Enterprising Women Awards

Chesterfield entrepreneur nominated for two Enterprising Women Awards

The owner of a Chesterfield structural engineering business has been shortlisted in two categories at East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women Awards.

Laura Holland, of Ecotech Engineers is amongst the finalists for the Small Business of the Year Award and Female Entrepreneur of the Year.

The nominations come fresh off the back of Laura also being nominated for a Generation Next Award, an East Midlands Chamber event which recognises young entrepreneurs and talent in the region.

The event, which takes place in Leicestershire on 20th September will celebrate the best female entrepreneurial talent across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Reacting to the nomination, Laura said: “I was so pleased to get this news after a whirlwind of a month personally and professionally!

“I’m honoured to be shortlisted with all these amazing women in Business for Small Business of the Year and Female Entrepreneur – especially now I have my own little lady to hope to inspire.

“Another nod to the brilliant team of Ecotech Engineers Ltd and everything we have accomplished over the last 4 years!”

Enterprising Women Co-Chair Eileen Perry said: “On International Women’s Day the theme was ‘Inspire Inclusion’ and these awards are part of embracing and celebrating our differences. The theme of promoting, growing and succeeding is something that we see year on year with the people that apply for the awards. There are people who, for example, have applied for a category like Apprentice of the Year and then gone on to win Female Entrepreneur of the Year. It’s not about the fall of men; it’s about the rise of women and believing in themselves more.”

Enterprising Women Co-Chair Jean Mountain said: “Year in, year out, over the years these awards have been phenomenal. We’ve been doing these awards for around 15 years now and the standard of entries gets higher and higher each year. We set the bar really high and you see it with the fabulous names of finalists that come through and the companies they represent.”

Ecotech Engineers supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

laura holland ecotech engineers

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Chesterfield businesswomen included in shortlist for 2023 Enterprising Women Awards

Female talent from Chesterfield’s business community has been recognised in the shortlist for East Midlands Chamber’s 2023 Enterprising Women Awards.

Finalists across 10 categories were announced for the 2023 awards, in association with headline sponsor Michael Smith Switchgear, at a summer networking and barbecue event, held at Stapleford Park Hotel and Spa yesterday (8 June).

Chesterfield companies to be recognised amongst the finalists include GBS Apprenticeships, CMP Legal, and Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care.

They will go on to take part in a judging panel on 11 July, comprising members of the Enterprising Women team, Chamber board of directors and category sponsors to get their chance to pitch before winners are decided.

Winners will be announced at Enterprising Women’s flagship gala dinner, which will take place on 6 October at Winstanley House, in Leicester.

Longstanding categories are up for grabs, such as Small Business of the Year, Female Employee of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, and the headline award Business Woman of the Year, as well as the refreshed She Who Innovates Award for those working in STEM-related industries.

Categories introduced last year to mark the network’s 25th anniversary will also return to the programme, including the Rising Star Award and Lifetime Achievement Award – which doesn’t have a shortlist and will instead be given as a surprise to an unsuspecting winner.

Enterprising Women co-chair Jean Mountain said: “We’ve received another cohort of outstanding applications from women working across the region, and the shortlist features some truly inspiring achievements and stories.

“It’s fantastic to see women in business across a wide range of sectors and backgrounds recognised through the programme, as well as those across different parts of their career journey – from those just starting out in apprenticeship roles to highly successful business leaders representing everything that is great about our region.”

Fellow co-chair Eileen Perry MBE DL added: “Shortlisting the finalists has been a massive challenge for our category sponsors from the high calibre of entries, and we’re really looking forward to the judging panel to hear more about their work.

“Women in business across the East Midlands are doing fantastic and inspiring work, and we are delighted to be able to recognise their achievements through the Enterprising Women Awards each year.”

The Enterprising Women Awards 2023, which will be hosted by ITV weather presenter Emma Jesson, features a three-course meal as well as entertainment throughout the evening.

Enterprising Women Awards 2023 shortlist

Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Futures Housing Group)

  • Alice Lees – Rolls-Royce
  • Courtney Brindley – Express Recruitment
  • Florence Comasky – EMA Training
  • Lucy Coope – trentbarton
  • Lucy Hilton – Cosy Direct
  • Sophie Shapcott – Smith Partnership

 

Social Commitment Award (Sponsored by She Inspires Global)

  • Cosy Direct
  • Guildford Europe
  • Rosie May Foundation
  • Rotheras Solicitors
  • Spenbeck

 

Female Employee of the Year (Sponsored by Nelsons)

  • Asiya Parekh – Leicester Hospitals Charity
  • Brogan Lees-Collier – Forsyth Barnes
  • Cherryl Holland – trentbarton
  • Emily Brailsford – Rural Action Derbyshire
  • Sarah Budgie – Regency Source

 

Rising Star (Sponsored by Amanda Daly – The Turnaround CEO)

  • Chloe Heard – MHA MacIntyre Hudson LLP
  • Coral Guard – GBS Apprenticeships
  • Katie McLoughlin – Soft Touch Arts
  • Ruby Birks – Purpose Media
  • Scarlett Tinsley – ER Recruitment

 

Female Entrepreneur of the Year (Sponsored by Fraser Stretton Property Group)

  • Julie Adams – Auditel
  • Julie Clark – Savage Lighting
  • Sally Faulkner – Bond Street Distillery
  • Sarah Withers – Withers Gin
  • Therese Lord – Construct3D

 

Team of the Year (Sponsored by Breedon Consulting)

  • Flame UK
  • Generation Next ambassadors
  • PPL PRS collections team
  • PPL PRS marketing team
  • Rotheras Solicitors

 

She Who Innovates (Sponsored by Pick Everard)

  • ChangeXtra – Claire Mann
  • Construct3D – Therese Lord, Jacob Lord, Jason Lord
  • e-bate – Leanne Bonner-Cook and team
  • Purpose Media – Ruby Birks
  • RimPro-Tec Wheelbands – Deborah Chester

 

Small Business of the Year (Sponsored by Unique Window Systems)

  • Blueprint Interiors
  • CMP Legal
  • Design Studio Architects
  • Katapult
  • S&D Roofing

 

Business Woman of the Year (Sponsored by Michael Smith Switchgear)

  • Becky Valentine and Victoria Green – Spenbeck
  • Dawn Brown – Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare
  • Emma Allen – Acute Business Advisory
  • Jaz Kaur – Fraser Stretton Property Group
  • Sandy Prime – S&D Roofing

 

Lifetime Achievement of the Year (Sponsored by Paradigm Wills & Legal Services)

*No finalists for this category – winner will be announced at gala dinner

East Midlands Chamber, GBS Apprenticeships, CMP Legal, and Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Enterprising Women Awards 2022 winners

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Nominations now open for East Midlands Chamber Enterprising Women Awards 2023

Entries are now open for the East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women Awards 2023, with the network set to recognise another cohort of female leaders.

Women in business across the Chamber’s membership base in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire can apply for the 10 category awards – which cater for a range of careers from apprentices and employees, to entrepreneurs and long-standing achievement.

The Enterprising Women Awards, held in association with headline partner Michael Smith Switchgear, were launched yesterday (Thursday 9 March) at an International Women’s Day conference at the Nottingham Belfry, which was attended by more than 80 delegates.

Enterprising Women is led by co-chairs Jean Mountain and Eileen Perry MBE DL. Through its networking opportunities and inspirational events, it creates an environment for women in business to connect and grow their knowledge, and equips them with the tools to succeed.

Jean, who co-founded the network in 1997, said: “The Enterprising Women Awards are a fantastic showcase of the strength of female talent we have here in the East Midlands, and we’re delighted to bring the celebration back this year.”

Eileen added: “We’ve been running our awards programme since 2013, and every year the calibre of talent never fails to impress us. We are looking forward to reading seeing another cohort of what undoubtedly will be fantastic applications this year.”

Enterprising Women Awards 2023 categories

Business Woman of the Year (sponsored by Michael Smith Switchgear)

Female Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Fraser Stretton Property Group)

Social Commitment (sponsored by She Inspires)

Small Business of the Year (sponsored by Unique Window Systems)

Female Employee of the Year (sponsored by Nelsons)

Team of the Year (sponsored by Breedon Consulting)

She Who Innovates (sponsored by Pick Everard)

Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by Futures Housing Group)

Rising Star (sponsored by The Turnaround CEO)

Lifetime Achievement (sponsored by Paradigm Wills)

Other supporters of the awards include music sponsors PPL PRS, and video sponsors AVIT Media.

Entries are now open and the deadline is 27 April, with the awards taking place on 6 October.

Enterprising Women co-chairs

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Owner of Chesterfield Doggy Day Care business wins prestigious regional award

The owner of Chesterfield’s Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care is celebrating, after winning a coveted accolade at the East Midlands Chamber Enterprising Women Awards.

Dawn Brown walked away with the Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the gala dinner, held at Leicester Tigers’ Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium in partnership with Futures Housing Group.

Speaking on the award win, Dawn commented: “I get asked what it’s like to be a woman in business. I describe it as a roller coaster ride with highs and lows, twists and turns and often times when you go so fast you just want to get off but we don’t! We just carry on with pure grit and determination to succeed.”

“People see business owners like swans swanning about doing as they please, but what they don’t see are our  legs going like the clappers underneath to hold it all together, especially women in business. We hold down a family, I have 5 kids and a fiancée so you could say 6 kids!

“At Rose Cottage we look after 50 dogs a day, with a team of 7 people working with me. So this award means so much more to me personally because it’s recognition for all that hard work and dedication that people do not necessarily see.

“I’m truly honoured to receive this award from the Chamber and I’m grateful for being a woman in business that has been recognised for all her hard work.”

Enterprising Women Co-Chair, Eileen Perry MBE DL commented: “Congratulations to all the nominees and winners of this year’s Enterprising Women Awards. The gala dinner is always the biggest date in the calendar for the network, which Jean and I look forward to attending every year – and the breadth of female talent across the East Midlands business community just gets stronger.”

Co-Chair Jean Mountain said: “When I co-founded Enterprising Women 25 years ago, the business landscape was very male-dominated. We wanted to change that and create a space for women to network with each other, learn from one another’s experience and gain skills to use in their work, and sometimes personal lives.

“Recognising the achievements of women in business was an important part of that, to give them the confidence to succeed further and thrive in their careers.

“I’m so proud of how far the network has come, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future.”

ITV weather presenter Emma Jesson returned to host the black-tie event, which was packed with entertainment provided by singer-songwriter Esmee Esho, comedian Patrick Monahan and Leicester band The Jamlocks.

Enterprising Women Awards 2022 winners

Business Woman of the Year – Sponsored by Futures Housing Group

Emily Smith – Michael Smith Switchgear

Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Sponsored by Midlands Engine Investment Fund

Dawn Brown – Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care

Social Commitment Award – Sponsored by She Inspires Global 

Gift Wellness

Small Business of the Year – Sponsored by Unique Window Systems 

Fraser Stretton Property Group

Female Employee of the Year – Sponsored by Smallman & Son

Karen Miles – trentbarton

Team of the Year – Sponsored by PPL PRS

TwentyTwenty – Love4Life

Outstanding Contribution to Work in STEM – Sponsored by Pick Everard

De Montfort University

Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by EMA Training

Ruby Birks – Purpose Media

Rising Star Award – Sponsored by Amanda Daly – The Turnaround CEO

Jessica Barnett – Timms Solicitors

Diversity Champion – Sponsored by Breedon Consulting

Stephen Gould – Everards Brewery

Lifetime Achievement Award – Sponsored by Paradigm Wills and Sales Solutions

Rosemary Conley CBE DL

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