Women in business event

A free event designed to help break down barriers and open up access to business finance has been well received.

More than 60 women attended the Lanarkshire Women in Business, Closing The Female Funding Gap event recently.

Led by partners South Lanarkshire Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Business Gateway Lanarkshire, New College Lanarkshire and the Federation of Small Businesses, this was the second event in a year-long pilot initiative designed to boost female entrepreneurship in Lanarkshire.

Attendees included women thinking about, as well as those already running, businesses locally.

Two female keynote speakers provided inspiring and honest accounts of their business start-up, growth and funding journeys.

Kathleen Mcshane of Bavarian Bakehouse Ltd told how she bought over a small bakery and has grown the business to employ 19 full and part-time staff, with turnover nearing £1m.

Jo-anne Chidley, Beauty Kitchen UK Ltd, co-founded her business with her husband and despite tough trading years to begin with, it is now thriving and nearing the £5m turnover mark.

The second part of the event provided an insight to the wider funding landscape including grants, loans, crowdfunding and equity. Nine organisations were given five-minute pitching slots to‘sell’their funding product to attendees.

South Lanarkshire Council’s business support team leader, Yvonne Rogers, said:“we were delighted with the number of women who took time out to come along to the second event in the pilot programme on financing your business.

“Hearing first hand experiences from engaging presenters was really valuable.”