Get in line for a business award

Apr 4 2007 by Bill Gleeson, Liverpool Daily Post

NOW is the optimum time to enter this year’s Daily Post Regional Business Awards.

With the 2007 competition launched last week, firms of all types and sizes operating in the Daily Post circulation area are pulling together their entries before the April 27 deadline.

A shortlist will be drawn up by judges, and the ultimate winners in each of our nine categories will be unveiled at St George’s Hall on June 28.

This week we are focusing on three categories: the Liverpool John Moores University New Business of the Year award, the BusinessLiverpool Small Business of the Year award and the Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank Medium Business of the Year.

The New Business of the Year award is for businesses which have started trading since January 1, 2006. While it will be difficult for a new business to demonstrate a track record, the judges will be looking for evidence that things have got off to good start and that the business has the potential to make a growing contribution to the region’s economy.

Professor Michael Brown, LJMU’s vice chancellor and chief executive, said: “Liverpool John Moores University is pleased to sponsor, once again, the New Business of the Year award. The generation of new businesses for the future is an important aspect of the enterprise work of LJMU.

“We now have 48 spin-out companies, employing more than 300 people in the sub-region. Our own enterprise turnover has increased by 74% over the last three years, with more than 450 enterprise contracts last year alone. We are currently operating 22 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with commercial partners and our students have won a DTI KTP "Business Leader of Tomorrow" title three years in a row – a record!

“Over 900 students have benefited from training, mentoring and personal development through our Student Enterprise programme, and more than £250,000 of external investment has been secured into companies formed by LJMU students.”

The BusinessLiverpool Small Business of the Year category is for firms with fewer than 50 staff that can show some track record of success as well as demonstrate their potential for growth.

BusinessLiverpool chief executive, Michael Taylor, said: “As the gateway for free business support and investment in Liverpool, BusinessLiverpool is proud to be associated with the Regional Business Awards 2007.

“Our primary objective is to create a focused and effective support mechanism which fully meets the needs of our clients. The core activity of BusinessLiverpool is the provision of support in property, funding and organising training, and by working in partnership with other key public and private sector organisations to deliver a comprehensive business support package. It is our job to ensure you get the very best from the extensive range of business support available in Liverpool. All you have to do is contact BusinessLiverpool and we will deal with your enquiry quickly and efficiently.”

The Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank Medium Business of the Year is for companies with between 50 and 250 staff. The judges will be looking for evidence of a strong financial performance and potential for the business to grow . Debbie Thompson, manager of Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank, in Liverpool, said: “Small to medium enterprises are the life blood of the economy and Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank is proud to be sponsoring the Liverpool Daily Post's Regional Business Awards SME of the Year Award. The Merseyside Business Centre, based at The Plaza, Old Hall Street, in Liverpool, offers a full banking service and a greater level of support for the bank's existing and new business customers. The bank's team of business banking managers provide a full relationship service and great value products, tailored to the sophisticated financial needs of small to medium sized businesses.

The Merseyside Business Centre is one of a number opened by Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank in the last three years. The centres focus on businesses with a turnover of between £1m and £10m.”

• Entry forms can be obtained by downloading the PDF here, or by telephoning 0151 472 2805. Alternatively, a form can be requested by email at regionalbusinessawards@liverpooldailypost.co.uk