For women across the UK, launching a business is both an economic decision and a catalyst for growth, happiness, and confidence. As our new research in partnership with Starling Bank shows, this journey is both inspiring and demanding. While entrepreneurship has its challenges, women still thrive while being business owners, finding freedom and flexibility in the process, and making an impact on their communities. Indeed, female founders represent a vital force within the nation’s 5.5 million small businesses, driving innovation and creating a better future for themselves and those around them.
Our findings, gathered from 1,000 female entrepreneurs ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day, show a remarkable 80% of female founders feel more confident and 87% happier since starting their business, which is a real testament to the transformative power of entrepreneurship. Women are not only chasing their passions (with 40% driven by personal interests in starting their businesses) but are reshaping their lives, their communities, and the whole UK economy.
However, this transformative process does not come without challenges. Nearly two-thirds (60%) of women report difficulty in switching off, while 39% struggle with stress and exhaustion from the entrepreneurial load of running a business, which tends to fall disproportionately on women. The demands of being a business owner often spill over into weekends, evenings, and personal headspace. This is not necessarily a bad thing—women are running their businesses on their own terms, which can often mean shifting work hours to fit around their lives.
It is a complex balancing act, often more so against the backdrop of wider economic pressures, as the past few years have seen increasingly rising costs and economic instability. But despite these hurdles, women persevere and find immense value in business ownership—72% of female business owners are optimistic about their future. Through entrepreneurship, women gain flexibility, a sense of achievement through personal and professional development, and greater autonomy and creative freedom. These advantages make the journey worthwhile, even when it comes with significant challenges, as many women say sales generation and high costs are primary concerns.
There is also important untapped potential— female entrepreneurs make a tremendous economic impact, but if they started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men, up to £250 billion could be added to the UK economy. This isn’t just an opportunity, for both women and our economy; it’s a necessity. We must ensure women have access to the support, tools, and resources they need to continue to succeed, and feel confident in their efforts. From mentorship programmes to targeted and accessible financial backing, the ecosystem for female founders must be robust and inclusive if we want to see steady economic growth for the whole UK’s economy.
We at Small Business Britain want to see the number of female entrepreneurs double by 2030, which is ambitious but achievable. Through targeted support, financial backing, and championing female entrepreneurs, whose contributions to their communities and to society are essential, we can turn this vision into a reality. Female business owners are trailblazers for economic and societal progress, and through our work, we hope to celebrate and amplify them for how innovative and successful they have been, and will undoubtedly continue to be.
