Leanne Leigh, Director of Business Development at Glazers, says that according to government figures one million women are running their own businesses in the UK, yet many still find it difficult to access advice, resources and funding.

Released November 2003

The potential for women to seize the initiative, to establish and grow businesses which may transform both their own – and their families' – lives has become very clear in the last few years. Take for instance, the fantastic example that Anita Roddick gave women in the UK, that a simple cosmetics idea could become a multi-million pound franchise operation. The real recognition of women as wealth creators has perhaps been rather slower in coming, but given the right opportunities and support, women can help transform the UK economy and help to achieve greater economic growth.

The latest government research shows that the number of women starting up their own business is on the increase:

But the statistics reveal a mixed picture about the gender gap:

The fact remains that too few women make the leap and set up in business. The evidence shows that women still have to overcome more hurdles than men in becoming entrepreneurs, including discrimination, lack of confidence, and a difficulty in finding financial and other support.

Glazers is all too aware that access to good business advice and finance is crucial for all entrepreneurs, men and women alike. Getting the right sort of advice and finance for a business can make the difference between profit and loss and even survival and failure. What should count is having the idea or vision, having the skill and the ability to sell that idea and to persuade backers on the one hand and consumers on the other that an enterprise will work.

Women-owned businesses are also more likely to stay in business. According to the Small Business Federation, nearly three-quarters of women-owned businesses established in 1991 were still in operation three years later, compared with two-thirds of all UK small businesses.

Lorraine Joyce is just one woman in business that Glazers has worked with. Speaking of her experience in business she says “From an entirely personal point of view, I don’t feel as though there are any particular advantages or disadvantages of being a woman in business, except perhaps those related to the 'biology' of being female, for example hormonal changes (at all ages), pregnancy, childcare responsibility etc. I definitely feel that I have more empathy with clients and staff, although I’m not always sure that this is an advantage! I also feel that other people view businesswomen as being fortunate in their job positions”.

Glazers believe in equal pay and opportunities for women, and put this into practice. Pratima Patel joined Glazers' tax department in 1995, and is now a partner with the firm. Speaking about the practice she says “There are many women that work at Glazers and we are all treated with respect. Everyone is given the same opportunities and no-one is discriminated against because of sex, colour, age or appearance”.

Despite significant advances, women-owned businesses face significant obstacles, including limited access to capital, difficulty in competing for government contracts and lack of information about where to get financial assistance. Our goal at Glazers has been to change that and to create a resource for women to access business development and start-up advice easily. Leanne Leigh helps many businesses to achieve maximum success, she says, “Working in business development means that I see many different types of business owners, both men and women, therefore each person is treated as an individual. We are a firm which believes that women can be just as successful as men in business”.

Glazers identified several reasons why women make good leaders and managers. For starters, statistics show that more than half of women business owners (53 percent) emphasise intuition or "right-brain" instead of "left-brain," which emphasises analysis, the processing of information methodically, and developing procedures. Intuitive processes often allow someone to see opportunities that aren't readily apparent and to know if they are right without the use of reason and analysis. In addition, women don't hesitate to gather information from business advisors and associates. The advantage here is the shared knowledge that is gathered through interpersonal interactions and liaisons.

By making it a priority to know the challenges women face in business Glazers have carved a niche in the world of business advice and consultancy. We know that in the business world women are heard differently or sometimes not at all. We also know that the growth statistics of women starting and running businesses is increasing dramatically year on year, yet they receive the least amount of available financing and advice. Michelle Kay also works for the practice, speaking of her time at the firm she says, “I have never been treated differently because I am a woman, nor should I be. Glazers is a very diverse firm, in that we have a wide variety of people at the practice; both men and women, of all backgrounds and ethnic origins, which is how it should be in the workplace”.

By understanding the requirements of women and supplying the resources they need to make an informed decision, we have been able to share in some great business successes and we believe that there is certainly an opportunity for other companies to think about how they break their own glass ceiling.

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