Prime Highlight
- Kate Rainford-Foakes, founder of Kate Rainford-Coaching, has been recognised as one of the UK’s 100 most inspiring women in business.
- The award highlights her work mentoring women, building supportive communities, and promoting fair, practical business models.
Key Facts
- Kate Rainford-Coaching, founded in 2024, helps women grow as leaders and navigate career changes through mentoring and practical tools.
- Rainford-Foakes will feature in Small Business Britain’s f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100 campaign, which celebrates female founders driving innovation, growth, and social impact.
Background
A Teddington-based entrepreneur has been named among the UK’s leading female founders for 2026. Kate Rainford-Foakes, founder of Kate Rainford-Coaching, has been recognised as one of the country’s 100 most inspiring women in business.
Rainford-Foakes will feature in Small Business Britain’s f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100 campaign, which highlights women who are running successful businesses while making a positive impact in their communities. The annual campaign celebrates female founders who are driving innovation, growth and social change across the UK.
Kate Rainford-Coaching, founded in 2024, helps women grow as leaders and navigate career changes. Rainford-Foakes has earned recognition for guiding women past common obstacles to starting their own businesses, such as limited time, lack of support, and low confidence. She makes ambition achievable by providing practical tools, mentoring, and a supportive community.
The recognition also shows her dedication to mentoring women, building strong professional communities, and promoting fair and sustainable ways of working. Judges praised her for designing business models that work with real life, not against it.
Responding to the honor, Rainford-Foakes expressed pride in participating in the #IAlso100 campaign. She said many women already have ambition and talent, but often lack systems that support their lives and responsibilities. She added that the campaign shines a light on the value of shared leadership and community.
Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO and Founder of Small Business Britain, said Rainford-Foakes is an inspirational role model. She said the women featured in this year’s line-up show why supporting female founders is vital for both economic growth and wider social impact.
Launched in 2017, the f:Entrepreneur campaign also offers events, training, and networking to help women grow their businesses. Studies suggest the UK economy could gain up to £250 billion if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men.
