One in three women suffer gender discrimination running their business

A poll of 500 female small business owners found 35 per cent have faced biased behaviour at work, with 53 per cent feeling pressure to prove themselves more than their male counterparts.

It also emerged 47 per cent believe there are more risks when setting up a business as a woman due to not being taken seriously, balancing professional and personal life, and imposter syndrome - the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved.

The research comes against the backdrop of a decline in the number of women business owners as Government research of 7,800 small businesses found only 15 per cent were owned or led by women in 2023, down from 18 per cent in 2022 and 19 per cent in 2021.

It was commissioned by AXA UK, which aims to support entrepreneurs with its Startup Angel competition offering new and would-be businesses the opportunity to win two top prize packages of £25,000 plus mentoring from small business experts.

Mike Crane, director of small business insurance at the insurance company, said: “Our research shows that women can feel disadvantaged when branching out on their own, struggling to find the support and investment they need to grow their ideas into a fully-fledged business.

“We want to make sure everyone with a brilliant business plan has the opportunity to make their dreams a reality.

“For those just setting out on their journey, the Startup Angel competition offers an injection of much-needed funding to get them started plus support from some of the country’s best entrepreneurs who’ve walked the walk themselves and can offer expert guidance.”

Getting women into entrepreneurship

Despite the various challenges, a huge 92 per cent of the 500 female small business owners surveyed would encourage other women to launch their own business.

Almost half said starting their own business had many benefits such as giving them the flexibility to have more family time, while 43 per cent claimed it has helped set a positive example to their children.

In terms of financing their business, the main ways women raised money was through personal savings (65 per cent), as well as family and friends (36 per cent).

And 11 per cent also entered competitions which help to fund small businesses.

Setting boundaries for work-life balance and building a strong support network were among the strategies cited for overcoming challenges.

While prioritising mental health and self-care played a key role for 35 per cent of those surveyed via OnePoll.com.

Mike Crane from AXA UK added: “Despite the challenges faced by women setting up in business, it’s clear that launching their own startup has been a game-changing decision.

“Our research shows there’s a multitude of positive ways in which running a business has been transformative for those who have taken the plunge.

“The Startup Angel competition could be the first stepping stone for a budding entrepreneur to take that next step and be their own boss.”