Enterprise hub event being held at the The Women’s Organisation in July will feature inspiring talks by entrepreneurs who have taken the step to start their own businesses. Tony McDonough reports

More women than ever before across the UK are becoming entrepreneurs and a free event is being held in Liverpool aimed at helping more women start their own business.

Since 1996 The Women’s Organisation, close to the city centre, has helped more than 55,000 women take the first steps to becoming entrepreneurs and it is hosting an event as part of its major role in the city region’s Enterprise Hub programme.

Taking place on Wednesday, July 3, the three-hour event will be held at The Women’s Organisation at 54 St James St in the city’s Baltic Triangle district and among the speakers will be one women who has successfully taken the plunge.

Digital expert

SEO, content marketing and digital strategy expert, Ruth Hartnoll, set up her digital marketing agency – JnR Agency – in January 2018 and immediately faced a huge challenge when he original business partner decided to leave after just four weeks.

However, with the support of the Enterprise Hub, via The Women’s Organisation, Ruth overcame that early obstacle and now runs a thriving business. Its first base was in Avenue HQ on the waterfront but has since relocated to The Women’s Organisation’s business centre at 54 St James Street, which offers space for small businesses and focusses on nurturing women led enterprises.

Read more: female entrepreneurs could boost UK economy by £250bn

That initial support for JnR was crucial as it offered Ruth, who had previously worked in digital content marketing for five years, an invaluable insight into the day-to-day practicalities and challenges of starting a business.

Ruth was keen to build an agency that supported and championed other women in business, so started a #FemaleFounders blog through her website, as a platform to champion other female entrepreneurs.

She said: “Getting support early on is essential to any startup or entrepreneur. Without proper guidance from experts, it’s likely your business won’t survive its first year.

“Thanks to organisations such as The Women’s Organisation, small companies such as mine had a real chance to not only survive but thrive during its fledgling years. Businesses are built on communities, without them they simply don’t last.”

New contracts

Since starting her business, Ruth has secured contracts with local businesses such as Morecrofts, The Women’s Organisation and Social Media Meet Up. At the event in July, she will be sharing her key tips for how businesses can harness the power of the internet to build their business as well as sharing her story.

The Women’s Business  is open to all women even if their ideas are in the earliest stages. It could be a hobby, skill or passion they believe could be adapted and transformed into a viable business proposition.

Ruth and other speakers will aim to empower those attending by relating their own inspiring stories of enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Maggie O’Carroll, chief executive and founder of The Women’s Organisation, said: “While women are still largely underrepresented in enterprise it is crucial that we offer appropriate client led support to address that balance.

“By not investing in women we are missing an opportunity to positively impact our local economy.  We’ve supported countless women over the years who have come to us with just the seed of an idea and watched as they have turned that dream into a reality. We are ready to help more women begin that transformational journey.”

The Enterprise Hub Programme is part funded by European Regional Development Fund and free at the point of access for those in the City Region looking to start or grow a new business.

Click here to book a place at this free event or, for more information, call 0151 706 8113 or email enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk