
One in three women suffer discrimination running businesses
A poll of 500 female small business owners found 35 per cent have faced biased behaviour at work, with 53 per cent feeling pressure to prove themselves more than their male counterparts.
It also emerged 47 per cent believe there are more risks when setting up a business as a woman due to not being taken seriously, balancing professional and personal life, and imposter syndrome - the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved.
The research comes against the backdrop of a decline in the number of women business owners as Government research of 7,800 small businesses, found only 15 per cent were owned or led by women in 2023, down from 18 per cent in 2022 and 19 per cent in 2021.
It was commissioned by AXA UK, which aims to support entrepreneurs with its Startup Angel competition offering new and would-be businesses the opportunity to win two top prize packages of £25,000 plus mentoring from small business experts.
Mike Crane, director of small business insurance at insurance company, said: 'Our research shows that women can feel disadvantaged when branching out on their own, struggling to find the support and investment they need to grow their ideas into a fully-fledged business.
'We want to make sure everyone with a brilliant business plan has the opportunity to make their dreams a reality.
'For those just setting out on their journey, the Startup Angel competition offers an injection of much-needed funding to get them started plus support from some of the country's best entrepreneurs who've walked the walk themselves and can offer expert guidance.'
Despite the various challenges, a huge 92 per cent of the 500 female small business owners surveyed would encourage other women to launch their own business.
Almost half said starting their own business had many benefits such as giving them the flexibility to have more family time, while 43 per cent claimed it has helped set a positive example to their children.
In terms of financing their business, the main ways women raised money was through personal savings (65 per cent), as well as family and friends (36 per cent).
And 11 per cent also entered competitions which help to fund small businesses.
Setting boundaries for work-life balance and building a strong support network were among the strategies cited for overcoming challenges.
While prioritising mental health and self-care played a key role for 35 per cent of those surveyed via OnePoll.com.
Mike Crane from AXA UK added: 'Despite the challenges faced by women setting up in business, it's clear that launching their own startup has been a game-changing decision.
'Our research shows there's a multitude of positive ways in which running a business has been transformative for those who have taken the plunge.
'The Startup Angel competition could be the first stepping stone for a budding entrepreneur to take that next step and be their own boss.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South Wales Guardian
35 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Rutte to meet PM as Nato chief says ‘quantum leap' in defence needed
The secretary general of the military bloc is expected to use a speech at London's Chatham House to say a '400% increase in air and missile' capability is required just to maintain deterrence and defence. He will say 'wishful thinking will not keep us safe' as he warns Nato must become a 'stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance' to protect itself, in the remarks on Monday, when he will also separately meet the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary John Healey. Mr Rutte is expected to say: 'The fact is, we need a quantum leap in our collective defence. The fact is, we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defence plans in full. 'The fact is, danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends'. He will add: 'We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies. 'Our militaries also need thousands more armoured vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells, and we must double our enabling capabilities, such as logistics, supply, transportation and medical support'. On threats against the alliance, Mr Rutte will say: 'Wishful thinking will not keep us safe. We cannot dream away the danger. 'Hope is not a strategy. So Nato has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.' The Prime Minister has committed to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product on defence from April 2027, with a goal of increasing that to 3% over the next parliament, a timetable which could stretch to 2034. But Mr Rutte's visit to the UK comes after he proposed members of the bloc spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence as part of a strengthened investment plan for the alliance. The target would require nations to raise core defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, while the remaining 1.5% is to be made up of 'defence-related expenditure'. Nato leaders will meet in The Hague later this month, when the total 5% spending target by 2035 will be discussed. The UK's Strategic Defence Review, which was published on Monday, recommended sweeping changes, including a greater focus on new technology, including drones and artificial intelligence based on rising budgets. The boost to the defence budget will be confirmed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her spending review on Wednesday, when she will set out the Government's priorities for the next three years.

South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Rutte to meet PM as Nato chief says ‘quantum leap' in defence needed
The secretary general of the military bloc is expected to use a speech at London's Chatham House to say a '400% increase in air and missile' capability is required just to maintain deterrence and defence. He will say 'wishful thinking will not keep us safe' as he warns Nato must become a 'stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance' to protect itself, in the remarks on Monday, when he will also separately meet the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary John Healey. Mr Rutte is expected to say: 'The fact is, we need a quantum leap in our collective defence. The fact is, we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defence plans in full. 'The fact is, danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends'. He will add: 'We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies. 'Our militaries also need thousands more armoured vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells, and we must double our enabling capabilities, such as logistics, supply, transportation and medical support'. On threats against the alliance, Mr Rutte will say: 'Wishful thinking will not keep us safe. We cannot dream away the danger. 'Hope is not a strategy. So Nato has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.' The Prime Minister has committed to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product on defence from April 2027, with a goal of increasing that to 3% over the next parliament, a timetable which could stretch to 2034. But Mr Rutte's visit to the UK comes after he proposed members of the bloc spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence as part of a strengthened investment plan for the alliance. The target would require nations to raise core defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, while the remaining 1.5% is to be made up of 'defence-related expenditure'. Nato leaders will meet in The Hague later this month, when the total 5% spending target by 2035 will be discussed. The UK's Strategic Defence Review, which was published on Monday, recommended sweeping changes, including a greater focus on new technology, including drones and artificial intelligence based on rising budgets. The boost to the defence budget will be confirmed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her spending review on Wednesday, when she will set out the Government's priorities for the next three years.


Auto Blog
an hour ago
- Auto Blog
Tesla Loses Billions in Value as Musk-Trump Feud Heats Up Over EV Subsidies
Musk turns on Trump, triggering steep Tesla declines President Trump has threatened to end government subsidies and contracts to Elon Musk's companies, with Tesla facing billions of dollars in annual losses without various state and federal programs. Musk escalated the feud with a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, attacking the president, erasing $150 billion in Tesla's market value on Thursday before a Friday rebound. After the market's close on Friday, Tesla's market cap stood at about $950 billion, down from roughly $1.1 trillion at the week's start. 0:02 / 0:09 2025 Audi S3: 4 reasons to love it, 2 reasons to think twice Watch More Elon Musk/President Trump — Source: Getty Musk's specific criticisms of Trump's bill include the entrepreneur saying: 'There is no change to tax incentives for oil & gas, just EV/solar,' according to The Hill. The Tesla CEO also said on X: 'Abruptly discontinuing the energy tax incentives would jeopardize America's energy autonomy and the dependability of our power grid.' On Thursday, President Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the 'easiest way to save money in our budget, billions and billions of dollars, is to terminate Elon's governmental subsidies and contracts,' Reuters reports. The president also posted on Truth Social: 'Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!' How Trump's and Congress's initiatives impact Tesla The House of Representatives version of Trump's bill, passed in late May, proposes to largely end the federal $7,500 tax credit for new electric vehicle (EV) purchases by the end of 2025. If passed by the Senate, eliminating the federal EV subsidy could erase $1.2 billion in Tesla's annual profits, according to Reuters. Separate Senate legislation that removes California's EV sales mandates could lower Tesla's yearly sales by another $2 billion. Tesla earned almost $2.8 billion last year by selling regulatory credits to other automakers, helping competitors meet government-established car emissions rules, many of which are in California. Since Tesla only makes all-electric vehicles, it earns a surplus of regulatory credits that it can sell to other automakers. Competitors who don't manufacture enough zero-emission vehicles face steep fines if they don't purchase regulatory credits from Tesla. Republicans in Congress are working to lower some of the federal waivers California needs for stricter emissions standards than the federal government, and if rolled back, Tesla's regulatory credit profits would take a significant hit. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Elon Musk and Donald Trump with a Tesla Model S — Source: Getty Tesla plans to launch its driverless robotaxi rideshare service in Austin, Texas, this month, subject to government oversight. Still, analysts don't believe Musk's feud with Trump will impact the autonomous Tesla fleet's debut. Gene Munster, Tesla investor and managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, said: 'In my view, the White House has little to gain in standing in front of autonomy, given autonomy is central to physical AI, and for the US to be a leader globally in AI, it also needs to be a leader in physical AI,' according to Business Insider. Autoblog contacted Tesla for comment but didn't receive a response. Final thoughts Elon Musk spent over $250 million to help re-elect Donald Trump, with Tesla's stock increasing after the President's victory. However, Musk's controversial time as a special government employee, most notably with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), triggered severe stock declines at Tesla, ultimately causing the entrepreneur to step away from politics and focus more on his company. Musk's decision to go on the offensive against Trump could further erase any benefits he and Tesla initially gained through their partnership, as reflected in this past week's stock market. Gene Munster estimated in a Friday report that eliminating EV tax credits could reduce Tesla's 2025 deliveries by 15%. About the Author Cody Carlson View Profile