Benefits of enabling entrepreneurship
To unlock the potential identified by the Rose Review, it’s important to support and champion current entrepreneurs as well as inspire future ones. We must create a supportive environment that inspires women, that helps build confidence that they have what it takes to start and grow a business. This is an essential stepping stone to boosting the number of women-led businesses now and in the future.
Proven ways to support female entrepreneurs include providing access to mentorship, education, networks and information sharing. These help to build confidence, overcome barriers to growth, and develop the critical skills necessary for business success.
The Rose Review is stepping up support for female entrepreneurs
In 2022, the Rose Review and its partners provided 800,000 opportunities for female entrepreneurs to access direct support. These help create an environment to inspire women and build the confidence of current and aspiring female entrepreneurs.
This has been expanded with a new commitment to make three million places on programmes and opportunities for direct support available to existing and aspiring female entrepreneurs over the next three years (2023 to 2025).
In 2022, the Rose Review and its partners provided 800,000 opportunities for female entrepreneurs to access direct support. The goal is to make three million opportunities available over the next three years.
To successfully enable entrepreneurs across the UK, we must not only create opportunities for direct support; but also foster a supportive environment that celebrates and rewards female founders. This too can help to break down barriers, making it easier for women to start, grow and scale their businesses. The importance of visibility and role models can’t be overstated, so it’s important that we find opportunities to spotlight incredible female entrepreneurs.
There is an ever-growing number of mentoring and networking opportunities available to help female entrepreneurs find the support, confidence and inspiration they need to grow and scale their businesses. These programmes and networks are just a selection:
- AllBright
- MasterCard’s Strive UK initiative
- Be the Business
- Meta and NatWest’s #SheMeansBusiness programme
- Digital Boost
- Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme
- Enterprise Nation.
Please see below for links to all of these resources
More about the author:
Julie Baker, Head of Enterprise and Climate Engagement and Partnerships, NatWest Group
Julie Baker is Head of Enterprise and Climate Engagement and Partnerships at NatWest, working with external strategic partners from both the Private and Public Sector who are valued supporters of entrepreneurs in the UK. Julie’s primary focus is to help those that have traditionally faced the highest barriers to entry including ’Female Founders’, and’ Ethnic Minority Business’ communities. With a 40-year career in the world of Banking Julie has gained significant knowledge from a variety of leadership roles. Julie presently has responsibility for the Bank’s multi award winning Women in Business program and the NatWest Rose Review intervention activity on behalf of Alison Rose.
Julie is an ardent supporter of business expansion, job creation and economic growth and is seen as an external influencer who sits on the board of the EM3 Local Enterprise Partnership and is Chair of the Access to Finance Group at the APPG for Women in Enterprise. Julie is passionate about supporting the next generation of Entrepreneurs and Future leaders through mentoring opportunities and valuable connections, an inspirational role model who is passionate about helping others succeed.
