September marks the end of the summer, the end of Q2, and the start of awards ceremony season.
At the end of every quarter, we come together as a team to reflect on what we’ve achieved, and make plans to go even further in the next quarter. We also take this time to recognise the team, and this quarter we celebrated the 8-year work anniversary of our Content and Communications Manager, Shannon Williams.
And on our relentless mission to have great people, teams, and organisations recognised we’re so proud to be achieving a 100% shortlist rate and 78% win rate for our clients.
We achieve those results because we are strategic in everything we do.
From the awards programmes and categories selected, to the story and supporting evidence we create, each step is considered, and our team work tirelessly to get those results.
And the reward is not only seeing our fantastic clients on stage with the trophy, but seeing the impact the award wins have on the teams involved and their business as a whole.
“Thank you all so much for everything you have done to help us get the recognition we’ve received over the last 18 months. It’s been transformational! One of the best business decisions I’ve made.” David Lynam, Kaizen Ticketing
Taking to the stage with the world’s leading entrepreneurs at Ideas Fest
Last month we had an absolute ball exhibiting at Ideas Fest, even in the wind, rain and thunder!
Joining Dent global, and Rethink Press in the Dent Zone, we had fantastic conversations, explored what people were the best in the world at, and even gave visitors the chance to win a hamper worth over £1000. We ended day one with an evening in the Big Festoon for a good old-fashioned hoe down.
On day two, in true festival style, Donna took to the Entrepreneurial Spirit Stage, with publishing powerhouse Lucy McCarraher and brand strategist Mark Leruste for an unmissable talk about the power of credibility.
Mark, Lucy and Donna shared with the captivated audience how to;
- Turn credibility into capital, connections and career-changing opportunities
- Use awards and books to build trust faster than social ever could
- Productise your expertise and scale smart with AI (even if you can’t code)
- Tell your story with purpose and finally stand out
A huge thank you to everyone that came to watch, and you can catch up on the talk below for those that missed out.
The team at Ideas Forum have created a really special, unique event that brings so much value to everyone that attends. From the world’s leading entrepreneurs and business leaders including Rory Sutherland, Simon Squibb, Simon Woodroffe OBE, and Piers Linney, to the exciting, innovative start-ups already making moves in the market.
A night of emotion, empowerment and celebration of women in business at the Enterprise Vision Awards
This year, we’ve had the privilege of partnering with the Enterprise Vision Awards culminating in a glitzy awards ceremony hosted at the impressive Empress Ballroom at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
The awards are a true celebration of the achievements of a diverse range of women in business, and it was an extremely emotional evening, hearing stories of women who’ve poured their hearts and souls into growing businesses that are making a very human impact.
Hearing these founders share their often life-changing missions was incredibly moving. As a female-founded business, celebrating women in business is something we champion at every opportunity.
A HUGE thank you to Coral, Lizzie and the EVA's team for putting on such a stunning event and welcoming us as one of your partners.
Deadline Day: The King’s Awards for Enterprise
Every year, September reliably delivers:
Back to school time
The start of Autumn
And The King’s Awards for Enterprise Deadline!
The King’s Awards are the most prestigious awards a British business can win, they have robust criteria to meet to be a worthy winner and are highly sought after – with 150-200 businesses winning each year out of the hundreds that enter.
Every year, we work closely with clients to put forward their story into one of the four categories, spending weeks collecting the evidence and putting together their nomination to prove their excellence.
It’s always a real relief to get the nominations submitted ahead of the deadline, and now it’s the waiting game to see who has been shortlisted!
Inside the judging room: what judges are really looking for…
One of the reasons we can achieve such strong results for our clients is because we understand the current trends and what the judges are looking for in a winner.
Each year, Donna is a chosen judge for some of the world’s leading award programmes, this month alone she has been on the judging panels for the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, the UK Customer Experience Awards, and The LPI Learning Awards.
Although the competitions attract different types of entrants, the finalists and winners all exhibit the same qualities; they have a great story, they’re passionate about what they do, and they are making a clear difference to their customers, employees or community.
Good luck to all the finalists. We’ll be there celebrating with you at the ceremonies!
NEW: The World Class Brand Programme. Limited places for 2026
If there is one thing we know works for businesses who want to grow and develop – it’s recognition.
We are proud to work with the most award-winning brands in the world, supporting them to achieve their business goals by using awards as a driver for change, progress, and growth – both personal and financial.
So we have brought all our winning secrets together to create a NEW programme for 2026 that will create a huge profile boost for ALL businesses.
The World Class Brand Programme takes you on a 3-step journey that includes:
- PLAN: A bespoke Awards Roadmap – your very own strategy for success
- WIN: All your evidence, awards entries and supporting assets created and submitted
- PROMOTE: Outstanding digital PR & Media results that includes guaranteed backlinks, social posts and a host of profile-raising, high value communications
Don’t miss out – we have limited places for this end-to-end business profile plan, to become the go-to world-class brand in your sector in 2026.
Click here to book your 1:1 call and find out more
OR
Come to our next live Masterclass to find out more about how awards can help you achieve more in 2026.
