orders and promoting products:

In addition to social media, e-commerce platforms are the leading choice for expandin g market reach, even abroad. Some informants admit that digital technology helps introduc e products to a broader market. For example, Rina Kusumawati explained:

Diana Pratiwi also said that digital technology allows for customer reach across islands and countries:

Sri Mulyani also emphasized that digital technology not only helps product distribution but also opens up export opportunities:

Despite many benefits, digital literacy is still a significant obstacle for some entrepreneurs. Rina Kurniasari, for example, revealed difficulties in implementing digital marketing strategies due to a lack of understanding of technology:

This statement emphasizes the importance of digital literacy training to help MSMEs maximize the potential of digital technology in their business development ((Waluyo et al., 2022),(Amalia & Melati, 2021)). Nevertheless, training organized by the MSME community and the government has p ositively contributed to improving entrepreneurs' technological competence (Amalia & Melati, 2021). These findings show that the use of digital technology not only supports business sustainability but also contributes to women's economic empowerment and local economic mobilization in Surakarta. This result is consistent with the research of (Gao et al., 2023), w hich stated that digitalization supports the sustainability of MSMEs during the crisis.

This study shows that women entrepreneurs in the former Surakarta have a significant role in empowering local communities and strengthening the microeconomy. Through the small businesses they manage, women entrepreneurs have succeeded in creating jobs for the surrounding community, especially for homemakers. This result is in line with the findings of (Ge et al., 2022), who emphasized that technological innovations implemented by women entrepreneurs make an outstanding contribution to the economic empowerment of families and communities. Table 3 below shows the respondents’ contributions for themselves. For example, Siti Rahmawati, a culinary business owner in Kartasura, empowers the workforce among homemakers in her neighborhood. This step provides additional income for homemakers and allows them to continue carrying out family responsibilities. In her interview, Siti stated:

A business model that provides work flexibility like this is in line with the findings of (Sari et al., 2022), which mentioned the importance of integrating domestic responsibility an d economic participation to support the sustainability of small and micro enterprises. The s ame thing was expressed by Diana Pratiwi, a clothing entrepreneur in Laweyan, who recrui ts homemakers to help with the production process. By providing flexibility to work from ho me, Diana balances domestic and economic responsibilities for her workers. She said:

Diana's story shows how women entrepreneurs integrate the value of inclusivity into their business models. This step not only benefits businesses but also strengthens the household economy of local communities. In addition to providing jobs, women entrepreneurs actively utilize local resources as raw materials to support the sustainability of their businesses. Fitri Handayani, a traditional culinary entrepreneur in Sragen, buys cassava and bananas directly from local farmers. This step not only helps reduce production costs but also empowers the agricultural sector in the region. She explained:

This effort is supported by the findings of (Damayanti et al., 2024), which state that a community-based approach and using local resources can strengthen the economic resilience of micro and small businesses, especially during the pandemic. Ratna Kusumawati, a cassava chip producer in Wonogiri, took a similar step. By purchasing raw materials directly from local farmers, Ratna maintains the quality of her products and strengthens the economic relationship between small business actors and farmers. He shared his experience:

The contribution of women entrepreneurs is also seen in their ability to adapt to economic challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rina Kusuma, a souvenir craftsman from Karanganyar, diversified her products to survive while changing market needs. He started producing bamboo home decorations and utilizing digital technology to market his products. Rina revealed:

This diversification effort reflects the findings of (Manolova et al., 2020), who stated that diversification is one of the main strategies of women entrepreneurs in dealing with economic disruption, such as what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. By utilizing digital platforms such as social media and marketplaces, many women entrepreneurs have succeeded in expanding their markets beyond the region, even internationally. One example is Rina Kusumawati, a batik craftsman from Sragen, who now has customers from big cities and abroad. In his interview, she said:

The role of digital technology in expanding the women's business market is also emph asized in the study by (Hamdani & Amalia, 2022), which shows that business digitalization is an important factor in maintaining the continuity of small businesses during economic di sruption. Thus, small businesses managed by women contribute to the post-pandemic recov ery of the local economy and strengthen the foundation of the microeconomy in Surakarta. By creating jobs, empowering local communities, utilizing regional raw materials, and utiliz ing digital technology, women entrepreneurs are the main driving force in maintaining the community's economic sustainability.

The study results show that women entrepreneurs in the Ex-Residency of Surakarta face several primary challenges in the post-pandemic business recovery process. Table 4 shows all the important obstacles that these women faced. One of the dominant barriers is access to capital, where many small businesses have difficulty obtaining financial support to maintain operational sustainability. This condition was experienced by Siti Rahmawati, a culinary entrepreneur, who revealed that her savings were depleted during the pandemic to support business operational costs. In the interview, she stated:

This statement reflects the common situation faced by small business actors, where limited financial reserves are insufficient to deal with a decrease in income and an increase in operating costs. The same thing was conveyed by Rina Kusumawati, an entrepreneur in the craft sector, who highlighted the impact of the pandemic on her income and business sustainability. In the interview, she revealed:

She also explained that time constraints exacerbate capital constraints, especially for women entrepreneurs who have to divide their concerns between family and business:

This condition is in line with the findings of (Babajide et al., 2022), which emphasized the importance of access to capital to support the sustainability of women's businesses, especially in the informal sector. In addition to capital problems, the increase in raw material prices is also a significant obstacle. Siti Rahmawati explained that the surge in raw material prices makes it difficult to achieve consistency in production and reduces profit margins. She stated:

Challenges related to raw materials were also expressed by Sri Mulyani, a wood craft sman, who highlighted the impact of seasonality on the supply of raw materials. She says:

This statement supports the findings of (Gupta & Kumar Singh, 2023), who emphasized the importance of managing raw material costs as one of the keys to building small business resilience amid market dynamics. On the other hand, increasingly fierce market competition is a significant challenge for women entrepreneurs. For example, a weaving craftsman, Rina Kusuma, mentioned the difficulty of her local products competing with cheaper imported goods. In the interview, she stated:

Fitri Handayani, a business actor in the culinary sector, added that small business actors face challenges in competing with large technology-based companies that are more established in digital marketing. She explained:

Research by (Donthu & Gustafsson, 2020) corroborates that the pandemic exacerbate d the gap between small and large businesses, making MSMEs more vulnerable to market pressures. The limitations of digital literacy are also obstacles for some business actors in u tilizing technology for business digitalization. Rina Kurniasari, for example, emphasized th e importance of digital marketing training in order to be more competitive. She stated:

She added that the community of women entrepreneurs should be more active in sharing experiences and knowledge:

This statement aligns with the research of (Amalia & Melati, 2021), which shows that digitalization is an important element in the recovery of MSMEs during the pandemic. The research by (Waluyo et al., 2022) further highlights the importance of increasing digital literacy for women entrepreneurs to compete in an increasingly competitive business world. These challenges show that women entrepreneurs have extraordinary resilience in facing crises. However, more significant support, especially in access to capital, raw material price stability, and digital literacy training, is needed to optimize their contribution to the local economy. Community support and digital marketing training are important strategies to increase the competitiveness of MSMEs. This result is in line with the advice of (Cueto et al., 2022), who emphasized that digital innovation plays an important role in small businesses' economic recovery during economic disruption. These results are then

Based on interviews, most respondents revealed the importance of easier access to capital and skills training to accelerate their businesses' post-pandemic recovery process. Respondents emphasized that training relevant to market trends, such as digital marketing, is an urgent need in the face of competition. Diana Pratiwi, a clothing convention entrepreneur, highlighted the importance of digital technology-based training in reaching a broader market. She said:

This statement emphasizes the importance of digital literacy as a strategic step to support the sustainability of women's businesses. Research by (Lamidi & Rahadhini, 2021) and (Hamdani & Amalia, 2022) shows that digital literacy has a significant role in improving the performance of small and medium enterprises. In addition, financial literacy combined with access to technology has been proven to accelerate business recovery (Andriamahery & Qamruzzaman, 2022). Dwi Lestari, a cake ingredient shop owner, expressed his hope that the government would support production technology training and access to low-interest capital. She says:

This statement aligns with the research of (Coleman et al., 2019) and (Gao et al., 2023), which emphasizes the importance of technology training and financial access in improving the resilience and sustainability of women's businesses. The use of technology has been the primary solution entrepreneurs have adopted to survive during the pandemic. Fitri Handayani, a culinary entrepreneur, revealed that social media and e-commerce platforms are beneficial in expanding customer reach outside the region. She explained:

Rina Kusumawati, a batik entrepreneur, also emphasized the importance of using marketplaces and social media as the primary strategy to increase sales. She stated:

These findings are supported by research by (Damayanti et al., 2024) and (Prayag et al., 2024), which show that digitalization and e-commerce can increase the resilience of small and medium-sized businesses in crises. The respondents also highlighted the importance of the community as a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Diana Pratiwi, for ex ample, shared that she collaborated with an embroidery business in Kauman to create mor e varied products. She revealed: "There is. Sometimes I collaborate with embroidery businesses in Kauman to make mo re varied products" (Interview, January 16, 2025).

The same thing was conveyed by Dwi Lestari, who explained that collaboration with cake entrepreneurs in Wonogiri has helped increase their respective businesses. She said:

This statement is supported by research by (Babajide et al., 2022) and (Cueto et al., 2022), which highlight the importance of social networks in the empowerment of women entrepreneurs. Despite various efforts, challenges remain, such as time constraints due to domestic responsibilities and a lack of capital. However, family support is a significant factor that helps women entrepreneurs run their businesses. Siti Rahmawati, the owner of a catering business, emphasized the role of the family as the prominent supporter in dividing responsibilities. She said:

This statement emphasizes the flexibility of women entrepreneurs as one of the important factors in supporting local economic recovery (Simone et al., 2021). As per Table 5 below explains how these women are expecting for supportive aids for their businesses.

The main finding of this research can then be found on Figure 1 below. Women entrepreneurs in the former Surakarta Residency have played an important role in helping the local economy recover after the pandemic. Many of them quickly adapted by changing their products, using online marketing, and expanding their business connections. These efforts helped them survive during difficult times and even find new opportunities. For example, they started selling frozen food, making home decorations, or using Instagram and online marketplaces to reach more customers. This flexibility shows their ability to respond to crisis conditions and continue running their businesses under pressure.

However, these women entrepreneurs still face many obstacles. The most common pr oblems include limited capital, higher prices for raw materials, and the challenge of managi ng both household duties and business activities at the same time. These burdens have ma de it harder for women to grow their businesses. Even so, they continue to find new ideas a nd solutions. Many women are creating local and eco-friendly products, adjusting their offer s to meet customer demand, and trying to compete in digital markets. Their creativity and determination have helped them stay relevant, even with limited resources. Beyond busine ss, these women contribute to the community by creating jobs and helping others improve t heir skills. They often involve local women, especially housewives, in production and packa ging activities, which allows them to earn money while staying close to their families. To su pport their work further, they need better access to financial help, training in digital tools, and more support from the government. They also hope for stronger business communities where they can share experiences and collaborate. These findings show that with the right support, women entrepreneurs can become key drivers of inclusive and sustainable local ec onomic recovery.

The authors are pleased to thank everyone involved in the research process, especiall y all the respondents. The authors would also like to express their gratitude to the Researc h and Innovation Bureau (LRI) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta for the internal f unding that shaped this research in the process. The authors would like to declare that ther e are no conflicting issues.