Two awards in one day for Claire
Calderdale businesswoman Claire O’Connor won two prestigious awards on the same day for her company babyballet. The 41-year-old mum of four couldn’t have wished for a better 10th birthday present for her business.
Her award-winning day started at the national finals of the Forward Ladies Women In Business Awards in Leeds, where she won the retail business category. She headed back to Halifax for the Courier Business Awards where judges awarded her the Business Person of the Year.
Although her company has won awards in the past, it’s the first time babyballet has won two in the same day.
“It was without doubt one of the best days of my life and one that will go down in babyballet’s history,” says Claire, who lives in Greetland.
“Winning one award was brilliant enough but winning two was phenomenal and a dream come true.”
She started her dance academy in 2005 with no staff to begin with.
It is now the UK’s leading dance concept and has 70 franchisees across the country with over 25,000 children attending 300 classes.
As well as classes, babyballet is now a leading children’s brand and plans are in place to licence the characters and products worldwide.
Past awards also include ITV’s Mumpreneur, Best Business Parent at the Mum and Working Awards, Halifax Courier Young Business Person of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year, Pulse Radio Local Hero Award and an Inspire Award from Calderdale College.
Forward Ladies was set up in Yorkshire 16 years ago and is now a national organisation with more than 14,000 members.
Its goal is to unlock potential in professional women and the awards are one way of doing this.