Programme That Considers the Challenges for Women in Business Offers Guidance

Taking steps to better support female entrepreneurship could significantly boost the economy and provide greater flexibility for women with young families. But dedicated support is needed to recognise the unique challenges that women face when they’re starting a business and working to build it up, according to a successful business coach.

Hannah Oertel, Business and Success Coach at Lioness Coaching, said, “Huge improvements have been made in female business ownership but there’s still a long way to go. Figures show that women entrepreneurs still struggle to access the finance and opportunities that their male counterparts benefit from and many ambitious women that have the skills to succeed are severely affected by confidence. Efforts that take these aspects into consideration could have a great impact on the business landscape of the UK.”

A report¹ published by banking giant Barclays last year uncovered the scale of the problem that Lioness Coaching is seeking to address. It found that female business ownership was directly associated with a higher credit rejection probability and that 91% of investment by value went to companies without a single female founder. The gap between male and female lending highlights just how difficult it is for women with business ambitions to get started. Women are also more likely to suffer from confidence issues and are more likely to take a conservative approach, a survey used at a recent European Parliament debate² revealed.

Oertel added, “There needs to be a shift in the way that female entrepreneurs are supported to allow their businesses to flourish. This is why Lioness Coaching was founded. By focussing on the challenges and obstacles that many women face when starting and scaling a business, we’re able to target them to minimise the effect they have and allow female business ownership to go. With more role models across a variety of sectors, it’s my hope that more women will be inspired to take the plunge and set up their own thriving company.”

Lioness Coaching delivers a bespoke twelve-week programme that guides business owners through the challenges they’re facing, from lead generation to brand identity, as well as addressing issues such as self-doubt. The comprehensive programme aims to give each female entrepreneur a clear path they can follow for a year to achieve their goals within business.

To find out more visit lionesscoaching.co.uk/.