The Women Business Owners (WBO), one of the Puget Sound’s leading organization for women entrepreneurs, has named Kirkland business owners Makaylaa Powers and Niki McKay as two of five finalists for the 2014 Nellie Cashman Woman Business Owner of the Year Awards Competition (‘The Nellie’).

Rather than retiring after 30 years in Corporate America, Powers instead chose at 64 to enter a new field of caring and giving by purchasing a Visiting Angels franchise in Kirkland. Now celebrating her 10-year anniversary, Powers knows it was the right decision.

“After caring for my mother the last seven months of her life as well as my stepfather who had dementia, I came to highly respect and empathize with the tasks of caregivers,” she said. “Without their help, I don’t think I would have survived that difficult time. It was this experience that brought me to buying a Visiting Angels franchise.“

The Visiting Angels team continues the vision of giving back to the community and supporting seniors in the area by providing quality and compassionate care.

“I found The Nellie’s application process a remarkable look back and powerful affirmation of how much I have achieved. Being named a finalist is such a privilege and clear reminder that a strong vision acted upon consistently does produce invaluable results for myself and others,” Powers said.

As founder and principal owner of Blue Danube Productions, McKay launched the company in 2007 with the vision of helping organizations realize how the use of cutting-edge audio/visual technology could enhance events for greater financial returns.

Early on, she recognized that in order to excel, her company needed to focus on customer-centric strategies, and although local event production is a fiercely competitive industry, Blue Danube has enjoyed great success.

Today, Blue Danube Productions is a multi-award winning, creative production company that leads the events industry in audio-visual design and technology. Its prime directive is to deliver an event experience the clients’ creative vision demands.

“I was completely honored when I was nominated to apply; it’s a privilege to a part of this amazing group of finalists,” McKay said. “This nomination process has made me look at my business in a new way and realize the impact of our work on the community. It also made me put a value on the mentoring I do for other women – I had never really thought about that before. It’s been an incredible experience.”

Since 1982, The Nellie has recognized and honored Puget Sound region women business owners who have enhanced the status of women entrepreneurs through their vision, perseverance and fearless leadership in business and the community.

To qualify, a nominee must own at least 51 percent of her business, have owned it for five years or more and have three or more employees. Candidates are judged on their entrepreneurial spirit, ethics and community commitment, financial and management skills, and the difficulty endured and risk undertaken to achieve their success.

The 2014 Nellie winner will be announced at a gala awards banquet on Oct. 2 at the Four Seasons Seattle.

Tickets are available at: https://womenbusinessowners.org/events.