I remember a time when the stories in the news regarding new technology seemed to focus on the omnipresence of the ability of teenage boys to hack into seemingly secure governmental websites with an ease of opening a can of a sugary drink.
Not only was this hugely demeaning to any young man who had honed highly competent tech skills, but also rather oblivious of the fact that these institutions and companies would be better off harnessing the talents of those very same teenage tech wizards in securing those not so secure websites.
As we have all become much more tech-savvy, even more so in the times of the current pandemic, I would certainly challenge this pubescent image, given the clear evidence that there have been an army of over 50s typing away in spare rooms, on kitchen worktops, parks, cafes, you name it, not only using the internet for all those essential daily needs, but also setting up their own businesses.
What evidence do I have for this bold statement you may ask? Well one, that research indicates that the average age of successful start-up is 45 and two, for the reasons so clearly identified in an article by Mark Elliott; ‘Agency or Consultancy? What am I building?’ where he points to the growing trend in female Start-Ups.
Now this sudden growth in Start-Ups may, in the current climate, be the response by many to redundancy, furlough and uncertain futures. That’s a sad reality for many of us now, and for some time to come, however, amongst this, there may also be a more positive reasoning why Start-Ups are so appealing to women.
According to Mark Elliott, there are several motivating factors for women. Firstly, women have concluded that in a current climate where working from home is a necessity, that they possess a wealth of talents and skills that they can easily tap into and make work for them.
Add to this the recognition that starting your own business will give them the flexibility they need without having to undergo an arduous negotiation with employers and you can see why this might be appealing. Although setting up on your own is no mean feat, there is no doubt that for some women running their own company has many bonuses, which include working on something you love, working when and where you choose, and very importantly, choosing who you work with.
Of course, these advantages are all too clear when you are not burdened by the worry that the pandemic will result in permanent job losses and the realization that some roles will disappear forever. However, this may be the very reason why what may be considered the worst time to set up a business, is in fact the right time. If you are a woman who has an idea that’s been at the back of your mind, that you wonder can or will develop into a business, maybe now is the time to take that first tentative step and in so doing join the many other women who have done the same.
© stripedsisters 2021
Category: Uncategorised