Two Canadians have been given the nod for Ernst and Young’s 2013 Entrepreneurial Winning Women Program. Kelsey Ramsden, president of Belvedere Place Development Ltd. and Corin Mullins, CEO of Holy Crap Cereal are the two entrepreneurs selected.
The North American competition and executive leadership program selects a group of high-potential women entrepreneurs whose businesses show real potential to scale, and then helps them do it. This is the first year the program has included women from Canada.
“Kelsey and Corin are savvy business owners who prove Canadian entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with not only in this country, but around the world,” said Carrie Marchitto, EY’s Entrepreneurial Winning Women leader in Canada. “Entrepreneurs — and women — play a vital role in any healthy and vibrant economy, creating jobs and driving growth. But despite robust growth in the early stages, many women entrepreneurs struggle to find the resources needed to continue to scale their businesses towards market leadership.”
The current group of women selected includes 12 companies with services that range from personalized medicine to jet aircraft charters to cyber security. Along with the two Canadians, the class represents some of the most innovative women entrepreneurs in business today. Cumulatively, the 12 Winning Women employ almost 400 people, and have annual sales totalling nearly $150 million.
“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity for any woman to be recognized by EY, never mind the opportunity to connect with so many other amazing women and fabulous mentors through the network that EY has provided for me,” said Ramsden of Belvedere Place Development, Ltd. “The learning will be pivotal to take this business past the tens of millions mark and to build it in a way that will bridge generations. I am just downright grateful.”
Mullins, the Holy Crap Cereal entrepreneur, added that EY has “opened up a wonderful opportunity” for women of all ages and experiences. “Just to be recognized by EY is humbling and to be among these self-made women is truly amazing. I’m thankful for the wonderful knowledge that I will take home with me to move my company to the next level.”
According to an independent assessment by Babson College, participant companies have an average growth of nearly 50 percent per year, and a corresponding 26 percent average growth in the number of jobs they provide.
Ramsden and Mullins will be honoured at Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013 National gala November 27 in Toronto. The gala will culminate EY Canada’s 20th anniversary of celebrating the country’s brightest entrepreneurs, and Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013 will be announced.
