Congratulations to the winners and finalists in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Competition for Utah. The Deseret News had a nice article about the black tie awards ceremony on Friday evening and listed the 15 winners.
The whole evening was inspiring for me. I especially liked seeing Greg Warnock honored for his incredible support of entrepreneurship in Utah. And presenting Will West with his Master Entrepreneur award for his unprecedented accomplishments in forming companies and attracting venture capital to them was a real honor.
I think the most memorable quote of the evening for me was in the video about one of the finalists who runs a distribution business to supply car wash equipment. His business is in a small community. Over the years, he has gained a profile in the community as a business owner, obviously, one who is doing well financially. In his interview he said the most satisfying thing for him is that he inspires others in his community to believe that they can be more than just a laborer, they can aspire to higher goals, because he proved that it could be done.
Perhaps the greatest contribution entrepreneurs make to the world is inspiring others to believe that they can make a difference too!
I love entrepreneurs. I love the mind set. I love the passion and the desire to succeed. It is definitely contagious.
I wish I could convince everyone who wants to start a business (recent surveys show that 12% of adult Americans would like to quit what they are doing now and start their own business) that they really can do it. And then I\’d like to provide them with tools that will help them to succeed.
Most new businesses don\’t succeed, for a variety of reasons. I really want to find a way to increase the chances of success by giving more startups better access to best practices, case studies, angel investors, and inspiring examples of never-say-die entrepreneurs. There are ways to overcome almost every business challenge.
Provo Labs Academy will be training local entrepreneurs every week. We\’ll be offering lectures on internet marketing and recording guest lectures on other business topics. We will create a curriculum that we hope will help entrepreneurs worldwide find greater chances to succeed.
Let me know if you\’d like more information about our upcoming incubator space and training classes.
5 thoughts on “Utah Entrepreneur of the Year Winners”
Awsome Post Paul!! I have always wanted ot go to one of theose events. In fact I plan on it, sweet rad tuxedo with my awsome adorable wife. I mean it had ot be fun!
All those people recognition and the social networking must have been at its heights.
Is there a website about how to get nominated? or some other source of info like you?
Shoot Paul, spill the beans you were a judge this year.
Please keep me in the loop about incubator space and classes. Thanks
I like it!! May I sign up for training???
On the other hand, I think I shall leave entrepreneurship
to my children!
[…] Deseret News covered the event. Paul Allen was there and describes it in a recent post. Paul blogged it and his mission to help entrepreneurs with his incubator Provo Labs. […]
I saw your article in the Utah Valley Business magazine and am extremely curious about the lab you have in Provo. That sounds like something I sorely need 🙂