STAY-AT-HOME mums who have baulked at the prospect of starting up their own businesses, believing there are too many obstacles to overcome, are to be quizzed by an enterprise group keen to get them back around the boardroom table.
Women Like Us is
to question thousands of women to find out why the level of entrepreneurship is so low among British females.
The project, run in partnership with the business department and government equalities office, aims to explode the myths that a new business takes as much looking after as a child – with entrepreneurs expected to be on hand 24 hours a day. Figures reveal that there are 20 per cent more people in enterprise in the US than in Britain – with the majority of that gap made up of women. If British females were to match the level of entrepreneurship in the US, there would be 900,000 new businesses in the UK.
Co-founder and director of Women Like Us, Karen Mattison, explains: "Many people seem stonewalled by this belief that the only way to set up a business is to work at it 24 hours a day.
"In reality, mums all around the country have been starting-up from the kitchen table, growing their businesses as their family grows."
FACT OF THE DAY
8%BUSINESS and first-class air travel dropped by 8 per cent in September due to the global financial crisis, according to new figures from airline industry body IATA.
Asia has been particularly affected by the drop in cross-border premium travellers, the Premium Traffic Monitor report said.
Economy air travel also decreased 4 per cent in September, IATA added, warning that further falls were likely in coming months.
GOOD DAY
Chivas BrothersTHE Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard has been named worldwide distiller of the year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London for the fourth time. The firm also picked up the Greenall's trophy for gin.
BAD DAY
Adolf Merckle The German billionaire incurred massive losses from wrong-way bets on skyrocketing Volkswagen shares, sparking speculation he may have to divest some assets to secure cash. Sources say Merckle is in talks with several dozen lenders over roughly 2 billion (£1.67bn) in loans.
KILLER QUOTE"I SHOULD not say this in front of august journalists, but I think we are through the beginning of the end (for the banking crisis]. The economy is another matter."Sir Victor Blank, chairman of Lloyds TSB group, revealing some light at the end of the banking tunnel after a marathon general meeting for Lloyds TSB shareholders held in Glasgow yesterday.
The full article contains 449 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
