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Collaboration in football is where change happens. That’s why, alongside our partner Xero, Women in Football has been providing support for women building businesses across the football industry, for the second successive year.

The first half of the Women in Football and Xero Small Business Programme develops participants' enterprise skills, knowledge, and professional networks. Seven in-person and online workshop sessions cover topics such as business finance, starting or growing your business, branding, networking and how to be an effective and inclusive employer.

The second half, which kicked off at Wembley Stadium on 10 April, provides one-to-one mentoring, matching the entrepreneurs with Women in Football members who have already developed relevant business expertise of their own.

Explaining the importance of this component of the programme, WIF CEO Yvonne Harrison said: “It’s crucial. We can give you the skills and the expertise in terms of the actual modules of the programme, but what you need as you go into that next step of your business is somebody to metaphorically hold your hand.

“I've experienced this and encountered the same issue. You sometimes think ‘I've got this potential opportunity. What do I do? How do I progress this?’

“Having somebody by your side, committed and invested in you is really important. Together with Xero, we aim to give people the best chance of success with their small businesses.”

According to an industry study released in January 2025, 19.1% of active UK companies are female-led. While there are almost one million women-led companies in the UK, the number of closures outpaced registrations in the final quarter of 2024, and women-led companies received just 5.8% of all investments.

“I think it's really important to help women and that figure of around 20% of businesses being founded by women is far too low,” said Women in Football board member Lisa Parfitt, who is a mentor on the programme.

“I know so many women that have incredible business acumen and amazing business ideas. If we can give women that support to really make their ideas a reality, it’s not only going to be good for women – it’s going to be good for football and for the economics of our country.”

 

A transformative programme

One of the female small business leaders on the programme is Tracy Light, a Women in Football member herself since 2020. Tracy's company, Inclusive United CIC, is a grassroots community interest company, established in response to the lack of opportunities available for young adults with learning disabilities, neurodiversity, special educational needs, or additional needs.  

Talking about the programme at Wembley, she described it in one word: transformative.

“Having a group of really of diverse businesses together is really powerful,” she explained. “The sharing of information and knowledge is so helpful to help move your business forward. Women leaders in business are quite often juggling a lot outside of work too, including being caregivers. Programmes such as this can really help build personal confidence too.”

Xero is a global small business platform that helps customers supercharge their business by bringing together the most important small business tools, including accounting, payroll and payments – on one platform.

Emilie Watts from Xero’s brand marketing team was at Wembley Stadium to see the second half of the programme get under way and underlined the importance of the partnership with Women in Football.

“Women in Football provide an amazing sense of community and I think a place of safety for these women to be their best selves. Women in business have previously been underserved, so to be able to provide this support is something that at Xero, we are all incredibly proud of.”

You can read more about the participants and their respective businesses via our feature series:

Introducing Chloe and Kati  

Introducing Zoe and Julia 

Introducing Michelle, Claire and Lucy   

Introducing Ana, Hannah and Lois

Introducing Floss and Tracy

Introducing Geraldine and Alex

Introducing Jodie and Gemma

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