smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Self-employed mothers are being invited to enter the first ever ‘Inspirational Business Mum of the Year’ award. The award is a brand new category at the 2007 Prowess Awards, which recognise the commitment and determination it takes for mums to succeed in business.

A recent study found that mums who set up businesses from home have become a powerful force in British business, with a combined turnover of £4.4 billion.
The ‘Inspirational Business Mum of the Year’ award is open to all mums who run their own business, whatever its size. Entries are welcome from business mums themselves or by family, friends, colleagues, customers and professional advisers nominating others.

The panel of judges - including Sally Preston, owner of baby food company Babylicious, and Sylvia Philips, vice-chair of Prowess - will look at how and why each candidate developed her business and the personal journey involved in setting it up. They will be looking for mums who have got the work/life balance right and those who have helped to mentor other women along the way.

A shortlist of three finalists will be invited to the Prowess awards gala dinner on 7 February, 2007 when the overall Inspirational Business Mum of the Year winner will be announced.

Catherine Kehoe, head of communications at awards sponsors Yellow Pages, says: ‘From our work with thousands of start-up businesses, we understand the challenges [business mums] face and hope that by sharing these women’s amazing stories we can help to inspire others along the way.’

Nominations can be posted online at www.bizmums.co.uk/inspirational and all entries must be received by 12 January, 2007. Anyone who doesn’t have online access can call 020 7025 6551 to request a postal nomination form.

To visit the Prowess website, click here. Or visit WorkingMums.co.uk by clicking here.

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