Press Releases

Kendra Scott Wins Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award

Published

6 years ago

November 21, 2017

INSTORE Staff

She was honored in the Consumer Products and Retail category.

(Press Release) AUSTIN, TX — EY announced that Kendra Scott, founder of Kendra Scott LLC, the Austin-based jewelry, home and lifestyle brand best known for its use of natural gemstones and customizable jewelry, received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 Award in the Consumer Products and Retail category. The award, now in its 31st year, recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Scott was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at EY’s Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs, CA, on Nov. 18.

“I am incredibly honored to win the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Consumer Products and Retail category,” said Scott. “I started the Kendra Scott brand with $500 and a dream in Austin, TX. I never could have imagined we’d be where we are today. I’m thankful to all of my customers and my team for helping turn this dream into reality. So much of our company’s success is based on what our company stands for — the three core pillars of family, fashion, and philanthropy. Staying true to these pillars has led to our success today.”

Founded in 2002 by Scott, the company has grown from a one-woman operation into a billion-dollar jewelry phenomenon with over 2,000 employees and 75 stores. With Scott firmly at the helm, the company continues to champion its founding principles of family, fashion and philanthropy; in 2016 Scott donated over $3.5 million and 75,000 pieces of jewelry to 3,500 U.S. and international charitable organizations, and in 2017 has a goal to give back $5 million.

In 2014, Scott was awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Central Texas region.

Since 1986, EY has celebrated entrepreneurial excellence by honoring those whose ingenuity, spirit of innovation, and discipline have propelled their companies’ success, invigorated their industries, and benefited their communities. These men and women have created the products, services and jobs that help our economy and communities grow, while also encouraging others to follow their lead. In 2017, the 261 regional winners employed more than 230,000 people and had job growth of 20 percent. They also generated revenue of more than $52 billion this year, with revenue growth increasing more than 33 percent.

The program has honored the inspirational leadership of entrepreneurs including Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company and Mindy Grossman of HSN. Recent US national winners include Jayshree Ullal and Andy Bechtolsheim of Arista Networks and 2016 winner Bill Marriott of Marriott International.

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”