Ernst & Young is calling for driven, female entrepreneurs to enter their annual competition, called the 2013 North American Entrepreneurial Winning Women Program.

The competition gives these business owners the chance to connect with a valuable network of potential investors, corporate leaders, financial advisors and other entrepreneurs.

“I’m now setting my sights on a 300% growth plan” due to winning this contest, says Kari Warberg Block, CEO of Earth-Kind and last year’s winner.

The competition encourages women to expand their companies by moving beyond self-funding. They need to seek external investors, and also use experts financial advice to maximize their resources.

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Those who participated in the program “achieved average annual revenue growth of 49% and a corresponding 26% average annual growth in the number of jobs they provide,” according to an Ernst & Young’s study.

Applicants must be the founding woman CEO of a privately held U.S. or Canadian company. That business must have reported $2 million in sales minimum within each of the last two years, and the venture must be less than 10 years old.

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Entrepreneurs must also be able to attend an orientation and coaching session at Ernst & Young’s headquarters in New York City in October 2013, as well as the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum in November 2013 in California.

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