Supporting women in business
We can help women make it happen
Our small business community is made up of all kinds of entrepreneurs, and we’re dedicated to supporting every single one – especially those who have extra hoops to jump through. That’s why we work with women at each step of their journey to help them take their business wherever they want to go.
We offer help and support on everything from start-up basics to detailed growth plans and funding options – speak to one of our Local Business Managers in store to find out more.
Our latest case studies
Dr Sipra Deb
Nurturing a great business
With our help Dr Sipra Deb secured Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) funding to grow her childcare business – and that was just the beginning.
Glenfields
A family home
Laura Harding expanded her family’s successful care home business, when her Relationship Manager helped her to secure Recovery Loan Scheme funding.
Raymond James
A great investment
Award winning Raymond James, Hitchin branch headed up by Susie Bewell and Faye Silver, is built on their philosophy to ‘make investments available to everyone’.
Foxy Hair
Hair raising growth
Launched by Hayley Fox in 2006, Foxy Hair Extensions has gone from strength to strength now operating as both an online and salon based business.
2to3 days
Female focused careers network
2to3 days was founded by Juliet Turnbull, to support and inspire women looking for career progression with the flexibility to manage personal and home commitments too.
WagIt
Pawsome service for dogs
Entrepreneur and owner of WagIt, Nadia Leguel shares the inspiration behind the launch of WagIt and what happened after starring on BBC’s Dragons’ Den.
We’re committed to the Investing in Women Code
The Investing in Women Code is a commitment made by companies in the finance industry to make it easier for female entrepreneurs to access resources and funding, so we can create a business environment that helps more women succeed.
An independent review by Alison Rose in 2019 found that:
- only one in three entrepreneurs in the UK are women
- the ratio of female to male entrepreneurs has dropped in recent years
- women are less likely to start a business, and less likely to scale up if they do
- female-led businesses are less than half the size of male-led businesses on average.
We signed up to the Investing in Women Code because inclusion is a key part of our culture, and because we work with small business owners day in and day out. This puts us in a brilliant position to support and grow the female business community, and help turn these stats around.
Read our latest new stories
More women than men start new businesses - but access to funding remains a challenge
Our local ambassadors
Kerry Reynolds
Area Director and Committee Chair
07812 670 604
Bridgeen Stone
Central London
07813 457 580
Sombol Tayer
West of England
07977 200 044
Sammie Zejnuli
South of England
07970 736 485
Rachel Fletcher
Midlands, West of England and Wales
07976 649 807
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to open a Business Bank Account?
Just pop into your local Metro Bank store with a few documents. For the full list of what to bring, read our handy guide to opening a Metro Bank Business Account.
Is it easy to switch everything over from my current business account?
Yes, we switch everything over for you. We can switch Direct Debits and standing orders in 7 days, subject to terms and conditions.
Any payments to your old business bank account will automatically reroute to your Metro Bank Business Bank Account for 3 years (36 months). We’ll also let the sender know your new details.
With this option your old business account will be permanently closed. If this doesn’t sound right for you, talk to us about a partial switch instead.
Do you offer specialist services in specific industries?
Yes. We have specialist teams in a range of sectors, including financial services, hospitality and leisure, property, and charities and not-for-profits.