50 Business Ideas that Women can do too

Why women start businesses

According to the Small Business Britain: Female Entrepreneurship Report 2024, women now account for around 20.4% of UK business owners, up from 16.6% in 2018. (Small Business Britain)

The most common reasons women launch businesses are:

• Flexibility: to choose when and how they work

• Financial independence: to control earnings and build security

• Purpose: to turn passions or skills into income

• Family balance: to manage work around childcare or caring duties

• Career equity: to overcome barriers or bias in traditional employment

Despite progress, the funding gap persists — female founders still receive a fraction of total business investment, which makes access to finance and mentoring vital. (British Business Bank)

Where women achieve success

• 19% of active UK SMEs are female-led. (Prowess.org.uk)

• 164,000 new female-founded companies launched in 2023 — a 4% rise. (365 Finance)

• 13% of high-growth enterprises are women-led. (GOV.UK Women-Led High Growth Taskforce Report)

Female-led businesses are thriving in beauty, wellness, retail, digital and professional services — and more women are entering male-dominated sectors like construction, coding, and finance.

What types of businesses do female entrepreneurs launch?

Women dominate creative and service-based industries such as beauty, wellness, and gifts, but are increasingly successful in finance, technology, and trades. Many are also exploring flexible, hybrid business models combining e-commerce, content, and freelance services.

Funding Options by Tide supports women across all these sectors — whether you’re starting a small business loan application, comparing unsecured business loans, or exploring asset finance.

Women entering male-dominated sectors

The rise of women in trades and tech — painters, electricians, coders, architects — has changed how customers choose services. Many homeowners prefer hiring female professionals, and women-led start-ups often bring stronger customer empathy and brand trust.

This diversification creates opportunities for funding, visibility, and authentic storytelling — core EEAT elements that help your business stand out.

50 Business Ideas for Women by Industry

Each idea below offers potential for low-to-moderate start-up cost, clear demand, and scalability.

💇 Hair & Beauty

• Hair salon – classic, resilient, high-street or home-based.

• Mobile hairdresser – low overhead, flexible schedule.

• Tanning & spray-tan studio – strong recurring clientele.

• Wedding attire boutique – combine design, retail & event planning.

• Nail bar – quick-turnover, loyal customers.

• Full beauty salon – integrate hair, nails & makeup.

• Barbers run by women – fast-growing niche.

• Tailoring & dressmaking – home-based craft business.

• Cosmetics or skincare reselling parties – minimal stock cost, flexible hours.

🏠 Home Services

• Laundry & ironing service – serve busy households.

• Personal shopping & styling – ideal for fashion graduates.

• Domestic cleaning service – scalable with local teams.

• Landscaping & gardening – year-round opportunities.

• Painting & decorating – rising demand for female decorators.

• Electrical or plumbing services – requires qualification; high trust.

• Dog walking & pet sitting – flexible, low capital.

• Home-from-home kennels – niche alternative to large boarding centres.

• Childminding or nursery service – regulated but rewarding.

• Driving school (female instructor) – constant demand, clear niche.

💡 Need finance to buy equipment or a vehicle? Explore hire purchase or finance lease options.

🍰 Catering & Hospitality

• Home baking / patisserie – start small, scale through word of mouth.

• Outdoor & event catering – wedding or festival partnerships.

• Sandwich / lunch delivery – target local offices.

• Café / tearoom – community-driven concept.

• Restaurant – higher investment, high potential.

• Mobile food van – lower cost, flexible routes.

• Local specialist deliveries – e.g. vegan, gluten-free or artisan foods.

💡 If you’re fitting out a kitchen or van, consider asset finance.

🧘 Wellness

• Therapy / occupational therapy practice – specialist training needed.

• Personal training / gym instructor – flexible, growing demand.

• Hypnotherapy or reflexology – accredited training required.

• Swim or outdoor fitness instructor – niche growth trend.

• Yoga / meditation studio or online classes – hybrid online/offline model.

💡 For studio space or equipment, explore secured business loans.

💼 Professional Services

• Freelance copywriter – content demand booming.

• Bookkeeper / accountant – steady SME demand.

• Virtual assistant – serve clients remotely.

• Translator or localisation specialist – growing global market.

• SEO / digital marketing consultant – serve SMEs online.

• Web design / e-commerce setup – help small retailers go digital.

• Digital media production – video, podcast, design services.

💡 Need working capital for client onboarding? Compare revolving credit facilities.

🛒 Online Retail & Information Services

• E-commerce shop – start on Shopify, Etsy or Amazon.

• Blogging / affiliate marketing – monetise expertise.

• Lead-generation site – sell qualified leads.

• Online tutoring / courses – offer 11+ or GCSE tuition.

• Subscription box service – niche hobby or wellness themes.

• Digital templates / downloads – planners, designs, guides.

• Virtual events or membership community – women in business focus.

💡 Launching online? Consider unsecured business loans or merchant cash advance options.

🌱 Sustainable & Niche Ideas

• Eco-friendly product retail – refill shops, sustainable fashion.

• Tech or coding boot-camp for women – training or mentoring focus.

• Female-only co-working space – mix workspace + community.

• Health-tech / fem-tech startup – higher capital, fast-growing area.

• Social enterprise for women – community-driven impact model.

💡 If you’re scaling fast, our equity finance guidance explains your options.

Funding options for female-owned SMEs

Access to finance remains a key barrier — but also a massive opportunity.

Latest UK figures

• 8.2% of all equity deals in 2023 went to all-female teams (just 2.8% of investment value). (British Business Bank)

• UKEF partnerships now offer export finance guidance for female founders. (GOV.UK)

• Funding Options by Tide has helped over 17,000 UK businesses secure £1 billion+ in finance with 85 lenders on our panel.

How Funding Options helps women entrepreneurs

We make it easier to compare and secure the most suitable funding:

• Business loans from £1,000 to £20 million

• Unsecured loans for flexible cash flow

• Asset finance for equipment or vehicles

• Revolving credit facilities for ongoing working capital

• Hire purchase or finance lease for larger assets

• Business loans for women — tailored for female founders

Our team can help you prepare a solid application, compare quotes and find a match in minutes.

Final thoughts

The UK entrepreneurship landscape for women is changing fast. With new networks, flexible finance and digital models, there has never been a better time to start or scale a female-led business.

Whatever your goal — from launching a salon to building a tech brand — Funding Options by Tide can help you find the right funding to grow with confidence.

👉 Compare business finance options in minutes and join the 17,000+ UK businesses we’ve already helped.

Please note that the information above is not intended to be financial advice. You should seek independent financial advice before making any decisions about your financial future.

Itʼs important to remember that all loans and credit agreements come with risks. These risks include non-payment and late-payment of the agreed repayment plan, which could affect your business credit score and impact your ability to find future funding. Always read the terms and conditions of every loan or credit agreement before you proceed. Contact us for support if you ever face difficulties making your repayments.

Funding Options, now part of Tide, helps UK firms access business finance, working directly with businesses and their trusted advisors. Funding Options are a credit broker and do not provide loans directly. All finance and quotes are subject to status and income. Applicants must be aged 18 and over and terms and conditions apply. Guarantees and Indemnities may be required. Funding Options can introduce applicants to a number of providers based on the applicantsʼ circumstances and creditworthiness. Funding Options will receive a commission or finderʼs fee for effecting such finance introductions.