Gwyneth Paltrow released a home baking book, Cheryl Cole has an autobiography and Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian are set to take over the world with a wealth of businesses. But it’s not just female celebrities turning their passion into profit and becoming entrepreneurs.
Research by Sage UK reveals half of women aged between 18-24 would like to start their own business, with four in ten saying they will be taking the leap in the next two years.
Whilst a fifth of these would be entrepreneurs are motivated by the thought of putting more cash in their purses, for the largest group - one in four - it’s about taking the opportunity to do something full-time that they are really passionate about.
It’s clear that the next wave of women business owners don’t want to get bogged down in the standard 9 to 5 career path and many (22%) like the greater flexibility that being their own boss would give them.
It’s no secret that the high street has suffered in recent years, but empty shops may soon become a thing of the past.
One in three (36%) of the young females surveyed are planning on opening up shop with vintage boutiques and cupcake bakeries proving a popular choice.
But it seems that Mary Portas and Nigella are not the only people influencing aspiring business owners as more than one in ten (13%) intend to open a financial or IT services business. Most girls are set to take advantage of the Web, with two out of three planning on running their business online.
But it’s not all plain sailing to becoming the next Whitney Port or business savvy Lady Gaga. While the passion and desire to start a business is soaring amongst young female entrepreneurs, when it comes to actually setting-up, nearly half (46%) say they don’t know where to start to make their dream a reality.
"It’s fantastic that we have so many passionate and talented young women planning to start their own business.
"There are few things as exciting as creating your own business and if you can tie it to an interest you are genuinely passionate about there are few careers as rewarding," explained Nicole Anderson-Mort, Business Development Director for Sage UK and Ireland.
"Starting a business can also be daunting, but young entrepreneurs shouldn’t let that stop them.
"Whether it’s a clothing line, games developer or graphic design service, with the right support and advice, everyone can realise their business potential."
To help would-be entrepreneurs and growing businesses on their journey Sage has created a variety of guides on everything from overcoming fear, asking for money to starting a business and is making them available for free on its Discover Your Business Potential website.
The 2012 Entrepreneurial Britain research was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Sage, amongst 3,320 UK adults.
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