Flexibility, being your own boss, or turning a hobby into a business are just a few reasons why British women dream of leaving their jobs to become self-employed.
In fact, 56% of female office workers - equivalent to more than 7.5 million women - dream about the last day following corporate rules to launch their own business, according to research commissioned by Start Up Loans Company.
Creative, arts and entertainment were the most sought after sectors for women in employment, followed by food and retail services, and beating technology and building services.
A closer look at the figures also revealed that most UK employed women would be satisfied with an average salary of £25,132 in their first year of being self-employed.
The majority of survey respondents (40%) said they had started thinking about becoming self-employed within the last few years. A quarter stated that being unhappy in their current role was a major trigger, whilst 16% said they’d dreamt their business dream since childhood.
Tim Sawyer, CEO of Start Up Loans Company, said: "This growing surge in ambition among the country's female population is brilliant for UK trade, and show that the gender divide in business is quickly narrowing.
“But sadly, the majority of women are still unconfident about making the break. We need to take more action to change these attitudes and demonstrate to more women that they can realise their business dreams.”
Research released by Facebook last week suggested that the UK could receive a £10.1 billion boost by 2020 if barriers preventing women from starting a business were broken down. The study found that not feeling ready (37%), lack of confidence (25%), and not having the right business skills are the main reasons holding women back from taking the leap.
You find find the full report here.
