If you’re like most business owners, you’re always looking for ways to optimize your workflow and get more done in less time. That’s why document office solutions are so important. By using the right tools, you can organise and streamline your document management process, making it easier than ever to get things done. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the ways document office solutions can help you stay productive.
Save you time and money
The first benefit of document office solutions is that they can save you a lot of time and money. If you’re constantly searching for documents or dealing with lost or misplaced files, document management software can help you get your life back. By organising your documents and making them easy to find, you can spend less time looking for things and more time getting work done.
Improve your document security
Another benefit of document office solutions is that they can improve your document security. If you’re worried about losing important files or having them stolen, document management can help you keep your documents safe and secure. By password-protecting your files and storing them in a secure location, you can rest assured that your information is safe.
Help you go paperless
Document office solutions can also help you go paperless. If you’re tired of dealing with piles of paper, document management software can help you digitise your documents and get rid of the clutter. By going paperless, you can save time and money while reducing your environmental impact.
Make it easier to collaborate
Finally, document office solutions can make it easier to collaborate. If you’re working on a project with multiple people, document management software can help you share files and track changes. By making it easy to collaborate, you can get your work done faster and more efficiently.
Take-up less office space
The management of print devices like printers, scanners, copiers, and multifunctional devices, as well as document administration and workflow solutions will help take up less office space while also allowing more room for employees in your company.
Document office solutions are a great way to improve your document management process. By using the right tools, you can save time, money, and frustration. If you’re looking for ways to optimise your workflow, consider implementing one or more of these document management solutions. Your business will thank you for it.
Why choose Docutech Office Solutions?
Docutech Office Solutions understand the importance of document management. That’s why they offer a wide range of document office solutions to help you stay productive. From document scanning and storage to document workflow and collaboration, they can help you find the right solution for your business. Contact them today to learn more about their services. They can help you take your business to the next level.
In a world where online video is becoming more and more popular, it’s important to make sure your business is taking advantage of this powerful and interactive marketing tool. Video production and marketing can be a great way to connect with customers and create an engaging, interactive experience that will keep them coming back for more. Here are the top 5 reasons to invest in video production and marketing:
Video is an incredibly powerful marketing tool
A recent study found that video is now the most popular type of content consumed online, with people spending an average of 100 minutes watching videos every day. That’s a lot of potential customers you could be reaching with your message!
Video production and marketing can help you stand out from the competition
In a sea of online content, it can be hard to make your business stand out. But with video production and marketing, you can create engaging, visually-appealing content that will grab attention and keep people coming back for more.
Video is an interactive medium that helps you connect with customers on a personal level
Video allows you to tell your story in a way that static text or images simply cannot match. You can show off your personality, build rapport, and create an emotional connection with your audience that will keep them coming back for more.
Video production and marketing can boost your SEO efforts
Search engines love videos, so by investing in video production and marketing, you can help your website rank higher in search results. This will lead to more traffic, and ultimately, more customers. Research has shown that videos have a higher Click Through Rate in search engines so companies that use videos to market themselves will instantly stand out.
Video is a great way to showcase your products or services
A well-produced video is the perfect way to showcase your products or services in all their glory. You can demonstrate how they work, highlight their features, and give potential customers a taste of what they can expect if they do business with you.
What kind of businesses use video to promote their products or services?
Any business that wants to connect with their customers and create an engaging, interactive experience can benefit from video production and marketing. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, video can help you reach your target audience and achieve your marketing goals. So if you’re looking for a way to take your business to the next level, consider investing in video production and marketing. It’s an investment that will pay off.
If you’re not already taking advantage of video production and marketing, now is the time to start! Contact Eight Engines today to learn more about how we can help you create high-quality, engaging video content that will reach your target audience and achieve your marketing goals.
When it comes to online marketing, video is king. In fact, studies show that marketing videos are more likely to convert website visitors into customers than any other type of content. That’s why if you’re looking to create a successful online marketing campaign, you need to start by creating a high-quality marketing video. In this blog post, we will discuss how to create a marketing video that converts and generates leads for your business.
Creating a marketing video that converts is not as difficult as you might think. The first step is to determine what type of video you want to create. There are three main types of marketing videos: brand awareness videos, lead generation videos, and product demonstration videos. Once you know which type of video you want to create, the next step is to determine your video’s purpose. What is the main message you want to communicate with your video? What do you want your viewers to do after watching it? Keep these things in mind as you begin planning and filming your video.
Hiring a professional video marketing company
If you’re not sure where to start, there are plenty of resources available to help you create a high-quality marketing video. Hiring a professional video production company is always the best option, but if you’re on a tight budget, there are also many DIY video creation tools available online. Whichever route you choose, just make sure that your final product is something you’re proud of and that will effectively communicate your message to your target audience.
What makes a successful marketing video?
There are a few key elements that all successful marketing videos have in common. First, they all start with a strong concept. Before you even begin filming, take some time to brainstorm and come up with a creative, attention-grabbing idea for your video. Once you have your concept, the next step is to write a script. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy – just a few short paragraphs that outline the main points you want to communicate in your video.
Once you have your script, it’s time to start filming. If you’re not using a professional video crew, there are a few things you can do to make sure your video looks its best. First, invest in some good lighting. This will make a world of difference in the quality of your final product. Second, be sure to use a tripod when filming so that your footage is steady and easy to watch. Lastly, make sure you do several takes of each scene so that you have plenty of footage to work with in the editing room.
After you’ve filmed your video, it’s time to edit it and add some finishing touches. Again, there are a number of different ways to do this depending on your budget and expertise. If you’re not familiar with video editing software, there are plenty of online tutorials that can help you get started. Once your video is edited and polished, it’s time to upload it to your website or social media page and start promoting it!
By following these simple tips, you can create a marketing video that will help you win new business and raise awareness of your company.
Choosing a video marketing agency
Eight Engines is a multi-disciplinary company that creates attention-grabbing TV commercials, jaw-dropping digital campaigns, world-class live streams, award-winning broadcast television shows, and event films that will stop audiences in their tracks.
Condition monitoring of rotating machinery is a critical part of ensuring optimal performance and preventing catastrophic failures. By implementing a condition monitoring system, you can detect small problems before they turn into big ones. In this article, we will discuss some proven strategies for implementing a successful condition monitoring program for your business.
Condition monitoring, also known as condition based monitoring or CBM, is a process of monitoring the health of machinery through regular inspections and measurements. By doing this, you can detect problems early and take corrective action to prevent downtime and expensive repairs.
What are three types of condition monitoring?
There are three main types of condition monitoring: visual, auditory, and vibrational.
Visual condition monitoring involves inspecting the machinery for signs of wear or damage. This can be done with the naked eye or with the aid of a magnifying glass or microscope.
Auditory condition monitoring involves listening to the sound of the machinery to identify any abnormal noises. This can be done with the naked ear or with the aid of a stethoscope or sound meter.
Vibrational condition monitoring involves measuring the vibration of the machinery to identify any potential problems. This can be done with the help of a vibration meter or accelerometer.
One of the most important aspects of a successful condition monitoring system is having the right people in place. You need trained experts who know how to properly operate and maintain the equipment. They should also be able to interpret the data that is collected and make recommendations for corrective action.
Another key element of a successful condition based monitoring is having the proper tools and equipment. There are many different types of condition monitoring systems available on the market, so it is important to choose the one that best suits your needs. You also need to make sure that you have the right sensors and monitoring devices for your particular application.
Finally, when implementing a condition monitoring program, you need to be sure you are monitoring the right things. Too often, businesses make the mistake of only monitoring for major problems. While it’s important to detect and correct these issues, you also need to be proactive in identifying potential issues before they become major problems. By following these simple tips, you can set your business up for success with condition monitoring.
Why is condition based monitoring used?
Condition based monitoring is used in order to avoid unplanned downtime for your business operations, and to improve equipment reliability. It allows for accurate assessment of machine health, so that necessary maintenance or repairs can be carried out before a failure occurs. Condition based monitoring can also help reduce operating costs by optimising maintenance schedules.
What are some benefits of condition based monitoring?
Some benefits of condition based monitoring include:
– Reduced downtime
– Improved equipment reliability
– Optimised maintenance schedules
– Reduced operating costs How can I get started with condition based monitoring?
If you want to achieve maximum reliability of your equipment, contact Faraday Predictive, a leading provider of condition based monitoring services and systems. Their team of experts can help you choose the right sensors and devices for your application, and also train your staff on how to properly operate and interpret the data.
Mortgage approval rates in the UK fell to their lowest level in two years in April, according to data from the Bank of England, as high interest rates and the cost of living crisis reduced consumer confidence dramatically.
With the economic outlook showing no signs of improving, many first-time buyers are understandably feeling uncertain about their chances of securing their dream house.
But the good news is that there are several techniques that Brits can employ in order to maximise their chances of getting approved for a mortgage, even in the current financial climate.
Claire Flynn, mortgages expert at money.co.uk said: “Applying for a mortgage is a nerve-wracking experience, and the cost of living crisis hasn’t made anything easier. However, there are certain things you can do to boost your chances and secure the best deal you can.
“If you’re applying for your first mortgage you should be aware of what lenders look out for when they consider your application. Here are some of the main factors:
Your credit score
Any current debts
The size of the loan you want to take out
The size of your deposit
Your employment status and income
Your outgoings
“When it comes to starting your application, beat lenders to the punch and take an in depth look at your finances yourself.
“This means making sure all your financial records are correct and up to date, that old, inactive accounts are closed and you’re aware of any outstanding debts you may have. If you do spot any issues or red flags, hold off on applying until you’ve resolved them.
“Once you’re confident in your finances, a good way to increase your appeal to lenders is by boosting your credit score.
“Your credit report works as a scorecard to show lenders how good you are at making debt and other payments – so the first thing you should do is make sure your personal details are correct.
“Errors on things like your address can have a big impact on your score, so contact your credit reference agency immediately to amend them and if a bank or similar still has your old address, contact them and get them to update it to your current one.
“Being on the electoral roll also makes a big difference. Lenders see that as a sign of reliability – so if you’re not signed up to vote, do that too. It’s difficult to have an excellent score if you’re not.
“Once you’ve corrected any errors and all your details are correct, the next step is to start showing evidence that lenders can trust you with their money.
“Every payment you make on time, whether that’s a debt repayment or just your rent and bill payments, has a positive effect on your credit score.
“Using a credit card and repaying it on time can help your credit score, as it shows you’re reliable when it comes to managing debt. But if you’re struggling to take out a card thanks to past mistakes, it can be tough to show you’ve changed your habits.
“A credit-building card, or service like Loqbox where you make regular payments to a savings account, is a good option when it comes to showing evidence of this. If you make small transactions each month then pay it off in full you can start building up your score.
“It’s not instant, but after a year the effect is considerable, and you should even see some benefits after only a few months.
“The last thing to bear in mind is that different lenders will prioritise different factors in your application, so even if one lender rejects you, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be accepted by another.
“That said, if you do get rejected, it’s worth holding off from automatically applying with a new lender. Every time you apply you undergo a credit check and too many checks in a short space of time can negatively affect your credit score.
“Applying for your first mortgage can be daunting, but by maintaining good financial habits and boosting your credit score you can maximise your chances of approval.
New data from the money management app, HyperJar, also reveals least affluent families saw disposable income plummet £127 last month
· 23% of Brits state they are now lending more money to their friends than ever before
· 19% admit they are embarrassed to speak openly about their finances due to fear of judgement
· 13% say they are relying on friends to get them out of financial trouble, whether that is with debt or getting through until payday
· 1-in-4 Brits (25%) subsequently state that their biggest mental health strain comes from managing their family’s finances
Personal finance expert and founder of HyperJar, Mat Megens, dissects current spending trends across the nation and outlines friendship as a vital lifeline for Brits amidst the cost-of-living crisis
As inflation rates hit a 40-year high and the price of food sits at its highest since 2008 in the UK, Brits across the nation are feeling the pinch more than ever as the cost-of-living crisis impacts their ability to spend without concern or anxiety. New nationally representative data from the money management app, HyperJar, has revealed that people are having to rely on the financial support of their friends just to make ends meet. Almost 1-in-4 people (23%) stated they’re now lending more than ever before, with a further 13% admitting to regularly getting loans from friends just to get out of debt or survive until payday. This is having a severe impact on the wellbeing of those who are struggling, with 1-in-4 people now stating that their biggest mental health strain comes from managing their family’s finances.
This marks the latest concerning trend amidst the cost-of-living crisis, with new data from HyperJar and Retail Economics’ Cost of Living Tracker revealing that the least affluent households in Britain have seen their disposable income drop by £127 in the month of May. In addition, the data shows that despite the energy bill grant announced by the government for all households, more than eight in ten families (84%) feel they still need to reduce their non-essential spending this year.
The government’s announcement of a one-off £650 cost-of-living payment will go some way towards minimising the damning effects of the current climate on the most vulnerable, but the recent trend of friends having to step in to help others financially shows more support is urgently needed. HyperJar’s most recent research also unveiled that a stigma is rife across the country which is preventing people from being open about their finances. Almost 1-in-5 Brits (19%) admitted they feel embarrassed to discuss their financial situation or are fearful of being judged, which often prevents them from receiving the necessary support.
Mat Megens, CEO of HyperJar, discusses the findings from HyperJar’s latest nationally representative data:
“The fact that so many people now rely on friends for support is indicative of personal finances under severe strain – it’s like the Bank of Mum & Dad has been drained, so we’re now turning to the Bank of Mates.
“At a time like this, it’s important to make money a talking point rather than something to feel embarrassed about. You can develop a little bit of a support group with friends or family which can help to reduce anxiety.
“We believe making money a topic of conversation rather than something taboo can lead to much better outcomes. Yes, that might be borrowing or lending a little between trusted friends, but it could also be an honest conversation about sharing costs for things you might not have considered before, from Sunday lunch at yours to even bigger things like Christmas.
“On a personal level, it’s just about making sure we’re doing all we can to make our money go as far as possible. There is no magic wand, unfortunately. But we can all drill down into our budgets to understand where our money is going, to save and cut costs where we can.
“Controlling the controllable is something everyone can do to get on the front foot. Nowadays, when paying is so frictionless, it’s easy to overspend because there’s less of a concrete connection with money. An understanding of what you have and where it needs to go will help make navigating this period less stressful.”
What HyperJar can do to help Taking inspiration from the simple saving mechanism of the jam jar, HyperJar provides a visually engaging saving app that empowers users to control their expenditure and reorder how they use their money. From nurturing sensible spending habits for children, to being rewarded for committing expenditure with household name retailers with a 4.8% annual growth rate, HyperJar’s digital Jars represent an easy method for managing personal finances.
Helping Brits get in control again, HyperJar’s simple toolkit of clever tech puts us one step ahead, one jar at a time, helping our reaction to ‘money’ transform from being a trigger of fear, to a source of feeling in charge again. Whether it’s teaching your kids to budget their pocket money, putting a collective jar together to save for your summer holiday, or keeping track of how much you spend on the weekly supermarket shop, HyperJar is here to help you use your money in smarter ways.
Recent articles have explored the success of the revitalization and tourism investment made in the Felicite Island in the Seychelles. A notable example is the effort put into building the Six Senses Zil Pasyon – Asian Investor and his Seychelles-based partner have invested US$115 million. Now only in its sixth year of full operation, Six Senses Zil Pasyon – is just coming into its own as one of the world’s premier luxury vacation destinations and finally providing the return to the money invested. A success history for the pair of businessman.
The Asian investment group is focused on investing in real estate and businesses globally. When deciding on a local partner to invest with, the Capital Management Group was an obvious choice due to their business history.
This was not their first business venture together. The Asian partner and Mr Valabhji’s Capital Management Group have partnered on various property ventures in Singapore. The pair bought an office building at 108 Robinson Road (previously GMG Building, now Finexis Building) in 2006, which they have subsequently sold. In addition, in 2013, the partners owned the entire seven-level commercial podium of the Thong Sia Property on Bideford Road until selling it in a collective sale of the entire building in 2015. Finally, the two companies continue to own Katong Point (formerly known as Katong Junction) along Joo Chiat Road.
The CMG is a family office headquartered in Mahe, Seychelles. Founded in 2006 by Mr. Mukesh Valabhji, the Group provides both advice and investment funds in a number of different projects, both in the Seychelles and internationally. CMG currently has exposure to a range of alternative investment asset classes, including Real Estate, Venture Capital, and Private Equity, across East Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. CMG has a worldwide strategy to investing, participating actively in the majority of its venture capital and private equity investments. Not surprisingly the firm decided to join in the recent business venture.
Valabhji is a third-generation Seychellois entrepreneur & the owner of Intelvision, Mukesh Valabhji, the dominant telephone, cable television and broadband Internet provider in the Seychelles, alongside numerous other businesses in the telecom, financial & real-estate fields. He has a 40-year track record developing and scaling companies into large regional and national enterprises. Valabhji is an expert in business and finance, holding a BA from University of New Orleans.
With this recent business venture finally showing the expected returns and a long withstanding history between the two investors, we should expect new things in the very near future.
A lot of startups and other entrepreneurs alike are thinking about what product/service they could provide that would make people want it. Finding the answers is not that hard. In today’s digital age, there are plenty of analytic tools and software through which we can find out almost anything. So why not to take advantage of it?
A few years ago when there was no Internet it was challenging to find answers. What cannot be said nowadays, however with a few clicks anyone with the Internet access can find everything. How to cook rice? How to paint a wall? How to fix a refrigerator? We can find the answers to all this in a few seconds.
Just as we can find these answers, we can also find out how often people around the world or in specific countries search for specific search terms. And we can do this quite easily using a tool directly from Google called Keyword Planner. With this tool, you can find the keywords that people are searching for and based on this data, you can decide which products/services are attractive to your potential customers and later you can create a workable strategy based on that, discover what to sell and what not to sell on the other hand.
Google Ads Keyword Planner Source: Own processing
What are keywords and what are the types of keywords?
When it comes to keywords in search engine marketing, there are a few things you need to know. Firstly, keywords are the terms that a searcher enters into a search box, either through typed text or through a voice command converted to text by a search engine. Secondly, your keywords should be relevant to your business and target audience – otherwise you’re not going to get much traction with your campaigns. Finally, keywords can be both short-tail and long-tail – meaning they can be one word or multiple words strung together. For example, if it were this website, relevant keywords would be onlyfans finder, find people on onlyfans, onlyfans find users and similar.
Keywords by function:
Information keywords: As a business owner, it’s important to be aware of the different types of keywords that people use when searching for products and services online. One type of keywords are those related to information seeking. People use these keywords when they are looking for specific information or help, and often start their search with an interrogative pronoun such as “what” or “which”. For this reason, such keywords tend to show up on informational pages like reviews, how-to guides, and blogs. As a business owner, you can use these keywords to your advantage by writing informative blog posts and linking them to the products that you sell. By doing so, you’ll be able to attract potential customers who are already interested in what you have. Example: How to build a gazebo, What are good hiking boots, How rain is generated.
Service keywords: these keywords reflect the user’s demand for a product or service. They tend to be the most frequent in keyword analysis and need to be split so that the words do not cannibalise each other (one group of keywords is optimised for 2 or more pages and they take value from each other and Google doesn’t know which one to display). Example: Carpenter works, Computer repair, free OnlyFans accounts, Sports shoes.
Location keywords: these keywords indicate where your business is located. They are important for local SEO purposes and can help you rank higher in search results for people searching for businesses in your area. Example: Hairdresser near me, Car Rental New York, Goldsmith London.
Navigational keywords: these keywords are used to search for specific things on the website. For example, if you’re looking for the login page, you might type in “login” or “log in.”
Illustration image Source: freepik.com
Creating keyword analysis via Google Ads
Google Ads is an advertising system from Google that is used to create and manage ads. It is the most reliable tool for collecting KWs because we have raw data directly from Google with the most objective metrics. This system also includes a feature – Keyword Planner. Through this tool, you can search for keywords and when you type in your keywords, Google will throw up other keywords that it evaluates as similar and useful. This feature can be accessed through Tools and Settings —> Keyword Planner.
Keyword Planner Source:Own processing
Next, we need to go to Discover New Keywords and type the keywords of the service/category/product, etc. for which we want to find keywords into the search engine. The maximum number of words to search for is 10, however, once the search is entered, Google itself will add other keywords to the list that it thinks are related to the KWs entered.
Discover new keywords Source::Own processing
After entering your keywords, a table will appear with your entered keywords and Google’s recommended words as well as search volumes. This table can then either be downloaded as a .csv or saved straight into a Google Sheet.
The second option is to search for keywords by the URL you entered (Start with the site), but this option is not recommended in most cases, as this analysis will only yield keywords that are found in the URL with no other recommendations.
Such keywords then need to be scrubbed. Google will often give us a recommendation on keywords that it evaluates as suitable for our business on an algorithm and give basis. However, we don’t always need all the keywords and therefore it is important to discard any keywords that are not relevant to our business from the analysis. And we’re done! We have created a keyword analysis that we can then use for SEO optimization, PPC campaigns or we can learn what goods/services people are searching for that we don’t have and we can expand our portfolio of products or services.
Keyword analysis is a very necessary step in any business because we can find out what services or products people are searching for or, in the opposite case, which ones they are not. There is also a number of tools for this, with Google Ads being the most popular. However, if you want to use other tools, the most popular ones include Marketing Miner, Google search console, Ahrefs, keywordtool, questionDB or answerthepublic.
The ability to track a truck’s location upon request, and check in real time the levels of temperature, provides an advantage to people responsible for the entire truckload. When speaking of supply chain management on a consumer level, there’s very little information about the challenges people face. It is a huge responsibility to transport perishable foods while keeping their integrity.
Long-range transportation services have been a nightmare for logistics services, but when perishable goods are involved, it gets even more complicated. However, GPS technologies have evolved and paved the path for advanced administration systems that allow producers and executives to closely monitor and manage shipment conditions throughout the entire transportation. Refrigerated transport services involves the use of special temperature-controlled vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a built-in refrigeration system that keeps the products they transport at the appropriate temperature during the route.
What are perishable goods?
First, it is important to understand what is considered a perishable product, and why it is essential to keep it in a temperature-controlled environment. Perishable goods have a short shelf life and if they are not always kept at the proper temperature level, they can get spoiled or become dangerous to use. Vegetables, fruits, spices, cereals, dairy foods, meat and poultry are some examples of perishable products. Because of their short lifespan, it is more difficult to transport these products through the supply chain to customers before they lose value or worse, spoil. Perishable product transportation is more complicated than many other types of product transportation.
Is the GPS helping?
GPS technology is used for more than simply tracking the position and movement of vehicles. These cutting-edge systems can be upgraded with additional sensors and software modifications to remotely monitor cargo hold temperature levels and trigger an alert in the event of an emergency or cooling system malfunction. The collected data and key event notifications must be communicated to the right people as soon as possible so that appropriate actions can be performed. GPS monitoring solutions may notify business owners and field supervisors nearly instantly by email, SMS, or smartphone notifications, giving them enough time to deal with the matter at hand. Some PROs of having GPS tracking systems are:
1. Monitoring of temperature and humidity
People in charge of the cold supply chain will have comprehensive visibility over the quality of their shipments – thanks to sensitive sensors that measure ambient temperature and humidity levels. The compact, wireless sensors may be set up in any area and collect data to build an accurate mapping of temperature levels along the voyage. The temperature of a shipment is automatically monitored and logged, and this data is available in real time on any mobile device or computer in the world.
2. Actual time-tracking
Logistics and transportation operations are difficult to manage for a reason; countless things might go wrong for no reason, such as vehicle problems, cooling system failures, accidents, cargo theft and so on. With GPS, it is possible to know exactly where the trucks are, always, as well as the state of the cargo that is on board. One of the primary reasons fleet management solutions have transformed entire business industries is because of the on-demand access to real-time, actionable data.
3. Event notifications
GPS-based fleet management solutions work hand in hand with cloud-based tracking software that can be programmed to notify even minor temperature changes. Event alerts provide a consistent flow of information and keep business owners and field managers up to date on the status of their shipments. Emergency notifications enable the responsible parties to deal with any problem as soon as possible. For example, if a refrigerator unit fails, the driver can be notified quickly, and roadside service teams can be dispatched to the vehicle’s position. A prompt response can mean the difference between a spoiled package and a package in perfect shape.
By rising operational expenses, consumer demand, and resource management challenges, remote temperature and humidity monitoring systems may be the key to streamlining long-distance transportation services while ensuring a pristine delivery of the perishable goods.
Further data finds 52% UK adults believe women must work twice as hard to reach same objectives in business
36% of women state they often feel tired, helpless, or lonely from the world of work due to their workload
28% of women believe large-scale investors won’t consider them as a viable investment opportunity
19% of women state that due to a lack of diversity in the higher ranks of their business they never saw a future in it, so they left that sector
Following the announcement of J.P. Morgan’s top 200 Female Powered Businesses report has found that women have to give up twice the stake in their businesses to secure finance at 26% equity compared to just 13% for men. Although the report indicates a slow increase in funding for female-founded businesses, Trachet – a female-led advisory helping entrepreneurs accelerate growth – highlights the fact that women are still sorely absent in the UK startup arena. Research shows women make up only 19% of the startup talent pool and 23% at senior level compared to 49% and 29% respectively in the wider economy.
In light of this, Trachet commissioned landmark national research to understand what barriers are hampering gender equality in the UK business ecosystem. The data found that nearly 1-in-5 British women state that due to a lack of diversity in the higher ranks of their business they never saw a future in it, so they left that sector. A further 52% of Brits state they share the sentiment that women must work twice as hard or be twice as qualified as men to reach the same objectives in business – an issue which is further exacerbated when it comes to female-founded companies. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this need to work harder is having a knock-on effect on their mental health, with 36% stating they often feel tired, helpless, or lonely from the world of work due to their workload.
Furthermore, the Rose Review progress report – which sets out the full extent of progress made into gender equality in business – announced that the UK economy finds its growth hampered by nearly £250bn due to a lack of investment and support into female-founded businesses. Echoing this sentiment, Trachet’s research outlines that 28% of women in Britain believe large-scale investors won’t even consider themas a viable investment opportunity simply due to their gender.
Women lead 40% of all micro businesses and 38% of small businesses yet only 26% of women lead medium sized businesses, with the percentages getting gradually lower as the businesses get bigger. This is seemingly due to the barriers women encounter when seeking finance to scale-up their firms. Women start their businesses on average with 53% less capital than men, and a report by Deloitte states that 46% of would-be borrowers did not seek finance because they expected issues with the loan process. Female-founded businesses only secured only 1.4%% of VC funding in 2021, compared to 24% of crowdfunding deals, and 20% of angel investments. In the UK only 7 in 137 of the fastest-growing tech companies have female founders or co-founders.
Claire Trachet, founder of Trachet, a female-led advisory disruptor, discusses the challenges around women working in tech and securing finance as a female tech founder:
“Women-led businesses have to do with lesser capital (to avoid dilution) and hence see their growth potential tethered which puts the business’ survival at risk – especially in light of the challenging economic climate which will be an important factor over the next six months. The silverlining is that women are used to being resourceful and doing with less capital, hence are well experienced for tougher market conditions. This is also probably a key reason why women-led businesses generate better ROI over time.
“Social models are still significantly biased against women and minorities. This is reflected in business by lower salaries, a slower career path, distinct lack of access to C-suite or board positions and both fewer and smaller investments received. There is no chance of reaching a more balanced set of opportunities for women and men without society making conscious choices to start with – just like getting into any new habit.
“Crucially, it is important to note that this is not advocating for the promotion of subpar businesses because they are led by women. It is about giving people a fair shot and owning the fact that biases run deep within businesses and institutions all around the world, including tech.
“Female entrepreneurs bring a different perspective that opens fresh solutions to age-old problems. One such example is CodeOp, a female-founded company that built a business which demonstrates every day that, when it comes to diversity in tech, the “pipeline problem” is a myth that prevents accountability for biases in organisations. Accountability and actions are a path to the balancing of opportunities.
“Women-led businesses regularly outperform other businesses, meaning excess returns for the investors, and they tend to reach these top echelons of performance in a more capital-efficient way. On top of this, their businesses tend to be less volatile during crises – something we have seen countless times in the businesses we advise. Female entrepreneurs also tend to build businesses that are more diverse, hence the added creativity in problem-solving, and have increased capacity to attract and retain talent in this era of the “great resignation.”
