Calling all mums in business

Entrepreneurial mothers are being asked to put themselves forward for the Fly Buys Mumtrepreneur Awards, a scheme to highlight women who have taken a business idea and turned it into a reality while raising a family at home.

Fly Buys chief executive Stephen England-Hall says the awards recognise the growing number of New Zealand women who manage to juggle the dual demands of family life and running a company.

"Balancing work and motherhood is a challenge at the best of times so our hats are tipped to women who manage to simultaneously run a business and a family home. They are dedicated, enterprising and hardworking group and probably some of the busiest people in New Zealand," England-Hall says.

Last year's inaugural competition displayed the diversity of successful businesses run by Kiwi mums. Winners ranged from Wellington-based Bridgit Hawkins and her company Regen which helps dairy farmers manage the environmental impact of dairy effluent, to Mairangi Bay's Sandra Finlay who runs The Growth Collective, a service linking fresh food suppliers and schools so parents can order low cost and nutritious lunches for their kids.

From start-ups to companies gone global, the programme is open to businesses from all sectors. Category winners will receive 10,000 Fly Buys points while the supreme Mumtrepreneur of the Year Award winner will get an additional 40,000 Fly Buys points.

The supreme winner will be chosen from six category winners, including Best Product or Service, best Online or Technology Business, Best Creative Business, Best Food and Beverage Business, Best Social Enterprise or Not for Profit and the Best Agri Business.

Entrants will be judged by an expert panel that includes Trilogy co-founder Catherine de Groot, Tui Te Hau from *experience, and Stephen England-Hall.

To apply or nominate someone who deserves an award, see www.mumtrepreneurawards.co.nz.

Entries are open until June 15, 2015.