Women supporting women in business has become one of the most talked-about movements in recent years, but what does it actually mean?
I recently spent the day surrounded by almost 30 female founders, business owners and leaders at the Power Lunch Club in London. There were no awkward elevator pitches or desperate attempts to impress the room. Instead, women openly shared their successes, failures, fears and the realities of building businesses alongside careers, children, caring responsibilities and everything else life throws at them.
It left me wondering: what is it about women supporting women that has such a powerful impact?
For years, we’ve heard the phrase “women supporting women.” It’s become a popular hashtag and social media slogan, but behind those three words is something far more meaningful. For many women, finding a community where they feel genuinely understood can mean the difference between giving up and going all in.
Why Women Supporting Women in Business Matters
Julie Cook, founder of Eco Green Living, knows exactly what isolation feels like.
“I started Eco Green Living packing orders in a chicken shed whilst working full-time and raising a family. It was brutal and isolating,” she says.
“That isolation is exactly why I believe in women supporting women. Not shouting about it on LinkedIn, but quietly and privately, being available when someone needs it. Listening, offering guidance from experience or sometimes a gentle challenge.”
Her experience reflects what many women told me. They weren’t looking for more networking opportunities. They wanted genuine connection.
Donna Richardson, journalist and founder of ADHD Business Leader Walks, agrees.
“Women-only business communities create something many women struggle to find elsewhere: a space where they can be themselves without feeling the need to compete, explain or mask who they are.” She believes those spaces allow women to discuss leadership, confidence, ADHD, menopause and imposter syndrome without fear of judgement. “When women invest in one another, the benefits ripple out to their families, workplaces and wider communities.”
The Power of Feeling Safe
One phrase kept appearing throughout my conversations: psychological safety.
Caroline Donaghue, The Chelsea Embodiment Coach and co-founder of The Power Lunch Club, believes that’s where transformation begins.
“Women genuinely feel psychologically and physically safe in the company of other women. They can share challenges, voice opinions and explore ideas knowing they’ll be supported rather than judged. When women feel safe, they laugh more, ask bigger questions and begin taking risks they might never have taken on their own.”
That feeling shouldn’t stop when the event ends.
Harminder Bains, Head of Education for Primary, Community and Personalised Care at NHS England, believes trust should come first, not after months of trying to prove yourself. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating environments where people feel understood and able to thrive. One exercise she champions, The Manual of Me, encourages colleagues to share how they work best and what support they need. Whether it’s inside a business community or a workplace, people flourish when they don’t feel they have to hide who they are.
Confidence Comes From Connection
Paola Minekov, founder of Elysium Lifestyle Magazine, believes women need places where they can trust themselves again.
“Women need communities where there’s no self-editing for fear of being cancelled, and no sense of having to earn a seat before they’re allowed to speak. When a woman isn’t managing how she’s perceived, she can finally hear herself think.”
Janine Friston, founder of the Female Business Network, has watched confidence grow through community.
“Women arrive lacking confidence, feeling isolated or unsure of their next step. Through real connections they build confidence, genuine friendships, gain clients and create valuable referral partnerships. They begin to back themselves because they’re surrounded by people who believe in them.”
Katie Grigg, founder of Brightways Community CIC, has seen women launch businesses, secure funding, change careers and create lasting impact after finding the right support network.
“Often, all they needed was someone to believe in them and a network of women who understood their journey.”
Collaboration Creates Opportunity
For Naomi Summers, founder of GO Get Organised, women supporting women has helped create a business model that works around family life.
“When you’ve been out of the game for a while, you can lose confidence in yourself. Having each other there as a support team massively helps you get through it.”
Maria Scullion, Head of Conference and Event Sales at Levy UK, regularly sees those relationships forming through events.
“I’ve seen women leave events with greater confidence, valuable connections and genuine friendships. Stronger women build stronger businesses, and those connections create a positive ripple effect far beyond the event itself.”
Carly Harvey, founder of House of Health, believes collaboration benefits future generations too.
“Women sharing ideas and expertise does not take away from another woman’s success. If we demonstrate women supporting women today, we’ll create a future of empowered women who continue lifting each other up.”
After 28 years in business, Mavis Amankwah BEM, founder of MA Coaching for Women Entrepreneurs, has experienced that support first-hand.
“Sometimes, a woman doesn’t need someone to solve everything for her. She simply needs another woman who understands, listens and reminds her of what she is capable of.”
We Don’t Have to Build Alone
Listening to these women made me realise we’ve misunderstood what women supporting women really means.
It isn’t about collecting business cards or posting selfies from networking events. It isn’t about performative social media posts either.
It’s about creating spaces where women feel safe enough to ask for help, ambitious enough to dream bigger and supported enough to keep going when life or business becomes difficult.
The collaborations, referrals and business opportunities often follow naturally.
As I left London that evening, one thought stayed with me.
The greatest investment any woman can make isn’t always another course, another strategy or another marketing tool.
Sometimes, it’s simply finding a room full of women who remind her she doesn’t have to build her business alone.
