Do female founders face harsher scrutiny than their male counterparts?

When news broke that Grace Beverley's activewear brand Tala – a UK role model for female entrepreneurs – had posted a £2.6 million operating loss, most of the headlines went straight for the bad news.

What got far less attention was that the same Companies House filing showed that Tala's full-year turnover rose 19% year on year to nearly £20 million.

And while negative angles reliably earn clicks, many customers will also have seen the follow-up coverage on social media – which often felt even less balanced.

Finding the negatives

Natalie James, founder of award-winning British skincare brand helloSKIN, witnessed the backlash unfold on TikTok, where influencers picked up on the coverage.

She says:

"My first instinct was, 'Why are we automatically turning this into a negative thing?'

"Her business is still standing, it's still thriving, it still has thousands of customers. There are so many huge businesses that have those losses annually, but we don't talk about them.

"The post I saw on TikTok was a man talking about Grace. And when I went into the comments, it was just a ton of women defending her."

A need to work harder

According to new research from Charles Stanley and Beauhurst, over 60% of women feel they must work harder than their male counterparts to prove their worth as leaders.

Growth consultant and business mentor Arianna Cerrito, founder of Start Up and Rise, has experienced this first-hand.

As an executive director on a board of directors, she developed an unusual tactic for being heard.

"I printed out the image of one of the guys that people listened to at length and put it on a stick.

"When it was my turn to speak, and I could feel that the founder was already doubtful and unhappy with whatever I would've replied, I would stick the image in front of my face.

"The first time, of course, he was laughing. But immediately, my point got across and it worked."

For Arianna, the pattern is clear. She adds:

"Around the table, a woman needs to prove first of all that she's credible and that she knows the facts, she knows the numbers.

"Often what happens is that people will listen to any other man who jumps into the conversation, even if he has no expertise. A woman, even if she's the expert, will really struggle."

This dynamic creates what Arianna calls a "very deep scrutiny" that male founders simply don't face.

"It's not just a matter of funding. It's the whole narrative – the language needs to be changed."

Arianna insists the problem isn't about "empowering women", a term she actively dislikes.

"We don't need to empower women. We know how much value we bring to the conversation. We really do. It's more that we need to educate the men."

The confidence gap

The cumulative effect of heightened scrutiny is a confidence crisis among female founders.

HelloSKIN's Natalie admits that, despite her company's success, she battles self-doubt.

"I'm one of many female founders who probably does have impostor syndrome. And I'm definitely a sensitive person when it comes to business. Getting one negative comment would bug me for like two weeks."

This sensitivity has real consequences when it comes to making a brand visible. Natalie adds:

"There are so many things happening that I want to shout about. But I think, I'm just not going to talk about it because I'm scared of that evil eye from people who want to see my downfall."

Yet Natalie recognises the importance of female role models like Grace Beverley.

"Grace is someone who's inspiring me to do more. She talks about her wins and her business journey and it makes me think I probably need to put myself out there a bit more."

Breaking the pattern

The solution, according to Arianna Cerrito, isn't women-only networks or special treatment, but change to the system.

"I don't think it's about female founders only, and all this type of thing.

"Men are equally very good at doing what they do. It's a balancing act. You'll actually benefit from having men around the table."

What needs to change is the narrative itself.

"This morning, I was listening to BBC News and the snooker champion John Higgins said, 'In 2018, I lost in the final and I cried like a little girl.' No-one said anything. It's that language that needs to change."

Natalie James, meanwhile, remains hopeful about change while acknowledging its slow pace.

"I can't categorically say that if it was a man in Grace Beverley's position, this would happen. "But I just didn't think any of it was necessary. And I hate that it's become such a big story."

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