Essential Guidance from Female Entrepreneurs Ahead of International Women's Day
The digital landscape overflows with generic entrepreneurial tips, but specific advice for women navigating the business world remains invaluable. As International Women's Day approaches, female business owners and entrepreneurs from the Help to Grow initiative offer targeted wisdom drawn from their experiences.
Lucy Collins: Authentic Leadership Beyond Popularity
Lucy Collins, owner and director at Web Usability, emphasizes that effective leadership begins with self-awareness rather than conformity. "For a long time, I shaped myself around other people's ideas of leadership," she reflects. "The turning point came when I realized strong leadership begins with self-awareness."
Collins advises women to lead authentically, pushing themselves without overriding their instincts. She acknowledges that many women bring deep empathy to leadership roles, which can be a significant strength. However, she warns that empathy requires clear boundaries to prevent burnout, especially for those balancing professional responsibilities with caregiving duties at home.
"You don't have to be confrontational to be clear," Collins notes. "Difficult conversations can be handled calmly and with kindness, while still protecting your energy. And you don't need to be liked by everyone to earn respect. Separating approval from leadership is often incredibly freeing."
Rebecca Smith: The Power of Mentorship and Peer Networks
Rebecca Smith, entrepreneur and creative director at Pruden & Smith, describes mentorship as transformational for her business journey. "My mentor helped me to feel a lot more confident, and much clearer on how everything needed to move forward and how to enact change," she explains.
Through mentorship, Smith accessed crucial ecommerce and digital marketing expertise that proved fundamental to her company's digital transformation. She also highlights the importance of building strong peer networks that reduce isolation and support continuous development. "I have a strong peer network which makes the journey less lonely and helps with my own development," she adds.
Claire Pattison: Expanding Perspectives Beyond Your Bubble
Claire Pattison, programme director for the Help to Grow: Management Course at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, stresses the value of diverse connections. "Talking to people very different from you can add rich perspective into what you need to do as a business," she advises.
Whether through formal networking events or informal one-on-one conversations with other leaders, engaging with diverse viewpoints can reveal approaches and delivery methods previously unconsidered. Pattison particularly recommends working with mentors who differ from you, as this can provide especially effective insights and growth opportunities.
Louise Morgan: Confronting Imposter Syndrome Through Collaboration
Louise Morgan, founder and director of B2B communication agency TMPR, addresses the pervasive challenge of imposter syndrome. "For me personally, imposter syndrome is a deep-rooted feeling that my company has been built on luck rather than by design," she confesses. "Our growth doesn't feel earned – it feels accidental."
Morgan encourages small business leaders to recognize this challenge within themselves and utilize support networks to overcome feelings of fraudulence. She advocates for collaboration over competition, noting that conversations with potential competitors often prove most valuable. "Sharing experiences makes you realize you're not alone in your thoughts, and can bring as much inspiration as it does reassurance," she observes.
Building peer networks through industry events and training initiatives like Help to Grow: Management provided Morgan with crucial external perspectives and more rounded assessments of her strengths and weaknesses.
Anjali Ramachandran: Cultivating Advocates for Career Advancement
Anjali Ramachandran, director at Storythings and founder of Ada's List, emphasizes the importance of creating advocates beyond traditional mentorship. "Many people talk about the importance of mentorship to support women in business – and I agree it is a powerful tool," she acknowledges. "But beyond having mentors, something that I have found to be crucial is creating advocates."
Ramachandran explains that the most significant opportunities often arise when someone can recommend you in your absence. "The best opportunities come when there is someone who can put your hat in the ring when you're not in the room," she notes. "Having someone there to say 'this woman is excellent – give her this opportunity' can be transformative to your career."
About the Help to Grow Initiative
The Help to Grow: Management Course represents a significant government initiative launched in July 2021 to enhance SME productivity and growth across the United Kingdom. This twelve-week program, which receives ninety percent government funding, operates through over sixty Small Business Charter-accredited business schools nationwide.
To date, more than ten thousand small business leaders have completed the course, with thirty-nine percent being female leaders. This participation rate more than doubles the fifteen percent of UK SMEs that are female-led, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in supporting women entrepreneurs.
Business leaders interested in the Help to Grow: Management Course can explore detailed information and registration options through the official program website.
