Inspiring entrepreneurs are changing the world – here’s how, says TechWire columnist Donald Thompson

This piece was originally published in WRAL TechWire.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Last week, I traveled to Atlanta with my family to attend the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award celebration, along with the friends and families of 37 other leaders and executives who had been named finalists for the award. The event was similar to award shows we all have watched on television: oversized stage, people in glittery clothing, lots of bright lights and cameras flashing.

What made this event so special for me was that it highlighted leaders and organizations in the Southeast, where I’ve made my home, raised my children, and built and led businesses. At the end of the show, I was the last name called of the 13 Southeast winners. From that moment on, the evening really speeded up – a one-minute speech (I took just a little liberty by going over the limit), a lot more flashing lights and cameras, and more smiles in one place than I think I’ve ever seen before.

During the excitement and celebration, though, while photos of the winners were being snapped, I took a quick moment to look at this group and thought deeply about what they had achieved. In building and running businesses that had major achievements, they were not just bringing money into local communities and providing employment, but also transforming lives. What an opportunity to authentically change the world and be recognized among such an inspirational group of entrepreneurs.