We live in a world driven by social proof. How we show up online. How we present on social media. Word of mouth referrals, raving about the business. The media wins that we secure and leverage. And … the credibility that comes from entering and winning awards. People want to know that they are handing over their hard-earned coin to specialists and experts in their space. There’s no value in being the world’s best-kept secret.

When it comes to awards, aside from the publicity and word of mouth it can generate, there is no greater social proof than entering and winning awards.

Aside from receiving a trophy, there are unexpected and unspoken serendipities. These surprising benefits aren’t in the brochure or award guidelines. Yet they can be just as powerful as winning the actual trophy.

10 Aussie entrepreneurs share the benefits of awards and it’s not all about winning

Kayley Moon, Honey Digital

Kayley Moon is the founder of Honey Digital, a Google Ads specialist agency. Entering awards in 2022 was all about building brand awareness and credibility in what is a competitive space. Kayley said winning an award was a huge buzz. When she announced her success to her social media followers, leveraging the process, she found a few unexpected immediate results.

“I have seen a sudden increase in consultations booked in,” she said. “My new clients told me they saw my posts and photos on social media about winning the awards, and it prompted them to reach out. My clients were so happy for me and love seeing my business grow. One of my clients told me she had ‘second-hand proudness’ watching my journey.”

Karen McDermott, Serenity Press

Karen McDermott runs a highly successful publishing company, Serenity Press, helping thousands write and publish their books, and running writing retreats. Karen wanted to tap into all her successes by entering awards. She saw it as a good opportunity to share her and her clients’ wins.

“A Stevie Award for Women in Business was on my bucket list for 2022, and I won three,” she said. “A surprising outcome is how global the recognition is. Travelling to the US to accept my award in person was one of the best decisions I made. I showed up and was rewarded with not only a trophy, but also connections and experiences I will treasure for a lifetime.”

Fiona Holmstrom, STEM Punks

Fiona Holmstrom is the co-founder of STEM Punks, a STEM education program that provides a fun and exciting learning environment for kids. For Fiona, the benefits of entering awards run deeper than the fun of an awards night.

“Entering awards is not just about the recognition on the night; it’s about the preparation beforehand, pulling apart your business and recognising your achievements over the past year,” she said. “The platform awards provided to STEM Punks helps to drive our mission of education for all further than it could have without that exposure.”

Karen Moloney, Blue Bean Media

Karen Moloney, founder of Blue Bean Media, works with people to make content marketing easy and has won awards for a different business many years ago. This year, she stepped out to give awards a go for her current venture. Aside from winning a gold for the PR/marketing campaign of the year this year, she says she also had a ‘win’ with unexpected friendships.

“The relationships built with other award winners as part of the application process, and attendance at awards events, have been the most unexpected outcome of entering and winning awards for me,” Karen said.

“Being able to instantly connect with like-minded business owners who are doing the best in their field presents amazing opportunities for collaboration that otherwise may have been hard to come by.”

Dr Stacey Ashley, Ashley Coaching

Dr Stacey Ashley is a big voice for developing leadership in organisations across the globe. Her work in 2022 was pivotal in winning many prestigious business awards. Stacey said she was surprised by how many people are delighted to see her recognised for her work and the difference she makes.

“They want to know everything about the awards; how you enter, how they are judged, what it was like to be at the gala dinner and awards event. Then they share how thrilled they are for me,” she said.

“I love to see how much joy my team gets from our awards. Yes, I’m the one standing out front, and they have put in the huge efforts that often go unnoticed by others. Our awards are a recognition of all they do to make our contribution matter.”

Mel Haque, Wild Dough

Mel Haque started Wild Dough, an eco-friendly and child-safe play dough, on her kitchen table during COVID lockdowns. In less than three years, her business has boomed … and awards have played a big part in her success. Mel believes by consistently winning awards for the best handmade business in the AusMumpreneur Awards, Stevie Awards, She-com Awards and Roar Awards, her reputation as an expert in this space flourished.

“After my acceptance speech at one of the awards, I was contacted the next week and asked if I was interested in running some masterclasses to a large coaching society, sharing my knowledge,” she said.

“I was then offered my first keynote speaker opportunity, all because of a one-minute acceptance speech. It impressed someone in the room so much that they were still thinking about me a week later. It’s proof you never know who is watching and listening to you, so always be prepared and bring your A-game.”

Jenny Pither, Allied Health Admin Services

Jenny Pither is the founder of Allied Health Admin Services, supporting allied healthcare practitioners. In 2022, she entered the AusMumpreneur Awards and the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards, making the finals and taking home many lessons. Jenny said the win was the time spent in reflection.

“Writing, preparing and entering awards – has allowed me to reflect on what I have achieved, what I can achieve, and where I can improve for my team and clients,” she said.

Amy Milford, Darwin Family Life

Amy Milford is mum to four kids and runs Darwin Family Life, a big online community of Darwin parents providing information and resources for those living or moving to Darwin. In 2022, she entered the AusMumpreneur Awards and took home the bronze for Making a Difference in her community. She was also a finalist in Australian Small Business Champions, Australian Women’s Small Business Champions and Roar Success Awards.

She never anticipated the unexpected benefits from entering awards. “That third-party stamp of approval of your business that entering awards gives your business is definitely worthwhile,” she said. “It elevated my business to the next level, and I have leveraged the awards to get a lot of media attention. Other businesses have also taken notice and want to collaborate and work with me. Entering awards also gave me time to reflect on my business and everything I’ve accomplished.”

Justine Martin, Resilience Consultant

Justine Martin is the Queen of Resilience. As a resilience coach/consultant, she helps people overcome adversity, gain resilience, and give them hope. Awards gave her recognition from her peers for her abilities as a coach, speaker, artist or entrepreneur.

“I love the marketing that you get from being nominated, making the finals, and then if you’re lucky enough to win. That credibility is ongoing,” Justine said. “You can use it on so many platforms. When winning major awards, it lifts your credibility, which means you can increase your prices.”

Dianne and Chris Denton, Sea Horse Diamond Beach

Dianne and Chris Denton own Sea Horse Diamond Beach, accessible accommodation for people with disabilities. Dianne said winning awards gave them an unexpected pleasure and morale boost after a tough couple of years.

“So many people within our small community recognised us and congratulated us on our win – on the beach, in the supermarket line, shopping at the local markets, at the local surf club,” she said.

“Working in your own small business, you’re usually head down/tail up. People are so tired after COVID years, and these awards help people pause, look around and acknowledge and appreciate how wonderful our area and lifestyle is here on the NSW coast.”

If you are considering awards in your 2023 plan, think outside the box in terms of the benefits and rewards.

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