Latest news with #BetterMenopause
Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Times
Too female to fund? The gendered gap in business investment
Debbie Wosskow tells Gaby Griffith that if women entrepreneurs had the same support as men, it could add £250 billion to the UK economy – and she has a plan to make it happen Entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow is co-chair of the Invest in Women Taskforce When entrepreneurs Debbie Wosskow OBE and Anna Jones set out to raise capital for their latest venture, wellness company Better Menopause, they encountered a familiar obstacle. Despite a formidable track record – Wosskow founded the home-swapping platform Love Home Swap, Jones is the former UK CEO of Hearst Magazines – one well-known male investor said he loved them but he thought the idea was 'a little niche'. This, says Wosskow, is what happens when women founders pitch female-focused businesses to male investors. Ventures addressing the needs of half the population are too often dismissed as marginal. Women, she argues, are still expected to prove legitimacy twice over – once for the idea, and again for daring to lead it. New research from the wealth management firm Charles Stanley bears this out. Just 24.8 per cent of female founders say it's easier to secure funding as a woman. More than half – 55 per cent – report facing heightened scrutiny because of their gender, while 63 per cent say they have to work harder than men to be recognised as leaders. There is, in other words, significant ground to gain. The UK is home to 7,696 high-growth companies with at least one female founder, accounting for 13.7 per cent of the country's high-growth business population. Of these, 4,224 are majority female-founded. According to the Invest in Women Taskforce – co-chaired by Wosskow – if women were supported to scale their businesses at the same rate as men, it could add as much as £250 billion to the UK economy. Alongside plans to create a dedicated investment fund for female founders, Wosskow and the taskforce are focused on encouraging more women to become investors themselves. As she points out, women are twice as likely to invest in other women as men are. 'We need to create systemic change,' she says. But it isn't only about capital. 'Mentoring is super important,' says Mia Kahrimanovic, chartered financial planner at Charles Stanley. 'I love that quote – 'You can't be what you can't see.' Women need access to mentors and advisers who can help them build and scale. Taking an idea and making it work becomes easier when you know someone else has already walked the path.' A sense of community among women entrepreneurs is key here. Research by Charles Stanley found that 70.8 per cent of female founders expressed a desire to support other women – something that has been evident throughout Wosskow's career. After exiting her first business, Love Home Swap, in 2017, she co-founded AllBright the following year with Jones. The global community connects ambitious women through female-only members' clubs in London and Hollywood, as well as a thriving online network. It's a space for sharing expertise, offering support and building lasting professional relationships. 'Women's networks are just not as strong as men's – for all sorts of reasons – and we wanted to create a global sisterhood of women who had each other's backs,' says Wosskow. Whether formal or informal, having a trusted network to turn to is invaluable for female founders. 'Most of the entrepreneurs I work with say the journey is lonely,' says Kahrimanovic. 'Advisers are an ideal extension of a start-up team, especially when navigating funding, legal or financial issues.' Following the closure of Allbright, Wosskow went on to co-found WJV – an investment firm focused on backing diverse founders – once again teaming up with Jones. 'I've backed only female entrepreneurs in the past six years of investing,' she says. 'As women, when we have money, we tend to show up for each other.' Her goal now is to drive greater economic empowerment among women and encourage them to become investors themselves. She wants women to build wealth, speak openly about it, and use their capital to support the next generation of female founders. 'There is a great wealth transfer coming,' says Wosskow. 'Partly through divorce, partly through inheritance – and I want to equip those women with the understanding that angel investment is a powerful tool.' For some, as she points out, wealth may come from personal transitions, such as divorces. But for founders, it's business exits that unlock the capital needed to reinvest in others. According to Charles Stanley's latest research, 2024 saw 82 exits by female-founded high-growth companies – a promising signal for the future of women backing women. The average age of the female founders behind those exits was 51. As a multi-exit entrepreneur herself, Wosskow has advice for those considering it. 'I have always started a business with a clear plan for how I'm going to sell it,' she says. 'You might mess everything up the first time, but in my experience, you just get better at it. That's why I want women to do it again and again.' For many women founders, however, an exit can feel like a distant prospect as they work through the realities of building a business. For those still in the trenches, Wosskow offers one piece of advice: 'When things go wrong – which they will – give yourself 24 hours to mourn it, then move on. Take a day to lie on the couch, moan and wail, but that's it. Get up and keep going.'
The Sun
22-04-2025
- Health
- The Sun
'My sleep and anxiety levels are much improved' rave fans of supplement for menopause symptoms
IF you're among the many women trying to navigate the fog of perimenopause or menopause, you'll understand that sleepless nights come with the territory. However, a growing number of women are finding relief using the Better Night supplement. Better Night is a science-backed supplement created specifically for women that's earning rave reviews from users, who credit it with improving their sleep, easing anxiety, and helping them feel more like themselves again. The brand even has celebrity fans like Cherry Healey and Dorit Kemsley, who have praised the supplement's ability to support them during these difficult hormonal transitions. For a limited time, shoppers can pick up a 4-week supply for £43.20 instead of its original £48 price tag. For those wanting a 12-week supply, you can save 20% and pick up the supplements for £115.20. With regular use, many women describe waking up feeling refreshed and more in control of their day. One happy customer wrote in a five-star review: "100% recommend. I love this product. My sleep and anxiety levels are much improved. "I purchased this to help with my bloating, constipation and IBS in perimenopause. It's really helped. Thank you!" Another shared: "I started taking the Better Menopause around 18 months ago, and it is certainly making a difference. "It helps me with my IBS symptoms and also keeps me regular. "An added bonus is that I lost weight with it after a few months of taking it, and it is staying off!" Another reviewer shared: "Still early days, but I definitely feel better." Save 10% off Better Night Supplement (4-week supply), £43.20 £48 Whether you're experiencing menopause or perimenopause symptoms such as sleeplessness, mood swings, and night sweats, the Better Night supplement aims to tackle them all. Unlike traditional sleep aids, Better Night is formulated to address the root causes of disturbed sleep in midlife women. Its power lies in its potent blend of clinically studied ingredients. The formula features Ashwagandha KSM-66, known for reducing stress and promoting relaxation, as well as Saffron Affron, which helps to support mood balance and emotional well-being. The addition of lemon balm, montmorency cherry, and chamomile offers gentle, natural sedative properties to help prepare your body for restful sleep. Rounding out the blend are essential B vitamins (B6 and B12) and vitamin D3, which play a vital role in hormone regulation and reducing fatigue. What is the menopause and how does it affect women? The menopause is a transitional period all women go through in mid-life. Hormones related to the reproductive system deplete namely oestrogen, over a period of time. This doesn't just cause periods to stop. Sex hormones act all over the body, from the brain, skin, vagina and more. Therefore, dozens of symptoms affect all areas of the body, to varying degrees. Women's experiences of menopause vary greatly. While some breeze through it, others' lives are significantly impacted. It can feel as though it lasts a couple of years, or for decades. It cannot be predicted how each woman will fare. When is menopause? Perimenopause is when symptoms start but periods have not yet stopped, although they will be irregular. This can start in the early 40s. Menopause is when periods have completely stopped for a year. The average age this happens is 51, but it can be any time from 45 to 55, according to the NHS. The term 'menopause' is used to describe the experience overall. Menopause before the age of 45 is called early menopause, affecting five per cent of women. Menopause before the age of 40 is called premature menopause, affecting one per cent of women before 40 and 0.1 per cent of women under 30. This may happen for no clear reason, but also as a result of surgery, genetics or medications. A year after that the final period, a woman is considered to be entering the post-menopausal stage. How does it impact a woman's life? The menopause can be an extremely testing time in a woman's life and for those around her. The body is going through a significant change, and the symptoms that come with it can feel alien, with women sometimes describing a loss of sense of self. Physical symptoms include hot flushes (a sudden feeling of heat in the face, neck and chest), difficulty sleeping, night sweats, heart palpitations, headaches, muscle and joint aches, weight skin, skin changes, reduced libido, vaginal dryness and more. Symptoms affecting mental health or cognition include brain fog, memory loss, low mood, anxiety, low self-esteem and irritation. There are ways to manage symptoms and cope with menopause - and women need to know that they are not alone in facing it. Medication, such as HRT or oestrogen gel, can help attack the symptoms. However, experts often say it needs a rounded approach incorporating good lifestyle habits, such as a balanced diet and less alcohol. Many women report that their life began after menopause after it drew them to a healthier way of living. However, the huge burden it can have - on work, family life and more - is important for society to recognise, as adapting policies at work, for example, can make it easier for women to stick with their job. Read more about menopause on The Sun's Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
