On May 6, 2015, Nicole Mueller of Startup Production attended the U.S. Small Business Administration Awards at the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Award ceremony demonstrated how SBA celebrates outstanding entrepreneurs and small business advocates in Kentucky.
The Commonwealth’s best were celebrated in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort May 6 with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding small businesses and small-business people. Kentucky Celebrates Small Business was presented by the Kentucky Small Business Development Center (KSBDC), part of theUniversity of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Kentucky district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Lexington chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Nicole was awarded the 2015 Home-Based Small Business Advocate of the Year award. The 2015 Kentucky Small Business Administration award winners are:
Kentucky Small Business Person of the Year: Scott Shinn, president and CEO of Sustainment Solutions Inc.- Kentucky 8(a) Graduate of the Year: Kathy Mills, president and CEO of Strategic Communications
- Kentucky SBA Resource Partner of the Year: David Oetken, director of Small Business Development Center Louisville
- Kentucky Financial Services Advocate of the Year: Mark Strother, president and CEO of Commercial Bank of Grayson
- Kentucky Woman Small Business Advocate of the Year: Michelle Gorman, small business specialist at U.S. Bank of Bowling Green
- Kentucky Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Shane Hamilton, president and owner of Service Maids LLC
How does an Award Impact a Company’s Brand?
SBA Awards with Alison Lundergan Grimes
The SBA awards, held in each state, celebrate small business owners and entrepreneurs annually. National Small Business Week has been recognizing the special impact made by outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners since 1963. During this week, the U.S. Small Business Administration honors small business owners and entrepreneurs for their outstanding achievements through various awards.
Being the recipient of such an award, or any award from a trusted organization does much to recognize the company and staff on their hard work, their community outreach, as well as marketing those efforts to the public. It also enhances the brand of the company by adding to the trust and credibility, as well as the reputation of the owner. And ultimately your reputation is your brand.
If you win such an award, make sure to promote the honor and appreciation that comes with such a privilege on your website, blog, social media, signage at your location and press releases to local media. Thank those who nominated you, who make such awards possible and any organizers of the award ceremonies. And don’t forget to thank all those who contribute to your success. None of us got where we are without the support of teachers, mentors, staff, clients and colleagues.
All Small Business Owners are Winners
I am thrilled to have one an SBA award because I have a passion to promote the needs as well as the impact that SBO’s have on the economic development of their local community as well as nationally. The following statistics further demonstrate this:
- 52% of all small businesses are home-based
- Over 50% of the working population (120 million individuals) works in a small business
- Small businesses have generated over 65% of the net new jobs since 1995
- There are almost 28 million small businesses in the US and over 22 million are self employed with no additional payroll or employees (these are called nonemployers)
- Approximately 75% of all U.S. businesses are nonemployer businesses
The number of small businesses grow each each. Small Business owners are hard-working, have a great deal of endurance, enjoy challenges and have incredible passion for their companies. We have an impact, we are job creators and we contribute to our local community development. We wear many hats throughout the day but feel any sacrifice is worth the reward of business ownership.
