Isolation, access to finance and sacrifices to family time are the biggest hurdles faced by female entrepreneurs, according to a recent poll. The poll was conducted online between 5-10 April and was conducted among members of the Women’s Inspire Network (WIN), with 119 responses. The results showed a joint 16.96 per cent of respondents indicating that ‘time management’ and ‘finance’ were major hurdles, with a further 13.39 per cent highlighting ‘sourcing help’.
Founded by social media strategist and TEDx speaker Samantha Kelly, the Women’s Inspire Network is a global business community with almost 250 members across Ireland. Its goal is to educate and inspire women in business by giving them an opportunity to meet those who have succeeded in the business community, to hear about their experiences and receive sound, practical advice.
Further poll results highlighted the priorities of family and childcare as key motivators for women running their own businesses. In answer to the question: “Why did you start your own business?”, 14.29 per cent of those polled responded that the opportunity to “be my own boss” was a major motivation, with 11.61 per cent expressing the ability to work from home as a vital drive.
Responding to the results, Women’s Inspire Network founder Samantha Kelly commented: “There should be more help available for the entrepreneur who works from home. The Women’s Inspire Network provides that support through online/virtual coffee mornings, brainstorming sessions and webinars where members can learn all about social media, sales, GDPR and all things relevant to running and growing a business.”
