21 Australian Women-Led Businesses Named Finalists in 2026 Stevie Awards

Twenty-one Australian women-led businesses have been named finalists in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, with the winners to be revealed in New York City on 16 November. Among the finalists are Raquel Manning of Blue Diamond Property Group, who leads with eight Stevie nominations including Lifetime Achievement and Woman of the Year in Real Estate; Shelly McElroy of Dream Culture with seven; and Katrina Wurm and Michelle Wollaston with six each. Others include Malini Raj of the Australian Multicultural Women's Alliance with five, and Kerry Bolton's Caring Lotus with four. Together, these women have already won 70 Stevie Awards, roughly one in every 14, in a competition that drew over 1,500 entries from 56 nations and territories.

Annette Densham, award strategist and founder of Award Writing Services, said, "I've been doing this a long time, and it still gives me goosebumps when the finalist list drops. These are women who get on with it and rarely stop to look at what they've built. Entering the Stevie Awards is that pause to pat themselves on the back and reflect on what they've accomplished." Award Writing Services was itself recognised in six categories, including Best New Product or Service for the Breadcrumb Method, its system for turning expertise into visible, verifiable authority. "People think awards are about the trophy or ego or bragging. For most of my clients, the moment that matters is reading their story and realising they've done a lot more than they gave themselves credit for," Densham added.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honour the achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs, employees and the organisations they run worldwide. Named after the Greek word for crowned, the Stevie has been hailed as the world's premier business award. Gold, Silver, Bronze and Grand Stevie placements will be announced at a ceremony in New York City on 16 November, with more than 400 women and their guests expected to attend and the event broadcast live. Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards, said, "As the Stevie Awards for Women in Business marks its 23rd year, we continue to be impressed by the remarkable accomplishments represented among the nominations. It's especially rewarding to see the significance a Stevie Award holds for women and the recognition it brings to their achievements, careers, and organizations. We congratulate all of this year's finalists and look forward to revealing the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award placements on November 16." Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the full list of winners are available at http://Women.StevieAwards.com. Entries for the 2027 awards open in May.