Female entrepreneurs following in the footsteps of Jo Malone MBE, Hilary Devey CBE, Kelly Hoppen MBE and Cath Kidston MBE are being sought as the 2014 NatWest everywoman Awards open for entry.
The UK’s leading programme for female entrepreneurship has attracted thousands of entries and recognised the achievements of dozens of women in its 12 year history.
At its annual ceremony stories of extraordinary tenacity and determination are brought to the fore as the cream of the business and political worlds celebrate the achievements of the UK’s leading business owners.
There are now almost 1.5 million women self-employed in the UK, which represents an increase of around 300,000 since before the economic downturn. Whilst on the increase, this figure is still disproportionately low compared with the number of male-owned businesses, and the NatWest everywoman Awards aims to address the imbalance, highlighting the achievements of exceptional women of all ages. By raising awareness and creating role models, the Awards’ purpose is to show others that anything is possible and give them the confidence and courage to follow their business dreams.
The NatWest everywoman Awards are free to enter and individuals can be nominated or can enter themselves at www.everywoman.com/ewawards.
Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder of everywoman comments: “With categories according to age we aim to show the development of businesses from the hungry start-ups fuelled by passion and determination through to mature, global organisations that make significant contributions to the economy and employment. We have identified that role models are crucial in their influence of women making decisions about their professional future and these awards are important in highlighting success stories and inspiring future generations of entrepreneurs. The profile attributed by the awards has helped many of our winners and finalists grow their businesses further, and provides valuable networking opportunities.”
