New horizons open up for female entrepreneur
by WIN Admin — published in Press Releases
DOUBLE success in last year’s Women into the Network (WIN) Awards has opened up a raft of new opportunities for communications, marketing and events agency Cynergy.
Rebecca Howard, owner of the Stokesley-based business, scooped both the Best Small Business gong and the overall Susan Dobson Award for Entrepreneurship.
Cynergy had worked exclusively in the health and public sector but since winning the awards, the 18-person team has broadened its remit.
Ms Howard said: “We have been pleasantly surprised at how the awards have helped us to open doors as we constantly seek to develop and diversify the business while remaining true to our ethos of only undertaking projects which make a positive difference.
“We know we offer a unique approach, and winning the awards makes it just a little bit easier to convince organisations we really can help them.
“We have begun diversifying our offer into other sectors where it works equally well, such as social enterprise, schools, the green economy, business start-ups and enterprise.
“It shows that inspiring communications and events can change attitudes and behaviours positively, and help organisations achieve their goals.”
The 2009 WIN Awards were the first business awards Ms Howard had entered since Cynergy was set up eight years ago.
She said: “It all started when a member of our team Natalie, our events co-ordinator, sent me an email link with a prompt to enter.
“At first I was unsure as to whether to enter, my ethos is you are only as good as the people behind you – if we were going to enter, it was important that it was a team approach.
“Many conversations later with the team we decided to go for it and in true Cynergy style all of the team got busy pulling together the application process and nominations.”
And she reckons it was definitely worth it. In addition to recognition and business opportunities provided by the double success, Ms Howard says the process had a number of knock-on benefits.
“Just entering the awards makes you take the time to reflect on how far you’ve come, what you might do differently and where you’d like to go.”
Female entrepreneurs have until 5pm on Saturday (September 18) to enter the awards. Visit www.womenintothenetwork.co.uk/awards
Source: Karen Dent, The Journal