WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS CALL FOR STRONGER NETWORKS AS GROWTH CHALLENGES PERSIST
MORE THAN HALF OF WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS STRUGGLE TO SCALE WITHOUT PERSONAL DEPENDENCE, WPO REPORT FINDS
More than half of women business owners say their greatest challenge is growing their businesses without becoming indispensable to day-to-day operations, according to new research released as the Women Presidents Organisation expands its UK presence with the launch of a third national chapter.
The Women Presidents Organisation (WPO) has expanded its UK network with the launch of its third chapter, responding to growing demand from female entrepreneurs seeking strategic peer support as they scale their businesses.
The organisation, founded in New York in 1997, now operates in 16 countries and is expanding into 24, bringing together more than 155 chapters representing businesses with a combined £25.2 billion in annual revenue and 40,000 years of collective leadership experience.
The latest expansion follows the success of the WPO’s first London chapter, established in 2018, and comes at a time when female entrepreneurs continue to face significant challenges in accessing funding, business networks and strategic support.
Growth Brings New Leadership Challenges
Research commissioned by the WPO found that 54% of women business owners identified sustaining business growth without everything depending on them as their biggest leadership challenge.
The findings suggest that while many female-led businesses are expanding successfully, founders often struggle to delegate responsibility and build leadership structures that allow companies to scale sustainably.
Access to finance also remains a significant obstacle.
The research found that 46% of women entrepreneurs believe securing funding or investment requires the greatest resilience during their business journey, while around one-third said they feel most isolated during periods of economic uncertainty.
Networking also continues to present barriers to growth, with more than 40% of female founders citing limited access to business networks as a major constraint.
The findings reflect wider concerns that many venture-backed businesses still depend heavily on introductions through established investor networks, leaving many female founders at a disadvantage.
Progress, But More Work Ahead
The expansion comes as female representation in UK business leadership continues to improve, although significant disparities remain.
Women now lead 19% of active UK companies, an increase on previous years but still representing a minority of business leadership across the country.
Separate research published by Funding Circle suggests only one in five UK businesses are female-led, with funding gaps continuing to affect women entrepreneurs, particularly in traditionally male-dominated industries.
The UK Government has also recently highlighted the economic benefits of supporting female-led businesses, arguing that increasing investment in women entrepreneurs could deliver stronger long-term economic growth.
Encouragingly, the UK now attracts 32% of all venture capital invested in female-founded companies across Europe, more than any other European country, demonstrating growing investor confidence despite persistent funding challenges.
Building Stronger Business Networks
The WPO says its chapter model is designed to move beyond traditional networking by providing confidential peer advisory groups where business owners can openly discuss leadership, strategy and operational challenges.
Recent research suggests 78% of female founders consider human connection to be central to their entrepreneurial journey, reinforcing the importance of trusted peer networks.
Speaking at the launch of the organisation’s second London chapter, Jean Chawapiwa, Chair of WPO’s London II Chapter, said women business owners need greater access to experienced advisers during periods of economic uncertainty.
“Women-owned businesses need access to support in times of uncertainty and challenging economic growth. This is why organisations like the WPO exist, to provide access, inspiration, and impact for women who own and lead businesses,” she said.
“We’ve seen across all sectors that women can face additional barriers when it comes to accessing funding, whether that’s limited access to networks, fewer connections to investors or simply a lack of opportunities to learn from those who have been through the process before.
“That’s why peer support is so important. Hearing from other women who have secured funding, overcome challenges and grown successful businesses can provide invaluable insight and help founders make informed decisions for their own businesses.”
She added that the launch of the third UK chapter reflected increasing demand for structured peer support among established women business leaders.
Learning From Shared Experience
Among those speaking at the London launch was Molly Aldridge, Founder and Chief Executive of The JJ Club Group, who has raised almost £20 million across her business ventures.
She said access to experienced peers had played a significant role throughout her entrepreneurial journey.
“The female solidarity and peer-to-peer learning opportunities I have experienced through WPO have been invaluable,” she said.
“The JJ Club Group is my third business venture, and I can say without hesitation that access to objective feedback, trusted support and diverse perspectives from fellow women business owners is essential when scaling a business.
“The journey to raising nearly £20 million in funding has been both rewarding and challenging. Throughout that process, it was incredibly important to have a space where I could openly share my experiences, discuss challenges without judgement, and learn from women navigating similar hurdles in their own businesses.
“WPO provides exactly that and much more. I would wholeheartedly recommend joining to any woman in business looking for a strong, supportive network of peers who understand the entrepreneurial journey.”
As demand for founder communities continues to grow, organisations such as the WPO are positioning themselves as strategic advisory networks that provide experienced business leaders with practical insight, accountability and confidential support beyond conventional networking events.
