Business awards are for those who helped you.

Small Business Success Stories

I find myself sitting in a room full of people who all appear to be very clever and smart… I am seated at the back of the room – it is 2004, I have been in business for just 3 years and I don’t get out much. All I do is work, if I am not with my young family I am in front of the computer desperately trying to grow my business, answer customer queries and support the experience supplier community (who are other small businesses just like me).

I’ve been invited to attend because I have been nominated for an award. In my heart, I believe that there has been a mistake – we are simply not that big yet. I have big plans, aspirations a vision….

“And the winner is… Naomi Simson.” I am completely surprised, I have come alone, I did not think that there was a chance of winning.

I text my colleague Jemma quickly, she alerts our tiny team – everyone is excited. The next day we share the story with our experience providers around Australia – it is just as much their award as mine. And we sent a message to our corporate clients, distribution partners and our customers. All of them proud that they have contributed a little bit to our ‘success’.

It was the first time that I appreciated how important it is as part of our leadership journey to be acknowledged independently by the greater community. That a business owner’s lot can be a long and lonely one with no guarantee of success – or even a commercial return.

Yet without the toil, long nights and determination of these business owners our society would not be what it is. The people who choose to go it alone, make a difference, become employers, innovate and build a business are the backbone of our community.

If each Australian small business employed just one more person that would be more than 1 million new jobs.

This week I was part of the team to launch Sydney City Region Business Awards.

The argument was compelling. The City region generates some $107 billion worth of economic activity annually, contributing a quarter of the State’s economy and seven per cent of Australia’s GDP. Sydney is now recognised as one of the world’s most attractive global destinations. The City is committed to supporting businesses – small and large.

The awards are a partnership between the City of Sydney and the NSW Business Chamber.

For twelve years, I have operated a small business in the City of Sydney… and I was really pleased that they asked me to assist in the launch.

It is an opportunity to showcase other businesses, to coax those businesses to enter, a business which does incredible work – but, like myself are often too busy to tell anyone what they are up to. Perhaps it will be one of the businesses that are part of our business group (to be invited join.naomisimson.com)

• Applications for the 2017 Awards are open from 18 April to 29 May.
• The finalists will be announced in July.
• Sydney City Region business awards event will be held on 2 August at Sydney Town Hall.

This is your chance, your moment – but if you don’t enter you will never know.

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Naomi Simson is the founder of RedBalloon and co-founder of The Big Red Group (BRG). She has been blogging for a decade at NaomiSimson.com, is a professional speaker, author of Live What You Love & Ready To Soar, and a “Shark” on business reality show Shark Tank Australia.

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