BUSINESS WOMEN SCOTLAND LTD

What BUSINESS WOMEN SCOTLAND LTD does

Business Women Scotland Ltd is a Glasgow-based, founder-owned private limited company that has operated since 2007 as a community, membership, events, and awards platform serving women entrepreneurs and professionals across Scotland and the wider UK. Its offering centers on the Programme for Growth membership (priced at £38/month, £100–£120/quarter, and £295–£320/year) which delivers curated business directory access, monthly group coaching with ActionCOACH's Yvonne Webb, expert speaker sessions, and discounted event entry, supplemented by monthly Empowerment Morning Meetings hosted at Barclays in Glasgow, sector-specific industry lunches, and three annual awards programmes: the BWS Top 100 Awards, Women in Finance Awards, and the newly launched Women in Law Awards. The company also runs the FoundHer Place podcast with co-host Stacy Campbell and, since 2022, has operated the franchised sister brand Business Women Connections (with territories in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow) as a licensing distribution model.

Name

BUSINESS WOMEN SCOTLAND LTD

Legal name

Business Women Scotland Ltd

Website

https://bwsltd.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Business Women Scotland operates a Glasgow-based membership, events, and awards community for women entrepreneurs and professionals in Scotland, anchored by its Programme for Growth subscription, sector-specific awards, and the Business Women Connections franchise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Subscriptions: BWS generates recurring revenue through annual membership subscriptions (Programme for Growth), providing access to exclusive content, networking events, coaching sessions, and a business directory.
2. Event Tickets: Revenue from ticket sales for empowerment meetings, industry lunches, workshops, and awards ceremonies.
3. Awards and Sponsorships: Revenue generated through awards event tickets (single and table purchases) and sponsorship arrangements with partners.
4. Business Women Connections Franchise: In 2022, BWS launched a franchise-based sister organization, Business Women Connections, allowing women to run local business communities under the BWS brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Business Women Scotland operates a year-round membership community for women entrepreneurs and professionals in Scotland, anchored by the Programme for Growth subscription which provides expert coaching, a curated business directory, exclusive content, and event discounts. The organisation also runs sector-focused awards programmes (BWS Top 100, Women in Finance, Women in Law), monthly in-person empowerment meetings, industry lunches, and a podcast. A sister franchise brand, Business Women Connections, enables local women to run community events under the BWS brand.

Product overview

Business Women Scotland operates a community platform offering a Programme for Growth membership as its core product, complemented by sector-specific awards (BWS Top 100, Women in Finance, Women in Law), the FoundHer Place podcast, and Empowerment Morning Meetings/Industry Lunches networking events. The company also operates a franchise model (Business Women Connections) for local event delivery. The offering is a unified community and membership platform rather than a modular software architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FoundHer Place: Podcast for women turning bold ideas into thriving businesses, hosted by Lynne Kennedy MBE and Stacy Campbell.
• Programme for Growth

Products and services

• Programme for Growth Membership Subscription membership giving women business owners access to monthly group coaching with Yvonne Webb (Action Coach), inspirational guest speakers, an expert business directory, 10% discount on BWS events, 90-day business planning workshops, and member-only resources.
• BWS Top 100 Awards Annual flagship awards ceremony recognising 100 outstanding women in business across Scotland through 10 dedicated categories celebrating excellence, innovation, leadership, and impact.
• BWS Women in Finance Awards Annual awards event celebrating the achievements of women working across the finance sector in Scotland, including banking, investment, fintech, and financial services.
• BWS Women in Law Awards Annual awards event recognising excellence among women working across the legal profession in Scotland, supported by the Law Society of Scotland.
• FoundHer Place: Scaling Businesses Podcast Podcast series featuring real stories of women scaling their businesses, hosted by Lynne Kennedy MBE and Stacy Campbell, distributed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
• Business Women Connections Franchise Franchise-based sister organisation enabling women to run their own local business networking communities under the Business Women Connections brand.
• Empowerment Morning Meetings Monthly in-person networking events held on the first Tuesday of each month at Barclays in Glasgow, providing women in business with a regular space to connect, share, and grow.
• Industry Lunches Sector-focused networking lunch events bringing together women from specific industries for connection, learning, and inspiration.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Business GatewaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScottish business support organization featured in BWS 'Companies We Work With' section, providing resources and support for women in business.
• DSL Business FinancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured as a partner company; presented at Scaling for Growth event on finance foundations and cash flow for scaling businesses.
• BarclayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue sponsor for Empowerment Morning Meetings (held at Barclays, Glasgow) and events including Scaling for Growth. Supporting female entrepreneurs through Invest in Women Taskforce fund.
• CFO CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of BWS 'Companies We Work With' network of business support partners.
• McKee Campbell Morrison SolicitorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented legal strategy sessions at Scaling for Growth event; co-hosts podcast FoundHer Place with Lynne Kennedy.
• Plimbley AssociatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor for BWS Women in Law Awards; featured in 'Companies We Work With' section.
• DMK FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Women in Law Connections Lunch; part of BWS partner network.
• Finders InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured partner company; supports BWS community events.
• Scottish EDGEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvelyn Macdonald from Scottish EDGE presented at Scaling for Growth event on what investors look for in funding decisions.
• ActionCOACH (Yvonne Webb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides monthly group coaching for Programme for Growth members; leads 90-Day Business Planning (GrowthCLUB) workshops.
• Law Society of ScotlandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting body for Women in Law Awards Scotland and Women in Law Connections Lunch events.
• CBI ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichelle Ferguson OBE, CBI Scotland Director, is guest speaker at Women in Law Connections Lunch; supported by CBI Scotland.
• Sarah HaranminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury handbag brand founder; part of BWS 'Companies We Work With' network.
• WILSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting partner for Women in Law Awards Scotland.
• SW DigitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital agency partner in BWS 'Companies We Work With' network.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Cherie Blair Foundation for Women: Global non-profit supporting women entrepreneurs with training, mentoring, and networking programmes; comparable audience and mission but operates as a foundation rather than a paid community business.

Direct peers

• Athena Network: International women's business networking organisation running local chapter meetings, speaker events, and member directories; directly comparable membership and in-person networking model.
• Business Chicks: Women's business community offering events, paid membership content, and conferences for female founders and professionals; comparable community and events model anchored on a strong founder/brand.
• WEConnect International: Global network connecting women-owned businesses to corporate buyers through events, certifications, and a member directory; similar women-in-business focus and member-led community structure.
• AllBright: London-based members' club for women offering coworking, networking events, talks and a mentor programme; directly comparable women-in-business membership and events model to BWS.
• Forward Ladies: UK-based network and awards platform for women in business running regional events, awards ceremonies, and a member community; operates the same sector and serves the same audience as BWS.
• Everywoman: UK organisation running awards and development programmes for women in business, including leadership events and a recognition platform; comparable mission and member value proposition to BWS.

Emerging players

• We Are Rosie: Community-based freelance marketplace and network for women in marketing and creative work; comparable women-focused professional network but with a marketplace revenue model rather than memberships and events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=Wh_4jCaj7Tc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/business-women-scotland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BUSINESS WOMEN SCOTLAND LTD