Entrepreneur of the Year?

It's that time of year again -- the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Just like it sounds, this award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. Win this award and you're sure to be a corporate powerhouse in the next several years. After attending the launch meeting earlier this month, I walked away with some tidbits of information to share:

-Nominations are judged on Innovation, Personal Integrity, Strategic Direction and Financial Performance.
-To be eligible, you must manage or own a company, the company must be at least two years old, you must have an equity position in the company, and lastly, the company must have at least $5 million in revenue.
-Submissions are due 3/31.
-First time submissions rarely win, but lay the ground work for following years. Since it's free, submit anyway and get on the radar.
-E&Y does not judge the entries...they select impartial industry experts.
-Previous winners include: Amazon, Car Toys, CoinStar, ZymoGenetics, Starbucks and more. Keep in mind, they won the award prior to being the household names they are today.

If you'd like to submit for the award, you need to contact Tania Villalonga at tania.villalonga@ey.com. She'll then send you a link to the submission or overnight a paper submission. Keep in mind, the form is extensive and requires financial information (this information is kept under NDA).

Good Luck!!

-posted by Justin