Announcing the finalists in the WeDO Scotland 2014 Awards
Excitement is building at WeDO Scotland this week as our 2014 Awards finalists prepare for their interviews and filming on Thursday. ?After much deliberation, our judging panel, chaired by Graham Langley who is joined by fellow WeDO Executive team Ambassador Martin Mutch, 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year winner, Dougie Walker and Rod McMillan made their decisions on Friday. ?You can read more about the judges by clicking here.
Competition has been tougher than ever this year and we’re looking forward to seeing all the finalists on Thursday. ?Belinda and Gill will be in attendance to calm any last minute nerves and with an endless supply of coffee! ?Our thanks also go to our Awards Ceremony Producer and Director, Fraser Purdie of Beaten Track Productions who is with us for the third year in a row and will be filming all of the finalists on Thursday before editing the footage ready to be played on the night.
We wish all of the finalists the very best of luck and regardless of who wins, to have made it through to this stage is a phenomenal achievement for them and their teams, well done from all of us at WeDO.
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
sponsored by?Claymore Global Solutions
Abigail Stevens?-?Think Global Recruitment
?Belinda?s call on Friday, to let me know I am one of two finalists for Entrepreneur of the Year, made my week and set me up for a fantastic weekend!?? I felt flattered, delighted and excited.?? Scotland has so many fantastic owner managed businesses, to get to this stage for a WeDO award feels like a great achievement for me.? ?Although nervous, I am actually also looking forward to Thursday.? I spend much of my time in meetings with my team, interviewing other people for jobs or mentoring other businesses.?? It will be nice to be able to talk about a business I am passionate about and achievements I am very proud of. ??Just to get to the final?s is great, so I am relaxed about the outcome on the night.? I wish Erica and all the nominees for the other awards all the best and really look forward to the Awards night also!”
“I’m absolutely delighted to have made it to the final of the Awards. I’ve found the process very useful so far from a business planning point of view so whatever the outcome it has been a great experience. I’m looking forward to the final round on Thursday (just hoping my week old baby won’t disrupt proceedings)!”
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
sponsored by?CNJ Accounting
“I am incredibly honoured to make it through to the final round. The process so far has helped me with my focus on what is coming next within my business. I?m looking forward to meeting the judges and telling them more about my business and fingers crossed, I might win!”
Nathan Pike?&?Piers Bambridge?-?Pike & Bambridge
“Pike & Bambridge is delighted to have been recognised as a finalist in the 2014 WeDO Scotland Awards. ?Successes in business and recognition like this make the entrepreneurial journey exciting and rewarding. ?We?re looking forward to the next stage of the process and we?d like to wish all of the WeDO Scotland 2014 Awards nominees all the very best. ?See you at the Dinner!”
MOST INNOVATIVE BUSINESS
sponsored by?Geoghegans Accountants & Business Advisors
Mike Christopherson – Nordic Drinks
“I’m absolutely delighted to have made it through to the final for Most Innovative Business. ?Since I set my business up, we’ve always strived to be innovative and do things a little bit differently and to have recognition of our achievements from WeDO is a great achievement for all the team. ?I’m looking forward to Thursday’s interview and filming and would like to wish all the other finalists the best of luck on the night.”
“The challenge of bringing a solution like Neatebox’s to market is having the chance to explain to the authorities that a problem even exists. ?With the increased publicity for our cause that we gain from our association with the WeDO Awards we add one more reason to get noticed and get one more step closer to providing a solution in traffic safety.”
HIGH GROWTH COMPANY OF THE YEAR
sponsored by?Santander
Stuart Hunter?-?Advance Global Recruitment
“For an organisation like WeDO to recognise the good work we have done at AGR is fantastic. ?To have made it through to the finals is a massive achievement for AGR and we are all absolutely delighted!! ?With regards to the interview process on Thursday I think the best way to describe how I am feeling is??nervously excited!!!”
Martin Walker?-?Everycare Edinburgh
?Last week I received the draft report from the Care Inspectorate awarding us their highest grades in 5 out of 6 Quality areas they recently looked at, we decided to launch our new Live-in Care Service 3 months ahead of schedule because of the level of new business enquiries we?re receiving – and then Belinda?s phone call at ten to five on Friday, telling me that I?d made it through to the Finals of the 2014 WeDO Awards. What a fabulous end to a fantastic week!?
NEW START BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
sponsored by?Mazars
“The Cappuccino Ads team are buzzing with excitement, and not just from all the coffee! ?We can’t wait for the event itself, and are excited to be part of something so wonderful. ?I’d be lying if I said I didn’t set my sights on it at last year’s awards, so to have achieved what we have this year feels rather splendid! ?We’re honoured to be part of such a great bunch of nominees and take great pride in being there!”
“I’m very?proud and excited to have made it to the final of the WeDO awards against such excellent competition. I’m really looking forward to Thursday whatever the outcome may be at this point. “A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study” – one of the things I find so fantastic about WeDO is the depth of knowledge and experience of all ?members, paired with the willingness to share and help support others is what makes it a truly unique network and a joy to be part of.”
To join us in celebrating entrepreneurial success in Scotland, please click?HERE,?members & non-members of WeDO are welcome & it’s a hugely enjoyable evening with the deal mix of business & fun.
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