Sydney’s up and coming small businesses are being invited to register for the 2011 City of Sydney Business Awards, which are being badged as the ideal springboard for any business looking to raise its profile.
The City of Sydney Business Awards celebrate excellence, innovation and leadership across 22 small business categories, including small bars, retail fashion, restaurants and cafes, cultural and creative services, tourism, bicycle businesses, health and fitness, and IT.
The winners will share in some $60,000 worth of prizes, and also be given the opportunity to add their names to the growing list of Sydney Business Awards success stories. Success stories such as 2009 Best Fair Trade Business, Republica Coffee, which is now providing fair trade products for Jetstar’s domestic and international flights; and 2008 Business of the Year, global IT giant Atlassian, which has more than 25,000 clients across the globe including IKEA, Nokia and Nike.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the City’s Business Awards support a vital sector of the economy –the 18,000 small to medium businesses that contribute more than $40 million to the economy every year.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, playing a crucial role in enlivening communities, driving growth and providing jobs for hundreds of thousands of people,” Moore said.
“With more than 600 nominations and 41,000 votes from the public in last year’s competition, the Awards are a fantastic opportunity for Sydney’s small businesses to increase their brand exposure, expand their customer network and take their business ideas to the next level,” she added.
This year, organisers have introduced two new award categories – Online Business, which celebrates organisations where all marketing and sales is done via the Internet, including blogs, email and social networking and the ANZ Fast Starter Award, which recognises fast-growing businesses with an annual turnover of more than $5 million.
To be eligible in the Awards, businesses must be located within the City of Sydney LGA, employ fewer than 200 full-time employees, be independently owned and have been in operation for at least six months.
Nominations and voting in the 2011 Sydney Business Awards is now open, and will close on 22 July 2011. People can vote for nominated businesses at www.sydneybusinessawards.com.au
The winners will be announced at the City of Sydney Business Awards Gala Dinner on 13 September 2011.
Tesltra’s Business Awards are also on the horizon. For details about State Finalists, check out: http://backend.dynamicbusiness.com/news/state-finalists-telstra-business-awards-14062011.html
