Why You Should Still Enter Business Awards (Even If The Numbers Aren’t Sparkling)

Let’s be honest, the last few years have been a rollercoaster for many business owners. Between economic uncertainty, rising costs, and the occasional existential crisis over coffee, you might be wondering if business awards are even worth thinking about right now.

Maybe your profits aren’t where you hoped. Maybe growth stalled. Budget went out the window months ago. Maybe survival alone felt like winning (and let’s be real – sometimes it absolutely is with the ATO and ICare getting heavier handed).

So you might be thinking, No way would I win an award this year.

But here’s the truth: awards aren’t just about financial success. Having been on the judging side, I can tell you firsthand some of the most powerful, memorable entries don’t lead with profits. They lead with IMPACT. With determination. With what it really takes to run a business when the going gets tough.

Progress Isn’t Just Profit, judges want to know how you show up for your community, your clients, and your team. Awards focused on leadership, innovation, sustainability, or community contribution value your real-world impact more than your revenue figures.

Did you pirouette? Streamline? Build something from nothing? Innovation Under Pressure, when tough times force creativity, judges absolutely love a story of reinvention.

Leadership and Culture matters. A lot. If you kept your team engaged, motivated, and growing, even when the future felt uncertain. that’s leadership gold.

Resilience is a Superpower, because it’s easy to lead when everything’s smooth sailing. But what about when the waves hit? Your resilience, adaptability, and sheer determination tell a story of strength that deserves recognition.

Have you doubled down on customer service? Found clever ways to improve satisfaction, solve problems, or deepen loyalty? That’s award-worthy material and ticks the boxes for Customer Experience and Loyalty.

Here’s the kicker, if you’re only looking at awards through the lens of financial growth, you’re missing the bigger picture. The stories that win hearts (and awards) are often the ones about courage, integrity, innovation, perseverance, bravery and care.

So, if the numbers aren’t singing your praises this year, then lead with something more powerful. Lead with your values, your thinking, your smarts, and your impact.

If you’ve built something with courage, creativity, and heart, you absolutely have a story worth telling. And maybe, just maybe, an award with your name on it.

👉 Need help crafting an award-winning entry that tells the real story of your business? Let’s chat as I have a few people in my network who are experts at writing awards and can help match you up. At Finesse Business Advisers, we help businesses like yours spotlight what makes them remarkable, even when times are tough.