A reader asks:

Can you suggest some business ideas for women?

Yes, in fact I’d argue that most, if not all, of the business ideas I’ve written about on this blog could be a "business idea for a woman". I don’t believe that there are many business ideas that are purely business ideas for women (or for that matter purely business ideas for men).

Beyond making that statement I wasn’t really sure how to address this question, so I Googled "business ideas for women" and had a read. It seems that most of the sites out there that suggest business ideas for women expect women to be looking for a small business idea that can be run from home, probably around looking after one or more kids and running a house. As such many are craft and hobby focused. Which seems to me to be rather stereotypical and short sighted.

So to counter that here’s a list of some of the businesses run by women that I’ve come across either locally (in Wiltshire) or on the Internet:

• A graphic design company focusing on the local small business market and run from home.
• A web design company targeting a specific vertical market.
• A telemarketing company servicing clients throughout the UK.
• Several PR firms helping local businesses achieve local, national and international press coverage.
• A booker helping local businesses keep their books up-to-date.
• A wedding planning business – recently started by a friend of my wife.
• An event planning company organising events nation wide.
• A IT training company, training staff how to use Microsoft Office.
• A local magazine/guide publishing company.
• Several Internet businesses.

Many of these businesses are run from home, some part-time, some full-time, but any of them could be run by either a man or a woman.

There’s also a good number of female "celebrity" entrepreneurs that you can draw inspiration from too, for example:

• Michelle Mone – Founder of MJM International (Lingerie).
• Debra Meadon – One of the BBC’s Dragons and the former own of a holiday park business.
• Sarah Hashemi – Co-founder of Coffee Republic (Coffee chain).
• Martha Lane Fox – Co-founder of LastMinute.com (Online travel company).
• Julie Meyer – Co-founder of First Tuesday (Business networking).
• Emma Harrison – Founder of A4E (Recruitment).
• Sarah Tremellen – Founder of Bravisimo (Lingerie).
• Christian Rucker – Founder of The White Company (Mail order).
• Rachel Elnaugh – Founder of Red Letter Days (Experience days).

In short, it doesn’t matter what gender you are, the viability of a business idea is determined by your passion and drive for the idea.

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