Pandemic Puts an End to Business Dreams for Women

Rural Enterprise , 12th August 2020

Women are abandoning their dreams of starting their own businesses because of the pressures of the Covid-19 crisis.

That’s the warning from Ceri Gillett, who runs a social enterprise designed to support parents to launch and grow businesses across Wales.

Ceri, who also runs a catering company with her partner, James, launched Mubo to offer workshops and digital support to those wanting to take the plunge and start a business, especially in rural areas.

She said she had spoken to many women, especially mothers, who had found the pressures of lockdown, particularly having children at home, put paid to their plans for a start-up.

“I have heard from so many women who have stopped and it’s heart-breaking,” said Ceri, who has a four-year-old son, Fred. “If you’re in the early stages of your business and you’re a bit tentative about whether you can succeed as a business anyway, you need time and space to work on your idea.”

Some women who needed to pivot their existing business to survive lockdown have also had to abandon those plans, said Ceri. This was also because of time pressures.

Her advice for women thinking of giving up was to ask for support no matter what stage their business is at. Be specific with your ask, she said, and stipulate what you need to move forward with your plans.

“For so many women freelancing or having their own business is still the best option whilst they have a family, or maybe because of where they live,” she said. “Rural and coastal economies are going to be badly hit because of Covid-19, and these women are going to be looking for different ways of making money. Business does still offer us that. You’ve got to be clear when asking for support about what you need – at start-up and later on.”

Ceri Gillett was talking to farming entrepreneur Hayley Hanson and Gemma Collins of NatWest as part of the line-up of the Virtual Royal Welsh Show. Hear more about their views on the effects of the Covid-19 crisis on women in business in rural communities in their event, In Conversation with Ceri Gillett and Hayley Hanson.