Drumroll Please! Announcing the Finalists of the 2018 Mompreneur® Awards

TORONTO - Jan. 12, 2018 - PRLog -- Mompreneurs® and ParentsCanada Magazine have teamed up once again to recognize and reward the country's top Mompreneurs. This year the 23 finalists, representing 6 provinces, will be vying for one of four prestigious awards, with the top prize valued at over $30,000 in cash and business services designed to drive the winners' companies forward to further success.

The 2018 Annual Mompreneur® Awards recognizes the hard work and talent of busy female entrepreneurs who are making advances in today's Canadian entrepreneurial business environment, setting new standards for women in business, inspiring new lifestyle norms and taking charge of their economic livelihoods and career options. More women than ever are armed with the education, determination, empowerment and talent to create their own business, charting the path for greater employment opportunities and economic stability for all Canadians.

Voting began on December 4th and closed December 10th, 2017. Over 1,200 women were nominated or registered online at themompreneur.com/award, and 205 entrants advanced. After accumulating points based on support from over 90,000 public voters and 30,000 supporters, as well as impression ratings from a selection committee, the finalists were narrowed down.

Finalists will be scrutinized by an expert panel of respected judges, based on criteria such as innovation, commitment to community, sales growth, leadership, and scalability, in 4 award categories: Mompreneur Award of Excellence (exemplary product/service), Mompreneur Startup Award (for a business under 3 years), Mompreneur Award of Merit (for a consultant or franchisee), and the Mompreneurs "Momentum" Award (for a female-led non-profit, charity, or service-based business).

And without further ado, the finalists in each awards category are:

Mompreneur® Award of Excellence

Tiber River Naturals Inc. – Adriana De Luca & Michelle Lalonde, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Bamboletta Dolls, Ltd — Christina Platt, Vancouver, British Columbia

Rok Cork — Elizabeth Roque, Toronto, Ontario

Adorable Chocolat Inc — Ginette Ahier, Shediac, New Brunswick

Rawnata —Natalie Dueck, New Bothwell, Manitoba

Three Farmers Products — Natasha Vandenhurk, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Keenfit – The Pole Walking Co. — Sheri Simpson, Kelowna, British Columbia

Neveen Dominic Cosmetics — Neveen Dominic, Calgary, Alberta

Mompreneurs® "Momentum" Award

Belbeck's Family Farm featuring Rent The Chicken — Kate Belbeck, Moffatt, Ontario

Hawthorne Cafe — Kerry Bunney, Milton, Ontario

For the Love of Laundry– Melissa Power, London, Ontario

The Yoga Project – Vanessa Miniaci & Jessica Monkcom, Orangeville, Ontario

Mompreneur® Startup Award

Love Powered Co. — Anna Lozano & Lindy Sood, Oakville, Ontario

Round Trip Studios — Alison Wawrzyniak, Milton, Ontario

Smash + Tess — Ashley Freeborn, Vancouver, British Columbia

Wallis Evera — Monique Parker, Delta, British Columbia

Nanashake — Tamara Aldip, Toronto, Ontario

Mompreneur® Award of Merit

Young Living Independent Distributor— Kah-Mei Smith, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Crazy But It Works — Barb Houser, Norwich, Ontario

Independent Director with Pampered Chef — Kathy Drennan, Kincardine, Ontario

Happy Healthy Momma with JuicePlus+ — Jennifer Zurbrigg, Edmonton, Alberta

Mary Kay — Lygia Valcourt, Oshawa, Ontario

The winners will be announced in Toronto at the 6th Annual National Mompreneurs Conference taking place on March 2^nd and 3^rd, 2018 at the Toronto Congress Centre.  Joining them to celebrate will be an elite powerhouse roster of business and leadership speakers including Kirstine Stewart, Simon T. Bailey, Amber Mac, Kimra Luna, Erica Ehm and many more.

For information on the 2018 Mompreneur® Awards and prizing, please visit themompreneur.com/award (http://www.themompreneur.com/award)

More information about the Annual Conference can be found at: themompreneur.com/conference/

To interview Maria Locker or any of these emerging Canadian business leaders and mentors, including sharing their stories, getting business/entrepreneur success tips and learnings, or showcasing their business ideas, please contact:

Rania Walker, PR & Media Relations   |   Front Door PR   |   416-258-8953   |   rania@frontdoorpr.com

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ParentsCanada

ParentsCanada magazine (ParentsCanada.com (http://www.ParentsCanada.com))  is one of Canada's leading resources for parents of newborns to tweens. Our focus is on providing parents the tools they need to make positive choices for their families. @ParentsCanada

Mompreneurs®

Mompreneur Showcase Group Inc. (TheMompreneur.com (http://www.TheMompreneur.com)) is the trusted national network that supports, educates, and empowers female entrepreneurs across Canada. With a team expanding across Canada, they boast a collective of over 17,000 members and subscribers, and an online community over 80,000 strong. @TheMompreneurTM