There’s no doubt that Scotland’s business women want to grow!  In fact, our 2014 survey shows that over 80% of entrepreneurial businesswomen in Scotland want to grow their businesses and are actively seeking access to enterprise support, finance and market opportunities in order to do so.

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The majority of women are running microbusinesses, employing fewer than ten staff, and our survey results show that personal savings were the main source of business finance in the last twelve months for this group, with only 12% accessing public funds.  The general perception was that investment for future business growth was more problematic.

In addition, respondents indicated a clear preference for flexible business support, where a selection of services were available rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach.  Importantly, this support should be enhanced by providing a range of appropriate role models and mentors, who can inspire and encourage other women.

There are a number of ways in which Women’s Enterprise Scotland is helping to create and improve opportunities and support for women-owned businesses to grow.  The first is through our role in delivering actions contained in the Scottish Framework and Action Plan for Women’s Enterprise.

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Those actions include a focus on Mentoring and Networking; Role Models (Ambassadors); Markets and Finance; and Gender Specific Support.

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For inspiration on how to grow your business, view our Ambassadors stories below.