Charlotte Woman Entrepreneur Crowned Winner
of the Make Mine a Million $ Business® RACE
Sarah Stevens, CEO of Stevens Technologies Inc., Wins $100,000 Grand Prize
March 02, 2010 11:10 AM Eastern Time
HOUSTON--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence named Sarah
Stevens of Charlotte, NC the grand prize winner of the Make Mine a Million $ Business RACE (M3RACE), a
year-long business growth competition for women entrepreneurs at the American Express OPEN® Women’s
Business Summit in Houston.
Stevens’ company, Stevens Technologies, achieved the greatest year-over-year increase in gross annual revenue,
growing 131% to reach $1,544,262. During this same time, the company also increased the number of employees
who have health benefits, 401k packages and paid leave, from 12 employees in 2008 to 21 people in 2009.
Revenue and employee growth are the two chief criteria for the highly spirited competition. Stevens Technologies
creates reports on how to strengthen information security within organizations, especially with management and
operations divisions. Her company serves as a subcontractor to Federal agencies like NASA, Langley Research
Center.
In surpassing $1 million in annual revenue, Stevens demonstrated the hallmark of Make Mine a Million $ Business,
an initiative launched by Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence and American Express OPEN to
inspire and support one million women entrepreneurs growing million-dollar businesses. In addition to the prize
money, Stevens will also receive a year of growth-focused resources such as marketing, advertising and media
opportunities as part of the grand prize.
“Sarah’s story of entrepreneurial achievement in the face of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression is a
testament to her as a leader as well as our collective will as a movement,” said Nell Merlino, founder and CEO,
Count Me In. “Together, the entrepreneurs of Make Mine a Million $ Business are helping to right the ship that is th