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Awards

Awards

Welcome to the 2023 SBA Awards

Now in its 29th year, the SBA is excited to announce its small business annual awards event for 2023.

Over the decades there have been hundreds of local small businesses applauded for their success, now its your time to shine.

Take a look at the award categories below because there will be a category for you to celebrate your achievements.

Download entry guidelines
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Entries close in

Important Dates
Nominations Open:
1st August 2023
Nominations Close:
29th September 2023
Gala Awards Dinner:
10th November 2023

Award categories

Agile Business

Recognising the adaptability of a business to changing market conditions or customer needs, and the ability to critically review strategies to adapt and ensure growth or survival.

Digital Intelligence

Adopting digital technologies to improve business processes or developing new digital solutions for existing problems.

Community Impact

Recognising the outstanding community organisations, not for profits or charities who provide significant social contribution to the Stirling community.

Sustainability

Recognising sustainable business practices that best protects the needs of future generations.

Emerging Business

Recognising exciting, new businesses who have been trading for less than two years and have the potential for significant positive impact within the community.

Mayor's Visionary Award

Recognising the impact and contribution of Stirling businesses to the local business community.

Important information

Nomination terms and conditions

  • All nominations must be submitted via our online form before the specified closing date and time.
  • Once nominations have been received, information cannot be changed or added.
  • Stirling Business Association and the judging panel reserve the right to decline nominations based on the eligibility criteria.
  • There are no fees to enter the Awards, and we invite all nominees to attend our Gala Awards Dinner as we announce the finalists and winners for each category.
  • The judging panel will determine the finalists and winners by an assessment and grading of nominations based on their written nomination.
  • To be eligible for the Mayor's Visionary Award you must be a Stirling based business.
  • To be eligible for the Emerging Business Award you must have been trading for between 12 and 24 months at the time of your nomination.
  • The Stirling Business Association and its partners accept no liability regarding any loss of patent rights or commercial returns arising from participating in the Awards.

Confidentiality

  • All nominations are strictly confidential and only accessible to the judging panel and the SBA team.
  • Judges' comments are confidential and will not be disclosed.
  • All score sheets and notes will be destroyed upon the determination of the finalists and winners.

Eligibility

The Stirling Small Business Awards are open to all small businesses or organisation's who:

  • Are based within the City of Stirling region; or
  • Conduct significant business within the City of Stirling region

To be eligible for the awards your business or organisation must:

  • Have a current ABN
  • Have been operating for at least 12 months
  • Have less than 50 FTE staff
  • Not be publicly listed
  • Not be a government agency
  • Give consent to being profiled in the media

Getting started

  • Read the questions and let them process for a while. Jot down ideas for each as they come to mind.
  • Be organised - don't leave writing your nomination to the last minute.
  • Give yourself time - give yourself a few weeks to write your nomination, doing it bit by bit and reviewing as you go.

Completing your nomination

  • Just start writing - it won't be perfect to start with. Prepare your answer in bullet points initially and expand from there.
  • Answer each question carefully, truthfully and in full. Ensure you answer all aspects of the question in a concise and relevant manner.
  • Provide evidence - where possible to demonstrate your impact and support your nomination. You can submit up to 5 supporting documents/photos, marketing collateral.
  • Follow the word limit - the word limit is there to guide and challenge you to write succinctly so be sure to follow it.
  • Tell your story - this is your chance to impress the judges with your business journey.
  • Highlight your achievements - don't be shy to share your achievements. Provide examples so the judges understand what you have done and what you might do differently.
  • Let your personality shine through - your business is your passion, let that jump off the page and captivate the judges.
  • Involve your team - brainstorm ideas with your staff and get them involved in the process. It will take the pressure off you and will motivate your team.

Each award has its unique criteria and objectives. Adapt your approach accordingly and present your business in the best possible light. Good luck with your nomination, and congratulations on the achievements of your small business!

Submitting your nomination

  • Proofread - have a friend or family member read over your submission and give you feedback.
  • Word count - ensure you have double checked your word count for each question and have stayed within the limits. This will guarantee the submission of your online nomination will go smoothly.
  • Submit your nomination - copy and paste your nomination from the template into our online nomination form. Be sure to complete this in one go as your online nomination form cannot be saved.
  • Attachments - don't forget to attach your evidence to support your nomination. You can submit up to five documents. You will also need to submit your business logo and Business Registration document.

10th November 2023

Rendezvous Hotel, Scarborough

IMPORTANT DATES

  • NOMINATIONS OPEN 1st August 2023
  • NOMINATIONS CLOSE 29th September 2023

Our partners and major sponsors

Questions

Tell us about your business and include your response to the following:

  • Are you a resident of the City of Stirling area? If your answer is no, then how do your products and/or services benefit the City of Stirling area?
  • Summarise what your business does (your products/services) and how it is unique to your competitors?
  • What was your initial motivation for starting your business and how long have you been operating?
  • What challenges have you faced and what have you learned as a result?
  • What have been your proudest milestone achievements in your business and why?
  • How do you attract customers and what processes/systems do you have in place to measure customer satisfaction?
  • What strategies do you use to recruit, retain and motivate staff?

I was fortunate to be selected as one of the finalists of the Stirling Business Association Ambassador Award in 2021. The application process was very straightforward and working through the questions, reconfirmed to me the importance and power of investing in and giving back to the community.

Like many small business owners, it can be pretty lonely trying to navigate today's complex business world. For me, being part of the Stirling Business Association and participating in the awards process was an opportunity to reflect on my own business achievements, create new lasting connections and share similar stories of overcoming adversity. Knowing that there is such strong support from peers and the Stirling Business Association is empowering as a business owner. I cannot recommend nominating for the Stirling Business Association Awards highly enough.

Marcus Smith, Elite Graphix

Finness Advisory was honoured to receive the 2021 Digital Pioneer Award for cloud-based accounting. It was a turning point for my small business as it reinforced that we were on the right path, provided momentum and opened up new opportunities. The Awards night also highlighted the power of community. I would highly recommend the Awards and will be forever grateful to Stirling Business Association for their support and recognition.

John Finnegan, Finness Advisory

2023 Awards Entries

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