The number of women owning businesses is on the rise according to new Government figures which show a record number of women making good on their ambitions to strike out on their own.
Sue Jefferson, chair of York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Business Board, said female entrepreneurs can empower themselves and redress the gender imbalance in funding and investment.
“There are two issues which I believe cause this disparity,“ she explained. “There is a hesitation for funders to invest in a female-led business, which maybe subconscious but reflects an unwillingness to look beyond their traditional considerations. But I also think women may not be pitching confidently or communicating well enough the key elements that investors need to hear.
“What will make or break a business is the people behind it. Pitchers have to come across as confident, convey a strong grasp of the critical elements, understanding what the investor needs to know.
“That’s why opportunities such as the Embrace Equity Angel Investment that happened at the York St John Enterprise Centre on International Women’s Day are so valuable for female business owners. Pitching-to-funder events can be really effective. I see, first-hand, the impact. It can be transformative.”
