On November 10, 2022, the council, in partnership with NatWest, hosted an in-person business support and networking event at the Guildhall, which aimed to inspire women to start, build or scale their businesses.
This event brought together York-based women entrepreneurs from a range of sectors and offered opportunities for participants to build new connections and share experiences. It provided a platform for participants to share their ideas and advice, as well as find out about the support available from the Council, NatWest and Women Empowered Through Coaching and Networking (#WECAN).
In keeping with the event’s focus on people, Stacey McVeighty, Founder of Change Accountants, gave the keynote speech on building relationships in business. Sarah Whittle, Project Coordinator for #WECAN, discussed her organisation’s work supporting future generations of female leaders through providing fully-funded support and training to businesses and female employees in the Leeds City region.
Since March 2022, the council has supported over 150 women-led businesses to grow in York through tailored advice and support to access investment and networks.
Councillor Ashley Mason, Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Development, said:
“Working alongside our partners at NatWest and #WECAN, we are determined to support female-led businesses and help the entrepreneurs realise their potential here in York and help them overcome any barriers they may face. This event offered a great opportunity to get inspiration, advice and support, but for those who were unable to attend, you can still access lots of info and support in the city to grow your business.
I’d encourage York businesses to contact the council’s Business Growth Managers, who can help them to access vital funding, skills, and training and to keep an eye out for news of our upcoming events.”
Rachel Dixon, Local Enterprise manager at NatWest, said:
“NatWest is proud to partner with the council to empower and inspire York’s businesswomen. We know that growing female-led businesses brings huge benefits not only to female entrepreneurs but to the wider local and national economy; female-led businesses currently represent a £250bn opportunity for the UK economy, and so it’s more important than ever to champion female potential and shape a better future for women in business.”
An attendee at the event said:
“The Guildhall provided a beautiful backdrop for a relaxed, friendly and informative session. It was really inspiring to hear the speakers share their experiences of female leadership, and to find out more about how they overcame some of the challenges facing women in business.
I particularly valued the opportunity to network with like-minded entrepreneurs and learn from each other’s experiences, and I’m really looking forward to the next event.”
Following positive feedback from attendees, three more events aimed at supporting female-led businesses in York are planned for 2023, with the first of these taking place in March. To stay updated with upcoming events and other business news, register for the council’s weekly business bulletin here.
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