Wow! What an amazing month March was for awards. Attending the Kent Women in Business Award, shortlisted for Start-up Business of the year, and little did I know another award which I totally missed (I will come onto this later) and attending the Kent Invicta Chamber Awards at Canterbury Lodge shortlisted for Most promising new business for 2019.
At the Kent Women in Business awards I was up for an award for Start-up Business of the year which to be recognised was amazing in itself. The awards ceremony was held at the Great Danes Hotel in Maidstone and the evening consist of reception drinks, 3 course meal, awards and a party. Due to the nature of my award I invited my parents, my in laws; Jamie and my Aunty Ellen all of which have helped me start up my business. Also on my table we had the lovely Annmarie Frenchum-Cockings of Kiwi Resolutions Limited who is my networking buddy and voicing board and Emily O’Neill (and her husband) of Pink Spaghetti PA Services who was also up for an award for Best Home-based business of the year . My father in law thought Emily worked at home base haha. We had to explain that Emily doesn’t work for home base she runs her successful business from her home haha bless him.
After my award category had been announced I went off to the bar and toilet as you do, and I got chatting to a group of girls…. all of a sudden I heard “Ammmmmyyyyyyy, you’ve won” I thought that’s Annmarie calling me! I didn’t quite understand, as I was only up for one award and that had been announced. When I walked back into the room, I was invited up onto the stage and it turns out I won an inspired achievement award. Out of the 500 entries that were read, they picked 3 entries that were the most inspiring and mine was one. To say I was happy was an understatement, this meant so much to me, I was in total shock and I think the way I collected my award reflected exactly how happy I was.
It was an amazing evening, surrounded by so many inspirational and hardworking women in business and I felt truly blessed to have been a part of the evening taking home a finalist award for Start-up Business of the year and an award for most inspiring achievement award. It certainly made the last 14 months in business feel worthwhile.
A week later I attended the Kent Invicta Chamber Awards, this was held at Canterbury Lodge, it was a pretty similar set up, reception drinks, 3 course meal and wait for it…. African Drums to finish off the evening. It was quite funny actually because as we were enjoying our reception drinks my mum said, “There are a lot more men at this event aren’t there Amy, I laughed and said yes mum and that’s because the last event was Kent WOMEN in business” haha. Anyway, for this awards I took my mum and my godmother Jean, who is a lady I have always looked up to, she always taught me that anything is possible if you want it enough and no dream is too big and I think throughout my life this has certainly stayed with me. Both my mum and Jean looked amazing I was very lucky to have them by my side. There were two other businesses on my table and also a guy from South Eastern who sponsored the event and it was really good to mingle with them and support them in their awards also.
The category come up for most promising new business award for 2019, unfortunately I didn’t win the category but I got an award and was invited up on stage as a finalist. To be recognised and invited up on stage in front of all of those people was just amazing and that moment will stay with me for a very long time.
As the evening was coming to an end, a group of African guys come out with drums DRUM Café UK, and little did we know but under our table were drums for everyone in the room, they basically converted the room into a drumming orchestra, it was an experience of unity and energy and a thoroughly memorable end to the evening. It was made even more memorable because I got up on stage again, but this time to dance with drums. There is video evidence of this but to save my embarrassment I am going to keep it on my phone and if you want to see it, the next time I see you, I will show it to you!!
My awards are proudly displayed in my clinic and each time I look at them I smile.
I would say for anyone in business, if you have the chance to enter awards and be recognised – do it! Whether you think you may or not win, it is totally worthwhile.
March has been a truly over whelming month, being surrounded by successful men and women from small to huge organisations, all passionate to succeed and do well in business.
I am not sure April can beat March but let’s see what it has in store….
x