
SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Chameleon
Chameleons are known for how they adapt to their environment and this year has seen more business chameleons than ever before. Have you had to adapt to changes due to the Coronavirus outbreak? Have you diversified to offer new products and services? Perhaps you have changed your business model or taken your business online.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Best Enterprising Business
Winners in this category won’t be standing still and doing the same old things, they’ll be moving and shaking, leading in their markets. In terms of this category, enterprise can be defined as showing initiative and willingness to undertake new projects.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Best New Business
You’ve come into business in the last 2 years (start date on or after the 1st January 2020) with a bang and are really getting noticed for what you do. Tell us what makes you the best of a great new crop.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Innovation
Innovation in your business means doing something new, different, smarter or better that will make a positive difference. Innovation therefore ranges from implementing a time-saving office procedure to a brand new product.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business of the Year less than 50 Employees
This award will go to the business that can show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices. Entrants to this award will be expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business of the Year more than 50 Employees
This award will go to the business that can show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices. Entrants to this award will be expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Person of the Year
This award will go to a business person or entrepreneur who shows outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices. Entrants to this award will be expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business. Our judges will be looking for entrepreneurial skills and evidence of how they have seen opportunities and are striving in their business.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Woman of the Year
This award will be presented to the best female owned business or female who has had a positive impact on a business. They will show how they have exceptional drive to succeed. How have you been integral to making the business or businesses a success.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Community Business of the Year
This category celebrates both Community Businesses and Not for Profit Organisations. What these businesses have in common is that their focus is on positively benefitting society. All profit from a community business is reinvested in the local area and all profit from a charitable organisation goes to fulfilling their objectives.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Employer of the Year
Our criterion to win the award is simple – tell us how you as an employer look after your people so they take care of your business.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Family Business of the Year
The winners of Family Business of the Year will be combining their passion in business with their shared family values. Your business may have been passed down to you or you have started a business to pass on to your children in the future. The judges will be looking at how you can grow you business while still keeping your core family values at the centre of everything you do.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
High Growth Business of the Year
High growth firms are referred to as ‘gazelles’ for the way they are racing ahead, contributing massively to employment growth. Our judges want to know about your achievements and plans for even more success

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Lockdown Leader
Being a leader of people and an organisation is a difficult task at any time but steering a ship through a COVID storm requires someone to take charge, make decisions and provide clear direction. This award will go to someone who has kept his/her team motivated and informed despite everyone working from home, someone who has continued to inspire and show passion and optimism in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Who do you think has shown exceptional lockdown leadership skills?

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Positive Impact Award
In an everchanging world, we come across challenges in business that push companies to innovate and adapt their business for the good of the wider community. Have you changed the products or services you are producing to benefit a crisis or are lending your team to assist elsewhere? Our judges will not only be looking at how you plan to create a positive impact, but what you are currently doing or have done in the last 6 months to put this in place.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Service Excellence
The winner of this category will give outstanding assistance and advice to those who buy or use the business or organisation’s products or services. They will be able to provide customer testimonials to back up their submission.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Sustainability Award
Being “green” and “sustainable” in business terms means reducing or removing the harmful impact that products and/or services have on the environment.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Website of the Year
Irrespective of your size, your website says it all. It should look great, be really easy to navigate, showcase whatever it is you do but most importantly, it should engage the viewer and keep them on your site for as long as you need them.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Young Business Person of the Year
For business people aged 30 or less (by 1st January 2021) who have demonstrated a high degree of entrepreneurship, creativity and vision for the future. The judges will be looking to identify an individual who has set up a business or has had a significant influence in the business, that has set and achieved objectives within its business plans and established a position of sustainable profitability and success. In addition to this judges will want to see an understanding of the relationship between your own development and the success of the business.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Best Customer Service – Public Vote
Customer service is an ongoing process. The winning business will ensure it exceeds customers expectations before, during and after any sale, building long-term customer relationships and providing a service that is consistently outstanding.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Business Hero – Public Vote
This category is open to a business or business person who have gone above and beyond in the face of adversity. Our judges will be looking to see what they have done to support a local or national cause.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Towcester Business of the Year
The winners of the Towcester Business of the Year will be exceptional across all aspects of running a successful SME. Considering the enormous wealth of commercially focused talent across the city, the judges will be expecting a wide range of exceptional entries. The winners will stand out even in this talented crop of entries.

SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
Hair Salon/Barber of the Year
The winning business in in this Category will ensure it exceeds customers expectations before, during and after any sale, building long-term customer relationships and providing a service that is consistently outstanding. Our Judges only want to know what you have done in the last 12 months that makes you worthy of the title.