In this article
Girls' confidence drops sharply between ages 11 and 14, according to Girlguiding's Girls' Attitudes Survey – even though their actual capabilities remain equal to or higher than boys'. The cause isn't ability. It's three cultural factors: lack of visible female role models, gendered language, and an education system that wasn't designed with them in mind.
Key Takeaways
- At age 10–11, girls and boys show no significant difference in confidence – by 14, a clear gap opens
- 81% of young people can't name a single female entrepreneur (Santander, 2020)
- Only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs is female – closing the gap could add £250bn to the economy (Rose Review, 2019)
- Many girls don't identify with 'entrepreneur' but respond to 'creator' or 'problem-solver'
- Three things that work: visible role models, early hands-on experience, inclusive language
At age 10, girls and boys have almost identical levels of confidence and ambition. They both want to create things, solve problems, and build something of their own. By 14, a gap has opened up that will take most women decades to close – if they ever do.
The question isn't whether girls are capable. The question is why we keep losing them. And the answer has nothing to do with ability. It's about visibility, language, and a system that was never designed with them in mind.
This article unpacks the research, explores the root causes, and – most importantly – outlines what actually works to change the trajectory.
The confidence drop
Between ages 11 and 14, something shifts. Girls who were once brimming with creative ideas start to pull back. They stop volunteering answers in class. They describe their ideas as "silly" or "probably rubbish." They watch boys pitch with unearned confidence and assume those boys must know something they don't.
Girlguiding's Girls' Attitudes Survey 2024 found that 59% of girls aged 11–21 feel concerned about their confidence levels. Research from Understanding Society confirmed that while there is no significant confidence difference between girls and boys at age 10–11, from age 12 onwards girls' confidence drops significantly below boys'.
This isn't a talent problem. It's a perception problem. Girls aren't becoming less capable – they're becoming less confident in capabilities they already have.
The confidence gap is compounded by puberty, social pressure, and a heightened awareness of what other people think. At the exact moment when girls need more encouragement to take risks, the world around them is subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) telling them to play it safe.
The visibility problem
Ask a child to name a famous entrepreneur and you'll almost certainly hear: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg. Ask them to name a female entrepreneur and most will struggle.
A 2020 Santander study found that 81% of young people aged 11–18 cannot name a single female entrepreneur. Not one. This isn't because female founders don't exist – it's because they're systematically invisible in education, media, and culture.
This isn't because female entrepreneurs don't exist – there are thousands of extraordinary ones. It's because the media, education system, and cultural narratives consistently centre male founders. When girls can't see women who look like them building businesses, the unconscious message is clear: this world isn't for you.
"You can't be what you can't see. And right now, most girls can't see themselves in the stories we tell about business."
That's exactly why we built our Role Models library – 250+ real women and girls who've built real businesses, across every sector imaginable. From Anne Boden (Starling Bank) to teenage app developers, these stories show girls the full spectrum of what's possible.
The language problem
The word "entrepreneur" itself is part of the problem. Research suggests that many girls and women don't identify with the term "entrepreneur" even when they're actively running businesses. The word has become associated with a specific archetype: aggressive, risk-taking, disruptive – traits culturally coded as masculine.
But when you use words like "problem-solver," "creator," "changemaker," or "founder," suddenly more girls see themselves in the conversation. The activity is the same. The label changes everything.
This extends to how we describe success. The dominant narrative is about "disruption," "crushing it," and "scaling fast." But many of the most successful female founders describe their journeys in terms of community, purpose, solving real problems, and building something sustainable. Neither narrative is wrong – but when only one is told, half the population can't see themselves in it.
The Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship (2019) found that only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs is female. Closing this gap could add £250 billion to the UK economy. The pipeline starts in childhood.
The system problem
The UK national curriculum includes almost no entrepreneurship education before GCSE level. By the time students encounter business studies as an option at 14, many girls have already decided "business isn't for me." The window closes before the door even opens.
Even when entrepreneurship is taught, it's often taught in a way that doesn't resonate with girls. Case studies feature male founders. Competition-based formats (like Dragons' Den-style pitching) favour confident extroverts. Collaborative, purpose-driven approaches – which research shows girls respond to more strongly – are rarely used.
This is why we created free resources for educators – lesson plans, activities, and AI-generated teaching materials designed to bring entrepreneurship into classrooms from age 7, in ways that engage all students.
What actually works
The research points to three interventions that consistently move the needle:
Visible, diverse role models
When girls see women who look like them running businesses, their self-perception shifts. This effect is strongest when the role models are relatable – not just billionaire outliers, but everyday founders solving real problems. Stories from women of different ages, backgrounds, and industries show girls the full spectrum of what's possible.
Early, hands-on experience
Girls who get to try entrepreneurship – even through simple activities like a classroom market stall or a mini business challenge – develop lasting confidence. The experience needs to come before the self-doubt sets in, ideally by age 10–11. Waiting until GCSEs is too late for many girls.
Language that includes them
Reframing entrepreneurship as creative problem-solving, social impact, and community building – rather than aggressive competition and disruption – brings more girls into the conversation without watering down the content. It's not about lowering the bar. It's about widening the door.
What parents can do right now
You don't need to wait for schools to change. Here are five things parents can do today:
Name it: If your daughter made something and sold it, tell her she's a founder. Use the language. Make it real.
Share stories: Talk about female founders at the dinner table. Read their stories together. Show her women who look like her building real businesses.
Let her lead: If she has a business idea, resist the urge to take over. Ask questions instead of giving answers. Let her make mistakes and learn from them.
Celebrate effort, not perfection: Praise the process – the research, the iteration, the problem-solving – not just the outcome.
Give her tools: Resources like our free courses and interactive tools let her explore at her own pace, without judgement or grades.
The bottom line
The confidence gap isn't inevitable. It's constructed – by the stories we tell, the language we use, and the opportunities we create (or don't). Every girl who's told "you could start a business" instead of "that's a nice hobby" is a potential founder saved.
"The problem isn't that girls can't be entrepreneurs. It's that nobody told them they already are."
At We Can Be, we're building the infrastructure to change this at scale – 250+ role models, free tools that build real skills, structured courses, and educator resources. Because the pipeline of future female founders starts with the stories we tell girls today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do girls lose confidence during their teenage years?
Girlguiding's Girls' Attitudes Survey consistently finds that girls' confidence, happiness, and self-belief decline sharply between ages 7 and 14. In 2024, 59% of girls aged 11–21 reported feeling concerned about their confidence levels. This is driven by a combination of factors including lack of visible female role models, gendered language, social media pressures, and educational environments that don't actively encourage girls to take risks.
What percentage of UK businesses are founded by women?
According to the Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, commissioned by the UK Treasury in 2019, only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs is female. The review estimated that closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship could add £250 billion to the UK economy. The gap starts in teenage years when girls' confidence in their abilities begins to decline.
How can we help girls maintain confidence through adolescence?
Three evidence-based approaches work: First, increase visibility of diverse female role models so girls can see themselves represented. Second, provide hands-on creative and entrepreneurial experiences from age 7+ rather than waiting until secondary school. Third, change the language – many girls don't identify with words like 'entrepreneur' but respond to 'problem-solver', 'creator', or 'changemaker'. Meeting girls where they are, linguistically and culturally, is crucial.
What does the Girlguiding Girls' Attitudes Survey tell us about girls' confidence?
Girlguiding's annual Girls' Attitudes Survey, which has tracked girls' views since 2009, consistently shows a decline in confidence during adolescence. In 2024, 59% of girls aged 11–21 said they felt concerned about their confidence levels. In 2023, only 17% of girls aged 7–21 reported feeling happy. Research from Understanding Society found no significant difference in confidence between boys and girls at age 10–11, but from age 12 onwards girls' confidence drops significantly below boys'.
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Social media's double edge
Social media is often blamed for the confidence crisis – and it's true that comparison culture, perfectionism, and online bullying take a toll. Girlguiding's 2024 survey found that sexism and misogyny are exacerbating a confidence crisis in girls as young as 7. But social media is also one of the most powerful tools for young female founders.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have democratised entrepreneurship. You don't need a shop, a factory, or an investor. You need a phone, an idea, and the confidence to share it. Some of the most successful young female founders built their entire businesses through social content.
The challenge is ensuring girls use social media as a launchpad rather than a mirror. When they shift from consuming to creating – from comparing themselves to others to building something of their own – social media becomes an asset, not a threat.