High praise for David

If you’re a small business owner you’ll be familiar with adversity, and overcoming it. Now the awards that recognise your courage and ingenuity are back. It’s time to celebrate your achievements and shine.

If you thought 2018 lacked something vital to New Zealand’s small business community – you were right. The David Awards!

Thankfully after a 12-month hiatus New Zealand’s most-loved small business awards have returned. Entries are open until August 16th.

Pure SEO’s Richard Conway is the driving force behind the re-establishment of the awards – along with the awards founder and long-time organiser Heather Douglas, and fellow sponsors website.world, NZBusiness, Brolly Sheets, nzbizbuysell and HomePro. 

Douglas is excited to see The David Awards happening again, and in good hands. 

“Part of the attraction of The David Awards is seeing businesses in their infancy, and watching them grow – so it’s particularly rewarding to have two past winners involved in actively shaping the awards: Brolly Sheets Diane Hurford as a judge and Pure SEO’s Richard Conway in the driving seat. 

“Working side-by-side with them is a small team, some of whom have been involved for a long time, and some new hands with fresh ideas and energy,” says Douglas. “But every single person is committed to honouring the ethos of The David Awards; understanding what it’s like to be a very small business, and determined to recognise the passion and hard work that goes into starting and growing an enterprise.”

Conway, whose business won the Supreme Award in 2013, says it’s a privilege to be involved with the David Awards this year. “As a past winner I really understand the positive impact that the Awards can have on a small business. I’d encourage any small or micro business to enter, it could really be a game-changer.”

Blair Ashdowne, owner of Christchurch company Heat Pumps NOW, recalls not expecting to get anywhere when he entered the 2015 David Awards. The business was just 18 months old, but he thought they’d give it a crack anyway. 

“Winning both categories we entered, Most Outstanding Fledgling Business and Most Community Minded Business was humbling,” he says. “Winning the Supreme Award on top of that had us at a loss for words. 

“Winning The David Awards brought our team together and helped us celebrate our achievements to date. That process of reflecting and celebrating on our achievements is something that’s stuck with us to this day.”

Rachel Klaver, ‘chief excitement officer’ at Identify Marketing, remembers entering the David Awards at the suggestion of one of her team members. “We definitely didn’t think we’d take out the [2016] Supreme Award. 

“As a new emerging, growing business, it gave us a tremendous boost and confidence in what we were setting out to do,” she says. “When you’re small, it’s easy to feel insignificant. The David Awards are a great option for businesses who know they’ve got something a bit different to offer and aren’t playing in the ‘big kids’ pool just yet.”

Mike and Helen Mander, the owners of Heart Saver NZ, are the most recent supreme winners (2017) and they encourage other small businesses to enter. “So many family-run businesses work so hard in the ‘day to day’ that they don’t find the time to take a step back and look at their businesses in an objective way, and to recognise their hard work and successes,” says Helen. 

“The awards process, and the questions asked, provided a perfect opportunity to reflect on growth, achievements, challenges and goals,” recalls Mike. “It was also a great way to acknowledge and recognise our team for the energy, commitment and hard work they have put in to helping our little company excel.

“We also love that the David Awards celebrates small business. We’ve always thought of ourselves as taking on the big guys, and these awards are a fantastic vehicle to showcase that success.”   

Entering the 2019 David Awards is as easy as visiting: 

www.thedavidawards.co.nz/