RBS backs programme for female entrepreneurs

A programme backed by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to help female entrepreneurs take their business to the next level is kicking off next month, aiming to foster prosperity and ultimately create jobs.

Women lean more towards starting businesses in retail, healthcare and leisure, and less in areas such as IT, manufacturing and financial services, which can offer high-growth potential.

Business Women Scotland is behind the initiative scheduled to take place in five locations – starting in Edinburgh in April and moving to Moray, Ayrshire, Glasgow and the Borders during the year – with 20 places available on each four-day course. The fully funded programme is aimed at women with businesses that have a turnover of £100,000-plus and have been trading for at least three years.

Yvonne Greeves, head of women in business at RBS, told Scotland on Sunday that she would like to see it inspire the growth of existing firms, for example expanding overseas, and the creation of more start-ups.

“I think a lot of women want to grow their business – and I see a lot of ambition,” she said, adding that the programme will help roadmap more of the support available and build crucial networks.

She also said the relatively small size of the groups enables a tailored approach. “Shared learning and bringing experts to a smaller group can actually allow for greater knowledge transfer,” Greeves added.

She also noted that women lean more towards starting businesses in retail, healthcare and leisure, and less in areas such as IT, manufacturing and financial services, which can offer high-growth potential.

It comes after the Alison Rose Review found that closing the entrepreneurial gender gap could add £250 billion to the UK economy.