There are now around 1.56 million self-employed women in the UK, an increase of almost 12% over the past decade (money.co.uk). How Can We Help More Armed Forces Women Do the Same?
Across the Armed Forces community, spouses and partners bring valuable skills, experience and ideas. They also face particular challenges in building a working life: frequent moves, caring responsibilities and the demands of service life can make some traditional employment routes difficult to sustain.
Self-employment will not be right for everyone. But it can be one option to explore, alongside employment, training and other forms of support. The important thing is that people can find out what it involves and make an informed choice, with someone alongside them.
At X-Forces Enterprise, we meet spouses and partners who have a skill they could build on, an idea they would like to test, or simply a sense that they may want to work differently. Many do not think of themselves as entrepreneurs. They may be unsure where to begin, whether their idea could work, or who to ask for advice.
That is where patient, specialist support can help.
Making space to explore
Exploring self-employment does not have to mean launching a business straight away. It can begin with a conversation: What skills do I have? Who might need what I can offer? What would I need to learn? How might self-employment fit with my family and service life?
These are useful questions, whether or not someone eventually decides to start a business. A supported first step can help people build knowledge, weigh up the realities and decide what is right for them, without feeling pressured to have a business plan or all the answers.
Supporting the Unsung Hero
X-Forces Enterprise’s Supporting the Unsung Hero programme gives Armed Forces spouses and partners a structured way to explore self-employment. After a Self-Employment Discovery stage, participants can access:
- One-to-one mentoring from experienced business owners
- Enterprise learning to build knowledge and confidence
- Connections with others exploring a similar path
Participants can start with an idea, a skill or a question. The programme is there to help them explore what might be possible and what their next step could be.
A place for enterprise in support services
Organisations across the Armed Forces sector already provide vital support with employment, wellbeing, finances and personal development. Enterprise support can sit alongside that work, offering another route for people whose circumstances or ambitions may not fit a conventional employment path.
It should be offered as a choice, with realistic information and trusted guidance. Starting a business can bring opportunity, but it also involves uncertainty and hard work. Access to experienced mentors and a supportive network can help people consider both sides and make decisions that suit their circumstances.
Many spouses and partners have experience of adapting to change, solving problems and managing competing demands. These strengths may be useful in business, but people should not be expected to turn them into an enterprise without support. They deserve the chance to explore their options at their own pace.
As a sector, we work hard to make sure members of the Armed Forces community can access support that reflects their lives and needs. Self-employment deserves a place in that conversation.
Ren Kapur MBE, Founder and CEO of X-Forces Enterprise, said:
“I want women in the Armed Forces community to know that they can explore a business idea without having everything worked out first. A conversation, some learning or the right mentor can help you understand what might be possible. And you do not have to work it all out on your own.”
Working together to widen access
For organisations supporting Armed Forces spouses and partners, sharing information about enterprise support can help people discover an option they may not have considered. It can complement existing employment, welfare and personal development services.
If your organisation works with Armed Forces families, we would welcome a conversation about Supporting the Unsung Hero and how the programme could reach the people you support.
For more information or to discuss partnership opportunities, contact info@x-forces.com.
