ATLANTA — November 6, 2019 – EY announced today that Mary-Cathryn Kolb, Founder and CEO of cooling fabric innovator brrr°, was chosen as one of the 13 women founders selected for the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ North America Class of 2019. The program, which is in its 12th year, identifies ambitious women entrepreneurs who are leading thriving organizations and provides the access, advisors and resources needed to scale their companies to their full potential and ultimately become leading market innovators. Program engagement offers participants executive education and introductions to the vast EY global entrepreneurial ecosystem as well as the Entrepreneurial Winning Women community worldwide.
“This opportunity to develop stronger leadership and operational skills alongside this incredibly talented group of women is an impactful experience that will make brrr° more effective and competitive,” Kolb said. “Implementing the insights, ideas and tools shared among this network of visionary entrepreneurs will help brrr° become more strategic, nimble and resourceful. I am so grateful to be part of this program, and part of the global EY family.”
This year’s class of women-led high-growth companies across the US and Canada span a variety of industries, with a particularly strong showing in the technology sector, including three innovating in FinTech. More than one-third of the companies are tech-focused, with offerings ranging from innovative and money-saving payment solutions for SMEs to patented textile technology designed to cool the wearer in minutes. Additional sectors include diverse and inclusive beauty products, clean energy financing, nutrition-driven food production and innovative health and wellness products. The judging panel for the Class of 2019 consisted of Beth Ferreira, General Partner of FirstMark Capital; David Liu, Co-founder of XO Group, Inc. (formerly The Knot, Inc.); Nicole Smith, Founder and CEO of Flytographer; and Naomi Whittel, Founder & CEO of Naomi Whittel Brands.
“Acceptance into the Entrepreneurial Winning Women program is a testament to these founders’ drive, grit and vision,” said Lisa Schiffman, EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women Global Program Lead and a Director with Ernst & Young LLP. “EY is delighted to once again have the opportunity to offer critical resources, guidance and community so these women founders can more readily scale their businesses beyond what they may have initially thought possible.”
The North America program targets women business owners who are founding CEOs of any US or Canadian privately held company less than 10 years old. Company revenues typically range from at least $2 million to as much as $30 million annually.
This year’s class convened for the first time at a two-day orientation in New York City this September. The entrepreneurs took part in educational sessions including pitch coaching, TRACOM Social Styles® and building a public profile. On an ongoing basis, Entrepreneurial Winning Women take part in additional workshops, conferences and training sessions; become part of the EY global community of more than 500 Entrepreneurial Winning Women on every continent; and forge connections to a vast community of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ alumni throughout the world.
“As advisors to the ambitious, we feel privileged to be a part of these founders’ business journeys,” said Lee Henderson, EY Americas Growth Markets Leader. “The program underscores EY’s continued commitment to foster the success of women entrepreneurs and reinforce their positive impact on the global economy.”
The Class of 2019 will be officially recognized during the Strategic Growth Forum® US November 13-17, 2019, in Palm Springs, California. Founded and produced by EY, the Forum is the country’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies, bringing together more than 2,000 of the nation’s top executives, entrepreneurs, advisors, investors and other business leaders.
About brrr°
brrr° was founded in 2014 to develop technologically advanced fabrics with superior cooling performance to promote comfort in the items we touch in our everyday lives. brrr° enhances the cooling capabilities of business clothing, casual clothing, athletic apparel, denim, uniforms, sheets and many other textiles. The privately held Atlanta-based company is led by Founder and CEO Mary-Cathryn Kolb, who previously held senior positions at Spanx, Seven Jeans, TOMS Shoes and Von Dutch. For more information, please visit www.brrr.com.
Media contact for brrr°:
Mary Jane Credeur | The Credeur Group
mj@credeurgroup.com | 404.317.2718
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