It’s about excellence
The Niagara Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (NEYA) honour enterprising people whose businesses have made significant differences in the community, and in our lives. The awards are a symbol of achievement for those innovative entrepreneurs who provide inspiration, exemplify excellence and carry out their unique vision.
The NEYA program celebrates and honours the entrepreneurial spirit, the successes and accomplishment of Niagara’s best and brightest business leaders. The men and women who have been recognized through these awards exemplify the true spirit of entrepreneurship. Through hard work, determination, creativity and resourcefulness, they have established new ventures or lead existing ones into renewed growth. Last year, we celebrated the twentieth anniversary of this program. Our goal is to continue to spotlight Niagara’s best, and to help them become more widely recognized in the Canadian and international business community.
Since the program’s inception in 1994, 1,085 nominees have been recognized and 345 local entrepreneurs have received awards.
The importance of entrepreneurs
In the 21st century, as business becomes more global and more competitive, our economy will rely more and more on the entrepreneurial philosophy and on entrepreneurial practices. It’s important that we support, encourage and help entrepreneurial enterprises. It’s essential that our business and community environment fosters entrepreneurial activity, and recognizes it for the vital process it is.
A cycle of success
Because entrepreneurs are not just dreamers of dreams. They’re doers. They learn, adapt and envision the road not taken – accepting failures as learning posts along the way to success. They don’t necessarily have all the answers, but they’re not afraid to ask questions, or to say “what if”?
Entrepreneurs make the world go ‘round. They play a key role in creating economic growth, and in developing new ideas that lead to more exciting changes in their business, in others’ businesses, and in the business world around them. Innovative companies out perform non-innovative companies. An innovative environment instills energy in people, allowing them to be creative and, in turn, inspiring to others. It’s a cycle of success.