Last week I was absolutely thrilled to learn that I was in the running for the Gloucestershire Women of the Year Awards 2016. A closer look at the official Gloucestershire Women of the Year Awards website revealed even more exciting news: I am a finalist in not one, but two categories, i.e. International Businesswoman of the Year 2016 and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2016.

I was especially pleased and honoured to be shortlisted alongside very successful local businesswomen in a wide range of industries, from fashion to pharmaceuticals. The awards aim to recognise, celebrate and highlight the achievements of successful female entreprenuers of Gloucestershire in 11 different categories: Business of the Year, Community Champion of the Year, Creative Woman of the Year, Digital Woman of the Year, Diversity Champion of the Year, International Businesswoman of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Start-up Business of the Year, Woman of the Year,  Woman to Watch (Under 30), and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Running a successful translation business requires a lot of hard work, determination and committment. It feels great to have your efforts acknowledged by the local business community, especially for someone like me who is relatively new to Gloucestershire. This success follows a business boost Mastermind Translations received as a Small Business Sunday winner just over a year ago from small business champion and retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis. I hope my journey helps to raise the profile of the translation profession and inspire the next generation of linguists.

The winners of the Gloucestershire Women of the Year Awards 2016 will be announced at a black tie awards ceremony which will be taking place on Thursday, 16th June at the Gold Cup Suite, Cheltenham Racecourse. You can follow the event on Twitter by using the official hashtag #GWA2016. Keep your fingers crossed for me!