Voting is open for the Addidi Inspiration Awards, celebrating business women living in times (1650-1950) when it was not common for women to be running businesses. The Award will be awarded to the Female Entrepreneur polling most votes in an online poll. The Winner will be announced at an Award Reception on Thursday July 2nd.

Five businesswomen in history have been short listed and five modern day entrepreneurs have been invited to champion each of these extraordinary women from history.

Vote online for your favourite woman entrepreneur. The closing date for voting is Tuesday 30th June 2009.

Beatrice Gordon Holmes (1884-1951), Britain’s first female stockbroker. She is supported by Modern Day Entrepreneur Judy Gibbons, VC at Accel Partners and CEO at Mippin and speaker at The NextWomen Kitchen dinner.

"I love that Beatrice did it on her own. She wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth. In that generation and even now, some remarkable women broke through, but very often you do find that they had the advantage of a high-class education and a social network of contacts. She didn’t. The male culture too made her always an outsider, but rather than be overwhelmed by the social etiquettes of the day, she didn’t assimilate. She did it without the clubs, without the advantages of that network, and she was probably twice as good."

Eleanor Coade (1733-1821), Owner Stone Business.
She is supported by Modern Day Entrepreneur Lisa Tse, is a creative businesswoman and designer, and founder and CEO of the Lisa Tse Ltd design agency.

"Eleanor was also one of the first women out there who branded herself. She was aware of the ‘brand’ and how to put her own stamp on everything she did. She named the stone and the company after herself and then promoted it through her own life and hard work and networks, so that the two became synonymous and stood for quality. That was a very innovative and visionary thing to do and is one of the elements that set her apart from her counterparts."

Hester Pinny (1658-1740), Successful lace trader, family banker, and financier. She is supported by Modern Day Entrepreneur, Founder and Director of Buy:Time, a lifestyle management and concierge business.

Hester's sheer achievements and abilities are outstanding even for today. The financial world is still male-dominated, but to go into the financial markets when it was brand new and actually advise people at a time in which it was just beginning, is incredible. But Hester recognised possibilities, and she made them happen. She didn’t have the education, but her social skills and her networking really took her forward. That’s a huge message to people now: to focus on your strong points and not let the uncontrollable get you down. She’s still such a relevant role model. Like so many women today, she felt the tug of her family, and she was torn, but what is amazing is that she found the balance."

Rosa Lewis (1867-1925), a highly successful catering business and hotelier.
She is supported by Modern Day Entrepreneur Sally Preston, a qualified food scientist and Founder and MD of Babylicious Ltd

“Rosa typifies the can-do attitude of so many incredible woman – just because something wasn’t usual didn’t mean she couldn’t do it, she was determined, she worked hard, she acquired skills, and she innovated her own twist on her industry to make herself modern and relevant. She combined femininity with the grittiness of business in a way that’s so pertinent. Today, the power suits and shoulder pads of the 80s are gone, we know you can get the same outputs using the softer skills that women have. But Rosa realised this way back then."

Margaret Haig Thomas, Vicountess Rhonda (1883-1958),  director of 33 companies, member of the London Chamber of Commerce, and financier and founder of ground-breaking organisations. She is supported by Modern Day Entrepreneur Shaa Wasmund, online strategist and Founder of Smarta and speaker at The NextWomen events.

"She ran multiple businesses hugely successfully - and through that women like Margaret made so much possible for women today, but even when one of her businesses turned into a loss-making venture, she stuck to her principles and didn’t compromise on what she believed in. The feminist movement was the single most important aspect of her life. It was what it was all for. Of course she wanted to be
successful, but more than that she wanted to change things for other women, particularly those who weren’t as privileged as she was."

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The Award is the brainchild of Addidi to mark the opening of its private equity club, Addidi Business Angels. Currently less than 5% of business angels are women and the club has been launched as a vehicle to make angel investing more accessible, convenient and fun for its female members.

Anyone who wants to be part of the Awards night, mail simone[at]thenextwomen.com