THE woman behind hair product company Harland Corporation said her success at being named the Best Small Business in the WIN Awards has been hugely beneficial to her company.
Angela Place, who runs the five-year-old Seaham firm with partner Darren Williams, said: “We love the fact that the WIN Awards helps to show off the amazing female entrepreneurs the North East has to offer.
“We are deeply proud of our roots and North East background and the WIN awards is our big opportunity to really shout about our brilliant little company and terrific team. I entered the awards knowing that if I won we could really celebrate what has been an absolutely spectacular year and get the team together to party!
“Everything we’ve achieved this year has been down to the hard work and huge effort of the entire team, so it meant so much to me knowing that the award was for everyone’s achievements.
“In fact the entire office was buzzing for two weeks afterwards, shouting about it to our customers, suppliers and friends. I’m still smiling.
“To say the company has benefited from the awards is an understatement and the power of being an award- winning company is hugely influential to winning new business.”
The WIN Awards are organised by networking and support group Women Into the Network and have been getting bigger and better since they were launched 12 years ago.
WIN’s small business award is sponsored by Durham County Council. The council’s business development and marketing officer Andrea McGuigan said: “We chose to sponsor this category of the WIN Awards as small businesses are the lifeblood of the County Durham economy.
“We recognise that women in business play a vital role in the county’s economy and are very pleased to be involved with the awards.”
And Spacecraft Events is backing the Best Creative Business Award this year. Director Jacqui Chapman said: “As I was a previous winner of this category and work within the industry. I understand the hard work, passion and determination you have to put in to succeed.
“The awards dinner is a fabulous night for women to shout about how well they are doing and raise a glass to the success in the region.”
Email info@womenintothenetwork. co.uk or call 0191 385 6619 for details.
