Last Friday evening, I was so excited and delighted to receive an email informing me that I was a finalists in this years FAB (Females at Business) Waterford Women in Business Awards in the Best in New Business/Enterprise category. FAB Waterford is a networking group set up under the Local Enterprise Office (formally the Waterford City Enterprise Board) and their aim is to organise and run many networking events with the annual business awards as their main event.

All the finalists were notified by email or phone on Friday or Monday, but it wasn’t until late on Wednesday evening that they announced the full list of finalists on the FAB Waterford Facebook page. I was dying to know who the other finalists were in my category and when the list was revealed, I did a bit of research on Facebook. (I’m sure all the other finalists did the same) 😉

FAB Awards 2014 Finalists List

FAB Waterford Women in Business Awards 2014 Finalists List

The FAB Awards consisted of nine categories with three finalists in each and an overall winner. I was up against Sarah Flynn from Unique Aquatics, who provides aqua fitness classes and Lyndsey Power from Inn the Doghouse, who provides doggy day care and training. Among the list of finalists were some fellow business women and friends, which made the build up to the final event even more exciting. Joyce O’Carroll from Wigworld, was one of the finalist in the Best in Business Services category and Rose Walsh and Jean Collins from The Schoolbag.ie were finalists in the Best in Retail category.

The morning of the awards, Dooley’s Hotel lobby was a hub of great excitement when we arrived. The sun was shinning and everyone was full of style and smiles. We posed for official photos, mingled, greeted and networked for a while before moving into the tastefully decorated Rita Nolan room for the awards ceremony.

After an introduction from the deputy Mayor of Waterford, Cllr Tom Cunningham, a very motivational speech from Gabrielle Cummins CEO of Beat 102 103 FM and a delicious lunch, the awards got underway. Standing on the stage infront of the large screen which promoted each finalist, Lynda Lawton from Lawton Media, briskly went through a bio on each nominee and announced the winners accordingly. The winner of my category went to Sarah from Unique Aquatics but I was over the moon that Joyce O’Carroll from Wigworld, won the Best in Business Services award and Ann Cusack from the Granville Hotel won the Best in Tourism & Leisure award. 

Caricatures by Carmel at the FAB Waterford Awards 2014

Caricatures by Carmel at the FAB Waterford Awards 2014

In the end I didn’t come away empty handed on the day, I won Sunday lunch for four people at the beautiful Athenaeum House Hotel in the charity table raffle. Overall, the FAB awards was a very enjoyable event and a fantastic opportunity to promote me and Caricatures by Carmel to a new audience.

An awards ceremony would not be complete without a group #Selfie, which included Oonagh Garland from Galánta Events, Rose Walsh and Jean Collins from The Schoolbag.ie, Joyce O’Carroll from Wigworld, Grainne Walsh from Metalman Brewery, Noelle FitzGerald from Career Compass and Eleanor FitzGerald from the Ribbon Workshop,  who is peeping up over my curls. Yes, that’s me with the floating head 😉

FAB SelfieCongratulations to all the FAB Winners!!!