Women in Business Awards – the finalists

It’s awards season and we’re thrilled to be involved with some of the best schemes in Sussex again, and for the first time this year, the Women in Business Awards in Sussex.

The Women in Business Awards have grown, year on year, to become a scheme with integrity and stature, supporting women in all walks of the business world.

This year, Title Media is proud to sponsor the Entrepreneur of the Year, a category particularly close to my heart as a female entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience behind me. I was also invited to be a judge, which is always a huge honour.

I enjoyed the judging process enormously, and now I’m looking forward to celebrating the big night, where I shall be a speaker at the event. I’ll also be offering a completely free workshop for all winners and finalists in January, at Malmaison Brighton, where I’ll be helping winners to develop and build on their content marketing and social media strategies,

MY QUALIFICATIONS AS A JUDGE

As a woman in business, I’ve met and overcome regular challenges – everything from being spoken across in meetings and having my ideas stolen, to having my post addressed to Mr Sam Harrington-Lowe, because people automatically assumed that the MD would be a man.

Frankly, I’ve got away with it quite lightly. Mostly I think because I’ve always run my own show. But I know so many of my friends who’ve found that they’re treated as ‘less than’ simply because they’re female. Times are changing, but not fast enough.

And don’t even get me started on the gender pay gap, or the stories about women having to create an imaginary MALE partner in order to get a bank loan or have their business taken seriously.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

But I’m here to focus on the positives, and there are many. Dolly Parton once said, “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”

And this is at the heart of many women’s skills. Women hold a huge advantage in what is known as ‘soft skills’ – which translated into actual actions relates to emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, networking, self-motivation, excellent work ethic… you get the picture.

All these things support the theory that women make excellent leaders. According to a study carried out by global consulting group Hay, Richard E. Boyatzis, Ph.D, one of the study’s developers and co-owners identified that, “… If more men acted like women in employing their emotional and social competencies, they would be substantially and distinctly more effective in their work.”

But we’re good with functionality and profitability too, not just the leadership stuff. Another study carried out by Credit Suisse found that companies with one or more women on the board delivered higher average returns on equity, lower net debt equity and better average growth. Perhaps it’s all the practice we’ve had doing the shopping?

THE WINNERS

This year has been superb in reference to the overwhelming number of entries and nominations 358 in total surpassing 2018 by more than 35%. Some categories had over 40 entries. We had a really hard time making their 2019 selections.

We are now very proud to announce the 2019 finalists, 190 in total.

2019 Finalists

Entrepreneur of the Year

Lerato Umah-Shaylor of Lerato Foods

Louise Nicholson of The Artisan Bakehouse
Frankie Gray of Harmony at Home
Debbie Silvester of Eckington HR
Zoe Bartlet of Euphoric beauty and skin clinic
Alison Standish of The Colour Ministry
Kerry Buckell of KB Hair Extensions
Elif Köse of Elif Köse Boutique
Jenny Day of Body Happy
Rachel Gaisburgh-Watkyn of Tiny Box Company

Start Up Business of the Year

Sammie Venn of Soul Warriors
Sarah Syms of Sootheababy & Sootheamuma
Jenny Barret of SuperLooper
Norma Pearson of F360 Hub
Jessica Freeman of Jessica Freeman HR
Michaela Shepherd of Safety Mode Ltd
Eleanor Woodhall of Anthologie Floristry Ltd
Claire Harding Wilmhurst of Flamingo Financial Services Ltd
Mia Neupauerova of WT Training
Sophie Manna of Sophisticated Hair
Sarah Davies of Orange Beach Inns Ltd
Anna Lane of Olive Branch Mobile Spa
Rebecca and Megan Stevens of Admired Aesthetics
Jennifer Kehoe of The Wood Project

Sussex Business of the Year

Shake It Up Creative Ltd
Tiny Box Company
The Float Spa
DMH Stallard
Body Happy
My Bodyworks
Harmony at Home
The Artisan Bakehouse
Grace
Masonbryant
Style Me Confident
Eckington HR
Foxy Ladies Drivers Club
The Marketing Architect
Sussex Business Bureau
Ginger and Sanders Property Rentals Ltd

Most Enterprising Business of the Year

Malwina Aisha
Lambert’s White Dove Release
Body Happy
Lerato Foods
Nadarra Cosmetics
World Luxury Travel
UK H2O
Salt Space
Phileas Fogg’s World of Adventures

Employer of the Year

DMH Stallard
Haybury
Velvet
Masonbryan

The Red Brick Award

Angela Marden of Angela Marden Estate Agents
Bo Cook of Bo Cook Landscape and Garden Design
Ana Aguilar-Corney of Bees Homes LLP
Katy Tsigarides and Kay Smith of Masonbryant
Zita Ginger of Ginger and Sanders Property Rentals Ltd

Digital Woman of the Year

Michelle Betts of By Jove Media
Ruth Dacey of Active Sussex
Anneli Sandstrom of Anneli Sandstrom Graphic Design
Esther Leonçe of Ocean Breeze Creative
Sarah Wylie of Pzazz
Carolyn Strand of C J Strand Cyber Hype
Meg Fenn of Shake it Up Creative
Claire Jones-Hughes of Clarita Digital
Pauline Baker of Ringmaster Marketing

The Amy Johnson Woman in Engineering Award

Fliss Field of UK H2O
Bo Cook of Bo Cook Landscape and Garden Design
Christina Juliet Butts of Christina May Ltd

Mentor/Coach of the Year

Louise McArragher of LMHR Consulting and Coaching
Francesca Lidbetter of Haybury
Jo Gough of RISE
Esther Egerton of The Confidence Box
Rifa Thorpe-Tracey of Rifa Thorpe-Tracey
Gay Richardson of Style Me Confident
Anne-Marie Smith of MW Solicitors
Lorraine Biggs of Lorraine Biggs
Clare Evans of Clare Evans Coaching

Legal & Professional Woman of the Year

Debbie Silvester of Eckington HR
Claire Harding Wilmhurst of Flamingo Financial Services Ltd
Michala Rutherford of Rutherfords Bailiffs
Anne-Marie Smith of MW Solicitors
Karen Thomas of MHA Carpenter Box
Denyse Whillier of Built to Succeed
Sarah Grinnell of Chantler Kent Investments
Tracey Macalester of Thyme Wills

Women in Uniform

Dawn Whittaker of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
Sabreen Qureshi-Hitchens of Active Physio Clinic
Assistant Chief Constable Julia Chapman
Chief Inspector Anita Turner

Sussex Business Woman of the Year

Rachel Gaisburgh-Watkyn of Tiny Box Company
Camille Pierson of The Flat Spa
Angela Marden of Angela Marden Estate Agents
Francesca Lidbetter of Haybury
Sarah Hopwood of Glyndebourne Opera House
Chloe Edwards of Seven Sisters’ Spices
Clare TBA of Riverside Flowers
Grace Gasson of Grace
Katy Tsigarides and Kay Smith of Masonbryant
Galia Orme of Choc Chick
Karen Rainford of Dressing Rooms
Carly Kourouma of Eden: The Garden of Organic Beauty
Sarah Davies of Orange Beach Inns Ltd
Lisa Pantelli of Become Communications
Tanya Leister of Just Travel Sussex Taxis
Debbie Owen of Phileas Fogg’s World of Adventures

Sussex Woman in the Arts

Lisa Brace of Horsham District Council
Lesley Samms of Pure Arts Group
Sophie Sheinwald Benita Matofska of Generation Share
Sarah Hopwood of Glyndebourne Opera House
Catherine Cridland of Catherine Cridland Garden Design
Jackie Bennett of Jackie Tapestry
Layona Bungay of Artifex Designs
Jasmine Williams of Won a Prize
Kate Nicholson of House of Colour
Tracy Thompson of Iced and Nice Cakes
Pip Fitzpatrick of Pipcraft
Sophie Sheinwald of Sophie Sheinwald Photography
Elif KOSE of Elif Kose Boutique
Sjaan Markwick of Sjaan Dance Academy
Kate Henwood of Kate Henwood Photography
Lucy Carnaghan Holt of Lucy Carnaghan
Kayleigh Underhill of Desire2Danc

Sussex Corporate Woman of the Year

Sam Akehurst of Eastbourne Audi
Carole Nicholson of Sussex Wildlife Trust
Komal Helyer of Pure360
Angela Whitney of Leightons Opticians
Vicki Taggart of Haybury
Anne-Marie Smith of MW Solicitors

International Business Woman Award

Vicki Taggart of Haybury
Christina Juliet Butts of Christina May Ltd
Mi Elfverson of The Vlog Academic
Galia Orme of Choc Chick
Helen Hitchcock of Sakala Sussex Lt

The Wellness Award

Fountain Therapies
Calmer Self
Honey Lansdowne Hypnotherapy
My Bodyworks
Sadie Mason MBE of Active Sussex
Music for the Brain
Euphoric Beauty and Skin Clinic
Debbie Stevens Wellbeing Event
The Colour Ministry
The Beauty Rooms
Browns Hair & Beauty
Lisa Moore Fitness
Helens Treatments
Nadarra Cosmetics
The Sensitive Foodie
Lamberts White Dives

Working with Children and Families Award

Debbie Stevens of Debbie Stevens Wellbeing Event
Frankie Gray of Harmony at Home
Victoria Rose-Carless of Baby Massage Sussex
Rebecca Hope of Play Time Sussex Ltd
Michaela Shepherd of Safety Mode Ltd

The Inspire Award

Karen Lee of The Sensitive Foodie Kitchen
Lorraine Humphrey of Podiatry & Wellness Clinic
Jo Gough of RISE
Ruth Dacey of Active Sussex
Sadie Mason MBE of Active Sussex
Safe in Sussex
Kathy Gore of Friends of Sussex Hospices
Carole Nicholson of Sussex Wildlife Trust
Samara Levy of Samara’s Aid Appeal
Kate Henwood of Kate Henwood Photography
Katy Tsigarides and Kay Smith of Masonbryant
Katy Bourne OBE of Sussex Police Crime Commissioner
Dorit Oliver-Wolff

Best Networker of the Year

Nicky Chisholm and Sara Guiel of The Mumpreneurs Networking club
Jane Loughton of Networking Club
Rifa Thorpe-Tracey of Rifa Thorpe-Tracey
Angela Parker of Toast Networking
Lisa Pantelli of Become Communications
Jaime Thurston of 52 Lives

Community Spirits Award

Karen Thomas of MHA Carpenter Box
Jenny Barrett of SuperLooper
Jo Gough of RISE
Safe in Sussex
Kia Trainor of CPRE Sussex
Kathy Gore of Friends of Sussex Hospices
Samara Levy of Samara’s Aid Appeal
Jaime Thurston of 52 Lives
Jan Case of Jewellery Case
Carolyn Strand of C J Strand Cyber Hype
Vic Borrill of Brighton & Hove Food Partnership
Janice Moth of The Glamour Club

Gold Award

This category is one judged by the 2019 judges and is awarded to the company or companies that they felt are particularly outstanding. You’ll have to come along on the night to see who!

Then I’ll see you on the dancefloor, and show you that not only can I do all these things – I can do them in high heels too.

Women in Business Awards
21 November 2019
Grand Brighton