Torfaen & Monmouthshire Business Awards Launched!

We are really pleased to announce the launch of the Torfaen & Monmouthshire Business Awards!

An awards ceremony honouring and recognising businesses and entrepreneurs within Torfaen & Monmouthshire has officially been launched.
Businesses and entrepreneurs across the two counties are encouraged to enter the awards to gain recognition for their achievements over the last 12 months. The winners will be announced at a black-tie celebration in Abergavenny Market Hall on the 8th June 2023.

The owners of Mamhilad Park Estate, a thriving business community on the border of Torfaen and Monmouthshire, Johnsey Estates UK, are supporting the awards as headline sponsor.

Andrew Wilkinson, Chair of Johnsey Estates UK said:
“2023 sees us celebrate the 75th anniversary of Mamhilad Park Estate in Torfaen and with a portfolio of development land in Monmouthshire, we know this is a great place to do business. These awards give us the opportunity to come together to mark the achievements of local companies that are making a real difference to our local economy and communities. We’re delighted to be helping to give us all the opportunity to share success and shout loudly about all the good work that is done in Monmouthshire and Torfaen.”

Also supporting the awards are; the Alacrity Foundation, Business News Wales, Cardiff Capital Region, Coleg Gwent, Industry Wales, Monmouthshire County Council, Morgan Sindall, Stills, Torfaen County Council and Y Prentis. 

Cllr. Mary Ann Brocklesby – Leader, Monmouthshire County Council said of the awards:

“The Torfaen & Monmouthshire Business Awards are a unique opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contribution of local businesses. I am proud of the wealth of entrepreneurs and businesses we have in Monmouthshire and I encourage them to submit their applications”.

Cllr Anthony Hunt, leader of Torfaen Council says:

“Torfaen Council is delighted to be supporting the Torfaen and Monmouthshire Business Awards.  We have a diverse range of successful and innovative businesses in Torfaen that we want to support and promote. 

Over the coming weeks we will be encouraging local businesses to submit their applications for a wide range of awards and we’re looking forward to helping successful applicants celebrate their achievements.”

The awards are organised by Grapevine Event Management

Liz Brookes, Managing Director of Grapevine Event Management says:

“The Torfaen and Monmouthshire Business Awards a great opportunity for companies to be recognised for their hard work, achievements and success. They also present a rewarding opportunity for suppliers within the sector to engage and show their support for the companies that matter to their businesses.”

Entry to the awards is free and there are 14 categories for companies or individuals to enter. They are:

·      Creative & Digital Business of the Year

·      Entrepreneur of the Year

·      Employer of the Year

·      Finance and Professional Service Business of the Year

·      Green Business of the Year

·      Innovation and Technology Business of the Year

·      International Business of the Year

·      Manufacturing Business of the Year

·      Retail Business of the Year

·      SME Business of the Year

·      Start-Up business of the Year

·      Third Sector Organisation of the Year

·      Tourism and Hospitality Business of the Year

·      Young Business person of the Year

Entries are now open via the official awards website www.tmbusinessawards.com. The closing date for applications is 24th March 2023 and with the winners announced at the black-tie ceremony in June.

First-Time Networking

If you’d have said to me 6 months ago that I’d attended a networking event I’d have laughed in your face. Well the joke is on me because I’ve attended not only 1 but 4 since September! Networking to me always seemed terrifying, the thought of just walking up to people announcing myself and jumping straight into an exchange with a person on what we both do in our lines of work, it always seemed like my idea of hell, when in actual fact I really quite enjoy it! (Even more so if i have a glass of wine in hand) You can argue that the setting and the people in the room will always have a big impact on how comfortable you feel in a room but actually a lot of it comes down to how you project yourself, it’s the age old ‘fake it til you make it’, even if you are in fact having an internal meltdown, which let’s be honest, we’ve all been guilty of. 

So how do you get into networking? Easy, it’s everywhere! You probably do it on a small scale without even knowing! That stranger you sat next to at the rugby that you got chatting to and found you had lots in common so you switched numbers, that Airbnb host that you stayed with and works for a company that has links to you locally, it’s all building relationships, albeit this is in a more organic way, however if you want to purposefully network there’s a whole world of networking events you can dive into. 

Networking events are all different and only you can say what sort of event works best for you, in my recent dive into this world I’ve worked at 2 of the “classic drinks and sit down dinner” type events at Cardiff Business club, and I’ve also attended 2 more informal approach events with Cardiff Young Professionals, 1 of which being at Par 59’s golf course (guess who won?) and most recently this week at Heidi’s Beer Bar. All of these different events have benefitted me in different ways and at all of them I made connections, whether it be congratulating/commiserating over a crazy golf score or chatting and finding out they do business with a family member or friend. Don’t let the connections fizzle out, it’s not all about business cards these days. Swap Instagram handles, Linkedin profiles, email addresses, or even phone numbers if you like, follow up with these people, they may be the greatest connection you ever make. 

I think my bottom line from this experience so far is you’ll only get out of it what you put in, but also there’s no right or wrong way to make connections as long as you’re making them for the right reasons. As someone who loves to talk (seriously, ask anyone haha!) and find out what makes people tick, the only thing that’s surprising to me is why I’ve never ventured into networking events sooner. So whether it’s your first try at networking and you need a bit of moral support or it’s your millionth time, if you see me at an event come up and say hi!

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Rhi

10 reasons you definitely should apply to win a Cardiff Business Awards in 2021

1.     You are still here!

Congratulations you survived 2020, that is something huge to be proud of.

2.     Let people know you are still here!

The marketing associated with award ceremonies will let people know your business is still operating.

3.     It’s free to enter!

We know budgets might still be recovering after 2020, so have a freebie on us!

4.     We don’t measure you on turnover, profit or cash in the bank!

We know 2020 has taken a toll on most businesses’ turnover and projected profits, we don’t judge you on this, we want to know about you and your passion for your business not what’s in your bank account.

5.     You deserve a good night out!

Imagine a night out, all dressed up, drink in hand, celebrating with colleagues: we can provide this for you safely.

6.     Help support Welsh charities

Charities have been hit hard during 2020, this year Cancer Research Wales will be the beneficiary of the event collection.

7.     Recognise your staff

We have all had our own difficult journeys over the last 18 months and this is a chance to say thanks to your staff who have stayed with you, or those that have joined you as a new starter.

8.     You started a new business!

So you started a new business during lockdown, congratulations! Come and get recognition for your entrepreneurial skills.

9.     You Pivoted!

If you changed your business model, developed an app or moved your business on line, then you deserve to be congratulated for that, come and tell us all about it we want to know more.

10.  You are part of Cardiff

We are hugely proud to live and work in Wales’ capital city and we love hearing about all the businesses that keep this city ticking. Come and tell us about you.