Founder of Confused.com and Buddi, Sara Murray (pictured), has won the South Region heat to become a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
The National Business Awards Regional Programme, sponsored by Orange, celebrates success, innovation and ethical business. All finalists will go on to present to a panel of expert judges and the winners will be announced on 10 November at the awards ceremony and dinner.
Philip Forrest, Chairman of Judges for The National Business Awards said: ‘After a closely fought contest between a number of extremely worthy entries the judges agreed Murray exhibited the vision, courage, determination and risk management skills that are the hallmark of the entrepreneur.’
Sara says: ‘The key difference between entrepreneurs and everyone else is that entrepreneurs are irrationally optimistic. Women tend to think about all the things that could possibly go wrong, and so my advice to them it so just go for it. It is a man’s world, but don’t be put off.’
Sara, who spoke at last year’s FMWF Breaking the Mould conference, founded her first company Ninah, which used technology to improve companies’ marketing, aged just 23.
She went on to launch inspop.com, an insurance marketplace, in 2000 and within 18 months sold it to the Admiral Group, who renamed it Confused.com.
Her latest innovation, a personal tracking device called Buddi, was created on the back of experiences of her daughter running off in supermarkets and her knowledge of GPS technology.
Users log on to the Buddi website to get directed to a Google Map page location of their child, transmitted through a device which can hang around their neck.
For more information about The National Business Awards go to: www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk
Other winners and finalists from the South of England 2009
The Orange Best Use of Technology in Business Award
Winner: Clearlybusiness, London, EC1V 2NL
The Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Winner: Sara Murray, Buddi, London, SW3 2ND
The Grant Thornton Business of the Year Award
Winner: Octopus Investments, London, EC2R 7HP
The Health, Work & Well-Being Award for Small Business
Winner: Xmo Strata Ltd, Marden, TN12 9BT
The IMechE Business Innovation of the Year Award
Winner: Ashes into Glass, Billericay, CM11 2UD
The Customer Focus Award
Winner: Apetito, Trowbridge, BA14 8RJ
The Growth Strategy of the Year Award
Winner: Patersons HR and Payroll Solutions, Salisbury, SP4 6BU
The Employer of the Year Award
Winner: HostelBookers, London, WC1V 6RL
The Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year
Winner: Cantifix Ltd, London, NW9 6AQ
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