Highland Opportunity encouraging female entrepreneurs to take advantage of visit by America’s first lady of Women’s Angels.

Issued on behalf of Highland Opportunity

Highland Opportunity is encouraging business women in the Highlands to attend forthcoming seminars featuring America’s ‘First Lady’ of Women Angels in a bid to create a stronger network of Scottish female investors.

Susan Preston will be in Edinburgh on August 27 and 28 to lead two exciting sessions for Scotland’s female entrepreneurs going for growth, and to inspire more women to become business angels.

Chief Executive of Highland Opportunity, Marie Mackintosh believes the events could prove invaluable and offer women in business in the Highlands a chance to benefit from one of the most experienced women angels in the world.

She said: “We are constantly hearing how difficult it is for small businesses to raise finance to start up and grow and many people may not have considered seeking private investment.  It is not just for the big boys and needn’t involve huge sums of money; it could be an alternative worth exploring.

“These seminars offer a unique opportunity for women in Scotland to hear from a world leading authority on how to prepare for and present your business for growth investment, and what becoming an angel investor involves. I would encourage female entrepreneurs in the Highlands and Moray to take part.”

Scotland’s businesses and our economy need new funds for growth. Many women have the potential to engage in angel networks but may not be aware of the opportunities. Many of Scotland’s women entrepreneurs have growth capacity, which could be accelerated through investment.

Investing Women is a new and growing community leading change to help more women learn about angel investing; both as would be angels and entrepreneurs for growth.

Marie added: “There are too few women angels in Scotland and too few women entrepreneurs accessing angel investment. What we can see from the US is that women now represent 22% of the angel community and seminars like Susan’s are all about raising awareness in an attempt to change the situation here in Scotland.”

Susan is a world recognised expert in angel financing and author of numerous articles, white papers and books, including her most recent, Angel Financing For Entrepreneurs. She was the Entrepreneur-In-Residence with the Kauffman Foundation for six years, specialising in angel investing and women entrepreneurs. She is also the architect of the Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs Act, just re-introduced in the US Congress.

She will lead two events:

This day is for female entrepreneurs with growth aspiration. The aim is to build a sense of the value and growth potential of the business, how to prepare for investment and how to develop a strong pitch..

This day is aimed at women who are interested in finding out more about what being an angel investor involves. Participants do not need to have experience as investors nor be certain that they want to be one. The objective is learning: what are the advantages and pitfalls; how to examine the potential; the importance of supporting young businesses for the Scottish economy. For those who are keen to progress their interest this is a rare opportunity to learn from one of the top US specialists and the pioneer of woman in angel investing.

http://investingwomen2.eventbrite.co.uk

If you are a woman in business or an aspiring entrepreneur in the Highlands and would like to attend these events then simply sign up through the website.  If you want further information about coordinated transport or accommodation then contact Lesley Allan on 01463 713889 or email her lesley.allan@highland-opportunity.com

Ends

29 Jul 2013