Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Lyndsay Mitcheson, the founder of Neo Walk, a company specializing in walking sticks, is among a determined group of entrepreneurs, researchers, and advocates advancing the cause of female-led businesses in York and North Yorkshire. Their collective efforts are aimed at overcoming the significant hurdles women face when starting and growing businesses in the region.
Entrepreneurship in York is notably unequal. The city and surrounding North Yorkshire area show a stark gender gap: there are over 23,000 fewer self-employed women than men, and men are almost twice as likely to be self-employed. This disparity extends into funding as well, with female-led enterprises receiving only £62,000 in equity finance compared to £3.8 million raised by male-led businesses. These revealing statistics feature prominently in a recent report created by the University of York’s business support institution, Enterprise Works, which focuses on the persistent obstacles confronting women entrepreneurs in the region. Importantly, the research underlying the report was gathered directly from local women running businesses to ensure their real experiences shaped its conclusions.
Mitcheson’s journey exemplifies many of these challenges. After losing her leg in 2010 due to a serious MRSA infection, her outlook on mobility aids changed dramatically. Dissatisfied with the conventional walking sticks she found—most of which were either dull or overly decorated—she designed her own stick made from clear acrylic. The positive reactions from strangers, who admired the unique design rather than focusing on her disability, inspired her to establish Neo Walk. Since then, her company has expanded far beyond those first steps, producing walking sticks in a broad spectrum of designs and shipping internationally to customers including Selma Blair and Christina Applegate. Despite these successes, Mitcheson faced almost ten years of hard work before hiring her first employee. During that time, she battled imposter syndrome and struggled to be taken seriously as a female entrepreneur with a disability. She describes often encountering pity and patronizing attitudes, which made seeking financial backing feel daunting and discouraging.
The report alongside Mitcheson’s story highlights other widespread barriers affecting women business owners, such as limited access to mentorship and the overwhelming mental strain of balancing business duties with personal responsibilities. However, removing these hindrances could unlock enormous benefits: the potential creation of up to 165,000 new jobs and an additional £2.6 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the regional economy. On a national scale, the figures are even more striking. If women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men, the UK could see £250 billion in new revenue. Andrea Morrison, an entrepreneur and regional chair of the Federation of Small Businesses for Yorkshire, the Humber, and North East England, recalls the impact of presenting this statistic at a local government economic strategy meeting:
Read the full article on Positive News here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.