Enfield has been recognised as one of the best areas in the UK for women to start a business. Enterprise Enfield has just become the first and only Enterprise Agency in London to be awarded the Prowess Flagship Award for best practice in Women’s Enterprise Development.
In our society women are less likely to start and run their own businesses than men. In London 52% of the population are women, but why are only 11% of businesses female owned (London Business Annual Survey 2004)? The key reasons why women fall behind men in this area are cited as: lack of affordable and adequate childcare facilities; difficulty in accessing finance and lack of appropriate business support and training – particularly in areas such as confidence building. Enterprise Enfield is redressing the balance. The agency offers valuable, practical training, advice and encouragement to help women realise their business dreams. Many of the services are subsidised by government and European funding.
Enterprise Enfield has now been recognised by Prowess, (the national association of organizations and individuals which support women starting and growing their own businesses), for its valuable work supporting women entrepreneurs. Over 47% of current Enterprise Enfield clients are women and the Agency runs a number of courses specifically for women (including Starting Right in Business, Assertiveness and Time Management seminars). These provide them with the information and personal skills they need to run successful businesses.
The Agency’s team of professional Business Advisers also offer assistance to women in all aspects of business including raising business finance. Recently, Enterprise Enfield helped successful businesswoman, Rita Melifonwu, raise £90,700 (part loan and part grant from Future Builders) to set up a practitioner-led alternative provider of medical services to private patients and commissioned referrals in Enfield. Rita comments:-
“Total Healthcare would never have been able to obtain this kind of funding without the support from Enterprise Enfield. My Adviser has put in a tremendous amount of work to secure this funding and has backed me all the way, helping me achieve my goals.”
Enterprise Enfield Chief Executive, Janet Collett, was presented with the Prowess Flagship award at the third Prowess Annual International Conference at Cardiff City Hall.
She said:-
"I am absolutely delighted that Enterprise Enfield has achieved this Flagship Award and that our business support services for women have been recognized. Enterprise Enfield encourages, empowers and inspires women to overcome barriers, such as lack of finance, lack of confidence and work life balance, so they can truly fulfil their potential.”
Plans for the future include offering childcare facilities, running more workshops and events for women- including a Woman in Business Award to recognise the achievements of Enfield’s female entrepreneurs.
