According to a recent study, 40% of all businesses are women-owned. As such, if you’re considering starting your own business in the new year, you’re in excellent company. 

However, there are also many challenges associated with this endeavour. For example, not only do you have to overcome the traditional hurdles that many new start-ups face, but “women-led and owned businesses secure less funding and funding opportunities than their counterparts,” making it harder to hit the ground running.

That being said, proper planning can ensure you can steer your business toward success. With that in mind, here are some top tips for starting a woman-led business in 2025!

Turn your vision into a cohesive plan. Your ability to turn your vision for your brand into a cohesive business plan will play a critical role in your overall success as a company owner. This is because it provides you with a much-needed sense of clarity, allowing you to understand your long-term goals better and the steps you’ll need to take to reach them. 

As such, the more detailed your business plan is, the better. However, you should make sure that it contains (at least) the following: 

• An outline of your business goals, ethos, and objectives 

• Financial forecasting, budgeting, and planning 

• Market research into your chosen industry and target audience 

• Branding details and a marketing plan

• Plans for growth and development 

• Contingency planning 

Carry out plenty of market research. As mentioned above, you must carry out plenty of market research before launching a business (or seeking out funding opportunities). This will enable you to determine whether or not there’s a space in the market for your products or services or whether you need to go back to the drawing board. 

Beyond this, however, market research can also help you to avoid common mistakes after opening your doors. For example, you could use this research to figure out how to price your product and services so that you are neither over nor undercharging. 

It can also allow you to further your understanding of your target audience or the demographic you’d like to target. For example, you could host focus groups to tap into their mindset when it comes to shopping or to see whether or not they’re interested in the products/services that you are developing. This will likely give you much greater peace of mind moving forward.

Get your finances in order. Starting a new business can quickly get expensive, and you cannot expect to make a profit right away. It typically takes two-three years for a business to become profitable. As such, you must have your finances in order before launching your business so that you’re able to lay a strong foundation of success moving forward.

If you’re struggling to obtain the necessary funding, try reaching out to female investors who have worked on similar projects beforehand. You should also work on your pitching skills so that you’re able to win over investors by presenting your business in the best possible light.

Once you’ve got the necessary funds to hand, start figuring out your budget and how much you can afford to spend on each area of business operation. For example, this could include technology, business supplies, or ongoing fees such as employee salaries. 

Find the perfect location for your business. While you can, in theory, run a wide range of businesses from your home, there will likely come a time when you’d like to transition into a commercial workspace - especially as your business grows. Alternatively, you may like to utilise one of these spaces to begin with to better protect your work-life balance. 

In any case, you should conduct plenty of research ahead of time to ensure that you have found the perfect property, taking into account a range of factors such as aesthetics, location, and functionality. If you are unsure as to whether or not a commercial space is up to scratch, consider working with Schedule of Condition surveyors, who can conduct a thorough investigation on your behalf. This way, you feel as confident as possible in your decision when signing a contract.

Break down those barriers. As referenced above, female entrepreneurs face significant barriers when it comes to achieving great success within their industry. However, you are in a position to change this, especially if you continue to push forward against adversity that you may encounter along the way. 

There are many different ways in which you can break down barriers, such as by developing a strong support network with other female entrepreneurs in your industry. Doing so means that you’re able to advocate for each other while also providing help and assistance where necessary. 

Know how to promote your business. In order for your business to thrive, you must know how to promote it effectively. After all, this can generate hype around your latest product drops/launches, improve brand recognition, and capture the attention of your target audience. 

Fortunately, there are many different ways in which you can promote your business. For example, creating killer content for your business website will increase its rankings across different search engines, making it easier for customers to stumble upon your brand organically. Similar results can be achieved through an effective social media strategy, though you should be sure to focus on the platforms that your target audience is most likely to use. 

There are also plenty of ways in which you can promote your business in person, such as by attending local/industry events. For example, you could set up a stall at a local market to meet potential customers face-to-face and showcase the best of what your brand/business has to offer. 

Don’t try to do everything alone. While we’d all love to be the kind of business owner who can “do it all,” the chances are that you’ll need to bring in some reinforcements, especially as your business grows. After all, you’ll otherwise find that you’re working late into the night regularly - something which must be avoided as much as possible.

If you’re not yet in a position to hire new staff, don’t worry. Outsourcing can help bring you closer to your business goals while also ensuring that you aren’t trying to complete tasks that fall outside of your skill set. For example, you could outsource a wide range of tasks, such as payroll management or social media marketing. 

Take care of yourself, and believe in yourself. Many business owners admit to working unsociable hours, often prioritizing their business above all else. While this may seem like something to be commended, especially within a society that glamorizes the grind or hustle culture, you could be standing in the way of your long-term success by falling into this pattern of behaviour. This is because you are then far more likely to deal with debilitating stress and burnout that completely derail both your productivity and enthusiasm levels, making it harder to keep your business running smoothly.

As such, you should be sure to develop a healthy work-life balance from the very first day you open your doors. For example, you should try to avoid working more than 40 hours a week.

In addition to this, you can also ensure that your ability to rise to the challenge remains intact by being your own biggest champion. After all, if you do not believe in yourself, how can you convince others to get behind you? Believing in yourself is particularly important when you consider the fact that “41.2% of female entrepreneurs struggle with imposter syndrome, compared to only 27.8% of men.” As such, you should consistently remind yourself that you have what it takes to succeed!

Final thoughts. The future of the business world is female. After all, the number of female-owned businesses operating within the UK grows year after year, with talented entrepreneurs breaking down barriers and shattering glass ceilings in even the most male-dominated industries around. 

As such, now is the perfect time for would-be female entrepreneurs to take the leap and start their very own businesses. Furthermore, there are plenty of steps that you can take to ensure that the process of doing so is as smooth and stress-free as possible, such as: 

• Turning your vision into a detailed and cohesive business plan

• Carrying out market research to ensure that you’re onto a great idea

• Getting your finances in order and reaching out to female investors

• Being prepared to break down any of the barriers that may stand in your way

• Knowing how to effectively promote your business and improve brand recognition 

• Outsourcing when necessary to reduce burnout and boost productivity 

• Believing in yourself and your ability to succeed

You should also make sure to build a strong support network that can champion you on the days when you may feel as though your business is floundering, as this can help you to keep your eye on the prize and achieve great success.