While women are making excellent progress in the business world, they will need continued support if the gender gap is to be narrowed further, it has been claimed. According to Emma Jarman, a spokesperson for the NatWest Everywoman Awards, men still outnumber women when it comes to entrepreneurship, although the gap is closing as more and more women recognise the benefits of being their own boss.

While Ms Jarman has observed that a number of barriers facing women have been removed – citing as an example the fact that it is now much easier for women to gain access to finance – she believes that female entrepreneurs could be encouraged further through mentoring schemes. Drawing on anecdotal evidence, Ms Jarman notes that women are far more likely to succeed in setting up a successful business if they have a network of experts to fall back on who can help them bring the challenges they are facing into context.

Having said this, Ms Jarman also asserts that many women are already excelling in the business world, claiming that a pound invested in a business run by a woman represents a better investment than a pound put into a business run by a man. » Read more: Women Rising To The Top In The Small Business World