It is the final call for female entrepreneurs to enter the NatWest everywoman awards.
The awards, which are in their eighth year and are backed by Financial Mail, recognise female entrepreneurs who have overcome personal or professional adversity to run successful businesses. There are ten awards, including four that are categorised by age and named after Greek goddesses.
Former winners include Elaine Fairfax, of ethical pet insurance company Animal Friends Insurance, in Amesbury, Wiltshire; and Kate Craig-Wood, founder of web hosting company Memset, in Guildford, Surrey.
Lyn Cecil is the founder of Secretaries Plus and the Plus team, a central London-based recruitment business. Last year she won the Hera award, for the most inspiring female entrepreneur aged 50 or over. Lyn, 62, launched Secretaries Plus with a £1,000 loan in 1975.
In 2002, at the peak of the company’s success, Lyn discovered her financial director had embezzled more than half a million pounds from the business. She was forced into receivership. Borrrowing money to buy back her business, Lyn then built the firm back up and last year saw a turnover of £2.1 million.
She says: ‘Being forced to put my business in receivership and then restart at the age of 55 was the hardest thing I’ve ever done..I now work with a small but brilliant team and I appreciate their endeavours daily as they have made me what I am. It was an honour to win the award.’
>> The deadline for entry is 30 July. Go to everywoman.com/natwesteverywomanawards.
Tags: awards, business awards, Enterprise Zone, everywoman, small business, SMEs, start-ups, success stories
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