Ernst & Young LLP Seeks High Potential Women Entrepreneurs for “Winning Women” Competition

Ernst & Young LLP is calling for nominations for its “Winning Women” competition, a program designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential businesses founded by women entrepreneurs.

Now in its second year, the Winning Women program will provide 10 female entrepreneurs with personalized one-on-one business insights and insider access to strategic networks of established entrepreneurs, executives, advisors and investors. The program is conducted in collaboration with the Women's Presidents Organization, Women's Business Enterprise National Council, and the Committee of 200. Babson College, which helped Ernst & Young LLP develop the Winning Women program pilot, is also helping to source high-potential women-owned businesses for this year's competition. Nominations and applications to the program can be submitted online at: www.ey.com/us/winningwomen.

"Our research and experience shows us that women need a rich network of advisors and seasoned role models to help break through the barriers to rapid growth and entrepreneurial success," said Maria Pinelli, Americas Director, Strategic Growth Markets, Ernst & Young LLP. "Through the Ernst & Young Winning Women program, we seek to increase the numbers of outstanding, high-growth businesses run by women by providing business know-how and access to these extraordinarily valuable networks."

Piloted in 2008, the inaugural Winning Women program produced impressive connections and results. One Winning Woman who sought an exit strategy for her consumer products company recently sold her business to one of the advisors she met through the program. Other winners remarked that the program was a springboard for growth and that being surrounded by the top echelon of entrepreneurs motivated them to set higher goals and "think bigger."

"With Winning Women, Ernst & Young combines our long-standing commitment to entrepreneurship with our values of diversity and inclusiveness," noted Billie Williamson, Ernst & Young LLP's Americas Inclusiveness Officer. "Given that women-owned businesses are growing at twice the rate of all U.S. businesses, we want to use Ernst & Young's resources and convening power to support these women in every way possible."

To apply for the program, applicants must fit the following criteria:

• Woman business owner who is the founder or founding partner of a US company

• Company must have reported at least one full fiscal year of $1 million in sales within the last 2 years

• Venture must be less than 5 years old

• Must be able to attend orientation/preparation session in New York City in October, and the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, which takes place on November 11-15, in Palm Springs, CA.

According to the Center for Women's Business Research (CWBR), nine out of 10 women business owners want to expand their businesses and four in 10 women entrepreneurs want their businesses to become as large as possible. Ernst & Young created the Winning Women program to help successful women entrepreneurs realize the potential they envision for their companies.

Winning Women applicants will be judged on business originality and vision, clarity and viability of their business growth plan, energy and creativity, along with entrepreneurial passion, and the confidence and conviction to become a market-leading company.

Benefits to the winners of this year's program include: focused support in their strategic business growth including knowledge-sharing on the growth strategies of market-leading companies; development and exposure of each entrepreneur's corporate and personal brand; and engagement in a national and regional community of supporters committed to entrepreneurial success.

The deadline to receive applications for Winning Women is September 4, 2009. All applications for the Winning Women program will be reviewed by a panel of independent judges and the 10 winning entrepreneurs will be announced the week of October 19. Each winner will receive an all expense paid trip to the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum 2009, which takes place November 11 -15 in Palm Springs, Calif.

The Strategic Growth Forum, dubbed by Forbes.com as one of the "Seven Get-Ahead Executive Retreats," is a prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Forum presents a one-of-a-kind platform for Ernst & Young Winning Women to introduce their companies and develop their corporate and personal brand within a community of established entrepreneurs, executives, and advisors.

All 2009 Winning Women will be recognized at a special celebratory event during the Forum. For more information on the Forum, including speakers from top US companies, visit: www.ey.com/us/strategicgrowthforum .