Women in business
The month of March celebrates International Women's Day #IWD2021 and gives female business owners the much-needed opportunity to celebrate just how far we've come in a relatively short period of time. 1972 was a crucial year for female entrepreneurship. It was the 1st year in US history to be mentioned in the census. Nearly 50 years on and in the UK pond now, 36% of small business owners are women.
Time to celebrate and keep growing this number!
It starts in the home too.
Over the last 15 years, my experience as a business coach, has shown many women who are in the early stages of starting a business (and beyond) are also running a household and being primary carer for the children too. Whilst the husband or partner is at their job or running their already successful business their wives aren't being given the same opportunity to dedicate their time and head space for growing their business for success.
Female led businesses are only 44% of the size of male led businesses in terms of their economic contribution. Until women demand partners for equal help with domestic duties our potential for significant business growth will always be held back by our second jobs!
Creatives leading the way…
Having experienced a surge in creative business owners signing up to work through business coaching programmes with me over the last 2 years - from interior designers and copywriting agencies through to video producers, it proves the creative sector is still one of the fastest growing industries, with almost 1 in 8 businesses being creative!
There remains a gender imbalance though, the number of creative directors, female creative freelancers and business owners are not in line with their male counterparts and freelance women are still consistently charging less than their male counterparts.
Let's change this!
Time for women creatives to take their talent seriously and celebrate your gifts and show the world (if only your corner of it) just how amazing you are and what can be achieved.
“The noblest art is that of making others happy…” PT Barnum
Ladies, are you ready to prove to yourself just what you're capable of? Let's do this!
If you're not sure quite where to start, book in for a free 1-hour business kickstart session and get some clarity, focus and direction for the best next steps in your business.
Clare Whalley
Meta4 Business Coaching