Judge eats humble pie as underdog takes top spot

At least one judge of The David Awards is eating humble pie this year, after a business previously deemed an unlikely top contender took out the Supreme Award in this year’s event. 

Richard Conway’s Pure SEO not only claimed the supreme title, but was also named the Most Outstanding Transitional Business and a finalist in the Most Outstanding Triumph over Adversity and Most Community-Minded Business categories. In 2011, they won the Most Outstanding Fledgling Business category.

Speaking on behalf of the judges, Glenn Baker commented, “We were a little dubious about Pure SEO last time they entered. We suspected they were too under-staffed, perhaps too under-funded, and too green to make an impact in the highly competitive SEO sector. We wondered if they would turn a decent profit, let alone a market splash. Well, we clearly under-estimated the tenacity and commitment of Richard and his team. Pure SEO is indeed a terrific business with some great results under its belt and a promising future ahead.  Pure SEO was outstanding in the Transitional category and a deserving winner.”

Founder of The David Awards, Heather Douglas, says, “The intention of The David Awards is to recognise ordinary, small, home or micro businesses, which often fly beneath the national radar but are doing extraordinary things. 

These are the grassroots businesses which form the basis of our economy. This is where better-known brands and export businesses are spawned, These are the businesses which contribute to their communities and help make New Zealand what it is. Yet, they are often overlooked and ignored. The David Awards: heroes in small business aims to recognise our entrepreneurial Davids for what they are – the real heroes in small business in this country. It’s extremely rewarding to see a business which has previously won one of the smaller categories growing to the point where it’s now taking out the top spot.”

Judges Glenn Smith, Glenn Baker, Pam Martin and Sandra Crosby were impressed with the number and variety of businesses entering the awards, and were delighted to see many new entries as well as repeat entries from previous entrants, some of which showed significant growth and development from last year.

 

 

A start-up business which is under two years young, smart, quirky, or just very professionally set up.

Heart Saver NZ Limited

Kainic Medical Communications Limited

Leatherwise

 

A promising business which has moved beyond the start-up phase and is two or more years old, which has a proven track record and some or all of the plans/people/systems/processes in place to make a well-above-average future a reality. This Award seeks to recognise a business planning for and/or coping with the changes required to take a business through expansion and significant growth, and which has demonstrated financial success.

Pure SEO Limited

Intern NZ

Nourish Magazine

 

A business which has succeeded in spite of challenges beyond the usual. This may be due to due to personal issues the owner has had to deal with, circumstances beyond their control, or unexpected setbacks.

Kruizey Kidz Ltd

Leatherwise

Pure SEO Limited

 

A business which epitomises the ability to integrate business and lifestyle, with the owner(s) to take advantage of its flexibility to fit income generation around spending time on family or leisure activities or other pursuits. While lifestyle is an important judging criterion, this business must still demonstrate its economic viability.

Nourish Magazine

Accplus Ltd

Agricultural Recruitment NZ Ltd

 

This is a business which demonstrates a new or clever way of going about things, or which is conceptually innovative. A new product or service developed by the business owner may be the prime focus of an entry in this category.

Accplus Ltd

Tyre Depot Limited

 

A business which leverages technology in many guises to enhance efficiency, mobility and keep overheads to a minimum. In this category, judges are not necessarily looking for a business whose core business is technical (though it may be), but one where the owner makes good use of technology to gain efficiencies, for instance through time- or cost-saving, or by delivering a service remotely using technology. It may also apply to a business which develops its own technology to deliver a core product or service to clients.

Accplus Ltd

Outbox Ltd

 

A business which punches above its weight in terms of getting the word out, achieving profile and attracting business. Typically, this Award recognises a business which knows how to find potential customers, uses a variety of media effectively and which understands how to communicate with them and get them to take the next step towards a purchase.

TIME Unlimited

Bio Brew

Leatherwise

 

A business which gives back to its community, e.g. local, regional or industry sector, in ways, shapes or forms which benefit the community significantly. This Award is intended to highlight a business where the community involvement is not what the business is about, but part of how it goes about doing whatever its core business is. Businesses whose main objective is to benefit the community should consider entering other categories, and if they enter this one, will need to clarify what part of what they do is not their core business in order to meet the criteria for this Award.

Agricultural Recruitment NZ Ltd

Nourish Magazine

Pure SEO Limited

 

The winner of this award is the business whose entry attracts the most votes from members of the public.

YummyMummy Fitness