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News
UK high flyers prepare for
the ‘Business Oscars’
More than 150 organisations representing the finest entrepreneurs
and business leaders across the UK are among those shortlisted in
the finals of The National Business Awards, sponsored by Orange.
The Awards, which recognise and reward business excellence,
innovation and success, are uniquely open to organisations of all sizes
from any industry sector – public or private.
The combined entries for The National Business Awards 2008
represent more than 2.2 million employees across the UK.
The finalists, among them entrepreneurs, SMEs, multinationals and
public sector bodies, will now prepare to make their presentations in
person to a panel of expert judges that includes Business Matters
Editor-in-chief Richard Alvin, along with academics and other business
specialists. The finals are between 26 September and 15 October.
Philip Forrest, Chairman of Judges, said: ‘we’ve had another high
quality entry this year, and as we look forward to the finalists’ presenta-
tions I don't envy the task of the judges, because in every category every
one of the finalists would make a worthy winner.’ Mike Faulkner, Group Programme Director, The National Business
Dubbed the UK’s ‘Business Oscars’ by Prime Minister Gordon Awards, added:
Brown, The National Business Awards is the nation’s premier annual ‘It is encouraging to see the industry breadth the 2008 finalists
showcase of skills, achievements and innovation in business. The represent. The National Business Awards celebrate business ethics, in-
Awards allow companies to benchmark their successes against organ- novation and success, and with the credit crunch continuing to bite, it
isations of all types, and regularly attracts a field of entrants that, taken is uplifting to see the hunger for success in business grow stronger
as a group, represents more than one third of UK GDP. across most industries.’
Robert Ainger, Director of Corporate Marketing at Orange said: Winners of all categories in the 2008 competition will be unveiled at
‘We wish the best of luck to all finalists of The National Business a glittering gala dinner and ceremony, hosted by journalist and political
Awards 2008. This year has been extremely tough for British business, commentator Andrew Marr, at London’s Grosvenor House hotel on
and it is fantastic to see so many shining examples of successful Thursday 18 November.
organisations. It is no mean feat to reach the finals of the National Busi- Last year’s winners included: Dame Mary Perkins - Specsavers,
ness Awards and this year’s finalists really are at the top of their game. Steve Leach – bigmouthmedia, Summit Media and Applied Language
We are proud to be associated with the cream of British Business.’ Solutions (pictured above.)
Small businesses should stop acting big
Small and medium sized businesses should services where clients and buyers can actually at the moment, but the best way to counteract
stop acting big if they want to grow up and develop a relationship with the owner. That is that is to be lean and mean and show cus-
survive the credit crunch, at least according incredibly powerful, and is often a small busi- tomers that you are there to give them that
to online business adviser and entrepreneur ness’s biggest asset. little extra in personal service.
Guy Kingston. ‘But so many small business owners try to ‘Smaller businesses can impress by giving
Kingston, who started up the very first act like big corporates and are basically throw- realistic prices and following the job through.
entrepreneurial businesses in post-communist ing away the biggest advantage they have. Too many are chasing bigger and bigger con-
Russia, and now advises business owners ‘In business people buy people, and yet so tracts and not concentrating on the business
around the world through his online video and many small businesses spend money on being they already have.’
audio podcasts, says being small is a huge impressive when really they could save that Start-up businesses and entrpreneurs all
advantage to most businesses. Said Kingston: money and get more work. It is one thing to over the world tune into Guy Kingston’s free
‘big businesses lack humanity, which is why look professional, but over-the-top corporate business advice on
www.myobpod.com,
they have to spend so much money on corpo- ID, marketing material and websites will simply where he has launched a series of video and
rate social responsibility projects to give them- make people think they are dealing with a big audio podcasts. There is a listeners’ club and
selves a human face. Small and medium-sized organisation that has no soul. social networking groups where entrepreneurs
businesses can give a personal touch to their ‘Businesses are experiencing tough times can share ideas and advice.
8 • issue 164 Business Matters
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