Fueled by innovation, Dallas has a long history of recognizing and supporting visionaries and unstoppable entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurial roots run deep in Dallas, a city fueled by innovation, making it among the top 10 hottest startup communities, according to Inc. Magazine.
The city has a long history of recognizing and supporting the visionaries and unstoppable entrepreneurs who keep North Texas humming. In fact, the integrated circuit — the microchip — was invented in Dallas in 1958.
The Dallas region’s list of attributes is long: a central location; no state and local income tax; a strong labor force; and a well-educated, diverse community. Additionally, the area’s many major corporations serve as incubators, spinning off innovators with entrepreneurial ambitions.
Recognizing that entrepreneurs fuel our future, Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has created several programs to support them, including the annual Entrepreneur Of The Year® program, Entrepreneurial Winning Women (EWW) program and, more recently, the Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN).
EWW identifies women entrepreneurs and provides them with the resources needed to unlock their full potential. EAN helps Black- and Latinx-owned companies address the disparity gap for greater growth. Entrepreneur Of The Year, now in its 35th year, is a business award program that celebrates these visionaries who dare greatly and has expanded to over 60 countries and 145 cities, with more than 10,000 alumni.
“What’s special about the Entrepreneur Of The Year® program is that it’s all about innovation and disruption,” says Morgan Watson, Program Director for the Southwest Region and EY US Partner.
Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni represent a vast spectrum of industries. Previous winners include local legends and leaders: Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach with his real estate firm; Mark Cuban with AudioNet; Carrie Freeman Parsons with Freeman Companies; Dr. Chandra Pemmasani with UWorld; and Sarah Shadonix with Scout & Cellar, to name a few.
Dallas has a wealth of talent with the potential to create a better working world for all of us. “Every year the Entrepreneur Of The Year® Southwest program, which includes Dallas, celebrates entrepreneurs that are disrupting their respective markets and changing how we do business in the region,” says Watson. “That tells me the market is alive and well with these individuals, and their companies are creating innovative and high-growth opportunities for the workforce of today and of the future.”
To learn more about the EY commitment to entrepreneurship, visit ey.com/us/entrepreneurship.