Enterprise Enfield’s Women in Business

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Shared Learning!

Enterprise Enfield hosted an International Women’s Day event on Wednesday 9th March at Enfield Business Centre. The event, entitled ‘Lessons I have Learned’, was attended by 31 women who are either in the process of setting up their own business, or growing an existing business with the support of the organisation’s RSA Trust Inspiring Women Programme and its Let’s Go! Business Hub service.

Attendees heard from four case study businesswomen speakers and took the opportunity to share experiences of running their own businesses as well as to network and inspire each other to achieve their goals and dreams. Andrea Chung, founder of Go Global Art, (recently featured on the N21 Online website) was one of the speakers, who said she considered the keys to business success to include:

Passion – Love what you do
Persistence – Keep pushing despite the challenges
People – Surround yourself with the right core team
Integrity – Do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it

Andrea said, “It was really inspiring to be able to share some of the lessons from my entrepreneurial journey. Meeting Enfield women just starting their businesses was really exciting.”

Another speaker, Lennie Varvarides, owner of MFST Management (an agency representing artists in film, TV and stage), said, “I was pleased to be asked to share my knowledge today with new and existing businesses. Shared learning is a vital to growing and nurturing your business and will only lead to a better understanding of both yourself and others.” The two other speakers were Fiona Hutchinson, of Complete Calm Massage Therapy and Colette Machado of Sales Mastery Magazine.

Enterprise Enfield has become a founder member of the Charter for Women in Business, just launched by Prowess, which aims to close a business development gap costing the UK economy billions each year. More women are starting their own business than men in the UK for the first time ever. Some 14% want to hire more staff this year. With nearly 1 million women-led SMEs in the UK that could mean around 140,000 new jobs, according to a government report. But despite the start-up surge, nationally women’s businesses aren’t accessing the same level of support and they are less likely to survive and grow than men’s businesses. However, 60% of Enterprise Enfield’s clients are women and the organisation is committed to improving business support and success rates for women, and the Prowess Charter for Women in Business is a practical initiative to close the gender gap.

Now in its ninth year, Enterprise Enfield’s RSA Trust Inspiring Women Programme has helped over 170 women looking to start their own businesses. The annual 6 month scheme, provides a unique opportunity for women to increase their business knowledge and personal skills – with training and mentoring in all aspects of running a business including business planning, raising finance, bookkeeping, marketing, website development and social media. In addition, the course offers personal coaching and development training covering topics such as presentation skills and selling to decision makers - enabling participants to gain the confidence required to manage their businesses successfully. The scheme is free of charge as it is funded by local charity, The RSA Trust.

In addition to the Inspiring Women Programme, women looking for support to start or develop and grow a business can access all Enterprise Enfield services including: expert business advice; a range of low-cost seminars as well as a Let’s Go! Business Hub with hot desking, mailing address and mailbox facilities, a weekly advice and support group, networking events and room hire.