February 4, 2012

Is your firm involved in international trade?

Phone cans

If your company stands out amongst the best importers or exporters in the UK, you may be qualify for the prestigious International Trade Company of the Year 2010 Award.

This scheme is unique in catering specifically to the import / export sector, and invites market leading, high growth companies to compete for the overall prize in twelve regional heats.

Those who pass the early rounds will be rewarded with entry to the finals and a chance of winning the main award, presented at The House Of Lords in March 2010.

The deadlines for entries in the UK are staggered throughout October and November, and some have already passed. However, it is still possible to make the Friday 15 January 2010 deadline for the following regions:

  • Wales
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland

Visit the International Trade Awards for further information.

Use your business links to bag an award

helping hands

If you are one of LinkedIn’s European members and have made some great advances in business, you might consider nominating yourself for the LinkedIn Business Awards 2010.

The judges are looking to recognise those who have mastered the possibilities of shared intentions and ideas, and who can prove that this has helped them perform exceptionally.

These awards are open to individuals and companies (depending on the category entered) of any size based in Europe who are members of LinkedIn, with the deadline for nominations falling on 7th January 2010.

Once nominations close, LinkedIn members will be able vote for the winners in each category until 1st March 2010.

There are four categories of award:

  • Best Business Innovation of the Year
  • Business Leader of the Year
  • Rising Star of the Year
  • Best Business Startup of the Year

Visit the Linked In Business Awards 2010 for further information.

Are you a female business owner in the East Midlands?

Bright star

Women running particularly innovative or successful businesses in the East Midlands region of the UK might consider entering the East Midlands Women of Worth Awards 2010.

These awards seek to help redress the imbalance in numbers of female to male entrepreneurs by rewarding the accomplishments of those women who are building successful businesses, thereby encouraging more women to startup in the market.

There are three categories:

  • Small Business of the Year (less than 10 employees)
  • Most Innovative Business
  • Business Woman of the Year

Entry is free, and the deadline for nominations is Friday 15th January 2010.

Visit the East Midlands Women of Worth Business Awards 2010 for further information.

Two days of celebrities and support for start-ups

Crowd silhouette

The Business Startup Show 2009 is a star studded national business event held at London’s Olympia on the 26th and 27th of November, which is free to attend.

Now in its ninth year, the show offers a range of events, speakers and seminars designed to appeal to start-up and expanding small businesses.

The show includes a number of seminars and presentations on subjects such as finance and cashflow, stress management, website management and motivating your staff.

Speakers include Richard Farleigh of Dragon’s Den fame, Richard Reed, the founder of Innocent drinks, and Levi Roots, the founder of the Reggae Reggae Sauce brand.

The show also features Midas Touch, its own pitch-to-the-panel Dragon’s Den style event, where visitors are invited to pitch a business plan to a panel of potential backers with a view to walking away with a real cash investment.

Visitors can also take part i speed networking sessions, which look to match great minds together for future collaborations, or book one-to-one advice session to help them identify the key strengths and weaknesses of their business to help move it forward.

The event runs from 10am to 5pm and tickets are available free of charge.

For more information, visit  The Business Startup Show 2009.

Rewarding exceptional business growth

plant growth

The Fast Growth Business Awards 2010 are looking to identify examples of remarkable growth over the last three years.

Winners will include new businesses that have achieved significant growth, as well as more established ones that have managed to expand their international trade or market share.

To qualify for entry, businesses must be based in the UK, have less than 500 employees, and have had revenues of at least £1 million in their last 12 months’ trading.

There are 14 categories available to enter:

  • Innovative Business of the Year
  • Service Business of the Year
  • Product Business of the Year
  • Retail / Leisure Business of the Year
  • Online Business of the Year
  • Best Use of Technology
  • Green Business of the Year
  • International Business of the Year
  • New Business of the Year
  • Female Entrepreneur of the Year
  • Angel or VC-backed Business of the Year
  • Family Business of the Year
  • Social Enterprise of the Year
  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year

One of the winners of the above categories will also be crowned Fast Growth Business of the Year.

Entries must be submitted by 22nd January 2010, and there is an administration fee of £35 plus VAT.

To request an entry form or for further information, visit the Fast Growth Business Awards.

Think your consultancy delivers the best results?

Tick boxes

Are you in the business of providing management consultancy? The MCA Management Awards are looking for the most effective or innovative management consultancies in the UK.

The awards are open now to those companies who have really excelled for their clients this year. This year’s awards also feature two categories celebrating the most innovative and collaborative companies.

There are 14 categories available:

  • Environment
  • Change management in the public sector
  • Change management in the private sector
  • Customer engagement
  • Operational performance in the public sector
  • Operational performance in the private sector
  • Innovation
  • International
  • Business strategy
  • Human resources
  • Outsourcing consultancy
  • Technology
  • Most Innovative Firm
  • Most Collaborative Firm

Companies must have been operating in the UK for three years and employ at least ten full time consultants to be eligible for entry.

MCA members will be charged £399 plus VAT per entry, while non-members will be charged £599 plus VAT.

Entries must be submitted by Friday 13th November 2009.

Please visit MCA Management Awards 2010 for more information.

Recognising the helping hands in UK enterprise

helping hands

Certain individuals have spent 2009 helping small business owners and self employed people work more effectively. If you know of such a person and would like to see them get the recognition they deserve, you can enter them for the UK Enterprise Support Awards 2010.

These awards were created to give recognition to professional and voluntary advisors, from accountancy and banking to training and mentoring.

There are six categories of ‘Enterprise Champion’:

  • Business or Social Enterprise Director(s)/Owner/ Entrepreneur
  • Enterprise Support Professional
  • Professional service provider
  • Builder of Enterprise Support Networks
  • Organisation Enterprise Support and Training Award
  • Financial Services Industry Product or Programme for start up

An overall winner will be chosen from the above categories to be given the title of:

  • UK Champion Enterprise Supporter 2010

All nominations must be submitted by 15th January 2010.

Visit UK Enterprise Support Awards for more information.