In the latest instalment of our No Barriers to Business blog series, we’re shining a light on the women in the North East who are choosing entrepreneurship and self-employment to pursue the careers that work around their lives.
How female entrepreneurs are shaping the region’s business landscape
In the early 2000s, only around one in four entrepreneurs in the UK were women. Since then, the landscape has shifted. Women now make up close to 40 per cent of business owners nationwide.
Reports such as the Rose Review have helped highlight this change and explain how female-led ventures have become one of the fastest-growing parts of the start-up world – a key point for discussion during Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ recent visit to the Darlington Economic Campus for a roundtable event. While there’s still work to do, entrepreneurship has undoubtedly become far more accessible to women than it was a generation ago.
National research has also shown that if women set up and scale businesses at the same rate as men, it could add billions of pounds to the UK economy.
Why self-employment appeals to many women
Ask women why they start a business and similar themes tend to come up. Flexibility is often a key feature because running a business can make it easier to balance work with caring responsibilities or health needs without needing special arrangements.
Studies have also shown that a lot of women also want to build organisations that feel true to them. Owning that work is often what makes self-employment more satisfying.
A North East story: what the TEDCO Impact Report 2025 has shown
One of the key findings from the Chancellor’s recent visit to the North East was that success stories of female entrepreneurs needed to be showcased in order to encourage more female founders to step forward and pursue their aspirations. And that’s precisely what we’ve been doing here at TEDCO over the last few years.
Here in the North East, the growth in female entrepreneurship is clear in our own data. According to our 2023–2025 Impact Report, over half of TEDCO clients are female, compared with a national average of 39 per cent. That puts the region ahead of the national average and shows how much difference accessible support can make.
Over the past 24 months alone, more than 2,000 people have been supported to explore enterprise, showing the scale of demand for accessible business guidance across the region. While not all of those people have yet pursued their own business venture, the numbers nevertheless show the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit that lies here in the North East.
What sits behind those numbers are real people gaining the confidence to test ideas and see what might be possible.
Finding confidence in male-dominated lines of work
Megan Archbold – Trailblaze Electrical Services
Through the 2025 Impact Report we have showcased case studies focusing on some of the female business owners who have brought our figures to life. One is Megan Archbold, founder of Trailblaze Electrical Services, who has built a place for herself as an electrician in a line of work where women are still underrepresented.
Megan talks about how valuable early guidance was, saying: “I genuinely don’t think I would be where I am now if I hadn’t first met Bill and had the support from TEDCO to pursue this path.” That reassurance helped her navigate the early stages with far more confidence.
Georgina Hall – The Backyard
Another perfect example of a female business owner finding her feet in business is Georgina Hall, the owner of The Backyard in Newcastle. A private members gym shaped with the LGBTQ+ community in mind, the business is going from strength to strength with the advice and support of TEDCO Business Advisor, Jeff Thompson.
Finding strength in community
Libby Walker – Nana Peg Productions
Another example comes from Libby Walker, co-founder of Nana Peg Productions. She explains how helpful one-to-one support was and how much strength she found in meeting others on the same journey.
In her words: “The group seminars reminded us that we’re not alone. It is an amazing feeling to champion each other on our business journeys.” For many women starting out, that sense of community can be very important.
Looking ahead
Women across the North East are stepping forward with ideas and ambition, and they are doing it in ways that fit the reality of their lives. According to a recent survey of business owners conducted by the North East Combined Authority, female business owners were less motivated by growth or employing others than men (17% vs 26% men) and were more likely to be motivated by the flexibility and balance afforded by self-employment.
With practical guidance and steady support from organisations like TEDCO, the path into self-employment feels more open than ever. As those barriers fall away, women aren’t just joining the business community, they’re shaping what it becomes.
Thinking about self-employment? Let’s chat! Tell us a few details on this Initial Enquiry Form and we’ll be in touch to help you as much as we can.