What inspired you to start the AusMumpreneur Awards?
My sister Katy and I started the AusMumpreneur Awards in 2009 as we believe that women hold the key to the solutions to the problems the world is facing and when women feel supported and recognised for their work and have a platform to talk about their message they’re much better able to solve these problems!
When we started out we knew that there was a need for support, connection and recognition for mothers running businesses and juggling young children.
Working from home can be incredibly isolating and as mothers with young families ourselves when we started the business we knew firsthand the challenges that these women faced.
We also wanted to challenge the stereotype that if you were running a business from home that it was just a hobby or not a real business. As well as that we wanted to showcase role models for other women who had been dreaming about staring their own business and to provide opportunities for the kind of support and connection needed to create a successful business.
What is the mission or goal of the AusMumpreneur Awards today?
The awards have grown to be a nationally recognised brand today and women from all over Australia travel to the AusMumpreneur Conference each year to connect and celebrate each other. Over time we’ve learnt that these awards are so much more than the opportunity for recognition and promotion that the women we receive, for many women it’s validation and reassurance that they’re on the right path, that they’re making a difference and that what they do matters. Sometimes this encouragement is lifechanging and inspires these women to dream bigger and create something incredibly special through the work they do.
Who should consider entering the AusMumpreneur Awards?
The awards are open to mothers in business from across Australia across all industries with categories recognising health, education, innovation, e-commerce, professional services and more!
How does the entry process work?
The entry process is simple, you can either self-nominate or be nominated by someone else, then pay entry fee and answer the questions in the application form and upload your photo. We have two types of categories – JUDGED these are assessed by a panel of judges and PEOPLES CHOICE and these are determined by public vote. All winners are announced at the AusMumpreneur Awards gala dinner on 12 August in Geelong.
What are some of the benefits of entering Awards?
The benefits of being a part of it include media opportunities, we’ve had people appear on TV, radio, magazines and newspapers all over the world! As well as this the ability to say that you’re an award winning business really does position you as a leader in your field and helps you to stand out from competitors and most importantly I believe is the opportunity for connection with the other women that you meet as part of the process from judges, to fellow finalists to the speakers at the conference, we’ve seen incredible friendships and business collaborations happen as a direct result of this event.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about entering for the first time?
Even with all of these benefits though one of the biggest things holding women back from entering is self doubt and this is one of the reasons that globally men win more awards globally than women do. We want to change that! So we encourage everyone to put themselves forward, celebrate their journey and go for it!
Read more about the awards here: ausmumpreneur.com
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About the Author
Name: Peace Mitchell
Professional Title: Co-founder of the AusMumpreneur Award
Bio: Peace Mitchell is the co-founder of the AusMumpreneur Awards, a nationally recognised program celebrating and supporting mothers in business across Australia. With a passion for empowering women to pursue entrepreneurship without sacrificing family life, she has spent over a decade building platforms that amplify female voices and success stories. Through events, mentoring, and community initiatives, she champions innovation, leadership, and balance. Her work has inspired thousands of women to follow their dreams, redefine success on their own terms, and create lasting impact through purpose-driven business.
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