This year’s search for today’s most successful and promising entrepreneurs who are making a difference is on! Do you know someone who epitomizes entrepreneurship at its finest or who is on track to become one of the top entrepreneurs in his or her field and who knows how to couple purpose with prosperity?

Once again Entrepreneur magazine is shining the national spotlight on the nation’s most outstanding small business owners. Presented by The UPS Store, this year’s contest is designed to recognize small-business entrepreneurs who are “revolutionizing their industries, inspiring their employees and making a difference in their communities.”

Entries are being accepted now until June 17, 2013.

Winners are slated to be chosen from among nominees in three distinct categories:

• Entrepreneur of 2013—includes business owners with 130 employees or less and gross revenues of at least $3 million in 2012

• Emerging Entrepreneur—includes established business owners with 12 employees or less and at least $350,000 in gross revenues last year

• College Entrepreneur—includes undergraduate or grad students with promising business plans, who are age 18 to 25 upon submission for consideration.

Among monetary and other prizes, winners will be profiled in the January 2014 issue of Entrepreneur. The exposure alone, according to past winners, has been worth its weight in gold, both with regard to their own business prospects as well as those of their respective industries.

For more information and detailed rules on how to submit your nomination for this year’s Entrepreneur of 2013 or Emerging Entrepreneur of 2013 awards, go to entrepreneur.com/e2013. And if you’re a college student who’d like to submit a business plan for consideration in this year’s College Entrepreneur contest, go to entrepreneur.com/e2013college now!

What is your definition of a great entrepreneur? What characteristics set them apart? In your opinion, are great business entrepreneurs born or made? Why or why not?