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Aspiring female entrepreneurs and businesswomen are set to receive a boost thanks to Women in Football's continued partnership with global small business platform Xero.

For a second consecutive year, the two organisations are offering promising businesses a comprehensive package of support, in a 'game of two halves' format, through the Women in Football and Xero Small Business Programme.

The inaugural programme, which took place over the course of this past year, was a roaring success, featuring a cohort of 12 brilliant female entrepreneurs, and a wide range of business types including a tech company, an underwear retailer, a social agency and various consultancies.

Check out the highlights from last year’s programme

Ella Williams, founder of Our Goal CIC, a community interest company which harnesses the power of football to empower girls and women, took part in the first year of the programme and spoke with WIF recently to discuss some key highlights. Ella originally applied to be part of the Women in Football Entrepreneur Mentorship Programme powered by Xero "to give Our Goal a sustainable and successful future and to achieve my vision".

Watch our Q&A with Ella on the Women in Football YouTube channel

 

Empower, mentor, succeed 

The first half of the Women in Football and Xero Small Business Programme develops participants' enterprise skills, knowledge and professional networks. Seven in-person and online workshop sessions cover useful topics such as business finance, starting or growing your business, branding, networking and looking ahead to being an effective and inclusive employer. 

The second half provides one-to-one mentoring by matching up the entrepreneurs with Women in Football members who have already built successful businesses of their own.

Mentors involved in year one featured a host of brilliant women including Ruth Shaw OBE, Chief Executive at the Premier League Charitable Fund; Charlotte Thomson, Head of Women’s Football at Copa 90; and Bibi Steinhaus-Webb, Women's Select Group Director at PGMOL. Other WIF members involved were already using Xero to help manage their business finances: these were Helen Hardy, founder of Foudys, and Laura Youngson, CEO of IDA Sports.

Women in Football CEO Yvonne Harrison said: "It's been a joy to watch the first cohort of female entrepreneurs thrive with the support of Xero and Women in Football. Their progress has exceeded expectations and the support they have given to each other has been truly inspiring. I'm delighted we can build on this by extending our partnership with Xero to impact even more women.  When like-minded organisations work together, great things can happen, and I'm sure there's so much more to come." 

WIF members who are interested in receiving support through Women in Football and Xero Small Business Programme can register their interest now – please fill out the programme application form by midnight on Sunday 13 October 2024. If you aren’t currently a member, you can apply to join WIF for free.

The programme will launch in autumn 2024. Session dates and locations are below. 

• Thursday 31 October – in person session in Manchester

• Thursday 12 December – online session

• Thursday 9 January – online session

• Thursday 6 February – online session

• Thursday 6 March – online session

• Thursday 10 April – in person session (venue to be confirmed)

• Thursday 11 September – in person session (venue to be confirmed)

Please note that all in-person sessions will be held in the UK, and travel costs will need to be covered by applicants. 

 

About Xero 

Xero is a cloud-based accounting software platform that connects small business owners with their accountant or bookkeeper, banks and an ecosystem of apps and financial services to help them run their business. Through a range of partnerships, Xero is also aiming to empower and champion women in business and football.

Xero's UK Head of Brand and Campaign Marketing Sam Daniels said: “We're excited to strengthen our partnership with Women in Football as we continue empowering the next generation of female leaders in both business and football. Building on the achievements of our inaugural cohort, we’re even more committed to providing the essential financial tools, mentorship, and networks that help turn ideas into thriving businesses. 

Last year’s participants set a high bar with their inspiring accomplishments, and we’re looking forward to supporting this new group of dynamic entrepreneurs in taking their small business ambitions to the next level." 

Ebru Köksal, Women in Football's Chair, added: "Startups can often fail not because of a problem with their basic concept, but because entrepreneurs sometimes lack the technical knowledge or business network needed for their enterprise to break through. 

With Xero's business know-how and Women in Football's specialist expertise in our field, this programme is fine-tuned to maximise the chances of success for female entrepreneurs." 

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