A Carlisle aesthetic clinic owner is a finalist in the biggest business awards for women in the North West.

Vanessa Brown, managing director of VL Aestethics is in the running to be named Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Enterprise Vision Awards (EVA) - and she hopes, that her nomination will encourage and inspire other young woman to take leap into entrepreneurship. 

The EVAs celebrate the outstanding successes and achievements of the North West’s most talented female entrepreneurs, and are now the largest business awards dedicated solely to women outside of London. 

READ MORE: Mastermind beauty clinician to join VL Aesthetics

"I am over the moon to be a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year category at this year's EVAS awards.

"I took over our family business at the age of 21 after graduating with a masters in International Business Management with Enterprise and have grown it to be the largest award-winning medical aesthetic clinic in Cumbria.

"Over the last five years, we have invested more than £750,000 in industry-leading equipment," she said. 

The EVAS, which are not only judged on turnover, but creativity, ethics, passion and commitment, are open to all women in business in the North West including business owners, employees, CEOs and homeworkers, young entrepreneurs and 'silverpreneurs'.

READ MORE: Carlisle's VL Aesthetics reaches finals of Clinic of the Year award

"This award nomination highlights how important it is to have a vision as an entrepreneur and see that vision through from start to finish.

"I have always been involved in business from a very young age, starting my first venture as an eBay-based business at the age of 12.

"So I am hoping that being nominated for such a prestigious award at just 26 will inspire more younger people to take that step and become an entrepreneur," she said. 

Vanessa will be up against six other finalists in her category, including a Liverpool make-up specialist, a vegan baker from Preston, a female fashion brand in Accrington, a home fragrance company from Blackburn, North West laser hair removal clinics, and an independent houseplant and gift shop in Lytham St Annes.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at the Empress Ballroom in The Winter Gardens, Blackpool, on September 23. 

READ MORE: Carlisle on shortlist for Rolls Royce SMR production plant