Women who run small businesses are reshaping how they adopt digital tools. Rather than investing in large-scale, costly overhauls, they are opting for practical, incremental steps—guided by peer support and carefully selected technologies. This shift is delivering tangible benefits, including saved time, business growth, and increased confidence. These insights come from the LBC Foundation’s GO DIGITAL report, the first study of its kind in Poland, which explores how women entrepreneurs are approaching digitalisation and how targeted support enables real, measurable change.
The report forms part of the wider GO DIGITAL social campaign and programme led by the LBC Business Women Foundation, with backing from Mastercard Strive and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Beyond strengthening digital skills, GO DIGITAL has influenced how women think about and run their businesses. Since its launch, more than 330,000 women have been introduced to the programme, over 50,000 engaged with its content and resources, and 2,500 received direct support. The initiative proved to be transformative not only in terms of technology, but also mindset. Participants moved away from the belief that digitalisation is only for large organisations or IT specialists, recognising instead that digital solutions can be simple, affordable, and well-suited to micro-businesses.
This article explores the most important insights and results from the GO DIGITAL initiative in Poland.
Key insights from the report
The findings show that digital transformation is no longer viewed as expensive or overly complex by women-led small businesses. Many participants independently began experimenting with and adopting tools for invoicing, customer communication, sales tracking, and social media management.
Notably:
62% of participants reported improved digital skills, while 59% said they are now more inclined to use online tools. One in three women business owners implemented at least three recommended digital solutions. 57% saved time, 27% reduced operating costs, and 49% experienced customer growth—38% of whom described this increase as significant. 32% adopted three or more tools, including social media management platforms, CRMs, webinar software, and password managers. 65% applied specific GO DIGITAL recommendations within their businesses, extending beyond technology to areas such as work organisation and customer service. 84% rated the programme positively, citing its practical focus, clear messaging, and expert access. Importantly, the impact continued after the campaign ended, with 86% still using digital tools (46% regularly and 38% occasionally). The report forms part of the wider GO DIGITAL social campaign and programme led by the LBC Business Women Foundation, with backing from Mastercard Strive and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Beyond strengthening digital skills, GO DIGITAL has influenced how women think about and run their businesses. Since its launch, more than 330,000 women have been introduced to the programme, over 50,000 engaged with its content and resources, and 2,500 received direct support. The initiative proved to be transformative not only in terms of technology, but also mindset. Participants moved away from the belief that digitalisation is only for large organisations or IT specialists, recognising instead that digital solutions can be simple, affordable, and well-suited to micro-businesses.
This article explores the most important insights and results from the GO DIGITAL initiative in Poland.
Key insights from the report
The findings show that digital transformation is no longer viewed as expensive or overly complex by women-led small businesses. Many participants independently began experimenting with and adopting tools for invoicing, customer communication, sales tracking, and social media management.
Notably:
Access to hands-on implementation guidance and connection with a peer community of women at similar stages of growth emerged as critical success factors.
Beyond the data: confidence, capability, and mindset shift
Digitalisation is as much about mindset as it is about tools. GO DIGITAL helped participants overcome hesitation, build confidence, and see themselves as capable leaders of digital change.
For many women, the programme marked the first time digital technology felt truly accessible. As one participant shared, “This programme gave me confidence. I now look at digitalisation completely differently.” The ability to progress at a comfortable pace, supported by experts who communicated in clear, straightforward language, was essential.
The initiative also challenged long-held assumptions and fears. It reinforced that digital skills are relevant regardless of age or industry. As another participant put it, “I realised I can do this myself—it’s something you can learn.”
Practical support—such as one-on-one consultations, curated tool recommendations, and shared learning within a community—played a decisive role. One participant noted, “Without that support, I wouldn’t have known where to begin.”
The GO DIGITAL community became a powerful space for mutual encouragement and inspiration. As Renata Żukowska, Vice President of the LBC Foundation, explained, “GO DIGITAL is where digitalisation stops feeling foreign and becomes a practical tool for everyday business growth.”
What’s next for GO DIGITAL
The report highlights a crucial insight: the main obstacle to adopting digital tools was not a lack of awareness or knowledge, but challenges around implementation. Women understood what needed to be done, but lacked time, structured guidance, and ongoing support.
To address this, the LBC Foundation recommends:
Introducing mentoring programmes with digital specialists, Creating learning pathways tailored to different skill levels, Including a compulsory cybersecurity training module, Strengthening engagement through follow-up implementation reminders after three months. Beyond the data: confidence, capability, and mindset shift
Digitalisation is as much about mindset as it is about tools. GO DIGITAL helped participants overcome hesitation, build confidence, and see themselves as capable leaders of digital change.
For many women, the programme marked the first time digital technology felt truly accessible. As one participant shared, “This programme gave me confidence. I now look at digitalisation completely differently.” The ability to progress at a comfortable pace, supported by experts who communicated in clear, straightforward language, was essential.
The initiative also challenged long-held assumptions and fears. It reinforced that digital skills are relevant regardless of age or industry. As another participant put it, “I realised I can do this myself—it’s something you can learn.”
Practical support—such as one-on-one consultations, curated tool recommendations, and shared learning within a community—played a decisive role. One participant noted, “Without that support, I wouldn’t have known where to begin.”
The GO DIGITAL community became a powerful space for mutual encouragement and inspiration. As Renata Żukowska, Vice President of the LBC Foundation, explained, “GO DIGITAL is where digitalisation stops feeling foreign and becomes a practical tool for everyday business growth.”
What’s next for GO DIGITAL
The report highlights a crucial insight: the main obstacle to adopting digital tools was not a lack of awareness or knowledge, but challenges around implementation. Women understood what needed to be done, but lacked time, structured guidance, and ongoing support.
To address this, the LBC Foundation recommends:
These steps aim to help women move beyond learning to action—adopting digital solutions gradually, confidently, and with meaningful support. This approach ensures future programmes translate knowledge into lasting impact.
The LBC Foundation, Mastercard Strive, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth emphasise that digital transformation for women-led small businesses is not a passing trend, but a critical necessity. When built on trust, guidance, and room to grow, initiatives like GO DIGITAL can deliver lasting value—even for the smallest enterprises.
The LBC Foundation, Mastercard Strive, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth emphasise that digital transformation for women-led small businesses is not a passing trend, but a critical necessity. When built on trust, guidance, and room to grow, initiatives like GO DIGITAL can deliver lasting value—even for the smallest enterprises.