Home 9 Blog 9 News 9 What stops us from turning business dreams into reality?

What stops us from turning business dreams into reality?

First published on December 9, 2020

Scottish women starting and running their own businesses are pointing to care commitments, discrimination and financial challenges blocking progress, according to new survey results released this month.

The survey – an extensive and authoritative pulse-check of women running businesses in Scotland – is compiled by experts in support for women business leaders, Women’s Enterprise Scotland (WES) -which delivers the Women’s Business Centre. It highlights similar themes from previous surveys, including:

  • 65% have used their own savings to support the business.
  • 48% say that care responsibilities have been a factor in them setting up in business.
  • 33% feel that being a woman has hindered their business journey to some extent.
  • 71% say women-only networks are necessary and useful. But 59% say better networking opportunities would help their businesses flourish.

WES conducts regular surveys. The responses to this survey were gathered from nearly 200 women across the country in 2019.

And there was evidence that the Women’s Business Centre couldn’t be more necessary. 36% of respondents said women-only business support had been useful – but a further 40% said no such services were available at the time of responding. The Women’s Business Centre, which launched in summer 2020, is designed to help address these points by providing gender-specific support, by women-owned businesses for women-owned businesses.

If the issues which the survey has highlighted are also challenging for you right now, the Women’s Business Centre is here to help. Find information on finance, read more about ways you can juggle care and business priorities, and be inspired by reading the experiences and advice from other women running their own businesses.

Head to the WES website to read the full report.

Related POSTS

WES policy briefs on women’s enterprise

WES policy briefs on women’s enterprise

WES policy briefs focus on business support, pension gender gap, and digital & net zero. The launch of the Women's Enterprise Scotland policy briefs comes as the 2023 Small Business Survey data...

Congratulations to the 2024 WES Award winners

Congratulations to the 2024 WES Award winners

The winners of the Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards 2024 revealed!  Women led businesses from across Scotland were recognised in front of a sell-out audience at last night’s Women’s Enterprise...

2024 WES Awards finalists revealed

2024 WES Awards finalists revealed

2024 Women's Enterprise Scotland Awards finalists revealed!  Women led businesses from across Scotland have been chosen as finalists for the WES Awards, with the judging panel facing the difficult...

The WES Awards 2024 are open for entries

The WES Awards 2024 are open for entries

Women's Enterprise Scotland Awards 2024 will shine spotlight on Scotland's women business leaders Entries to the WES Awards 2024 are now closed. All applications will go through first round judging...

2023 WES Awards finalists announced

2023 WES Awards finalists announced

We've had a record number of entries for the Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards 2023!  Women led businesses from across Scotland have been chosen as finalists for the WES awards, with the judging...

Business awards to celebrate success

Business awards to celebrate success

Let's Celebrate! Our business awards will shine a spotlight on Scotland's women business leaders. Entries are now open for the Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards 2023. These business awards provide...

Making ecommerce work for women

Making ecommerce work for women

Ecommerce is technical and complicated. If the wrong advice is taken or the wrong skills are taught it is easy to waste a great deal of money setting off in the wrong direction with the wrong...

Making procurement more accessible to all

Making procurement more accessible to all

Not sure what procurement is? Check out this article first to get to grips with the basics of tendering and securing contracts. Procurement is a big topic that is growing in discussion particularly...