The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire November 2014 | Page 9

WILTSHIRE WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS

DIARY OF A WILTSHIRE BUSINESS WOMAN’S
NETWORKING EXPERIENCES
Being born in the early 1980s, a baby boomer child with a strong mother
in a successful career, feminism wasn’t top of my agenda. I felt that we
were living in a fairly equal society in the UK. Although I was by no means
unaware of the fight females had for equality in the 1900s with the
‘Votes for Women’ campaign.
I remember as a child parading around the
lounge with a sash on, singing “Well done!
Sister Suffragette” from Mary Poppins. I
also recall when being asked by an MP if
I was going to vote at the age of about
19 replying, “of course, people died for
me to be able to vote.” I don’t think it
was the reply they were expecting, but
highlights my appreciation of the plight of
others. Throughout most of my career (so
far) and jobs whilst studying at university
I had always worked in organisations
where women were managers. I would
suggest this is due to the type of work I
was involved in - the media, creative sector
and retail - where there is definitely more
balance with a higher number of ladies in
top positions.
In 2011 I moved roles, still within the
media, but for a business publication and
began networking throughout Wiltshire
and Somerset. I was shocked that at age

28 I was regularly the youngest in the room
and one of the only females in attendance.
In a meeting of around 50 people there
would be only three or four females in the
room including myself. Not being one
to be intimidated I would happily talk to
any of ‘the suits’ in the room, but I often
thought “are they taking me seriously?”
or “do they think I’m an alien planted here
for breakfast?”
As a woman in business I feel it is still
very much a man’s world once you scratch
the surface of what’s really going on and
a lot of questions are thrown up once you
start deliberating the subject. Do I need to
dress a certain way to be respected? Does
being attractive and a woman make you
more likely to get on than less attractive
counterparts? Is it really possible to be
a fulfilled business woman, mother and
maintain a happy relationship? And, as
a single woman who is successful and

well respected, how does this affect your
chances of meeting a potential suitor?
Are men intimidated by this and would
they really prefer to come home to a
wife or partner with a pie in the oven
ready for supper?
All the above questions come to mind
when considering this subject and it’s
just food for thought. In producing this
special ‘Wiltshire Women Mean Business’
edition I wanted to showcase the diversity
of women in the county, their abilities,
passions and grit and determination to
reach their goals. I’m not one to promote
‘women only’ networking and the like
as there is no point or need to place
yourself in an unrealistic environment to be
empowered - us girls just want equality and
to be recognised on our own merits.
Written by Anita Jaynes

WOMEN IN
BUSINESS THE STATS
Female equality is on the
rise in the workplace, with
positive statistics reported
in June of this year
revealing that for the first
time in history there are no
all-male based boards.
However, there is still a lot of progress to
be made. Only 18% of UK SME businesses
are female led and only 22% of FTSE 100
board members are female.
In 2011 the government set a target that
by 2015 25% of FTSE 100 board members
should be female. In May 2014 recent data
showed we had hit 21.6%, up from 12.5%
in 2011. This means that out of 1,117 FTSE
board members, 241 were female.
In order to reach Lord Davies’ target
of 25%, 48 more board seats need to be
held by women in 2015. That’s why we
need Wiltshire business women to mean
business and help smash these statistics
next year and beyond.

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THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2014

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