<
https://www.positive.news/society/the-new-research-that-will-help-female-entrepreneurs-in-yorkshire-to-fly/>
"In York, entrepreneurship is far from a level playing field. Across the city
and the North Yorkshire region there are more than 23,000 fewer self-employed
women than men, and men remain nearly twice as likely to work for themselves.
The gap shows up in investment too. Female-led organisations raised only
£62,000 of equity, compared with £3.8m raised by male-led counterparts.
They’re stark figures that have come out of a new report highlighting the
persistent barriers facing women entrepreneurs in York and North Yorkshire. The
uplifting news? A group of researchers, entrepreneurs and advocates in the
region – led by the University of York’s business support community Enterprise
Works – is now addressing these systemic challenges.
Critically, the research undertaken to inform the report was drawn directly
from local female entrepreneurs, to ensure it reflected their experiences.
Lyndsay Mitcheson is one of them. In 2010, she lost her leg after a serious
MRSA infection. Her life changed overnight, as did her relationship with her
own body. As she took the literal and metaphorical steps needed to return to
normality, she found herself frustrated by the walking sticks available to her.
They were, as she puts it, all “grey or flowery”.
So, she decided to make her own. It was clear acrylic, and to her surprise,
people stopped her in the street to comment on it. The conversation had shifted
to the unique stick instead of her disability, and the feeling “was priceless,”
she says. She wanted others to experience that. And so Neo Walk was born.
Today the North Yorkshire-based company creates custom walking sticks in every
shade imaginable, from glittery winter silvers to aquamarine and emerald. It
ships internationally and counts Selma Blair and Christina Applegate among its
customers."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
