The House of Lords became a platform for powerful conversations around female entrepreneurship as the Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAS) hosted its prestigious Westminster Reception, bringing together founders, business leaders, policymakers, industry experts and allies from across the UK.
Against the backdrop of the Thames and Westminster, women spoke openly about the realities of building ambitious businesses in environments where barriers still exist.
This was not simply an afternoon of celebration. It was a room full of women challenging outdated perceptions, confronting inequality and pushing for greater access to investment, procurement opportunities, leadership positions and commercial visibility.
Sponsored by Baroness Valentine and attended by Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the reception brought together influential voices from business, politics and enterprise for an afternoon defined by honesty, ambition and action.
Whilst guests enjoyed Pimms on the terrace alongside an elegant afternoon tea, conversations tackled the real issues still affecting women in business today. From gender pay gaps and caring responsibilities, to ageism, sexism, underrepresentation in supply chains and the pressure of scaling businesses whilst carrying disproportionate responsibilities outside work, speakers addressed the realities many female founders continue to face.
Keynote speaker Theo Paphitis, entrepreneur, retail leader and long-time champion of small businesses, spoke passionately about seizing opportunities, backing yourself and taking action before everything feels “perfect”. His message was simple “Make money, have fun… and don’t forget to make money.”
Paphitis has partnered with the EVAS through the Theo Paphitis #SBS Small Business Award after EVAS founder Coral Horn spent years pursuing the collaboration, recognising shared values around entrepreneurship, accessibility and championing small businesses.
The event also welcomed Harriet Hastings, founder of Biscuiteers, who shared honest and relatable reflections on scaling a business, navigating setbacks and why failure should never be feared. Guests were also treated to a bespoke EVAS Westminster biscuit created by Biscuiteers especially for event, adding a personal touch to the afternoon. Her message resonated strongly throughout the event; don’t fear failure, be prepared to change the plan and understand that building a successful business takes drive, energy and resilience.
A powerful panel discussion titled Growing Pains explored the realities of business growth and scaling sustainably. Panellists included Alex Beardsley of Debeo, Ann Elisabeth Seach of Liberty360, Christine Nichols of Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics, Kate Morement of Restore Compliance and Ruby Raut of WUKA. Discussions ranged from procurement and supply chains to leadership, resilience, visibility and creating more opportunities for women-led businesses, alongside a strong message encouraging women not to downplay their ambitions or limit the scale of what they believe is possible.
Guests described the reception as “a pinch-me moment” and praised the event for combining high-level business conversations with a warm, welcoming and relatable atmosphere.
One attendee said “There was such a strong sense of community in the room. People weren’t there just to network, they were there to champion each other.”
The reception forms part of the wider EVAS movement and the launch of SheChain Live, a new initiative designed to help put women at the centre of the supply chain by connecting founders with buyers, procurement teams, partners, media and industry leaders.
EVAS founder Coral Horn said “We are not just creating awards ceremonies or networking events. We are creating access, visibility and opportunities for women who deserve to be in these rooms and shaping these conversations. Women are tired of waiting quietly for permission. They are building businesses, creating jobs, driving innovation and challenging systems that were never designed with them in mind.”
She added “This event didn’t happen by chance. We planned it, pushed for it and believed we belonged in those rooms. Seeing female founders, policymakers, investors and allies together at the House of Lords showed exactly why visibility and access matter. I’m a girl from Blackpool with one GCSE, interviewing Theo Paphitis in the House of Lords. If that doesn’t show women what’s possible when you keep going, I don’t know what does.”
Chris Webb MP for Blackpool South also attended the reception in support of the EVAS and its ongoing work championing female entrepreneurship, economic opportunity and enterprise-led growth.
Now in its 15th year, the Enterprise Vision Awards has grown into far more than an awards programme. It has become a national platform championing ambitious women, challenging barriers and creating meaningful opportunities for female-led businesses across the UK.
The conversations started inside the House of Lords will continue this October at the EVAS Awards Ceremony at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens alongside the launch of SheChain Live, a new national initiative focused on opening up supply chain, procurement, investment and commercial opportunities for women-led businesses.
Because the message from Westminster was clear: women are not waiting quietly on the sidelines anymore. They are stepping into influential rooms, shaping conversations, building powerful businesses and driving change.
