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42 Below head Geoff Ross last night kicked off New Zealand's biggest regional business awards.
The Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards aims to distil the best South Auckland businesses down to one supreme award winner to be announced in August.
Ross, who was brought up in Papakura, shared his story of taking 42 Below from a garage-based vodka brewery to last year's sale of the company to Bacardi.
Gaelle Deighton, chief executive of awards organiser Enterprising Manukau, said last night's event begins a rigorous five month process to find the best companies in Manukau.
Finalists will be decided in a number of categories including small business, manufacturing, tourism and business contribution to the community.
Last year's winner John Beck from Styrobeck Plastics said although there was a lot of work in compiling the application the win had lifted the company's profile.
"We are only a relatively small business - we have 40 people and a turnover of $7 million. Previous winners like Villa Maria and Auckland Airport are massive companies really and they had to go through the same criteria we had to and we were judged equal which made us feel real good," said Beck.
Beck's staff have shared in the "buzz" of winning the award.
"All the gold shining awards are hanging on the lunchroom wall," he said.
Deighton said help is available from Enterprising Manukau for businesses preparing an entry to the awards.
