The brightest stars from the UK small business community gathered at the third annual British Small Business Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
Award winners, across tech, food and drink, property, banking, lending and more were crowned across 17 categories in celebration of the band of small businesses that came together in mutual support and celebration at the black tie gala event.
In his welcome address to the British Small Business Summit, which preceded the Awards, Michael Baxter, Editor of Information Age, mentioned that over 70 per cent of small businesses engage in innovation and that small businesses employ over 24 million of workers in the UK.
“Small businesses are an important driver of society and the achievements of small business in this country deserve to be recognised,” he said.
Focus on diversity in small business
The events’ keynote address was delivered by Teresa Scott OBE, CEO of Kennedy Scott who spoke of her own experience starting a business. She paid tribute to all the nominations, hailing their tenacity and overriding desire to succeed. Her advice to small business owners is that ‘it’s all about the right fit’ – and that getting the right people for your business is important. She urged everyone to think beyond the mainstream, and to ‘think diversity.’
The event was organised by smallbusiness.co.uk and growthbusiness.co.uk. The 2018 sponsors were Information Age, workingmums, Small Business Grants, Kensington, Salesforce, DiversityQ and Belvedere Communications with partners Centre for Entrepreneurs, Save the High Street, Dalstonsbusiness, Exporting is Great, The Guardian Admanager and the Forum of Private Business.
Accounting Software Provider of the Year
Insurance Provider of the Year
Sole Trader of the Year
Accounts and Tax Adviser of the Year
Business Lender of the Year
Small Business Advocate of the Year
Rafael dos Santos, High Profile Club
Workspace Provider of the Year
Innovator of the Year
Small Business of the Year
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Fergus Harding, Harding Estate Agents
Technology Provider of the Year
Alternative Finance Provider of the Year
Business Bank Account of the Year
Female Entrepreneur of the Year
Exporter of the Year
E-Commerce Platform of the Year
Micro Business of the Year
