300 women at entrepreneurs summit in Southend on Friday 17th June ask what will Brexit mean for women in business?
2.7 million UK women want to start a business. This has the potential to create 340,000 new businesses and support 425,000 additional jobs – ultimately unlocking a potential £10.1 billion boost to the UK economy. Research by Development Economics and YouGov.
How will women entrepreneurs be affected if Britain leaves the EU? Will the UK out of Europe nurture these valuable women entrepreneurs?
25% of registered self-employed people in the UK are women, around 1.2m self-employed women involved in either full or part-time employment. The number of female entrepreneurs is also rising faster than the rate for men at almost 10% in the past 2 years compared to men’s 3.3%.
300,000 mothers are also running businesses which contribute an estimated £7.4bn to the UK economy each year and
average women entrepreneurs tend to be younger then their male counterparts.
This Friday, 17th June in Southend, just ahead of the EU vote, 400 women entrepreneurs and would be entrepreneurs are gathering at the Essex Business Women's Experience summit. Fifteen expert speakers include FSB Senior Public Affairs Advisor to Goverment, Ruby Peacock will be speaking. Ruby is one of a team who will lobby Government on tangible policy change to get more women in enterprise.
Ruby is introducing a campaign with Facebook, She Means Business, launched just this week, supporting women’s enterprise is evidently crucial in helping women realise their full potential, and in turn boost the economy. FSB are working with key stakeholders like Facebook and developing a series of regional events, resources and networking opportunities to achieve a real boost for women’s entrepreneurship.
"To start your own business is can be confusing, complicated, expensive and daunting. There is a lot of support available and we have brought it all together and the women are responding. Europe has helped women gain equality in the workplace and will this be maintained if the UK exits? It's a big consideration and needs support at Government level" says Rosemary Cunningham, founder of the Essex Business Women's Experience, self employed for 23 years.
The Essex Business Women's Experience brings all the resources together to inspire and start women securely on the business journey. Banks, government and private organisations are represented plus an impressive array of Essex woman led businesses from fashion, services, catering and offering templates and opportunities for women to start their own enterprise, supported and with very low investment. There is also great food, mini treatments and lots of networking with other women in business.
The event is from 10 til 3pm at the Park Inn Radisson Hotel, Southend-on-sea. Admission £7 including complimentary workshops
www.essexbusinesswomensexperience.com
Ends
Rosemary Cunningham
07967 121167
info@rosemarycunningham.co.uk
Notes for editor.
Facebook She Means Business Campaign - https://m.facebook.com/business/a/shemeansbusiness
FSB's Women in Enterprise: Untapped Potential report - http://www.fsb.org.uk/docs/default-source/fsb-org-uk/fsb-women-in-enterprise-the-untapped-potentialfebc2bbb4fa86562a286ff0000dc48fe.pdf?sfvrsn=0
FSB's press release on the new campaign with Facebook - http://www.fsb.org.uk/media-centre/latest-news/2016/05/26/future-uk-economic-growth-depends-on-women-entrepreneurs