An awards ceremony designed to celebrate the achievements and contribution of small businesses and the self-employed across the UK is now open for entries.
As the largest event of its kind in the small business calendar, the free-to-enter FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards 2022 showcases the best of small business entrepreneurship – and you don’t need to be an FSB member to enter.
The awards are a sought-after prize in the small business arena, with thousands of businesses entering every year in categories including Digital/e-commerce Business of the Year, High Growth Business of the Year and the Community Award.
The Awards attract businesses from a wide range of industries, from sole traders and micro businesses to those with substantial workforces, and invite entries across 12 categories.
The press coverage from FSB’s promotion of the awards was incredible exposure for the business at such an early stage
Winners are chosen from 12 regions in a series local heats before joining a final list of 132 to decide the overall winner in each category – and the title, FSB Small Business of the Year. Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, congratulated last year’s finalists.
A final shortlisting comes with significant exposure, with the awards in many areas trending on social media and in the press. Matt Dyson, director at Rockit, an International Business of the Year UK finalist in 2019 explained: “Winning the awards gave us a boost in confidence as a start up. The press coverage from FSB’s promotion of the awards was incredible exposure for the business at such an early stage.”
Lincolshire badge manufacturer e-badges took home the trophy for the UK’s Micro Business of the Year last year. Reflecting on the win, co-owner Andrew Vear said: “We are so pleased to have won. It’s a testament to our close-knit team who know the business inside out.”
Entrants will be judged by a panel of leading business experts. The geographical finals will take place across the UK next year, with winners going through to the UK Final on May 19, 2022 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow. The 12 categories are listed below:
- Micro Business of the Year
- High Growth Business of the Year
- Self-employed/Sole Trader of the Year
- Family Business of the Year
- Start-Up Business of the Year
- Digital/e-commerce Business of the Year
- Wellbeing Award
- Community Award
- International Business of the Year
- Business and Product Innovation Award
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year
- Environmental/Sustainability Business of the Year
For further details and to enter, visit the FSB Awards website
