Yorkshire Founder Builds Community Of 2,400 Women Business Owners And Announces Regional Expansion

A Yorkshire business owner who started a networking community to help women feel less alone in business has grown it into a thriving network of more than 2,400 female founders across the region and beyond.

Corinna Nicol, founder of Connect Women in Biz, started the community in 2019 after recognising that many women running businesses were struggling with isolation, lack of support and limited opportunities to build meaningful local connections.

Today, Connect Women in Biz hosts regular networking events, coworking sessions, workshops, photoshoots, memberships and business growth programmes, supporting hundreds of women-owned businesses across Yorkshire.

The community currently runs events in Leeds, Harrogate and Wakefield, as well as online, with plans to expand further afield as demand continues to grow.

“We’ve created something that feels very different to traditional networking,” said Corinna.

“Many women tell me they have walked into our events feeling nervous, overwhelmed or like they don’t fit into typical business spaces. What we’ve built is a welcoming community where women can be themselves, make genuine connections and grow their businesses alongside other supportive women.”

Connect Women in Biz now hosts two to three events every single week, ranging from relaxed coffee and coworking mornings to evening networking events, workshops and business development experiences.

Alongside the events, Corinna recently launched the Connect Business Directory, an online directory designed to help consumers discover and support women-owned businesses.

The directory attracted more than 100 businesses within the first 24 hours of launching and now showcases more than 140 women-owned businesses from across the UK.

Businesses featured span a wide range of sectors including health and wellbeing, coaching, photography, marketing, retail, legal services, hospitality and professional services.

Corinna believes the growth of the community reflects a wider shift in how women want to build successful businesses.

“People are craving genuine connection more than ever. Women don’t just want another networking event where they hand out business cards. They want relationships, collaboration, support and a sense of belonging.

“When women come together, incredible things happen. Businesses grow faster, opportunities are shared and people realise they don’t have to do everything alone.”

As part of the next stage of growth, Connect Women in Biz is now seeking Community Partners who would like to bring the events into their own local areas under the Connect Women in Biz brand.

The expansion will allow more women across Yorkshire and the UK to access supportive business communities closer to home.

“We’ve supported hundreds of women over the last few years and we’re only just getting started,” said Corinna.

“My vision is to create welcoming spaces where women can connect, collaborate and grow successful businesses without feeling like they have to compete with one another.”