Two thirds of SW women dream of starting own business

New research released today shows that over 63% of women living in the South West dream of starting their own business, motivated by the desire to bring more flexibility and earnings to their lives and the potential to be their own boss.

In order to have a perfect work/life balance, women in the South West believe work should be 37% and life 63% however, currently 87% of their waking hours are spent working or thinking about work rather than truly relaxing*. Home seems to be the perfect place to set up a business with 79% choosing to base themselves there if they had the opportunity.

According to the survey, other stresses of a disproportionate work/life balance are missing an important time in their child’s life with a third of women affected. Over a third of women in the South West also often have arguments with their current partner that is triggered by work stress.

Nearly half (49%) of the women surveyed have previously looked into the practicalities of starting their own business but were put off because they feared taking the leap and felt it seemed too complicated. Whilst some may want to leave their current job to pursue their own business, over 81% said they’d consider an online business in addition to their job in order to have extra income as long as the opportunity allowed them to run their business wherever they want and whenever they have time.

In support of the survey findings, Avon has launched My Avon Store, the new digital platform offering men and women the opportunity to start their own online independent business. Over 70% of women in the South West would consider starting their own business if they were given all the tools and support they needed. My Avon Store, as a ready-made business, provides Representatives all the support and tools needed to successfully enter the entrepreneurial world. With no upfront investment required, all that is needed to open an Avon business is a device and an internet connection.

Dawn Fazackerley, 45, Sales Leader from Plymouth says; ‘I’m really excited by the new online platform ‘My Avon Store’, It seems like the next natural step for the growth of my business. I have worked as a Sales Leader for 16 months and have a team of 40. I work flexibly at hours which suit me and have a business model with Avon that I can continue to build upon.

‘My Avon Store was so simple to set up, within a matter of minutes I had my own online business.  Now I can now cover the length and breadth of the country, targeting all my friends and family wherever they are. There are no restrictions to my business: I can work from anywhere and even earn whilst I’m sleeping.

‘My customers are very excited about it. They can now purchase online but still have their product hand delivered by me so we still get that weekly catch up over a cup of tea!”

To help make dreams of owning a business a reality,  Avon is setting out to inspire, support and empower 50,000 people to become ‘digital entrepreneurs’ by the end of 2017 to encourage the UK to #WorkItYourWay.

Emma Jones, founder of small business support network Enterprise Nation, comments: ‘With lack of an idea or start-up capital being the greatest barriers to women starting a business, My Avon store, is the answer for both. No need for an idea when you can work with an established brand such as Avon. With no upfront fees, you’re able start running your business online from day one and be earning by the end of the week. I’m delighted to support the Avon ambition of 50,000 new digital entrepreneurs, to add to the existing record number of StartUps we’re seeing across the UK.’

Setting up a business can be a challenge but two thirds of UK women said they would set up on their own if given the tools and support needed to get started. As well as launching My Avon Store to address this Avon has also created a downloadable business workbook together with Everywoman, the world's largest network and learning and development platform for women in business and female entrepreneurs.

Maxine Benson MBE, Co-Founder, everywoman, the global membership organisation for women in business says; ‘Too often we don’t have that little bit of confidence needed to take the leap into business. It’s important to remember that confidence grows as we learn to trust ourselves and our ability. No matter our background or experience, we should learn to value our skills to stop any self-limiting beliefs. As we have found, many want to start their own business and try something new but just need a little support to get going. Avon provides the perfect way to start a business venture while having training and support available.

‘We’ve worked with Avon to create a workbook which will help anyone find the confidence within themselves to start their own business.’

Andrea Slater, Avon General Manager Western Europe, says: ‘The launch of My Avon Store is very exciting for new and existing Representatives. We are now living in a 24/7 world and it can often be hard to ‘live’ alongside work commitments. We know that many dream of being their own boss, so they can set their hours and reclaim some of the ‘life’ in the work-life balance, but many don’t have the confidence, tools or finances they need to get started. Setting up a business with Avon is now even easier with a unique ready-made online business model available to all with no upfront investment needed. A My Avon Store business offers everyone the flexibility and support to work in a way that suits them and plan their work around life.’

Emma Jones continues: 'Business is all about taking lots of little steps towards your goal. The first, which is the decision to become your own boss, is the most important. Base a business on doing what you love and it will never really feel like work.
‘My top tips for anyone thinking of starting a business are as follows:

• Have a plan
o When starting a new business, it's good to have a plan. Think of a business plan as your route map; it will guide you from a business idea to being up and running with sales and satisfied customers. In your plan include details of your market (customers), any kit you'll need to get going (which with My Avon Store is minimal), a cash-flow forecast showing what you hope to earn, less costs, and include details of your support network i.e. experts to whom you can turn to on topics that aren't your strong suit

• Make sales and raise profile
o With My Avon Store, the sales process comes built-in. The store is your window to the world so all you have to do is tell everyone you meet to visit and buy. Carry promotion cards with you at all times, reach out to local media to tell them your story, and consider partnerships with groups and clubs that are home to your type of customers. Embrace social media to reach new customers and interact with existing ones - all this activity will drive traffic to your store and so increase sales.

• Create space
o You're likely to start and grow the business from home, which is the very best place, as you keep office costs and commute time low and run the business round your family. Create dedicated space in the house so you have a division between what's work and what's not. When you're in that space, others know you're working, and you can close the door at the end of the working day.

• Manage the money
o With sales coming in, manage your money with the help of an accountant or accounting software such as Xero. The basics of business are to earn more than you spend. Keep on top of this by always knowing how much is owed to you - and how much you owe to others. Open a business bank account as soon as you can so you can separate business income from personal income.

• Get support
o Surround yourself with the support required to grow your business. Avon can help by connecting you with other Avon Representatives so you can share tips and advice. Get involved in local business networks and make the most of online support at Enterprise Nation where there's access to experts and advisers in topics from sales to social media, tax and technology.

• Repeat!
o Keep repeating these steps of making sales, raising profile and managing the money to keep customers coming back. You'll be on your way to growing a strong and successful business.’

To learn more and set up your online Avon business today visit: www.avon.uk.com/become-a-representative