Why Female-founded Businesses Matter

Talking Tables is proud to have joined Buy Women Built. It shines a spotlight on female-founded brands and the benefits of buying from them, recognising that not everyone can invest in women or mentor them but we can all buy from them.

Why Support Female-Owned Businesses

Did you know that women drive the economy – making or influencing 70 to 80 per cent of all buying decisions?

Yet despite big success stories like Charlotte Tilbury, Sweaty Betty and The White Company, when it comes to entrepreneurs, women are underrepresented. Just one in five of businesses are female-founded and venture capital provides only 2 per cent of its annual investment to women.

Buy Women Built estimate that if women started and grew businesses at the same rate as men, £250 billion could be added to the UK economy. That’s a lot of extra jobs and income.

Like Buy Women Built, Talking Tables believes that supporting female-founded businesses matters for economic, social, and commercial reasons. It's not about favouring one group over another—it's about ensuring talented entrepreneurs have the opportunity to contribute, innovate, and grow. And, we like their approach of encouraging people to buy from female-founded brands because it's one that everyone can embrace. With a female founder, we are very happy to have joined them.

Why Female-Founded Brands are Good for Independent Retailers

·       Many women start businesses after spotting a gap in the market or creating a solution to a problem they've experienced themselves. These lived experiences often lead to innovative products and stronger customer relationships.

·        Buying from female-founded businesses contributes to a more diverse business landscape, increasing consumer choice and offering customers something distinctive. For independent retailers, thoughtfully curated female-founded brands can become a meaningful point of difference in an increasingly competitive market.

·        Customers are increasingly seeking businesses than align with their values and many female entrepreneurs are building businesses that balance profitability with purpose. Talking Tables, for example, is a B Corp, which means it has to deliver on environmental and social standards. 

Celebrating Female-Founded Independent Retailers

Running an independent retail business takes courage, creativity and resilience. For female founders, it's often about more than launching a business—it's about creating opportunities and building something with lasting impact. Every independent business adds character to our high streets and communities, and every female-founded business helps bring greater diversity, innovation and representation to the retail landscape.

Our founder, Clare Harris, says: “A lot of the publicity now is around female founders getting investment, but actually if you look at the gift industry, a lot of women set up a business because it comes from within. 

"They notice a problem and they grow their business over time. It starts from humble beginnings and it grows in an organic way.

"Whereas men come from an MBA and think they want to make money.”

Clare's Five Tips for Female-Founded Independent Retailers

1. Don't be afraid to tell your story

Customers increasingly buy from businesses they connect with. Share who you are, why you started, what motivates you and the values behind your brand. Authentic storytelling builds trust and loyalty. If you have a website an About Us section is the perfect place to share your story.

2. Build your network

Running a business can feel isolating. Join local business groups, retail associations and female founder networks. Collaboration often leads to new ideas, partnerships and opportunities that wouldn't happen alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how willing people are to share.

Clare launched and moderates Talking Together, a regular event bringing industry brands together to discuss an important issue and share experiences and advice.

3. Make time to work on your business

It's easy to become consumed by the day-to-day. Set aside regular time to review your strategy, marketing, customer experience and future plans.

4. Chunk it

A new store opening, a move into a new product area – sometime a project can feel overwhelming. Break it down into chunks and work through them one by one.

5. Take a moment to celebrate your progress

Business owners often focus on the next challenge rather than recognising how far they've come. Take time to acknowledge milestones, whether that's your first anniversary, reaching a sales target or receiving positive customer feedback.

Discover more...

Clare on being a female founder