Newry business women encouraged to enter Women in Business NI Awards | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Newry business women encouraged to enter Women in Business NI Awards

Winners from the first two Women in Business NI Awards are encouraging female business leaders, sole traders, managers and entrepreneurs to enter this year’s awards which will take place in Culloden on Thursday 21st November.

In association with Invest Northern Ireland and supported by The Irish News, the third annual awards will see former Dragon’s Den star Hilary Devey CBE address more than 400 women as they celebrate and reward entries to 11 categories including a new technology category launched this year.

Double award winner, Shauna McCarney-Blair, Managing Director of Heavenly Tasty Organics, who has won a Women in Business NI award two years in a row, said that as well as the awards being an ‘amazing night’, business women should consider entering as “it helps to promote the business to a room full of like-minded women.”

In 2011 Shauna won the award for Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Innovation and in 2012 she won Best Small Business. “I was very shocked to win as I had been shortlisted with many other great business women but so proud as it was the second year in a row that I had won an award. I felt very privileged to be among other amazing business women.”

In encouraging women to attend the event, Shauna said, “The guest speaker is always worth hearing”, and added, “It’s the best awards night I have ever been to!”

Grainne Kelly, CEO BubbleBum UK, who won Best New Start Up in 2012, said, “Awards are a major PR driver for us and for our brand. They are a great way of boosting team morale.”

Speaking of her attendance at last year’s Women in Business NI Awards, Grainne added, “I was in the USA when the shortlist was announced and a colleague contacted me to say they’d seen it in The Irish News.

“The awards event was a glamorous one where women were focused on the empowerment of other women in what is predominantly a male centric business world.

“One thing that struck me about the finalists at the Women in Business NI Awards last year and the year before was that the women attending have more than just a business agenda, they are all aiming to make the world a better place and solve problems.”

Winning the Best in Customer Service award in the same year of opening Titanic Belfast, Judith Owens, Director of Operations/Deputy CEO, said, “We took a table at the awards for colleagues to relax and socialise and look back on the year before. I was extremely surprised when my name was called out but was delighted to pick up my Women in Business NI Award.

“The great feel good event was a brilliant chance to meet other women in local organisations who want to make a difference within our business community. I received lots of emails and texts from family, friends, colleagues and 110 likes on facebook after winning.

“My family seemed chuffed that the hard work in setting up Titanic Belfast Operations had been recognised in this way.”

Patricia O’Hagan MBE is CEO of Core NI Ltd. She entered the 2012 awards and was named Best Exporter. Patricia said, “It was fantastic to win and quite a surprise as the competition was very strong. There was great excitement on the night and it left a warm glow afterwards.

“Several people congratulated me after seeing the story in The Irish News. The event was wonderful. Really glamorous! It was such a contrast from regular business awards. There was lots of energy in the room and it felt like genuine recognition and support from everyone there.”

Encouraging others to enter, Patricia said, “The awards provide great exposure for business successes that others outside of our industry might otherwise miss.”

Roseann Kelly, Chief Executive, Women in Business NI, said, “I’m always thrilled when I hear of the positive effect winning a Women in Business NI award has on the business and personal development of our winners.

“Time is running out to enter this year’s awards and I would encourage anyone who’s still deliberating to make the call to our office today and nominate themselves, their colleagues, friends and employers.”

To enter the Women in Business NI 2013 Awards in association with Invest Northern Ireland log onto www.womeninbusinessni.com. Awards are open to all business women in Northern Ireland, you do not need to be a member of WIBNI to nominate or enter.

There are 11 categories open for entry – best new start up, entrepreneurship / innovation, outstanding management / leadership, best marketing campaign, best small business, best customer service, best in professional services, best young business woman of the year, advancing diversity in the work place, best exporter and the new technology category.

The Awards Gala on the 21st November at the Culloden Estate & Spa is a special event for every business woman’s calendar, an early bird rate of £80+VAT per ticket is available until 1st November, visit www.womeninbusinessni.com for more details.

Closing date for entry is Friday 4th October at 12noon.

Women in Business NI is the largest and fastest growing business network for female entrepreneurs and business leaders in Northern Ireland. Established in 2002, the network has 1,000 members spread throughout all industry sectors.

To join Women in Business NI, log onto www.womeninbusinessni.com. Follow Women in Business NI on facebook at www.facebook.com/womeninbusinessNI or on twitter @wibni.

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Posted by on Oct 3 2013. Filed under Business, Community, What's On. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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