Being a business owner requires grit and determination on a good day. Being a female founder in the wake of a global pandemic? Even more so.

That's why we've teamed up with HSBC to support female founders looking to scale their businesses. Enter HSBC ROAR, our practical, actionable, and purpose-led programme that provides the insights, connections, and confidence female founders need to supercharge their success.

The HSBC lions are a symbol of success and prosperity. But there's no success and prosperity without that grit and determination we mentioned earlier. And in a pride of lions, it's the lionesses who lift the pack and support each other to thrive amid adversity.

We've said it before, and we'll say it again - sisterhood works. Don't just take our word for it. Take it from these female founders who have been there, done that, and got the t-shirt.

Introducing five women from the latest UK and Egypt HSBC ROAR cohort - Co-Founder of Up-Fuse Yara Yassin, Founder and Partner of The Sustainability Group Alexandra Smith, CEO of SmileTime Natalie Quail, Co-Founder at Bolt Insight Ester Marchetti, and Founder of No. 23 Skin Helen Wyre.

How does it feel to know there's a cohort of female founders in your region who know exactly how you feel and what you're going through?

Co-Founder of Up-Fuse, Yara Yassin

Yara: I feel really happy and safe. It's always good to have references and a safe zone to share fears and successes. Also, I love the communications and side conversations that are born from these cohorts. I believe they are one of the real benefits.

Alexandra: This is so incredibly important, finding a group of women that can discuss openly the challenges, wins, and losses is rare. Understanding how other women have navigated the stages of starting a business, fundraising, and growth is vital - it can be a different game with different rules for women in the investment space and in scaling a business.

Natalie: I think it's definitely a good support system, especially for founders at the beginning of their journey. When I started my oral care brand SmileTime at the end of 2019, I had to build a brand through the pandemic, which was a lonely experience. I had zero background in marketing or brand building, and I taught myself from scratch to build my business to seven figures over the last couple of years. I genuinely believe having support from a like-minded network from the start can really help accelerate that growth, both from a knowledge sharing and confidence perspective and, ultimately, eliminating that feeling every founder has at some point - that we are alone.

Ester: The power of a passionate, inspiring network is incredible. On one side, it really helped me visualise and believe it was possible to be a founder, a mother, and a balanced individual, all thanks to the stories my fellow cohort members shared in the networking session. On the other, it made me understand that those skills we display as women - openness, vulnerability, creativity, persistence - can be the same ones that help us succeed, if only we allow them to be out there in the open.

Helen: Inspiring, reassuring, and less lonely. Founding a business can feel very isolating, even if you have an awesome business partner like I do. You move away from corporate structure, career paths, colleagues, and generally a lot of support and friendships which I took for granted. Aside from being passionate about business and healthcare in general, one of my personal drivers to founding my own business is that freedom from corporate restraints. But the adjustment is not easy. Having a community around me who are asking exactly the same questions rolling around my head makes me feel part of something bigger and spurs me on that the low parts are part of the process as much as the highs.

Founder and Partner of The Sustainability Group, Alexandra Smith

What goals are you hoping to achieve in both a business and personal sense with the help of the HSBC ROAR programme?

Yara: I hope I can find a strategic investor who is passionate about slow fashion and social justice and get connected with decision-makers in the UK to help me launch my business there at the right time. On a personal level, I really need to listen to successful women to fuel myself to keep going. In addition, my business is growing and I am facing uncommon issues that the speakers tackle, so this is helping me to find creative ways to face the current challenges.

Alexandra: We are currently raising funds and the support from the HSBC ROAR programme around the pitching process and dealing with investors has been hugely useful in helping to provide the tools needed to form a successful raise. Personally, I have enjoyed meeting other founders, creating a network, and gaining confidence through the knowledge shared.

Natalie: From a business perspective, knowledge sharing is key to help accelerate working through any blockers that other founders might have already found solutions to. Personally, I definitely see the program as an opportunity to connect with a like-minded community, experiencing the same struggles and successes.

Ester: I have been yearning for some time to be part of a female founder community - the mentorship, companionship, and shared experiences, the creativity and innovation it can bring. Therefore, I am mostly looking for inspiration, connection, and networking.

Helen: I hope to be able to build connections, understand opportunities, and generally keep learning about business. I'm curious by nature and business fascinates me. Being part of something that exposes me to a diverse range of businesses and ways of operating can only be a good thing. Ultimately, I hope it will help make my business a greater success and give me the tools to keep growing in the right direction, but also the tools and connections to lean on should additional support be needed. A good example of this is the first HSBC ROAR session. I was just in the position where I needed to raise funds again and feeling particularly low about it - feeling like a failure for requiring additional investment. Hearing others speak of their own experiences in this area gave me confidence but also practical advice to get back out there and seek the funds.

CEO of SmileTime, Natalie Quail

35% of female founders have experienced gender bias when raising capital. What has been your biggest barrier to accessing capital as a female entrepreneur so far?

Yara: It goes without saying that investors fear women, although all the stories I hear are about men taking investors' money and spending it by getting themselves personal assets. My issue with accessing capital was my own insecurity that my business deserves a jump because I have never seen a woman accessing funds on her own. But now, and after 3 years of this internet struggle, I am sure that my business and myself are capable of taking big steps from the experience me and my team have from bootstrapping and persistence.

Alexandra: As a mixed-gender co-founding team, we have had some interesting hurdles and barriers to contend with. I would say the biggest barrier is the authority gap, the questions that are directed to each of us are often slightly different. I know research has shown it is more likely women will be challenged when expressing either opinions or facts and that any missteps or misinformation will be noticed. However, it is nice to remind people that studies also show that female-led teams can increase shareholder value, be more inclusive, more profitable, and create better workplaces. So, it is important we work it to our advantage.

Natalie: So far, at SmileTime, we have bootstrapped our revenue from £0 to £2.5 million profitably. Therefore, to date, we have not yet needed to access capital externally. However, I anticipate one of the main barriers will be convincing investors of commitment as well as having a family.

Ester: My experience has luckily been positive. At Bolt Insight, we are a mixed team in terms of gender, background, and cultures, and that has always been our strength. In our early conversations with VCs whilst looking for funding, our experience, profile, and clear passion for what we do has spoken for itself, and we have found a very receptive audience, finally raising capital with 212 VC. Female founders can be a real asset, thanks to our customer centricity, ability to create with empathy, and persistence in achieving one milestone after another without losing focus. But at the end of the day, my experience is that if you work with diversity at your core and focus on expertise, vision, and execute with resilience, the sky is the limit.

Helen: I haven't found this the case. Contrary to the stats, I don't feel my gender disadvantages me. I respect that some people find this hasn't been the case, but the way I see it, I am passionate about what I do, driven, and seek the right advice at the right time, so I have the knowledge supporting me in difficult conversations. I have also learnt to say no to investors if they are seeking deals that don't work for me. But, in honesty, this comes from learning everything I can from people who have done it before. If I struggle to raise from one area, I go away and reflect on why, and what it means, rather than think about gender. My biggest barrier I would say has been knowing where to go to get that finance in the first place.

Co-Founder at Bolt Insight, Ester Marchetti

In a pride of lions, the lionesses lift the pack and support each other to thrive amid adversity. What women have inspired, supported, and lit the way for you on your entrepreneurial journey?

Yara: Of course, my mentor is a woman. She has managed to be a mentor to us, a doctor in Engineering, a caring friend, and a warm mother. My current partner has inspired me to never stop doing what I love and she never fails to keep me focused. My ex-partner inspired me to know what I really want and what my core values are, in addition to helping me tap into my potential as a social businesswoman. I am surrounded by strong women who inspire me to be the current best version of myself.

Alexandra: There have been so many women who have had a positive impact on me and helped to drive my enthusiasm towards becoming a founder. My first thought of those that have inspired me is a little cliche but it's my mother. She has no idea what I really do, but I have seen her work hard throughout my life, pick up whatever opportunities were shown to her, and make the best of any situation. Dee Caffari is a record-breaking round-the-world sailor, who is equal parts amazing and badass. Just being in her orbit is pretty special - the way she approaches challenges with confidence, focuses on the big goals, and brings together particular skills to her leadership and teamwork is something I admire hugely and have done my best to learn from and emulate. Our first employee Polly Milne is the most organised, generous, and intelligent woman I think I have had the pleasure to work with. We simply could not have grown the business we have without her knowledge, passion, and humour because sometimes it's hard and you need both help and the giggles. All this, whilst she completes her Masters in Sustainable Development and absolutely rocks being a mother to two brilliant girls.

Natalie: Key women who have inspired my journey are Founder of Bumble Whitney Wolfe, Bobbi Brown, and Marcia Kilgore. They have all founded successful brands from scratch, managed to iterate with time, and adapt to a rapidly changing consumer environment.

Ester: I have been extremely lucky in my career, as I have been coached by brilliant male and female managers that have supported both my individual career aspirations and my need for flexibility after I had my little ones. To them, I will be always grateful. A special mention goes to my friend, colleague, and mentor Helen Evans, CEO and Founder of The Listening People, with whom I have shared my journey into parenthood and into a career shift from employee to founder, providing me with endless opportunities, support, and an intelligent, compassionate sounding board all the way through. I want to believe there is enough out there for all and am looking forward to supporting and being supported by this fantastic community. I think the statement 'rise by lifting others' - as Edwina Dunn rightly said in one of the HSBC ROAR sessions - is definitely at the core of my philosophy!

Helen: My first boss. She set me on the path to entrepreneurship and 20 years later I have given it a go. It was the first time I had experienced having a woman at the top of the tree. I thought, wow, she has created something great, where people love to work - and she has a family. I was in awe. I've also been inspired by men. Someone I worked with just after Jackie has a small business, not dissimilar to mine. He is just a real human - no corporate games and a really fair guy who has built a business on a great reputation. I try to emulate that in the way I work. I also had a boss at one of my previous jobs in healthcare. She sat around the table and was bright and loud - she was not going to be put in the corner, even if people tried to put her down. With bundles of confidence, I was always inspired by the way she articulated herself with intelligence. Fortunately, she helped me take the next step in my career - she trusted me to deliver on projects, with the support there if I needed it. But the trust gave me confidence to run with something. She has kids, and as a mum of a six-year-old and a two-year-old, I do admire people who can have a career and children. I have a really supportive husband (we split everything 50:50) but I do know some women who would love to do more but have to take on the majority of childcare. Which is hard.

Founder of No. 23 Skin, Helen Wyre

Ready to embrace your inner lioness? The next HSBC ROAR cohort starts in September.

Yes, you read that right. After the roaring success of the first programme, HSBC ROAR is back for round two this year. So, apply today to follow in the footsteps of these five fierce female founders who supercharged their success through the programme's invaluable lessons, unrivalled connections, and exceptional opportunities that entrepreneurs can't find elsewhere.

Still need convincing? get a glimpse of what the programme can do for you and your business by watching the live recordings of these masterclasses and listening to these podcasts. Don't say we don't spoil you.