The Hidden Cost of Menopause on UK Women Entrepreneurs

🚨 A Simply Business survey of over 900 UK women business owners found that 7% said they’d had to shut down their Business entirely because of the challenges accompanying menopause.

If that figure reflects the wider population of 1.56 million female entrepreneurs /self-employed in the UK (ONS, 2024), it could mean more than 100,000 businesses at risk — along with the livelihoods, services, hopes & dreams women poured into them.

Yet menopause is still rarely recognised as a barrier to entrepreneurship.

When we talk about the challenges women face in Business, the same themes come up: childcare and finance.

But health and wellbeing — particularly the impact of perimenopause and menopause — deserve to be on that list, too.

Impact of Menopause on Women Entrepreneurs (Simply Business, 2023)

7% shut down their business entirely 27% reported a loss in earnings 38% had to reduce their working hours 13% lost customers or clients

Employees vs. Entrepreneurs: A Support Gap

In workplaces, progress is slowly being made. Employees navigating menopause are beginning to see improvements in support thanks to:

• ✅ Management training

• ✅ Menopause policies & action plans

• ✅ Workplace adjustments guided by standards such as BSI BS 30416

  
  

But for solo entrepreneurs, it’s a very different story

.They stand alone.

No HR team. No occupational health. No safety net.

When symptoms strike, the consequences are immediate:

• Lost contracts

• Reduced income or fewer working hours

• In some cases, the complete loss of their livelihood

  
  

A Lesson from Ghana

In my former Business, I imported shea butter made by women’s cooperatives in Ghana.

What struck me was how these cooperatives were supported by associations that provided:

• Warehouses to store shea nuts, reducing wastage

• Saving schemes to ensure a steady income through lean seasons

• Training to strengthen negotiation power when selling shea butter

  
  

That support allowed women to

keep their businesses running,

pay school fees

and benefit from the increased interest in their industry

It was clear: meeting unmet needs was the key to keeping businesses alive.

What the UK Can Learn

The same principle applies here.

By addressing the overlooked needs of entrepreneurs experiencing menopause, we could prevent unnecessary business closures.

That means providing:

• 🔹 Menopause coaching and lifestyle support

• 🔹 Micro-finance or resilience funds to bridge income gaps

• 🔹 Policy recognition that health is as critical as finance or childcare in sustaining Business

  
  

The impact wouldn’t just be personal — it would be national.

📊 The Alison Rose Review revealed that if women scaled their businesses at the same rate as men, the UK economy could see a £250 billion boost to GDP.

Supporting female entrepreneurs in menopause, then, isn’t just a health issue. It’s a good economic statergy

Final Thought

The cost of ignoring menopause in entrepreneurship is high. Supporting rather than sacrificing livelihoods to a natural life stage is surely more preferable.

: What’s the ONE change you would prioritise to support women entrepreneurs during menopause better?

📌 Sources: Simply Business (2023 survey of 900+ women founders); ONS (2024, 1.56m women entrepreneurs); Alison Rose Review.