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PROWESS MEDIA BRIEFING
07 February 2007
'We're ready when you are' - capability and capacity evidenced in Prowess member survey.
The UK women's enterprise support sector, reflected in a recent survey of Prowess members, is in great shape and more than fit for purpose. Growing in numbers, clear about market needs and operating as highly entrepreneurial businesses, these business support organisations are now able to meet the Government's challenge of providing women-friendly business support for every woman in every Region. Regional Development Agencies are essential partners and those in the South East, West Midlands and Eastern England have put a framework of women-friendly business support in place, with others, like London, about to launch their first women’s enterprise action plan. But more needs to be done. The resounding message from Prowess members to the regions’ agencies is 'we're ready when you are'.
As the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions DTI Margaret Hodge announces her desire to see 100 female business advocates in each English region, Prowess knows that the actual delivery of advice, training and consultancy will probably come from its well-established and respected network of members, over 50% of which are eager to achieve the coveted Flagship Award, for best practice in women's enterprise development. It is this attention to standards of service which demonstrates well how the profession of business support to women has evolved since the 2004 survey.
Each year, Prowess members support 108,000 women to start and grow businesses and assist the launch of 16,000 women-owned businesses. Crucially, this represents a service which takes a client’s business from one stage of development to the next. Without such an escalator of provision neither profit-focussed high-growth nor smaller sole trader businesses will emerge. Both require and deserve a well-resourced and quick-to-respond local provider of advice whatever their aspirations.
If the survey trends continue, Prowess members will maintain their entrepreneurial drive to meet customer needs through means other than public subsidy, will target key groups with ever greater service sophistication and lead the way in standards setting. They will continue to drive the growth of women's enterprise across the UK.
Further commentary: Erika Watson, Executive Director, Prowess (01603 762355)
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