After another challenging year for entrepreneurs, Small Business BC is asking Delta residents to help celebrate the small businesses they love by nominating entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their community for the annual Small Business BC awards.
“At the heart of every small business is an entrepreneur whose drive and determination pushes them, even as they face challenges and hurdles in their path,” says Small Business BC CEO, Tom Conway. “The SBBC Awards is about celebrating that entrepreneurial spirit and supporting small businesses that inspire us all. I encourage all BC residents to nominate a business that has helped strengthen your community.”
The Small Business BC Awards are held annually as an opportunity to bring attention to the small businesses making a big difference. As a show of support, British Columbians are encouraged to put forward local businesses that have not only embraced the challenge of entrepreneurship, but have also gone above and beyond to invest in their communities. Winners will be awarded with top business titles, sharing $15,000 in prize money.
The Small Business BC Awards, sponsored by Kwantlen Polytechnic University, have been adjusted this year to feature two award categories, focusing on honouring truly impactful businesses and allowing winners to receive larger cash prizes and more business support.
SBBC Business Impact Award
This SBBC Business Impact Award, sponsored by Coast Capital Savings, goes to business owner(s) who are truly making a difference. These hard-working individuals embrace the challenge of entrepreneurship, display their business savvy, and take positive action to invest in their community. They are navigating the rapidly changing business landscape, especially throughout the pandemic, and leveraging the challenge to improve their business while also finding new ways to serve their community.
The businesses with the most votes in the SBBC Business Impact Award category (after a normalization process to allow for regional populations) will be narrowed down to the top 20, then judged by an internal panel of business experts to select the Top Five finalists.
They will then be will be invited to present to a panel of judges, pitching why their business should win the award. The panel of past SBBC Award winners, business professionals and advisors will then select the winner, and the first and second place runners up. The prize breakdown is 1st place: $8,000, 2nd place: $4,000 and 3rd place: $1,500.
Premier’s People’s Choice Award
It takes a community to grow a small business. It also takes a community to win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award. This unique award category, sponsored by the Province of British Columbia, is presented to a BC-based small business that can demonstrate the unwavering and loyal support of their community by gaining the most online votes.
The winner of the Premier’s People’s Choice Award will receive $1,500.
Award nominations are open until Feb. 28 and can be submitted at sbbc.co/nominate. Businesses can be nominated by both members of the public and by the business owners themselves, showcasing their hard work and dedication through this competition.
