There are many local, regional and national awards available for
female entrepreneurs. So how do you get nominated, and what can
winning these awards do for your business? Many national
women's business awards start at the local level, most often
through established local chapters of national women's business
organizations such as the National Association of Women Business
Owners (NAWBO) and the National Association for Female Executives
(NAFE). Joining organizations is a surefire way to gain access to
well-established annual awards.
Other awards focus on local entrepreneurs and are hosted by
organizations such as chambers of commerce. There are also
exclusively national awards, like Oxygen TV network's
"Oh! Get the Money" $25,000 small-business
grants. Applications may be available online or directly through
sponsoring companies or organizations.
Being involved with your community through business-related
organizations could lead to a win. "I've been nominated by
women business owners I worked with on a number of committees,
causes and issues," says Sandy Abalos, 47, managing partner of
Phoenix-based Abalos & Associates, P.C., a CPA firm with
revenues exceeding $1 million. She received the Arizona Woman
Business Owner of the Year award presented by NAWBO in 2002.
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Although she says she doesn't seek out nominations or
awards, Abalos admits there are benefits to receiving them.
"The awards have provided publicity on both a local and
national level, which provides name recognition, acknowledgment and
credibility. The awards are one way to distinguish my business from
others."
Awards as Tools
Adrian Guglielmo, 44, founder of Brewster, New York-based
Diversity Partners, which teaches Fortune 1000
companies how to market to the disabled community, believes awards
are a way to market her own company. She makes sure her $5 million
company fits award criteria, then often nominates herself or her
business.
In 2004, Guglielmo was given the NAWBO/Wells Fargo Trailblazer
Award for Marketing Person of the Year. The award included $5,000
cash, which she put toward purchasing a wheelchair for one of her
employees. The real coup, however, was a short film about her
company that Wells Fargo produced on behalf of NAWBO for its awards
ceremony.
"They put a lot of money into that film," says
Guglielmo. "I use it in all my marketing materials now."
She featured some of her clients in the film to leverage the
opportunity, and the film helped her land a contract with a major
cosmetics company.
"Think of awards as tools to market your company and to
keep your clients happy," Guglielmo advises. "Don't
take all the credit. Bring your clients exposure as well."
Some Choice Awards:
- Athena Award: Promotes women's leadership
and honors outstanding leaders.
Aliza Pilar
Sherman is an author, freelance writer and speaker specializing
in women's issues.