When I took a day out from my busy schedule at London Fashion Week to attend the Mumpreneur Awards on Saturday 18 September, I never imagined that at the end of the day I would be recognised by the ultimate Mumpreneur Award: Inspirational Business Mum 2010.
After reading my story, a panel of independent judges, including Jo Cameron from the Apprentice and former Dragon Rachel Elnaugh, voted unanimously that I should be recognised and rewarded with this accolade. 
My journey to business success has not been an easy one, as those of you who have read my blog entry The Accidental Mumpreneur will know! However, I hope that the difficulties I have encountered on my journey, both as an entrepreneur and as a mother, will help to encourage anyone else balancing these two roles. Being a Mumpreneur isn't about being a part-time Mum and a part-time entrepreneur. It's usually about being a full-time Mum and a full-time entrepreneur! No wonder a bit of encouragement and support is needed on the way and the Mumpreneur Conference certainly delivered this.
I have faced a lot of adversity to achieve business success and battled through difficult and dangerous situations when I could so easily have given up and opted for a secure 9-5 job and an easier life! However, as those of you who are entrepreneurs reading this will know, it is very hard to give up your business dream, even when everything seems to be against you. I'm proud to say that Pachacuti is now that rare thing: a profitable, ethical fashion business!
Now that my daughter is 14 I can honestly say that I think her upbringing has been very positive: she is cheerful and well-balanced, interested in development issues and this year has been a youth reporter for the Department for International Development. While I was at the Mumpreneur Awards receiving my inspirational Business Mum Award, Sienna was helping to show Pachacuti's new panama hat collection to press and buyers at London Fashion Week and getting modelling tips from Erin O'Connor!
I am delighted to be the Inspirational Business Mum 2010 as it gives me a fantastic platform from which to encourage and inspire other mothers who juggle their family life with running a business.
Photo: With Livia Firth, Colin Firth's wife, at London Fashion Week after receiving my award.