Female entrepreneurs encouraged to apply for holistic fast growth programme

By Boost Business Lancashire

22 Jun 2022

women-scaling-up-news-story.jpeg

Female business owners and decision makers in Lancashire are being invited to apply for an impactful six-month support programme backed by Lancashire County Council which will prepare their organisation for rapid growth.

Women Scaling Up has been launched by Two Zero, Lancashire County Council’s scaleup support service, to help female entrepreneurs take their business and leadership skills to new levels.

The programme is two thirds funded by Lancashire County Council through Two Zero. It is delivered by Role, a Lancashire business growth consultancy with decades of female specific business support experience.

Women Scaling Up will provide Lancashire female entrepreneurs with tools, training, experience and knowledge, helping them to recruit a high-quality team, understand their own mindset, develop their business strategy and prepare their business to grow 20 per cent year-on-year. 

Amin Vepari, business finance and scaleup lead, Lancashire County Council is programme manager for Two Zero.

He said: “We are well aware that this is a shortage in provision of female business support in Lancashire and we are delighted to be collaborating with Wendy to address some of this shortage and help deliver what will be a brilliant business support programme.” 

“Women Scaling Up is one of the most comprehensive scaleup support programmes Two Zero has organised. It will help 12 female entrepreneurs in Lancashire prepare their business for strong sustained growth.

“Lancashire has some wonderful female business success stories and we want to create a business support landscape that helps more female entrepreneurs realise their ambitions, create jobs and economic growth.” 

Two Zero is a business support service for scaleup business leaders in Lancashire. Led by Lancashire County Council, its mission is to help Lancashire’s scaleup leaders learn, grow their business 20 per cent and create jobs.

Female entrepreneurs will receive an initial six months of support, which will include boardroom masterclasses on key aspects of scaleup, executive coaching, a residential mindset and resilience retreat at Whalley Abbey as well as an outdoor activity day to build communication and leadership skills.

The initial support will be followed by bimonthly support sessions for a further year. The programme will begin in September 2022.

Role, which is delivering the programme, was founded by Wendy Bowers, an experienced business leader and specialist in women's enterprise, with more than 30 years’ experience at both county and national level. Wendy will lead the delivery of the programme with Katy Mason, an experienced corporate executive coach and business consultant.

Wendy said: “Working with Lancashire County Council over recent months, we have identified a gap in the business support available to women in the county. There is generic startup support for all, but much of the one-to-one specialist and mentoring support for growth businesses is for those with 10+ staff.”

“Very few female owned businesses reach 10+ staff both locally and nationally. Nationally only 13 per cent achieve high growth (20 per cent growth year on year). We want to help Lancashire women who have the ambition to scale their business to achieve strong and sustainable growth.”

“I’m pleased to launch Women Scaling Up to the female business community in Lancashire. The programme will support women with all aspects of growing a business, including wellbeing and resilience, and particularly help them break through those unique challenges all women face when scaling up.”

The programme’s total cost is £3,000. £2,000 of this is funded by Lancashire County Council with businesses asked to contribute the remaining £1,000. It is open to Lancashire business with a team of six or more. Business should be able to demonstrate growth and ambition to scale.

Businesses can find out more and apply via the Two Zero website: https://www.twozerolancs.com/programmes/women-scaling-up/

Latest news

1

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans Waste recycling Blackpool

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans

01 Jul 2025

2

Graham Engineering confirms acquisition to a2e Industries Graham Engineering

Graham Engineering confirms acquisition to a2e Industries

01 Jul 2025

3

Training 2000 celebrate 'Good' rating by Ofsted Training 2000

Training 2000 celebrate 'Good' rating by Ofsted

01 Jul 2025

4

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons Colin Fisher, Paul Fox CEO and Gary Fisher.

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons

01 Jul 2025

5

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners Dean Curtis and Joe Diston

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners

01 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Jul 2025 - 02 Jul 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July

St John's Hospice, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST

08:00 - 10:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase
unnamed (2).jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Jul 2025 - 09 Jul 2025

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley, BB12 0RT

09:30 - 16:00

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin