Making your mark as a female entrepreneur in Yorkshire

Small business lender iwoca has curated the first of their series of free webinar events, designed specifically for Yorkshire based female business owners, entrepreneurs, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

iwoca set up this support initiative as government data showed there’d been little progress in increasing the number of female-led businesses in the UK, and that female workers in Yorkshire may have been more affected by the pandemic than in other regions. Through this series of events, they’re bringing business owners and experts together to talk about why this is and what can be done about it, through tailored content created to support female entrepreneurs in the region.

Watch the session to learn about:
● how to look after your mental health and mindset
● self belief, confidence and taking risks
● how to manage business finances effectively
● how to access the right support
● tackling the challenges of male dominated industries
● building relationships with a local network of people.

Speakers: Katie Legg from Mental Health UK; Rebecca Lockwood – owner of Yorkshire based female entrepreneur training consultancy, and Cheryl Sharp – owner of Pink Pig Financials accountancy firm.

Some insights from the webinar ...

• Ask yourself, what would the best business owner in the world look, act and feel like?
• Take note of what feeling well looks like for you, so you can better understand and identify when you’re not experiencing positive mental health.
• You don’t have to choose between your business and your life.
• Try not to overcomplicate things – pick the simplest option and don't let ‘perfect’ be the enemy of ‘good’: done is better than perfect.
• Don’t compare yourself to other people (it’s not always what it seems); rather, concentrate on you. Aim to be better than you were yesterday.
• More hours and more work doesn’t equate to better results. Understanding your numbers and looking at the facts and figures will alleviate any fear which might be holding you back.
• Don’t try and do it all and be it all - remember you can and should ask for help.

What's next
iwoca’s next session will be in the autumn with a Yorkshire based #SheMeansBusiness trainer where Yorkshire based female business owners can learn how to grow their businesses online.

More about the data

iwoca’s analysis of government data revealed that little progress has been made in increasing the number of female-led businesses in the UK, rising by just one percentage point in the past decade: in 2010 the proportion of female-led businesses sat at 14%, and in 2019 it increased to just 15%.

What’s more, analysis by iwoca suggested female workers in Yorkshire have been more affected by the pandemic than many other regions. ONS data reveals that the ‘Accommodation & Food’ and ‘Arts & Entertainment’ sectors saw the largest drop in output last year, with both these sectors employing more women than men. Yorkshire has the second largest proportion of businesses in these sectors out of all English regions, suggesting women in the area are most at risk of being hit hard by the aftershocks of the pandemic.

iwoca’s own research revealed that – at the end of 2020 – 21% of female-owned businesses were not trading compared to 13% of male-owned firms, highlighting the need for more support to aid post-pandemic recovery.

Finally, iwoca has lent close to £80 million to small and micro businesses in Yorkshire since the company launched in 2012, but the vast majority of these applications have been from male business owners.

Photo by Vale Simantob