2. 2 | Are you an entrepreneurial star? Share your story. Inspire others. Celebrate your team.
Canada’s
top entrepreneurs
are the stars
of our economy.
3. Are you an entrepreneurial star? Share your story. Inspire others. Celebrate your team. | 1
Who’s eligible?
An Entrepreneur Of The Year nominee must
meet all of the following criteria:
• Be an owner, CEO or CEO-equivalent of a
private or public company that is at least
three years old
• Be primarily responsible for the company’s
recent performance
• Be nominated in the region in which the
company is headquartered
If this describes you or someone you
know, the next step is easy! Submit your
online nomination at ey.com/ca/eoy today.
Self‑nominations are encouraged.
Nominate online today at
ey.com/ca/eoy
At EY, we applaud and champion Canada’s
entrepreneurial stars. For over 20 years,
we’ve celebrated their achievements with
the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Awards.
Could you be a winner this year?
Share your story, inspire others and
receive the recognition you and your team
deserve. Submit a nomination for the
world’s most prestigious business award
for entrepreneurs. Nominations close
30 April 2016.
You dream big — the sky is no limit
to your bold ambitions. You light
the way for others, giving your
boundless energy to your business,
your people, your customers and
your community.
4. 2 | Are you an entrepreneurial star? Share your story. Inspire others. Celebrate your team.
Why get involved?
• Brand awareness: Just being nominated can
elevate awareness of your company through
exposure to other entrepreneurs, sponsors,
judges and guests.
• Valuable publicity: Finalists and winners receive
media exposure in their market and beyond.
• Stronger relationships: Investors, customers and
potential recruits take notice of award finalists
and winners. Employee morale can be lifted
across the organization.
• Exclusive network: Entrepreneur Of The
Year alumni represent some of the most
influential and innovative entrepreneurs
in the world. Winners become part of this
influential and exclusive community. They also
gain access to business advisors, speaking
engagements, media opportunities and the
EY Strategic Growth Forum®
, the largest and most
prestigious gathering of CEOs and high‑growth
entrepreneurs across the globe.
Celebrating your team
You have a team of hard-working people behind
you who help your business succeed. That’s why
the program offers opportunities for everyone to
be involved:
• Preparing the nomination form: The CFO and
marketing/PR teams are great resources to
prepare a draft of your nomination form and feel
like they are part of the process.
• The awards gala: If you become a finalist, the
regional awards gala makes the program come
alive for your team as they cheer you on at
the black-tie event, which is attended by up to
1,000 influential people.
• The Company Award Program: If you win an award,
we come to your premises to present a granite
plaque to your employees to honour them for their
part in your achievements.
The award has created a buzz around the
office and we even noticed it in the industry.
People who did not know us certainly know
the EY program and that brought some
instant recognition/credibility with new
potential clients.
Robert Crosbie
Crosbie Group Limited
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014, Atlantic region
5. Are you an entrepreneurial star? Share your story. Inspire others. Celebrate your team. | 3
What do the judges look for?
Independent panels of judges in each region comprise business and community leaders,
educators and past award winners. They evaluate nominations on a wide range of
criteria, including:
• Financial performance: A strong track record of financial performance, including raising
equity and debt financing
• Vision: The ability to create a business concept and implement it effectively
• Leadership: The focus and strength of character that enable the entrepreneur to move
forward and inspire a team to do the same
• Innovation: Driving business success by pioneering new approaches and investing in
ongoing research and development
• Personal integrity and influence: Knowing that commitment and responsibility
aren’t confined to business, and putting energy and resources to work in giving back
to the community
• Entrepreneurial spirit: Setting high standards and demonstrating a desire to
succeed, taking risks, overcoming significant obstacles, learning from experience and
demonstrating perseverance
Winning the EY Entrepreneur
Of The Year Award was a great
honour that validated all the
blood, sweat and tears we’ve
encountered since startup.
It was also great recognition
of our loyal Vega fans across
North America and our
talented and dedicated team
of Vegatopians.
Charles Chang
Vega
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, Business-to-
Consumer Products and Services 2014,
Pacific region
6. 4 | Are you an entrepreneurial star? Share your story. Inspire others. Celebrate your team.
A strong, well-written nomination is powerful and
compelling to the judges. Consider these points when
completing the nomination form:
• Tell your story: This is all about one of the most
prestigious business awards in the country.
Humility has its time and place — this isn’t it.
• Understand the evaluation process: Focus on
the criteria the judges look for.
• Make it engaging: Your story should be truthful,
vivid and engaging. Make it stand out. Have a PR
team? Put them to work.
• Be concise: Keep to the word count. Brevity is a
virtue here.
• Demonstrate results: You can’t measure dreams,
but you can quantify growth. Use specific numbers,
percentages and statistics.
• Compare yourself to others: How do you stack up
to the competition and differentiate yourself in the
market? Convey those factors, remembering that
judges may be unfamiliar with your industry.
• Persuade: Convince the judges that they’re reading
about a real winner. Be authentic. Be enthusiastic.
• Polish and edit: Write it. Take a break. Then go
back and read it with fresh eyes, changing what
you need to make it shine.
• Call for backup: Include newspaper clippings, client
testimonials and reports reflecting the health of
your company. But choose only the best bits, not
all, making sure they fit on a piece of 8½×11-inch
paper. Multimedia support is discouraged.
• Be on time: Nomination submissions are due with
a firm deadline of 30 April 2016.
Tips to get your application noticed
7. Winning an Entrepreneur Of The Year award has been a
true honour. The recognition is validation that Manitoba
Harvest is much more than a manufacturer — that we’re
seen as an innovative and dynamic business leader.
Mike Fata
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year,
Manufacturing 2014, Prairies region
What if our company has multiple founders?
Due to the nature of the media announcements
and award galas, it’s best to identify one individual
who will be the main contact. Multiple-nominee
applications are accepted, but must include
information for each individual nominee.
Who can submit a nomination?
Anyone who knows an entrepreneur — employees,
managers, bankers, lawyers, spouses, family and
friends — can submit a nomination. And we encourage
self-nominations.
How many award categories may I select?
Select the categories you feel best reflect the nature
of your business, up to a maximum of three. The
judges will make the final selection based on the
quantity and quality of all the nominated businesses
in each region.
Is the nomination form confidential?
Who has access to the financials?
All information provided in the nomination form or
otherwise will be reviewed by the EY Entrepreneur Of
The Year organizers and shared with the independent
judges. Financial information (i.e., specific financial
information other than information described in a
range) will only be shared with the independent
judges, who sign a confidentiality agreement and
do not retain any documentation, and with the
EY principals involved in the EY Entrepreneur Of
The Year Awards program. No detailed financial
information will be shared with the program sponsors.
In our promotional material, we may refer to your
participation in the program and include the brief
corporate description you provide. Any other public
disclosure of information will not be made without
your consent.
The completeness with which the nomination form is
prepared will have a material bearing on whether or
not your company advances to finalist status.
Frequently Asked Questions
