Yorkshire Founder Launches Business Directory to Champion Women-Owned Businesses

Yorkshire Founder Launches Business Directory to Champion Women-Owned Businesses

A Yorkshire entrepreneur has launched a new online business directory to help women-owned businesses gain visibility, attract customers and connect with new opportunities.

The Connect Business Directory was created by Corinna Nicol, founder of Connect Women in Biz, a Yorkshire-based women’s business community that supports more than 2,400 women through networking events, coworking sessions, workshops, business growth programmes and online communities.

The directory launched with overwhelming demand, attracting more than 100 women-owned businesses within its first 24 hours.

Today, the platform features more than 140 businesses from across the UK, spanning industries including health and wellbeing, coaching, photography, marketing, legal services, retail, hospitality and professional services.

Based in Yorkshire, Connect Women in Biz currently hosts regular networking events in Wakefield, Leeds and Harrogate, with plans to expand into Ripon and Sheffield later this year. The community runs between two and three events every week and has supported hundreds of women to grow their businesses through connection, collaboration and practical business support.

Corinna created the directory after seeing first-hand how many talented women struggle to gain visibility despite offering exceptional products and services.

“Every week I meet women who are doing incredible work, but many don’t have large marketing budgets or huge audiences behind them,” said Corinna.

“I wanted to create something affordable that would help women get seen, while also making it easier for consumers to discover and support women-owned businesses.

“The response has been amazing. Seeing more than 100 businesses join within the first 24 hours showed just how much demand there is for greater visibility, connection and support.”

The Connect Business Directory allows business owners to create a dedicated profile showcasing their services, website, social media links and contact details, helping potential customers find and connect with them more easily.

The launch comes at a time when increasing numbers of women are starting businesses and building independent careers, while consumers are becoming more intentional about where they spend their money and who they choose to support.

Alongside helping businesses increase their visibility, the platform has also become a space that encourages collaboration, referrals and partnerships between female founders.

“One of the things I love most about our community is seeing women genuinely support one another,” said Corinna.

“This directory isn’t just about being listed online. It’s about creating opportunities, building relationships and helping more women create sustainable, successful businesses.”

Since launching Connect Women in Biz, Corinna has built one of Yorkshire’s fastest-growing communities for female founders. Through regular events, online communities, business support programmes and strategic collaborations, the organisation has helped hundreds of women increase their visibility, build meaningful connections and grow their businesses.

With the success of the directory and continued growth of the community, Connect Women in Biz plans to expand its reach further across Yorkshire, creating even more opportunities for women to connect, collaborate and grow.

The Connect Business Directory is now open to new members.