Entrepreneurs see red over Elnaugh gender divide comments

Former Dragons' Den star Rachel Elnaugh has got into a spat with small company owners after claiming that female entrepreneurs have a greater emotional involvement with their business than men.

Posting on her blog, the high profile businesswoman said she believed "women tend to have much more emotional attachment to the companies they create than men". Quoting figures from her own research, the entrepreneur claimed whereas 54% of men are driven by money and 45% by emotion, for women the figures are 34% and 65% respectively.

But discussing the point on UK Business Forums, several business owners hit out at Elnaugh's comments.

"Women, men, children and even aliens could be emotionally attached to their businss," said David Paget, founder of telemarketing firm MytchMac.