Intelligent SME.tech Issue 36 | Page 9

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Work / life balance the top reason women become entrepreneurs , research says

Work / life balance is a leading driver behind the ‘ marked rise ’ in the number of women founding businesses across the UK , according to research from Small Business Britain .

The research revealed that 39 % of female entrepreneurs launched their business in order to improve their work / life balance .

It was also found that 25 % jumped into entrepreneurship having reassessed their careers after having children , while 30 % became entrepreneurs to take greater control over where they worked .

Sue Mountford , CEO of Team ITG , said : “ Entrepreneurship offers women a powerful way to build a career that works for them , and that applies to both starting a business as well as climbing the ladder within an organisation . It is important to find yourself in an environment with flexibility and empathy to support shifting working hours , returning to work after children and general workplace support .”

Partnership to help merchants streamline shipping and warehouse operations

ShipStation , a leading cloudbased e-commerce shipping solution , has announced a partnership with PULPO , a leading provider of cloudbased warehouse management systems ( WMS ), to power merchants with the warehouse and shipping solutions they need to grow their business . The partnership between ShipStation and PULPO is now live in the UK , France , Germany and North America .

The collaboration sees ShipStation ’ s shipping solution integrate directly with PULPO ’ s WMS , allowing merchants to easily optimise their e-commerce and logistics operations . Specifically , ShipStation merchants will have instant access to PULPO ’ s powerful WMS that removes the need for manual tasks , increases order processing speed , improves inventory accuracy and reduces order errors .

Simultaneously , PULPO merchants will have access to ShipStation ’ s scalable shipping solution that seamlessly integrates with their warehouse processing , automates shipping , provides access to discounted carrier rates and offers increased visibility on deliveries .

IN4 Group generates over £ 14 million of social impact in the UK

An award-winning technology group has delivered £ 14.3 million of social and economic impact in 2023 , demonstrating the importance of balancing commercial business success with social responsibility .

IN4 Group , headquartered in MediaCity , Salford , UK , has experienced rapid growth of 1,000 % in revenue from £ 500,000 in 2020 , and a 2,000 % increase in profitability , as it has expanded operations across the North West , the Midlands and internationally .

According to the Social Impact Report produced by Social Value Business in partnership with the Social Value Quality Mark CIC , for every £ 1 invested in the group ’ s programmes , there is a social return on investment of £ 5.42 , with a total of £ 14,271,197 generated on behalf of its stakeholders . This is a significant increase of more than three times the value of social impact compared to the previous year of £ 4.6 million .