by Sunny Balcony team
Why Programs Like EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ Matter More Than Ever
For many women in business, growth is rarely just about scaling revenue. It is about navigating leadership in environments where ambition is still questioned, access to strategic networks can be limited, and the pressure to constantly prove capability remains disproportionately high.
That is why programs like EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ (EWW) continue to play such an important role in shaping the future of global entrepreneurship.
In May 2026, Sunny Balcony Founder & Managing Director Nicola Mills attended the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ Asia-Pacific Annual Conference in Seoul, South Korea, reconnecting with an influential network of founders, advisors and business leaders from across the region.
But Nicola’s connection to the program did not begin in Seoul. She originally joined the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ Asia-Pacific program as part of the Class of 2015, earning her place through the growth and international expansion of the businesses she founded and led in Australia.
What Is EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™?
EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ is a prestigious global executive leadership program designed to support ambitious women entrepreneurs with high-growth businesses.
Unlike traditional conferences or paid networking groups, the program is highly selective and merit based. Founders are selected through an independent process based on leadership capability, business performance, scalability and long-term growth potential.
The initiative connects women founders with:
- Executive leadership development
- Strategic business advisors
- Global investor and business networks
- International market opportunities
- Peer-to-peer mentorship and collaboration
Across the world, the program has become known for helping women entrepreneurs scale businesses globally while building long-term relationships with other high-performing founders.
The 2026 Asia-Pacific cohort alone includes 23 women founders from 12 markets, collectively representing more than US$1.6 billion in annual revenue and supporting over 30,000 jobs globally.
Nicola Mills’ Journey with the Program
Nicola secured her place in the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ Asia-Pacific Class of 2015 through her track record of building and scaling high-growth businesses in Australia and internationally.
Over the years, she has become known not only for business growth, but also for her commitment to mentoring founders, supporting women-led businesses and investing in long-term impact through her work across business, investment and leadership.
Today, through Sunny Balcony and her investment-focused initiatives, Nicola continues to champion businesses with strong growth potential and purpose-driven leadership.
Returning to the conference in 2026 reflects one of the defining strengths of the EWW program: its “community for life” philosophy.
Past participants continue to stay connected long after their initial selection, returning to mentor newer founders, strengthen international relationships and contribute to a broader ecosystem focused on sustainable growth and leadership.
More Than Business Growth
Reflecting on the most recent conference in Seoul last week, Nicola shared:
“What a privilege to be back in the room with the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women community, this time in Seoul.
There is something incredibly powerful about being surrounded by women who are building, scaling, questioning, challenging, and leading with real purpose.
Across the conference, the conversations went far beyond business growth. We spoke about global expansion, scale, AI transformation, resilience, and the responsibility that comes with building businesses that create meaningful impact.
Programs like this matter because they remind us that growth is never just about the company. It is also about the people, the relationships, the shared lessons, and the communities that help us keep moving forward.
Grateful to EY for continuing to create spaces where women entrepreneurs across Asia-Pacific can connect, learn, and lead together.”
She also reflected on what continues to make the community unique more than a decade after first joining the program:
“One of the most meaningful parts of this community is the environment it creates and how openly people support one another. You’re surrounded by founders building incredible businesses at different stages of growth, yet there’s no ego or competition. Just honest conversations, generosity and a genuine willingness to help each other succeed globally.”
Building Global Businesses Through Community
At Sunny Balcony, we believe strong businesses are built by empowering people, backing ambition and creating opportunities for long-term growth.
Programs like EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ demonstrate the impact that can happen when experienced founders, emerging leaders and global networks come together with a shared commitment to collaboration over competition.
As the next generation of women entrepreneurs continues to scale globally, communities like this will remain an important part of shaping the future of business across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.