Boosting female entrepreneurship

There are just over a million self employed women compared with nearly three million self employed men in the UK. Why is it that women still lag behind men when it comes to starting their own businesses when there are so many drivers for women to set up on their own, such as flexible hours, seeking a new challenge, support groups and the opportunity to be more creative?

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor a third of the female population would start a business if it wasn't for the fear of failure. Alongside women's lack of self confidence, they also feel that their gender may inhibit their progress when carrying out business transactions. However there are now so many female business networks setting up all over the country to help women, there is no reason to feel less able than their male counterparts.

These sites offer tailored advice for women including local support networks, putting you in touch with other successful women in your area, who can share their experience and give you helpful tips on starting out.