Mindshare Leaders Named E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Finalists
Based on what they've seen from this year's Entrepreneur of the Year entries, Nicole Davis, Ernst & Young's program director for the annual competition, says, "We are excited about the incredibly strong and incredibly healthy entrepreneurial environment in Utah. Regardless of the economy, there's no shortage of great ideas, great people, and great stories." In fact, it might be the economic slowdown that has caused more entrepreneurs to rise to the surface. Whatever the reason, the amount of applicants this year increased by 30 percent over last year, Davis says. "And this was also the most competitive year we've had as far as innovation, new technology and new ways of looking at business," adds Davis, who is now in her seventh year of heading up the program for Ernst & Young.
JOHN SPERRY, CEO
RICHARD HANKS, Chairman and President,
Mindshare Technologies
When Mindshare Technologies landed a contract with McDonalds, they were competing against 22 other companies, some with thousands of employees and offices all around the world. With well-deserved confidence, John Sperry and Richard Hanks convinced the client that their "Mighty 32" employees could do the job as well as any of the big guys. And, according to McDonalds, they have. John Sperry says their company was based on the belief that "there's nothing more powerful than learning from your customer." Since developing their real-time customer feedback technology, Mindshare is currently collecting about 40,000 surveys per day and turning them into real-time usable reports for their clients. Their technology offers customers a simple, anonymous way to compliment – or complain about – the businesses they patronize in 25 different industries, including travel, food and beverage, hospitality and retail. Profitable since 2005, Mindshare and its Mighty 32 have just hit their 60th consecutive month of revenue growth.
Entrepreneur of the Year Award winners will be announced June 27, 2008, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the unique way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.
Mindshare Technologies' business monitoring tools help companies improve operational excellence and minimize customer attrition through personal customer involvement. Mindshare's proprietary survey technology captures the voice of the customer in real-time and immediately transforms it into actionable intelligence through powerful and incisive enterprise reporting. With Mindshare, companies can determine the type of information they collect, who can access it, and how it's reported. As a hosted system, Mindshare is affordable and flexible, with surveys and reports tailored to fit individual needs. The reports are web-accessible 24/7 or by timed email delivery. Mindshare serves more than 25 different industries including travel, hospitality, restaurant, financial, salon, automotive, and retail. Clients range from small regional chains to large multinational corporations. For information, visit www.mshare.net.
