Nominations are now closed.
2023 Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Celebrating women entrepreneurs for over 25 years! Join us on Friday, October 20, 2023, at the St. John’s Convention Centre to honour this year’s award recipients.
Eligibility & Information
NLOWE’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards recognizes outstanding businesswomen for their achievements in private or public sector companies. Nominators may submit nominations for more than one entrepreneur and self-nominations are encouraged! All nomination forms and supporting materials must be submitted online or emailed.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an Entrepreneur of the Year Award, a nominee must have owned and operated a viable business for a minimum of two full years. All women in business, except where noted below, are eligible for nomination.
A nominee must have ownership of her business(es) at least equal to any of the other majority shareholders. Those who do not own 100 percent of the business must provide detailed information on the remaining shareholders or partners in the business including the percentage owned by each individual and his/her role in the business. Nominee must be responsible for the business(es) day-to-day management and financial performance, and have operating control of the business to be considered for an award.
The following are eligible for awards:
- Private companies
- Partnerships
- Franchisees
- Public companies
- Previous winners of NLOWE’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
The following are NOT eligible for awards:
- Non-profit organizations
- Associations
- Elected officials of municipal, provincial and federal governments
- NLOWE board members
- Board Companies (owners or managers of companies that are owned wholly or in part by current members of NLOWE’s Board of Directors)
All nominees must be residents of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and their nominated businesses must be located and operated in the same.
All nominees and the business(es) for which they are nominated must be in good standing with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Nominees
Nominees may be contacted to determine eligibility and to provide additional information.
Selection
Finalists will be chosen by a selection committee consisting of NLOWE staff and contacted for further information and to determine eligibility. The Selection Committee(s) will identify the top candidates from the finalists chosen and submitted to NLOWE’s Board of Directors for final approval. All decisions are final and are not subject to review.
Award recipients will be notified and invited to accept their NLOWE Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Gala. at the time of the event.
Award Recipients
The Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Gala is one of NLOWE’s highlights of the year! Recipients will be announced at the annual awards gala.
Press releases will be distributed to local media outlets, and recipients will be the focus of extensive promotion. Past nominees, applicants and winners have found that the awards program has opened new doors for them while generating respect and approval from their peers and customers.
NLOWE Entrepreneurial Award Categories
Award recipients are chosen based on contributions to the provincial economy and communities—their use of innovative technology and expansion into new markets. In addition, they are respected for their promotion of diverse leadership and overall impact on the Newfoundland and Labrador business community. Each year the award recipients are profiled in the Winter issue of The Advisor and honoured at the awards gala.
The eight categories are:
Entrepreneurial Excellence
The Entrepreneurial Excellence Award recognizes an entrepreneur who has owned and been in operating control of a business(es) for at least ten years as of March 31, 2022, who has made a significant impact on the economy, and whose success is an inspiration for other women in business.
Economic Impact
Economic Impact Award recognizes an entrepreneur whose business has significantly impacted the local economy. This entrepreneur has improved the economic position of the community in which it operates by employing local resources, stimulating growth and contributing to sustainable community development.
Leadership
The Leadership Award recognizes a woman who has demonstrated that she is a champion for the advancement of women in general and women in the entrepreneurial space. She is recognized in her community as a successful business owner and is vocal in advocating for improved conditions for women entering business. Eligibility for this award would be open to current or former women entrepreneurs.
Mentor
The Mentor Award recognizes an established woman business owner who has given considerable time and resources to mentoring other women to become successful in business. This award celebrates women who selflessly give their time and expertise to help other women enjoy success as entrepreneurs.
Momentum
The Momentum Award recognizes an entrepreneur who has demonstrated significant growth and/or growth potential within a one to three-year time span. This entrepreneur has built a business that is adaptable and apt to successfully leverage opportunities for continued growth.
Trailblazer
The Trailblazer Award recognizes an entrepreneur who owns and operates a business that has excelled in a non-traditional industry for women-owned businesses or successfully established a business in an industry uncommon to the area in which it operates. This entrepreneur has blazed a trail for others to follow and find success.
Trendsetter
The Trendsetter Award recognizes an entrepreneur who owns and operates a successful business that employs innovation and original thinking in both its operational and promotional activities. This entrepreneur’s business stands out from others in its industry for setting trends and turning traditional ideas on their heads.
Young Entrepreneur
The Young Entrepreneur Award recognizes an entrepreneur, 35 years of age or younger as of March 31 of this year who has owned and operated a profitable business for at least two years.