Welcome to the Boost Women in Enterprise Hub, showcasing the latest support and groups available to Lancashire women in business, and inspirational female business stories.
Women of Lancashire; let’s grow!
We know you want to grow businesses and build great careers in our beautiful county and yet the recent report commissioned by Boost, Growing Women, Growing Lancashire reveals that only 19% of businesses are led by women and only 20% of directors are women.
Download the Growing Women, Growing Lancashire report here
We want to ensure that Lancashire provides the support you need to grow these numbers. On this page, you’ll find links to women specific support, events and networks, alongside Q&As with successful women in the county who share their own pearls of wisdom.
Here is a place to inspire more women to achieve their dreams and to grow their futures in Lancashire. And this page isn’t just for women. We want men to nominate female role models and also share how they are leading equality and diversity in their workplaces.
Social enterprise providing enterprise training and support for women
Organisation offering courses, events and retreats for women in business and leadership
Not-for-profit organisation offering networking and talks in partnership with The Growing Club
Face to face and online networking and events for women in business
National business organisation for women including policy & research
Entrepreneurship and Leadership support for women
Women in leadership programme for chartered accountants
Qualifying body with network for female managers & leaders
Franchised clubs for women in business
Business community focused on gender equality and social mobility
Organisation connecting women with investors
Networking and social events for Lancashire businesswomen
The North West’s premier business awards for women
A unique female scaleup business support programme run by Two Zero
An online platform that aims to help women entrepreneurs to start and build their business with the help of an engaging community and knowledge sharing.
Connecting female business owners and professionals through friendly local groups. Lancashire groups include Preston, Blackburn and Ribble Valley.
Designed to increase the participation of women-owned and led businesses in international trade.
A bespoke ’Access’ programme that meets the distinct needs of female founders and women-led businesses.
The WealthiHer network is a fratHernity that informs and inspires women to advance and transform their financial futures. Our unrelenting dedication to the economic advancement of women is at the core of who we are and what we do.
Welcome to our community platform for Biz Women. Your source for the latest news, events and offers in the business world. Support & Empower.
Laura Dover is the operations director at Harrison Drury, an award-winning law firm with offices across the North West. Here she shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Karen Tems is the founder and director of The Business Network Central & East Lancashire, a membership organisation. Having developed the networking group over the last 12 years, Karen is extremely proud of what the group has achieved. Here she shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Female business owners and decision makers from 14 leading businesses in Lancashire have joined forces to take part in a 12-month support programme backed by Lancashire County Council to help prepare their organisations for rapid growth.
Lancaster-based social enterprise The Growing Club, which has been providing employment skills training, business start-up and sustainable business growth programmes for women since 2016, has been awarded £260,000 by The National Lottery Community Fund to support their work over the next five years.
Women in business in Lancashire are leading the way as 51 hopefuls are amongst the outstanding female entrepreneurs revealed as finalists at the 2023 Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAS); the UK’s largest business awards dedicated solely to women.
Nikki Hesford operates The Small Business Academy based in Blackpool, which provides small and start-up businesses with the tools, knowledge and the skills they need to make their new business a success. She shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Elizabeth McQuillan is the co-founder and managing director of Flamingo Car Finance, which acts as a broker to empower women with the knowledge they need when it comes to buying a car. She shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Men and women from Lancashire’s business community are being invited to a visionary event which will assess the barriers to gender equity in enterprise and leadership across the county.
Michelle Parry is the founder of The Rewilding, located in the coastal countryside near Morecambe. From a farming family that values having a close connection with nature, Michelle shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
With extensive experience working with women in leadership and enterprise, Wendy shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Jaydee Davis is operations director at Community & Business Partners CIC (CBP) delivering business support including mentoring, coaching, and training. As part of Boost’s celebration of International Women’s Day 2023, Jaydee shares the story of her career and advice for other women in leadership.
Nikki is a partner at law firm Brabners and is Brabners Lancashire’s head of corporate. As part of Boost’s celebration of International Womens Day 2023, she shares the story of her career and advice for other women in leadership.
Liz Hall is an award-winning commercial photographer, who enjoys ‘shooting’ businesses into the spotlight with story-telling photography.
Leading up to this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8, Liz shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
A report that was first commissioned by the government in 2019 has reported that more women than ever launched companies in 2022, despite a more challenging economic environment.
Liz Hardwick is a professional speaker, trainer and productivity specialist and co-founder of DigiEnable, a multi-award-winning training company with a focus on digital and productivity. She she shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Founded in 2020 by Joanna and Simon Hill, in just over two years the family business has grown into a successful transport service operating in both the UK and abroad. Joanna shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Jane is the co-author of the Growing Women, Growing Lancashire report – the inspiration behind the development of Boost’s Women in Enterprise Hub. Jane shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Jannicke Ive is the founder and managing director of A Family’s Best Friend, a Lancashire-based domiciliary care provider for children and adults with disabilities. She shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Charlotte Knowles is the finance and business communications manager at Darwen-based Elektec, a multi-award winning business. She shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Ciará Moriarty is the founder of The Performance Studios, a theatre school based in Lancaster at the Dukes Theatre. In September 2022, Ciará was awarded Creative Industry of the Year at the Enterprise Vision Awards. She shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Christina Melling is the co-founder of Stipendium and was recently listed in the Telegraph NatWest’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch. She shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Kila Redfearn works for Blue Skies, a charity based at Blackpool Victoria Hospital that makes a positive difference every single day to patients, their families and friends. She shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Dr Dunni is an award winning mum empowerment coach, family doctor and CEO of Druwa Academy. A global influencer and international speaker, Dr Dunni shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
CJX Business Services is a consultancy firm working with SMEs in Lancashire and Cumbria and a Boost & Co member. Founder Joanne Boyd, who received support from Boost when establishing her business shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
The awards, which took place on Friday, September 23, celebrated women who are leading the way in their industries or are building businesses.
Pink Link Ladies runs a number of networking events and conferences, including the well-known Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs). Here, its founder and managing director, Coral Horn, shared her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Marzipan PR is a business communications and copywriting business, working with start-ups, small and large SMEs. Its founder and managing director, Jackie Bennett Shaw, shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Karen is director of sales and customer retention at Daisy Communications, a UK leading provider of telephony, connectivity, mobile and cloud services. Here she shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Nicola retrained back in 2019 to set up Morecambe Bay Wills and Estates and provides Wills, Trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Executor services to individual and families. Nicola shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Laura owns and runs hugely successful dance studios in Lancaster and Preesall. Here she shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Rachel is a director and leader at a specialist search engine optimisation company, working with companies across Lancashire and Yorkshire. Rachel shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Suzy Orr is Chief Unique Lady at female-focused networking group, Unique Ladies. Suzy shares some tips and advice from her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Firespiral Slings is an international manufacturer and retailer of woven wrap baby carriers, luxury blankets, throws and accessories. Owner and director, Tamsin Coxhill, shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
Whale Tail Café is a very popular restaurant, owned and run by Tricia Rawlinson for over 30 years. Tricia shares her inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.
