28/08/2026
🏆 Let’s talk about the Business Awards — and a few of the stories we tell ourselves about entering.
“We’re too small.”
“We’re too big.”
“We’re too new.”
“We won’t win.”
“They probably already know who they want to win.”
We’ve heard them all. 😄
So, let’s bust a few myths.
There is no such thing as a business that is too old, too big or too small to enter.
You do need to have been trading for at least one year — but beyond that, we want businesses of all ages, stages and sizes putting themselves forward.
Because excellence looks different in every business.
A small business isn’t judged against a large corporate. A newer business isn’t expected to have the same story as one that has been around for decades. We consider your age, stage, size and circumstances when assessing what excellence looks like for you.
And then there’s the “they only give the awards to their friends” theory…
Nope. Sorry. 😉
Our judging process is deliberately robust.
Our Judges Advocates verify the information in your entry and interview you to fill in the gaps. Their role is to make sure your story is properly understood and your entry is the complete package when it reaches the judging panel.
They don’t pick the winner.
And our judging panel doesn’t necessarily know each other — or even who the other judges are — until panel day.
So there’s no secret handshake, no whispered conversations in the corridor and no “I know someone who knows someone.”
And your entry is treated confidentially throughout the process. We understand that you’re sharing information about your business that you wouldn’t necessarily put out there publicly, and that trust matters.
What we do have is a process designed to recognise businesses doing great things.
And that matters.
Because these awards should be aspirational and inspirational. They’re an opportunity to celebrate your people, recognise achievement, showcase what’s possible and give others something to aim for.
So, to the big businesses — enter. Your people deserve to see their achievements recognised.
To the small businesses — enter. You don’t have to be big to be excellent.
And to anyone sitting there thinking “we’re probably not award material”…
Maybe it’s time to stop listening to that story and give it a crack.
Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is recognise how far you’ve come, celebrate what you’ve built, and inspire someone else to believe they can do it too. 🏆
Entries close Friday 11 September at 5.00pm.
Find out more on our website
