Why do women need their own awards anyway.

Last year I was (and the RedBalloon team) honoured being named winner National Telstra Business Women’s Awards – Innovation – at the event, I committed to being a great ambassador for the awards ‘and do them proud’. (speech below). So now it is time to nominate those women who you see who are up to stuff. Women who are both interesting and interested, who contribute to the bigger picture and support those around them.

The journey through these awards is first class and absolutely worthwhile. It is a nurturing environment, judges seeking out the strengths of each nominee. It is not about competition or winning, it is about meeting other amazing women.

So who do you know that you wish to nominate?

Here are some thoughts specifically when asked questions about women in business:

What is the one piece of advice you would offer other women in business?
There are three things that I think all business people need to know when starting out.

1. Why are you going into business – be really clear about your purpose?
2. Know the metrics, understand money no business can thrive without cash.
3. Surround yourself with people who you can learn from and give knowledge to.

What are the biggest mistakes you see women making in business?
A male entrepreneur that I know recently challenged me that Australian women ‘dabble in cottage industry businesses’. Of course, this was a red rag to a bull – but it did get me thinking – why don’t women found and then run bigger businesses, or do they and we just don’t know about it. So my challenge to women is “Dare to Dream bigger than you can imagine” Allow yourself to experience failure – pick yourself up and do it again. Many famous business owners have tried again and again before they succeeded. As one of my mentors once said to me ‘Naomi it may have been a very expensive lesson – so you better have learned something very big from it.’

Dare to participate in these awards too.