The closing date for entries is 30 June and members can enter in one of four categories:
- SACBW Businesswoman of the Year;
- SACBW Entrepreneur of the Year – Rising Star (for entrepreneurs in business for less than three years);
- Social Entrepreneur of the Year – Warrior Woman (for owners of registered NPOs, NPCs and foundations); and
- SACBW Community Warrior Woman of the Year (open to non-members of the SACBW seen as leaders in the community).
Winners will be announced on 25 September, and the winners of the first three categories will compete for the national recognition awards. The winners will be announced at the national gala event on 24 October.
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Lonice Wessels, chairperson of the Nelspruit SACBW branch and previous business woman of the year, says that when you are building a business with passion and dedication, you often forget how much you have sacrificed along the way.
“The late nights, missed family gatherings, postponed celebrations, and countless challenges simply become part of the journey. You become so focused on moving forward, swimming constantly, trying to keep your head above water, that you rarely stop to see how far you have come.
“But every now and then, it is worth pausing and looking back at the shore where it all began. Take stock of your achievements. Celebrate the milestones, the resilience, and the courage that brought you here. Allow yourself a moment of gratitude and pride.
“Then take the next brave step: share your story. Your journey has the power to inspire other women to dream bigger, persevere longer, and believe in themselves. That is why you should enter the SACBW Recognition Awards. You will never win by playing small. Be bold! You will be surprised by just how far you have come,” she says.
She says other reasons to enter your business is to build credibility for yourself and your business, exposure that can create new opportunities, and connecting to a powerful network of successful and like-minded women.
Participants have to be paid-up members of the SACBW. The entry fee for Business Women of the Year is R650, with the entry fees for Entrepreneur of the Year and Social Entrepreneur of the Year is R350. New members who wish to enter the recognition awards must join SACBW as a member, register and pay the monthly or annual membership fee via online shop on www.sacbw.org.
