Nigel and Debbie Stowe, from Olive and Ash, found the Excellence Awards a valuable exercise in getting credibility and visibility for their product. Photo / Kevin Bills Media
Nigel and Debbie Stowe, from Olive and Ash, found the Excellence Awards a valuable exercise in getting credibility and visibility for their product. Photo / Kevin Bills Media
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Have you recently tossed around the idea of applying for the Northland Business Excellence Awards? The good news is you still have time to apply for 2021.
As business owners you must weigh up whether going through an application process is worth the time, especially when orders are high, andcustomers need your attention.
Would it help if we said you can get a lot more out of it than just winning an award? You can receive feedback on financials and forecasting at the same time as testing concepts of your products, not to mention free advertising.
Winner from 2019, Olive and Ash co-founder Debbie Stowe, with her husband Nigel, found it a valuable exercise in getting credibility and visibility for their product Vince, a delicious, plant-based mince alternative made locally in Onerahi.
Extrutec won the Innovate Northland award in 2018 and discovered they were underestimating potential sales from judges' feedback, encouraging them to think bigger and adjust their plans accordingly.
If aspiring for excellence is the body of the Northland Business Excellence Awards. The innovate category is the heart of the ceremony.
Northland Inc, as the regional economic development agency for our rohe (area), has been a proud sponsor of the Innovate Award for several years. We work closely with NorthChamber, the Chamber of Commerce for Northland, responsible for the Northland Business Excellence Awards.
The pursuit of excellence in business is not just about the destination, but the aspiration for excellence is a journey. One that can be a thrilling ride albeit with ups and downs.
Sophie Wiltshire (right) with Muriel Willem - a customer of Northland Inc's Growth Advisor services with her business Career Focus NZ. Photo / Supplied
Northland Inc innovation specialists are privileged to share the quiet ride with local businesses which grow their business or undertake a research and development programme with Callaghan Innovation through the Regional Business Partner Network.
This quiet ride can be necessary when creating the next latest and greatest product, service, or system. Trade secrets are a good strategy that can safeguard your intellectual property while ensuring you retain your competitive market advantage and reap the benefits of commercialising products when you are ready.
There is a skill to being able to share enough of your technical issues and how your solution addresses these problems. We have found that the Innovate Award application can help you understand how to get your great idea to market, or to help validate it when already out there.
Entrants receive valuable feedback from judges, you can easily access our growth advisors through the Regional Business Partner Network, gain insights and benchmark against others, network, benefit from free advertising, and celebrate your business journey. The cherry on top, of course, is that you may even win the award.
Winning business awards can also be linked to improved performance measures. In simple terms, awards can make a real improvement to profit for your business, benefiting you as well as your whanau, friends, communities, and Northland.
When aspiring for business excellence, you must continue to integrate innovation and creativity into your daily practices, while being fanatical about your customers, even when orders remain high.
Our lauded, laid-back Northland attitude means we can be reluctant to push ourselves to receive praise in a structured way other than a pat on the back.
We have a serious entrepreneurial network of successful Northland businesses that punch well and truly above their weight because they have mastered creativity within their everyday operations.
I am so looking forward to loudly celebrating the heart of our business community with all our diverse, innovative, and creative Northland businesses later this year.
To do so you must enter. Award entries close July 30.
• Sophie Wiltshier is an innovation specialist and head of the growth adviser team at Northland Inc, the regional economic development agency.
