Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ program is open for applications
TORONTO, March 9, 2016 /CNW/ - EY is in search of extraordinary women entrepreneurs with the ambition and talent to scale their companies to full potential for its 2016 North American Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ program.
Founded in 2008, the Entrepreneurial Winning Women program is an annual competition and executive education program that aims to identify a select group of high-potential women entrepreneurs whose businesses show real potential to scale — and then helps them do it by providing access to networks, education and advice.
"We're calling on successful female entrepreneurs to nominate themselves or like-minded peers for this elite business network and customized accelerator program," says Carrie Marchitto, EY's Entrepreneurial Winning Women Leader in Canada. "If selected for this year's class the entrepreneurs will join a group that has collectively grown revenues by 54 percent since the years they joined the program. It's an opportunity to build community and access the tools they need to achieve their next level of growth."
The call for applications and nominations is now open to entrepreneurs from both Canada and the United States. The Entrepreneurial Winning Women are chosen by a panel of independent judges who are successful entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders. Up to 12 women will be chosen for the class of 2016.
Here's what past program participants have to say:
"The EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program has opened doors and given me a platform to promote and grow my company that otherwise wouldn't have been available. The resources for women who participate are tremendous. I look forward to taking what I have learned to continue to scale-up Hillberg & Berk." — Rachel Mielke, Founder and CEO, Hillberg & Berk
"The Entrepreneurial Winning Woman program far exceeded my expectations because of the level of commitment EY demonstrates to your business success by opening up the EY network. The current and past women in the program become your extended family—they're there for advice, insight, and to cheer each other on." — Ariel Garten, Founder and Chairman, InteraXon
"Through the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program I have found confidence in myself as a businesswoman, and gained experiences and knowledge that will stay with me throughout my ongoing entrepreneurial career. I'm extremely thankful and honored to be part of the program." — Leah Garrad-Cole, Co-founder and President, Love Child Organics
"The EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program is like enrolling into a university with a curriculum and teachers all customized to your needs, development and business growth. I personally came out of the Strategic Growth Forum as a better leader with a clear, strategic vision and energy." — Aneela Zaib, Founder and CEO, emergiTEL
Other past Canadian Entrepreneurial Winning Women include:
Kristen Wood, Creator and President, THE TEN SPOT
Kathy Cheng, Founder and President, Redwood Classics Apparel
Tonia Jahshan, Founder and President, Steeped Tea
Kelsey Ramsden, President, Belvedere Place Development Ltd.
Corin Mullins, Founder and CEO, Holy Crap cereal
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the qualities needed to take full advantage of the program, including successes to date that exhibit the creativity, tenacity and a plan necessary to realize their companies' full potential, along with the confidence and conviction to drive toward market leadership. In addition, Entrepreneurial Winning Women should have the professionalism and level of business sophistication needed to interact effectively with potential investors, high-level business advisors and top executives.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply for the Entrepreneurial Winning Women program, applicants must fit the following criteria:
- Founding woman CEO and majority owner of a privately held Canadian or US company
- For those women who have sought outside investment, the founding woman entrepreneur may still apply if she retains a majority ownership stake of what's left after deducting all outside investments.
- Company must have reported at least $2 million in sales in each of the last two years
- Venture must be less than 10 years old
- Entrepreneurs must be able to attend an orientation and coaching session at EY's headquarters in New York City on October 26-28, 2016, as well as the EY Strategic Growth Forum, November 16-20, 2016, in Palm Springs, California.
In addition to participation in the evergreen program, each winner receives all-expense paid participation in the EY Strategic Growth Forum® 2016, November 16-20, 2016, in Palm Springs, California. The Forum is an invitation-only gathering of 2,000 top CEOs, entrepreneurs, advisors, investors and senior business leaders to share insights, make connections and celebrate success. The Forum presents a one-of-a-kind platform for Entrepreneurial Winning Women to introduce their companies and share their stories and goals with a community of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ winners, top executives, prospective investors and business advisors. All Entrepreneurial Winning Women will be recognized at a special celebratory event during the Forum.
To apply or to nominate a deserving woman entrepreneur, visit: www.ey.com/ca/winningwomen. The application deadline is June 27, 2016. For more information follow @EY_WinningWomen.
Collaborating organizations:
The North American program is conducted in collaboration with TEC Canada, Babson College's Center for Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership, Golden Seeds, the Kauffman Foundation, the National Association of Women Business Owners, The Committee of 200, the Women's Business Enterprise National Council and the Women Presidents' Organization.
Want to learn more about EY's initiatives for women in business? Accelerating achievement of gender parity — within EY and in business at large — is an economic imperative. EY provides guidance to help individuals and organizations tackle gender inequality in the workplace through its Women. Fast forward platform. The platform is designed as an accelerator to inspire individuals to put gender on their agendas and help organizations take the concrete steps needed to advance women in equal proportion to their numbers and commensurate with the limitless potential they offer the workplace.
About EY's Strategic Growth Markets Practice
EY's Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practice guides leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate the path to market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at www.ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.
About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.
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SOURCE EY (Ernst & Young)
Sasha Anopina, [email protected], 416 943 2637; Julie Fournier, [email protected], 514 874 4308; Leigh Kjekstad, [email protected], 604 648 3807
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