Small businesses are set up every day. But, there seems to be an increase in a particular type of person that the businesses are being set up by: young and female.
After seeing some of my fellow classmates starting to sell their unused items and watching the rise of shopping apps such as Shpock (number 25 on Apple App Store’s top grossing list), Ebay (number 32), Gumtree (89) and Depop (138) with 4 star ratings and above, this inspired me to find out more about young women intending to start their own business.
Talking to Paige Brien, a student at Ursuline High School, who intends on starting her own business selling unique textiles such as woven sculptures, objects (for example makeup bags or Oyster card cases) or pieces of embroidery art, I gathered some insight on the appeal; “starting a business gives me a chance to do the things I enjoy, such as sewing or just general fashion, that I cannot do at school. I have always been a strong leader and very bossy, so I would probably work best in a ‘one man’ business of my own. There’s no reason why I can’t start now!”
With the development of these up and coming shopping apps, I asked about the importance of social media: “I find that social media plays a key role in advertising; you need people to spread the word, and the key in doing this is, for big brands, is using a logo or shopper bag. Just starting off, I don’t necessarily have a logo or gift bag, but having people just showing off the products they have purchased is a start.” Additionally, it seems to be an easy and attractive form of communication between seller and consumer: “I use social media as it can reach people much less formally than an advert or poster. It also allows you to directly communicate with potential customers, for example, Instagram DM’s (Direct Message). It is also more relevant for people of my age, especially as they are my target audience.”
However, setting up a business doesn’t come with ease, no matter what product or form of communication you have. There are many failures. I asked about the struggles Brien faces, especially amongst school work: “trying to set up a business and using social media to do it, especially at a young age, has proven to be incredibly hard. The only way I can describe it is that it’s like a lottery ticket: everything you do when starting up is completely up to chance: all you need is one person to be interested and you’re off. For me in particular, I find it difficult to make the time to create the products.”
Sure aspirations may be high, but a small step seems to go a long way: having already sold over £100 of unused clothes at cheaper prices within a matter of weeks, Brien is already thinking ahead by “using [her] newest investment to personally embroider names, sayings and floral patterns to small textiles such as purses and pillows.”
With the unequal ratio of men to women in the business industry and the rise in opportunities for young people to take (such as the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, an establishment offering programs at many UK colleges to improve young people’s entrepreneurial skills), notably with the production of new technology and education, it seems to be very likely that we see an increase in young females taking on leading roles in the harsh working world.
By Monica Giuliani, Ursuline High School Wimbledon
