Entrepreneur’s free support network reaches 25,000 women and puts her in running for top award

An entrepreneurial Edinburgh mum who started a free Facebook group to support fellow women in business is in the running for a top award after building a community that now reaches around 25,000 people.

Niki Hutchison has been named as one of six finalists in the Women’s Champion category of the Digital Women Awards 2022 after her huge success in offering online support.

The 43-year-old started her group in 2017 when she set up The Simplicity Concept to help support women in business. Two years later she rebranded to her own name and niched down to focus on supporting entrepreneurial women to grow their audiences and succeed in their chosen field

Before the Covid-19 pandemic struck with disastrous consequences for many budding firms,, Niki, a mother-of-two, hosted in-person networking events.

But like many others across the world during the pandemic, Niki pivoted online and now focuses on running a free Facebook group named The Audience Growth Collective, a weekly podcast called the Audience Growth Podcast and a group programme called the Audience Growth Club. She also runs her marketing agency, Enjoy Marketing. With thousands of members and many more followers on social media platforms, she is reaching up to 25,000 women every week.

The ambitious entrepreneur said she first set up the community to grow her own support network and create opportunities to work with other women, helping them grow their businesses as well.

Niki added: “I needed a new challenge and I was really keen to surround myself with like-minded women in my working life. Entrepreneurial women growing all sorts of businesses are now part of the community. They live all across the UK and beyond and are ambitious, determined and inclusive. They want to support each other on the journey.

“I believe in the potential of everyone and we all have to start somewhere. I benefited from lots of free advice when I first started in business and have gone on to invest regularly in further support.

“I see the power of community in action again and again; sometimes women will be part of the community for years before being in a position to work with me."

To find out more visit www.nikihutchison.com