No application fees. No pay-to-play.
Recognition for women who built real businesses.
Each year, the Business She Built™ Awards recognizes women who didn’t just talk about business … they worked hard and have built something amazing.
What the Business She Built™ Awards Recognizes
The work behind the business is worth recognizing.
These are founders who created something real. Companies that serve customers, solve real problems. That takes persistence, leadership, and a lot of hard decisions.
These are not influencer brands. Not hype-driven businesses. Not overnight viral success stories. Those awards are elsewhere.
Real businesses. Built over time. That is what we recognize.
How it Works
Simple. Intentional. Meaningful.
Many of the women recognized here didn’t follow the “rules” everyone says you have to follow.
Invitation Only
Honorees are selected directly, or referred by people who know the work behind the business.
Recognition
Each honoree is publicly recognized and receives a certificate of recognition plus publicity support.
Community
Honorees are invited to join The Business She Built™ Network to connect, share, and grow together.
What Honorees Receive
Recognition that goes beyond a single moment.
There is no fee to be recognized. (I hate those fake “pay to play” awards!) If you are recognized by The Business She Built™ Awards, it is because someone saw the business you built and believed you deserve recognition. Period.
Award recognition
A symbolic and lasting recognition of the business you bilt.
Published Profile
Your story shared with a community that sees and celebrates your work.
Press and Social
Opportunities and suggestions for press and social media.
Interview Feature
A conversation that shares the journey behind your business.
Refer a Business Owner
Know a woman who deserves recognition?
You can refer an entrepreneur for future potential recognition.
About
The Business She Built™ Awards
Recognition for women who built real businesses
The Business She Built™ Awards was created to recognize women who built something real.
Not just a personal brand. | Not just visibility online. | Not just influence.
Those are all great but already have enough award programs.
This is Real businesses.
Real organizations.
Real communities.
Built through leadership, persistence, and meaningful work.
Every honoree recognized by The Business She Built™ Awards represents the kind of entrepreneurship that often receives the least public recognition: women quietly building companies, nonprofits, communities, and initiatives that genuinely impact the people around them.
Our Philosophy
There are many award programs that operate as pay-to-play marketing systems.
This is not one of them.
The Business She Built™ Awards does not charge application fees, recognition fees, or have sponsorship requirements for honorees.
Recognition is based on the work itself.
Why this exists
Many women spend years building businesses without ever being formally recognized for the work behind them.
They are busy serving clients, leading teams, supporting and building communities, making difficult decisions, carrying responsibility, and solving real problems.
They are not always the loudest people online; often they don’t have time to be. And yet they are building meaningful things every day.
The Business She Built™ Awards exists to recognize that work.
What we recognize
The Business She Built™ Awards recognizes women across a variety of industries and business models, including:
- Entrepreneurs
- Small business owners
- Community builders
- Nonprofit leaders
- Industry leaders
- Founders creating meaningful local impact
We recognize women who:
- built something from the ground up
- created real impact
- led through challenges
- built businesses their own way
- contributed meaningfully to the people and communities they serve
Selection Process
Honorees are selected by invitation or referral.
Some women are chosen directly by the organization. Others are referred by trusted members of the community who believe their work deserves recognition.
At this time, there is no public application process.
What honorees receive
onorees may receive:
- Official recognition by The Business She Built™ Awards
- A published honoree profile
- Interview and spotlight opportunities
- Community and networking invitations
- Podcast and editorial features
- Printed and digital recognition materials
- Opportunities for future collaborations and events
The goal is not simply recognition, but connection and community among women building meaningful work.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Is this a pay to play award program?
No. There are no fees to be recognized by The Business She Built™ Awards.
Can anyone apply?
At this time, honorees are selected by invitation or referral only. We will open nominations from the bigger community soon.
Can I refer someone for future recognition?
As soon as our nomination process opens, referrals may be accepted through the website. Check back soon.
What types of business or organizations qualify?
We recognize a wide range of businesses, nonprofits, organizations, and community initiatives. There is no requirement that a business be large, venture-backed, or highly visible online. There is also no requirement that the owner be female.
Who is this recognition intended for?
Additional updates, future honorees, and announcements will be shared through The Business She Built™ website, social media, newsletter, and related channels.
Do honorees need to be influencers or well-known public figures?
No. Most of the entrepreneurs we recognize are focused on building meaningful businesses and communities rather than building large online audiences.
Is this limited to a specific industry?
No. The Business She Built™ Awards recognizes entrepreneurs across many industries and business models.
What is The Business She Built™ Network?
The Business She Built™ Network is the growing community connected to the awards program, including honorees, collaborators, and future initiatives designed to support connection, visibility, and meaningful conversations among women building business and organizations.
Will there be events, interviews, other things?
Yes. Future plans may include: interviews, podcast features, networking opportunities, spotlight articles, community events, collaborative initiates, and more.
How can I stay informed?
Additional updates, future honorees, and announcements will be shared through The Business She Built™ website, social media, newsletter, and related channels.
Nominate an Entrepreneur
The Business She Built™ Awards recognizes entrepreneurs building meaningful businesses, organizations, and communities through real leadership and lasting impact.
At this time, nominations are primarily being solicited through current honorees, collaborators, and trusted members of our growing network.
We believe some of the most deserving entrepreneurs are often the least likely to nominate themselves. Public nominations are expected to open in the future. Until then, we invite you to check back soon to nominate an entrepreneur whose work deserves recognition.
- Individuals recognized primarily for online popularity rather than meaningful business or community impact
Who This Recognition Is For
The Business She Built™ Awards is intended for women who played a meaningful role in building, growing, or leading a business, organization, nonprofit, or community initiative. This may include:
- Founders or co-founders who are still actively involved in day-to-day operations
- Business owners actively leading and shaping the company they built
- Nonprofit founders still involved in the mission, leadership, or community impact of the organization
- Community builders who created and continue to lead meaningful local or industry initiatives
- Women who built service-based businesses, agencies, firms, studios, practices, or organizations from the ground up
- Entrepreneurs who remain closely connected to the people, mission, and work behind what they built
- Leaders who played a substantial role in creating and growing the organization, not simply managing an existing structure
Who This Recognition Is Typically Not Intended For
While we deeply respect many forms of leadership, The Business She Built™ Awards is generally not intended for roles where the individual did not meaningfully build or create the business or initiative itself. While we may expand to include awards in tehse categories at a later date, there are already multiple programs that currently honor these roles. This may include:
- Middle management roles within large corporations
- Employees or executives hired to manage an already established company
- Franchise operators with limited ownership or operational control
- Influencers or creators without a substantial business, organization, or community initiative behind their work
- Public-facing brand ambassadors who are not actively involved in building or leading the organization
- Individuals whose primary role is consulting, advising, or investing without direct operational leadership
- Honorary, symbolic, or largely inactive founders no longer connected to the work
Networking for Honorees
The Business She Built™ Awards was never intended to be just a recognition list.
Honorees will receive access to private networking opportunities, future collaborative sessions, community conversations, and exclusive opportunities designed to connect women building meaningful businesses and organizations.
As the network grows, honorees will be invited to access additional resources, interviews, events, and member-only opportunities through the private honoree portal.
Honoree login access and networking details will be shared directly with recognized members.
The Business She Built™ Awards was founded by Vicky Wu, entrepreneur and founder of Unscrewed Marketing, artist and author, to recognize women building meaningful businesses, organizations, and communities through real leadership, persistence, and impact.
After decades working with organizations ranging from local entrepreneurs to multi-billion-dollar companies, she created The Business She Built™ Awards to honor women whose work deserves meaningful recognition.
©2026 The Business She Built™, a division of Unscrewed Marketing