Support programme launched for female business leaders in Solihull

Female business owners in Solihull are being given the confidence and support to take their companies to another level thanks to a programme specifically designed for women.

The Solihull Female Business Leaders Programme is being run by Business Growth West Midlands and is meeting every few weeks at the Blythe Valley Innovation Centre, which is managed by the University of Warwick Science Park on behalf of Solihull Borough Council.

A cohort of ten business owners from a range of sectors including interior design, finance, food and drink and communications, are being given insights on how to break down the barriers to growth through peer-to-peer coaching.

The sessions are being delivered by Charlotte Bowden – account manager at Business Growth West Midlands – who said the programme would lead to tangible outcomes for the businesses involved.

She said: “It’s vitally important to have a programme that is designed for women to be able have a safe space to talk about their experiences, their businesses and how they want to grow.

“We want everyone to be open and this environment makes that possible.

“We are halfway through this series and we already have a waiting list for another programme, such is the popularity and the necessity for it.

“Through the peer-to-peer coaching model, we are helping female business owners to achieve their goals for growth by helping them break down some of the barriers they may have faced.

“From day one, you can see an increase in confidence and that’s not only great news for the individual, it’s good for the local economy too because it will help their companies to thrive by increasing turnover, headcount, the services offered – or all three!

“We are grateful to Blythe Valley Innovation Centre for hosting the sessions. It’s the perfect location and the centre’s commitment to helping business grow is exactly the kind of message we want to deliver too.”

Centre manager Andy Stewart added: “We are really pleased to be able to host such an important programme here at Blythe Valley Innovation Centre.

“Not only do we support our tenants to grow, we also want to support the local community, be that economically or socially, and by offering the Solihull Female Business Leaders Programme the space to run their events it means we are, potentially, helping more small businesses to thrive.”

Pictured: Andy Stewart with members of The Solihull Female Business Leaders Programme