#SheMeansBusiness initiative trains 5,000 women in digital skills

An astonishing 5,000 women running busy businesses have improved their digital skills thanks to the #SheMeansBusiness initiative, launched by Facebook and small business support group Enterprise Nation earlier this year.

Thousands of women across the UK have upskilled via a range of online and offline events and masterclasses and benefited from free access to a suite of new online resources to help them take their business to the next level.

The partnership was launched in February with the aim of arming 10,000 female entrepreneurs with digital skills, and helping to unlock a £45 million potential for the British economy.

The initiative is already halfway to its goal and has hit the road with a series of events along the South Coast of England, followed by more networking and training events across the UK.

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, said:

"It's important news for the British economy that thousands of women are seizing opportunity and taking on board advice to help their businesses to thrive.

"Our experience shows those that take advice grow more successful and sustainable businesses.  We're only three months into an 11 month programme that is well and truly set to heat up over the summer even more, so the fact that it has taken off so quickly is testament to how helpful the content that is being delivered really is."

The initiative saw a team of #SheMeansBusiness advisers receive accredited training to deliver the programme across the UK via their own networks and further afield.

Martha Keith, founder of personalised gift firm Love Give Ink, left her well-paid graduate job at a top healthcare firm to set up her company, armed only with a talent and a passion for creating lovely hand-made gifts. Four years down the line, she runs her own studio in London and employs five people.

Grasping the basics of social media has played a fundamental role in that success, she says.

"Most of the traffic to my website comes from Facebook and Instagram by a long, long way. Social media has been transformational for my business. It offers such a huge opportunity for anyone starting-up. With not very much money, or no money at all, you can start to tell customers your story, you can start to share your products."