The 2023 Enterprise Vision Awards, the UK’s largest business awards program exclusively for women, have named five exceptional women entrepreneurs from Bolton and Horwich as finalists.
The EVAS, now in its 12th year, highlights women in various industries of business. The awards highlight everyone’s successes, from social enterprises and small artisan businesses to trailblazing innovators and major corporations.
Local entrepreneurs Jackie Hyde of Stanmore Insurance, Claire Sofield of Four Recruitment, Jac Owen of Connect.Studio, Jill Caldwell of Endeavour, finalist in the Inspirational Woman category, Kate Greenhalgh of A Year Of Dates, selected in the Best Business category, and Kate Greenhalgh of A Year Of Dates were chosen from nearly 1500 nominations and entries.
The finalists are the trailblazers and game-changers; the role models who will motivate more women and girls to pursue their dreams and inspire the following generation of female entrepreneurs. These women are significant contributors to the economy and take an active part in the community. They should be honored for their achievements.
More new, all-women-led businesses were started last year than ever before, according to The Rose Review, a report by NatWest, the awards’ main sponsor. In 2022, a fifth of new firms were entirely run by women, up from 16% in 2018. The largest increase was among female founders between the ages of 16 and 25, which increased by nearly a fifth. Even though these numbers are positive, the sad reality is that only one in three UK entrepreneurs are female.
