• Starting and growing a business

1. Top tips
   • Generating the idea
   • Taking the leap
   • Raising the money
   • Doing your own PR
   • Your first employee
   • Work/life balance
   • Growing your business
   • Passing the baton
2. Inspiration
3. Videos
4. Great links
5. Support in your area
6. Events in your area
7. Social Enterprise
8. Women in SET
9. B2B Directory

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• Press and research
• Members area
• Flagship quality standard
• The Prowess Awards

Inspiration

We all need inspiration, and whether you're thinking about starting a business or have already taken the first steps, you can always learn from other people's experiences. We've brought together case studies of women who have started their own business, and each has a different story to tell. They come from a range of backgrounds, their businesses operate in a variety of sectors and they've overcome set backs and challenges to get where they are today. Whatever stage your business is at, even if it's just an idea, their experiences can help you every step of the way.

If you are a female business owner and would like to feature here on our Inspiration page please take 5 minutes to complete our short online questionnaire.

Sumita Sinha Ecologic Chartered Arhitects "I am able to encourage other women into architecture, this is my highlight of owning a business"

Tracey Park and Lisa Houghton, Talking Tots One of the best things about being self-employed is being able to call the shots. When something isn't working we can fix it immediately.

Helen Walker - Water Power Enterprises (h2ope) (CIC) Social entrepreneur Helen Walker believes community ownership is the key to success.

Inspirational Art Ltd Sade Sangowawa graduated with an MBA and realised that there are not a huge number of jobs in her area of cultural awareness training. The kind of job she could get didn’t match her salary expectations so she decided she was better off starting her own business.

Claire Bennett - Music Bugs Ltd "I've found a way of providing a flexible, home-based business opportunity for women looking to improve their work-life balance The highlight has been watching the business grow and flourish before my eyes"

Mangé Caribbiene Restaurant When Sonia Edmund wanted to eat out, in Nottingham, her preference was for Caribbean food. However, she could only get Caribbean food from the take-away and not from a restaurant. So spotting a hole in the market she opened her own fine dining Caribbean restaurant, offering not only the food but also the culture and hospitality of the Caribbean.

Ingrid Blake - The Cyber Sec Following redundancy Ingrid found self-employment offered a fantastic chance to combine work she enjoys with caring for her to sons.

Michele Chieffo - Be Eco Uk Ltd "It was just a simple idea for a bag to make it easier for me to reuse my carrier bags when shopping with the children. I contacted Sainsbury's with the idea and they liked it too"

Carol Wicker, Carol Wicker Ltd Carol used the services of Bizzfizz when she needed business support and found them "Very helpful!"

Jackie Groundsell, 1230 The Women's Company Go for it, work hard, and benefit!

Kelly Stevens, The Womens Networking Company Know your market! Know your customer!

Genevieve Moody, The Flying Studio "You need to be committed and have a passion for what you are doing. This will keep you going through the lows and remind you during the highs of why you started in the first place"

Mel Henson, Words That Sell "After I had children I wanted a new challenge and also greater flexibility. Working from home gave me the chance to combine both"

Jacqui Tillyard, Jacqui Tillyard Rapid Results Coach Jacqui always wanted to run her own company so to satisfy her hunger for independance. Using and learning from Neuro-Linguistic Programming, she is now the best coach she ever hoped to be

Francine Pickering, Smart Women Ltd "Enjoy it - if you're not enjoying yourself, you're in the wrong game"

Sarah Steel, The Old Station Nursery Ltd "Self-belief and sheer determination will go a long way in making your business successful" - says Sarah Steel, last year's winner of the Prowess/Yell.Com Inspirational Business Mum Award

Julie White, Julie White Coaching and Training Julie finds owning her own rural business gives her the freedom to focus on what is important to her; people, local produce and the countryside.

Susan Heaton Wright, NSN Productions Limited AND Executive Voice "I would never have believed I would be here 2 years ago, through starting a business I have gained news skills, toughened up and feel a genuine sense of personal achievement"

Lynne Hollingsworth, Hollingsworth Designs Ltd "I now have the freedom to work in my own way, if you are going to start a business do it with passion and commitment"

Azita Qadri, Eat Your Cake "I get a real sense of satisfaction by what I have created, where nothing existed a year ago"

Servane Mouazan, OGUNTE Ltd "I wanted the freedom to achieve something big based on my own values"

Anne Draper - Advantage Projects Ltd Women's busines networks are highly supportive, effective and importantly they work.

Anya Ledwith - ESHCon Ltd "I would really recommend getting a mentor, having someone to talk ideas through with really helps"

Kate Upcraft (ISIS Support Services) Saying goodbye to office politics was Kate's highlight when moving into self-employment!

Lisa Newton (Boogles Ltd) I started a business to be in control, I wanted my financial future to be in my hands not someone elses.

Helen Maughan, Positive Action Coaching Becoming self employed is something I have always wanted to do, but like many people, I always felt there were 'more pressing' things going on in my life. I was made redundant at the beginning of 2007 and decided that if I was ever going to take the leap then this was the time to do it.

Diane Turner - Anthias Consulting Ltd I printed off a huge amount of free information from the Business Link website and took it on holiday with me to read on the beach! I haven't looked back.

Kate Elliott, Kate Elliott Photography Successful freelance photographer Kate Elliott has a straightforward message for starting a business, do what you love to do!

Cary Marsh, Mydeo Cary simply wanted to share home videos with her family, she now runs a highly successful video streaming company and has partnerships with Microsoft, Organge, Tiscali and Canon.

Margot Cooper , Limbs & Things I have always found being a women an advantage in business. Women are good at multi-tasking and at seeing solutions to things. I think my skills have always complemented my male colleagues.

Moira Upton, TLC HEALTH SCREENING LTD "I love the freedom of choosing my own working hours. And I can also choose what services to offer to customers, I’m in control and don’t have to ask anyone else before I can make a decision."

Anne Duncan, Yellowfin "I am a serial entrepreneur and have started many businesses previous to this one. What drives me is the desire to change an industry"

Juliet Davenport Good Energy "Climate change is obviously a massive looming problem. I founded Good Energy to be part of the solution"

Magdeline Pokar Research SEA Ltd Peer support is really important and networking events remind you, you are not alone.

Steph Cutler, Open Eyed You learn so much about yourself though starting a business and doing something you love gives you great confidence.

Wendy Brodie - Bodyflik Good local networks, one-to-one advice and bags of energy helped innovator Wendy Brodie bring the worlds first human squeegee to the market.

Stargate Capital Management Ltd Trapezia, headed by Gita Patel, is the UK's first fund to be dedicated to women entrepreneurs. It will be used to invest in young dynamic companies in which women have an influential role. Gita will be participating in the Prowess Conference in Cardiff (8 - 9 February 2006) when she sits on the panel of ‘Playing FTSE’, a conference Fringe Meeting which looks at key factors surrounding women and growth businesses.

Organix Brands Lizzie Vann describes her business, Organix Brands, as a ‘campaigning company;’ successfully combining a multi-million pound turnover with a mission to promote safe and healthy food for children.

Hannah Marshall Young womenswear designer, Hannah Marshall, has done everything she can to prepare herself for running her own business. Being mentored by key fashion industry figures has helped her develop a strong business sense and an understanding of the importance of innovation.

Kim'll Fix It ! 3½ years ago Kim Mcginlay left an unhealthy relationship becoming homeless, penniless and a single parent. Today Kim has retrained as a carpenter/joiner, started her own company and won a national award for Overcoming Adversity - 3½ years well spent!

three60marketing Networking has proved to be the key to success for Tracey Baty of three60marketing. Tracey’s advice is ‘don’t leave home without your business cards,’ as clients can be found in the most unlikely of settings.

CanDoCanBe When women access business support from Karen, at CanDoCanBe, they can be sure that they are dealing with someone who knows first hand the challenges of setting up a business.

Women Builders Ltd Janet Shelley started her business, Women Builders Ltd, in order to get from behind her desk and start getting her hands dirty. The success of her business means that she doesn’t have many opportunities for manual work but she is enabling other women to train and work in the traditionally male construction industry.

PSI Global Ltd When Sue Hunter and husband George set up their own filtration business in 1976, she faced the daunting task of trying to balance being a full time Mum to four children with the exacting pressures that only a business start-up can bring.

Swamp Kids With a B.A. in International Textiles and Surface Pattern together with a background in freelance textile design, Elizabeth Clifford decided to take the plunge and set up her own business. Swamp Kids was launched in November 2003 with the intention of creating textiles for children using traditional craft skills and embroidery techniques.

Your Voice Accessing women-friendly business support, though the Women's Business Development Agency (WBDA), stopped Dalvinder Dhanjal 'pottering' and got her focussed and motivated to make her business the success it is today.

Xenia Horne - MusicMakers UK MusicMakers UK is an agency which books professional musicians to play at events, has doubled turnover in 2003 and owner Xenia Horne has plans to expand her 200-strong network of performers.