GUEST COLUMN:
Angie Beasley
Previous Owner and Managing Director
Ceaton Security Services Ltd
Running a business is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The risk is real, the responsibility is relentless, and when things go wrong, the consequences are deeply personal. There’s a tendency to romanticise entrepreneurship, but the truth is that growth is not for the faint-hearted, and pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone.
I came into the family business when it was in difficulty. Cash flow was tight, pressure was constant, and the survival of the business was a huge challenge. Even with a background in finance, the emotional weight of that responsibility was enormous. There were times when paying wages, managing clients, and keeping the business afloat was all consuming
What made the difference for me was support. Not just financial support, but people. A mentor who had been there before. A non-executive who could step back and say, “This is the real risk, and this isn’t.” Peer networks where you can admit you’re struggling without being judged.
One of the biggest myths about entrepreneurs is that we’re fearless. We’re not. Most of us are simply prepared – with the right support – to take informed risks. No one scales a business alone, and the idea that they should only creates isolation and burnout.
As a woman, I’ve also had to navigate bias along the way. Assertiveness has been labelled as being “awkward”. Confidence has been mistaken for aggression. Leadership has sometimes felt like something I needed to justify rather than simply own. These moments might seem small, but they add up, especially in male-dominated sectors.
We also need to talk honestly about the policy environment. Regulation and taxation shape behaviour. When scaling feels like absorbing more risk for diminishing reward, people will choose not to do it. That decision isn’t a lack of ambition, it’s rational. Women, in particular, often weigh those risks more carefully because they tend to carry more responsibility outside the business as well.
International Women’s Day shouldn’t just celebrate success. It should challenge us to make growth achievable, supported and worthwhile. That means valuing experience, simplifying systems, and recognising that resilience is built collectively, not individually.
Growth will never be easy. But with the right support, it should at least feel possible.
