Women are establishing their own businesses at record rates across the UK, with 1.58 million women classified as self-employed. On average, women-led businesses add £11.2 million each to the UK economy annually. Despite these positive statistics, female entrepreneurs continue to face significant barriers, such as unequal access to funding and professional networks. They also contend with the challenges of balancing work, caregiving, and societal expectations.
In the face of these barriers, well-designed coworking spaces are emerging as powerful catalysts for change because they can offer community, professional networking, mentorship, and the visibility women need to successfully launch and grow their businesses.
By fostering this support, these flexible environments can positively impact how women start and scale their ventures, whether they are first-time founders or seasoned entrepreneurs.
Coworking as a Launchpad
Traditional office models often fail to reflect the complex realities many women face—especially founders who are also carers, creatives, or returning to work after time away due to childcare or family responsibilities. Coworking spaces, on the other hand, offer a more flexible alternative, accommodating everything from school runs and side hustles to unconventional working hours.
But beyond flexibility, it’s the sense of community that sets these spaces apart. The collaboration that emerges in these environments—whether it’s a designer advising on branding, a writer refining a pitch, or a conversation sparking a new partnership—can be genuinely transformative. In spaces like Creative Works, this kind of exchange is not incidental; it’s embedded in the culture.
And for women building businesses from the ground up, that kind of environment can make a real difference.
The Power of Collective Growth
Women-led businesses remain underfunded and undervalued, despite growing evidence that when women lead, they deliver strong, sustainable results. Research indicates that female-led teams tend to be more inclusive, more resilient, and often outperform their peers over time.
However, structural barriers persist within the entrepreneurial landscape. This is where purposefully designed spaces, built around empathy, collaboration, and creativity, can make a meaningful difference. They help level the playing field by providing access to networks, skills, and confidence that are often harder for women to secure elsewhere.
For many, starting a business means stepping into unfamiliar territory. A significant number of female founders are first-generation entrepreneurs, often the first in their family or community to take such a leap. The learning curve can be steep, but it is easier to navigate with the support of peers facing similar challenges.
Coworking spaces support this journey by creating organic opportunities for growth through business clinics, informal meetups, and peer mentorship. Founders do not need to have all the answers from the start; they need access to a community that’s willing to share their experience and insight.
At Creative Works, regular business development events provide members with opportunities to share resources, solve challenges, and acknowledge key milestones—such as sending an invoice or landing a first client. While informal in format, these sessions can have a meaningful and lasting impact.
Why Coworking Works for Women in Business
Entrepreneurship does not follow a single, linear path. The same is true for the women pursuing it. Coworking spaces can support female entrepreneurs from varied backgrounds by addressing the challenges they face in practical ways. They offer flexibility that suits varied working patterns and reduces the isolation often experienced by solo founders. Furthermore, coworking spaces provide access to professional networks, mentorship, and resources that are frequently difficult to find—especially for those new to business ownership.
While coworking spaces offer broad benefits for many female entrepreneurs, their impact becomes even more critical for those confronting multiple, intersecting barriers. For women of colour, LGBTQ+ women, and neurodivergent founders, who often face compounded disadvantages, coworking spaces that prioritise inclusion can serve as vital support systems.
Extensive research, including findings from Small Business Economics and the Alison Rose Review, highlights that access to peer networks, mentoring, and collaborative environments significantly improves outcomes for female-led ventures. These elements not only increase business survival rates but also foster greater innovation and confidence.
At Creative Works, this commitment is evident through initiatives such as subsidised memberships for local entrepreneurs, youth mentorship programmes, and partnerships with grassroots organisations that broaden access and representation.
Ultimately, coworking offers more than just a physical space—it delivers community, credibility, and connection. These elements are essential for women building something new. For many, success is not solely about rapid growth; it is about building sustainably and resiliently. The right coworking space can be the catalyst that transforms potential into lasting achievement.
