Courier Business Awards
Entry deadline extended – Now closing on Wednesday, July 10
Apex Hotel Dundee – Saturday, October 26, 2019.
We are delighted to declare nominations open for the seventh annual Courier Business Awards. The awards are free to enter and on Saturday, October 26, we will recognise and reward business and individuals from across Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perthshire; businesses and individuals with entrepreneurial flair, who are pushing the envelope in the pursuit of commercial success and who go that extra mile to serve their customers and put the community at the heart of everything they do.
There are 19 categories, plus the coveted Business of The Year, sponsored by our title partner MHA Henderson Loggie, that is awarded to a shortlisted company which stands out from the pack and exhibits determination to achieve excellence in their field and create wealth and opportunity along the way.
Widely recognised as the leading business awards for Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perthshire, our awards continue to grow year on year and have become the largest event of its kind in the area and a fixture on the commercial calendar of Courier Country. We are proud to be returning to the grounds of the Apex to ensure a very special night to remember. Enter and book your place now and you could be joining us at our glittering awards this year. Here is a look at our amazing 2018 awards.
Here is also some top tips for your entry this year
Key Dates
| 25 Apr 2019 | Entries open |
| 10 Jul 2019 | Entries close |
| 16 Aug 2019 | Shortlist announced |
| 26 Oct 2019 | The event |
Itinerary
| 18.15: | Drinks reception |
| 18.55: | Awards ceremony starts |
| 20.15: | Dinner |
| 22.00: | Awards ceremony continues |
| 23.00: | Entertainment/Networking |
| 02.00: | Carriages |
Categories
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Apprentice of the Year
Sponsored By:
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Apprentice of the Year
Designed to commend an individual who has participated in an apprenticeship programme during 2019 and exceeded their employer’s expectations. Entries can be submitted by the provider or apprentice.
Key criteria:
Proof of significant contribution to the workplace
Performance excellence
Use of skills gained through apprenticeship programme
Commitment to personal development and progression
Click here to enter
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Design and Innovation Business of the Year
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Design and Innovation Business of the Year
Open to all companies that put design and the use of innovative technologies at the heart of their business.
Key criteria:
Ability to show out of the box thinking and problem solving
Demonstration of market disruptive behaviours
Embracing new technologies in product or service design
Commercial traction of a new product or service
Click here to enter
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Digital Business of the Year
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Digital Business of the Year
Open to cutting edge companies providing products and services on a digital platform operating within Courier Country.
Key criteria:
Ability to harness and develop digital platforms
Proof of market traction and growth
Evidence of service excellence
Commitment to local economy
Click here to enter
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Enterprise in Education
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Enterprise in Education
Open to all companies formed out of research or ideas generated within the education sector, including student or staff start-ups, spin-out companies, or companies formed by recent graduates (graduated within the last two years).
Key criteria:
Ability to disrupt the market with new technology or services
Demonstrate business strategy for commercial success
Proof of market traction and growth
Focus on excellence in innovation
Click here to enter
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Entrepreneur of the Year
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Entrepreneur of the Year
Open to any individual or nominated person who has had a game-changing impact on a business operating within Courier Country.
Key criteria:
A track record of growing business ventures
Proof of market traction and growth
Clear business vision and investment in local operations
Inspiring attitude to others
Click here to enter
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Export Business of the Year
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Export Business of the Year
Open to any business based in Courier Country that completes a significant amount of its trade outwith Scotland.
Key criteria:
Ability to identify new market opportunities
Clearly defined export strategy
Traction in wider UK or overseas markets
Evidence of service excellence
Click here to enter
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Family Business of the Year
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Family Business of the Year
Celebrating outstanding family owned and operated businesses which call Courier Country home. Open to any business from any sector which has one family member as CEO/MD with at least one other family member on the board. A family business from Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perthshire will receive a regional award and automatic entry into the Overall Family Business of the Year award.
Key criteria:
Evidence of family led operations
Proof of market traction and growth
Local procurement and service excellence
Commitment to developing workplace talent
Click here to enter
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Games Business of the Year
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Games Business of the Year
Open to all businesses operating in the video gaming industry within Courier Country. From start-ups to established companies incorporating games design, mobile app and software developers and those operating in the augmented and virtual reality arena.
Key criteria:
Evidence of clear digital business strategy
Proof of commercial traction and growth
Demonstration of market disruptive behaviours
Investment in local operations
Click here to enter
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Growth Business of the Year
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Growth Business of the Year
Open to Courier Country companies that have achieved sustained growth over the last two years.
Key criteria:
Evidence of a clear business scale-up strategy
Adoption of innovative practices
Commitment to developing talent and investment in local operations
Growth of at least 50% over the most recent two year period
Click here to enter
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Manufacturing Business of the Year
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Manufacturing Business of the Year
Open to all manufacturing companies with a footprint in Courier Country.
Key criteria:
Evidence of manufacturing innovation
Demonstration of quality and safety standards
Proof of market traction and growth
Commitment to developing new talent and investment in local operations
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Retail Business of the Year
Available for Sponsorship
Find out how to become a sponsor here. Read MoreAvailable for Sponsorship
Find out how to become a sponsor here.Retail Business of the Year
Open to any retail business operating within Courier Country, from independent traders to major high street outlets.
Key criteria:
Focus on customer service excellence
Market differentiation
Evidence of online retail strategy
Proof of commercial traction and growth
Click here to enter
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Science and Technology Business of the Year
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Science and Technology Business of the Year
Open to any business organisation operating within the sciences and technologies communities. It serves to commend specialist firms delivering innovative and commercially successful products.
Key criteria:
Research excellence and creation of new intellectual property/technology platform
Adoption of innovative practices
Proof of market traction and growth
Commitment to Courier Country
Click here to enter
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Service Business of the Year
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Service Business of the Year
Open to all companies operating within Courier Country providing B2B or B2C services.
Key criteria:
Clearly defined customer service objectives and strategy
Proof of market traction and growth
Evidence of service excellence
Commitment to developing new talent and investment in local operations
Click here to enter
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Small Business of the Year
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Small Business of the Year
Celebrating the small businesses that form the bedrock of our local economy in Courier Country. Open to any business with between 1 and 12 employees.
Key criteria:
Demonstrating innovation and service excellence
Commitment to developing workplace talent
Proof of market traction and growth
Commitment to local procurement and Courier Country
Click here to enter
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Social Impact Business of the Year
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Social Impact Business of the Year
Designed to reward not for profit firms which put sustainability at the heart of their business and is open to any organisation from any sector.
Key criteria:
Significant contribution to the community or environment
Commitment to partnership working and social inclusion
Ability to influence customers and suppliers to adopt best environment, workplace and community practices
Commitment to fostering talent
Click here to enter
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Tourism and Hospitality Business of the Year
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Tourism and Hospitality Business of the Year
Open to all businesses which provide the best leisure, food and drink, visitor experiences and accommodation within Courier Country; showcasing the region to the world.
Key criteria:
Evidence of service excellence
Market differentiation
Proof of commercial traction and growth
Commitment to adding value to the region
Click here to enter
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Young Business of the Year
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Sponsored By:
Young Business of the Year
Open to exciting and innovative new companies operating within Courier Country which started trading or launched a distinct new venture within the last two years.
Key criteria:
Evidence of clear business strategy
Innovation and commitment to service excellence
Proof of market traction
Commitment to local procurement
Click here to enter
Fantastic winners Prize:
Insights is delighted to offer you and your senior management team the opportunity to experience our flagship model, Insights Discovery*.
Insights Discovery helps people to better understand themselves and others. It begins with an easy to answer online evaluation that takes around 20 minutes to complete. The individual then receives an Insights Discovery Personal Profile that highlights their strengths and weaknesses, communication style, approach to problems and value to the team.
The Insights Discovery Personal Profile can be used for individual coaching sessions or as part of a team workshop experience. By providing learning that works for you and your team, we’ll help deliver personal breakthroughs that lead to business breakthroughs.
*Up to a maximum of 10 people. Offer must be used by 31 October 2019. For more information and additional terms and conditions, please contact: communications@insights.com
***
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Business of the Year
Sponsored By:
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Business of the Year
Awarded to a company which stands out from the pack and exhibits determination to achieve excellence in their field and create wealth and opportunity along the way. The winner will demonstrate a sound and flexible business model, turnover growth, plans to expand and a supportive attitude towards its workforce.
The winner will be chosen from all entries and named by The Courier Business Awards judging panel.
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Outstanding Contribution of the Year
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Outstanding Contribution of the Year
2019 Partners
MHA Henderson Loggie has been serving Scotland and Scottish organisations for over a century now. We maintain a local presence with national coverage, with offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. We are proud to be part of the Courier Business Awards which provide a great ‘shop window’ to promote the talent that exists throughout the area. We work closely with businesses of all sizes and we see at first hand the effort that goes into making them a success. Recognising business achievement is, unquestionably, a positive thing to do – it sends out clear messages about the calibre of the organisations operating in this region and, via the Courier, it demonstrates to the wider public the vital role that local companies play as the backbone of the economy. The awards represent tangible recognition and reward for the hard work, ability, energy and determination of the workforces in the award categories and puts the spotlight on the challenges that companies face and how they develop innovative solutions to overcome them. In addition, the awards reflect the knowledge, skills and capability of those located in this part of Scotland and will reinforce the message that Courier Country is a desirable area in which to build and run companies, as the talent pool is here to help businesses succeed.
Visit Henderson Loggie website
MHA Henderson Loggie has been serving Scotland and Scottish organisations for over a century now. We maintain a local presence with national coverage, with offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. We are proud to be part of the Courier Business Awards which provide a great ‘shop window’ to promote the talent that exists throughout the area. We work closely with businesses of all sizes and we see at first hand the effort that goes into making them a success. Recognising business achievement is, unquestionably, a positive thing to do – it sends out clear messages about the calibre of the organisations operating in this region and, via the Courier, it demonstrates to the wider public the vital role that local companies play as the backbone of the economy. The awards represent tangible recognition and reward for the hard work, ability, energy and determination of the workforces in the award categories and puts the spotlight on the challenges that companies face and how they develop innovative solutions to overcome them. In addition, the awards reflect the knowledge, skills and capability of those located in this part of Scotland and will reinforce the message that Courier Country is a desirable area in which to build and run companies, as the talent pool is here to help businesses succeed.
Visit Henderson Loggie websiteAmazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors in October 1998 and is part of the Amazon group which strives to be the world’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online. Amazon is proud to be a part of the Fife community and we are delighted that we now offer behind the scenes tours of our Dunfermline fulfilment centre twice a day, Monday to Friday. Register at www.amazon.co.uk/fctours to see first-hand the magic that happens when you click buy on the Amazon website.
Visit Amazon websiteApex Hotels is one of the UK’s leading independent operators of four-star contemporary hotels. Headquartered in Edinburgh, the family-owned group operates 10 hotels in Dundee, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Bath. Known for its signature warmer welcome, the Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa is ideally suited for both leisure and business travellers. Situated within the heart of Dundee city, the hotel and spa provides a modern, premium four-star experience, no matter the occasion.
Visit Apex City Quay Hotel and Spa websiteBlackadders provide a comprehensive range of legal services to individuals and businesses. We are a long established law firm with offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth. Our ability to adapt to our clients’ changing needs and to anticipate how circumstances may change has helped us in our delivery of quality legal services and has contributed to our diverse, loyal and growing client base.
Our lawyers collaborate across various disciplines to give our clients the all-round perspective and results they require. Our commitment to training and development ensures that our experts have the professional knowledge and skills to deal with the most complex cases. Our clients include private individuals, SMEs, FTSE 100 companies and high-growth, high-tech start-ups and professional partnerships. We offer our expertise nationally and, as part of the Legus international network, we can ensure a seamless service even when our clients’ interests lie further afield.
Visit Blackadders websiteWe are an award-winning digital agency that combines visionary thinking with reliable technical delivery. Our services include website design & development, digital marketing, and App & software development. Our team is passionate about all things digital and we strive to develop innovative solutions to improve the way our clients do business. Having been crowned Digital Business of the Year at the 2015 Courier Business Awards, we know how important and impactful these awards are. We are proud to sponsor and support the awards once again this year.
Visit Blue2 websiteBrewin Dolphin has been helping people to meet their financial goals and fulfil their aspirations for over 250 years. Founded in 1762 we are one of the UK’s largest wealth managers offering personalised financial planning and investment management advice to individuals, charities, trusts, institutions and financial intermediaries. With 30 offices across the UK, Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland, whatever your plans for life we can help you achieve them. Generating an income, funding a personal passion, planning for retirement: our first investment will always be in understanding your priorities and building a personal relationship with you.
Visit Brewin Dolphin website
With more 5-star Trustpilot ratings than all other retailers combined, more organisations across the UK are switching to Castle Water for their business water supplies.
One of the UK’s fastest growing utilities, Castle Water is the UK’s leading independent retailer. We are licensed by Ofwat and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland and serve over 550,000 businesses, charities and public bodies nationally from our offices in Blairgowrie, Ayr, Leeds, London and Portsmouth.
We are the leading business membership organisation in Dundee & Angus and part of the worldwide long-established Chamber of Commerce brand. We have over 750 business members who between them employ over 50,000 people. We work hard to help provide members with the business connections and opportunities they need to flourish.
We represent our members’ views and use our collective voice to influence opinion makers. We are passionate about Dundee and Angus and promote it as a world class destination, helping the local business community to thrive. As the fastest growing chamber in the British Chambers of Commerce network, we are proud to work with a strong & ambitious local business community.
Dundee and Angus College has three campus sites in Dundee and Arbroath with more than 12,000 students and offers a wide range of full and part-time courses. Its mission is to generate regional economic growth and social wellbeing through the provision of skills and education for individuals, employers and the wider community. Through its Future Talent initiative, it is moving away from traditional thinking and focussing much more on ‘careers not courses’. This is tied closely into detailed labour market analysis so that learners can identify job opportunities and employers can benefit from a pipeline of new talent.
Visit Dundee and Angus College websiteForth Ports is intrinsically connected to the success of the local and national economies in which they operate. They own and operate eight ports in the UK – Tilbury (London), Grangemouth, Dundee, Leith, Rosyth, Methil, Burntisland and Kirkcaldy. All of the commodities which they handle, export, import or distribute allow the economy to thrive and trade, and enhance the quality of life of many people in the UK and countries around the world. The business strategy is to invest in supply chain solutions, infrastructure and technology to deliver an excellent service to customers across a wide range of key sectors.
Visit Forth Ports Scotland websiteFounded almost 30 years ago in Dundee, Scotland, Insights provides people development solutions that help companies all over the world get the very best from their people.
We use a simple and accessible model of personality type based on the work of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung and a broad range of psychometric models of increasing depth.
Insights creates more effective teams by helping people better understand themselves and others, communicate with impact and tackle pressing business challenges.
Our work is founded in the notion that personal breakthroughs lead to business breakthroughs, enabling increased innovation, creativity and productivity.
Visit Insights websiteNCR is a global leader in self-service technology for the banking, retail and travel industries. Every day 700 million consumer transactions are powered by NCR solutions globally. NCR designed and built its first ATM in Dundee more than 40 years ago. This development started us on our journey to global ATM leadership and since then over 1.7 million NCR ATMs have been shipped globally, all of them designed in Dundee. NCR employ over 500 people in our Dundee Research and Development Centre of Excellence focused on bringing innovative solutions to market for banks in 180 countries all over the world.
Visit NCR websiteNinja Kiwi is a computer game developer with offices in Dundee and Auckland. Founded as Digital Goldfish in 2005 by two graduates from Abertay University the company went on to be acquired in 2012 by New Zealand based Ninja Kiwi. They have accumulated over 100 million downloads on the AppStores.
Visit Ninja Kiwi websiteWith clear, commercially focused advice Thorntons helps you take your business further. Our Business Law teams help businesses of every size. If you’re starting out in business, you need to get practical advice from the beginning. Thorntons can make sure your contracts are fit for purpose and protect valuable business ideas and your brand. If you are growing, again you need advice and support you can trust. Whether it’s managing your estates or your people, getting the right advice is invaluable. Thorntons are there to guide you and can also help with debt management, commercial disputes and succession planning. Our Business Law teams are all specialists, so you can be assured you’re getting the advice you need.
Visit Thorntons websiteWe are Scotland’s most innovative University*. Our researchers share knowledge, build partnerships and make impact beyond the learning and teaching environment. This world-leading research has social, cultural and economic impact across the globe and feeds into our overarching mission – to transform lives, locally and globally through the creation, sharing and application of knowledge. We encourage industry engagement through licensing, consulting, knowledge transfer and collaborative R&D. Our Research & Innovation Services team provide professional support for external research activities. We collaborate with businesses in Scotland and across the world and have over 20 spinout companies contributing to the local economy.
*Reuters 2017
Visit University of Dundee website
Business Gateway is a publicly funded service contributing to the economic wellbeing of Scotland by providing access to free business support services. We give assistance and impartial advice to people starting or growing their business through a combination of:-
A programme of fully funded local workshops and events held throughout Scotland.
Advice to suit specific business needs through a network of experienced business advisers.
Online support – a comprehensive website with practical information and useful guides.
Business information – a dedicated team providing information and support on all aspects of starting and growing a business.
Visit Business Gateway Tayside websiteEstablished in 1984 Fairways Recruitment, with offices in Perth and Dundee, has continued to diversify and grow organically. Fairways provides pragmatic value for money services throughout the employment journey – from recruitment solutions to training and development, HR consultancy and employment law advice to exit strategies, the full 3600 employment solutions service.
Visit Fairways Recruitment website3 Session Street is Dundee’s newest late-night jazz inspired cocktail lounge serving up classic cocktails with a contemporary twist along with boutique spirits and craft beers until the wee hours of 2am (Tuesday – Sunday). The venue is mid-century modern in design offering a unique space, great for casual drinks, celebrations, corporate get-togethers with options to personalise your night-out with specialised masterclasses and tastings. A casual dining offering launches September 2018 featuring locally sourced produce displaying our favourite sharing dishes and small plates from around the world.
Visit 3 Session Street websiteThe School of Business at the University of Dundee delivers an extensive range of business research and degree programmes across the areas of accounting, management, marketing, finance, international business, entrepreneurship and economics.
Visit Dundee Uni Business School websiteThe Rookery has made Carnoustie a destination for locals and visitors looking to experience dining with a point of difference. With stunning views across the course to the sea, this stylish and comfortable restaurant showcases the best produce Scotland has to offer. The Rookery is family friendly and open for everyone to enjoy, serving seasonal lunch, dinner and drinks menus throughout the year. The restaurant offers a relaxing eating space with wonderful service and a sweeping outlook over the world famous Championship Golf Course.
Visit The Rookery websiteJudges
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Richard Neville
Head of Newspapers, DC Thomson Media
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David Smith
Managing Partner, MHA Henderson Loggie
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Catriona MacIness
Editor, The Courier
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Liz Cameron, OBE
Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce
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Chris van der Kuyl
Chairman and co-Founder, 4J Studios
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Gayle Mann
Chief Operating Officer, Entrepreneurial Spark
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Mike Soutar
Advisor to Lord Sugar, BBC’s The Apprentice
Why enter?
“We are very excited to have won. We have invested a lot of time and energy on bringing the best to the market and our success is really all down to the work of our customers.”
“It’s a fantastic occasion and it’s a great achievement. It has really been a wonderful night.”
“I am just so pleased for all the workforce. It highlights all the hard work they have put in over the past year.”
“We are delighted to win this award. I think it represents all the hard work of our 1500 members of staff.”
“I am ecstatic to have won this award. We did not expect to win at all and to win the digital business awards, which is exactly what our business is all about, is just fantastic, it means so much to us.”
“It’s fantastic to be recognised for a huge amount of hard work. We just didn’t expect everything tonight.Winning the Business of the Year award, and the others we have been given tonight, has just been completely unexpected. This is a huge honour and the whole evening has been a great experience. Everyone at Castle Water is delighted to have been involved. There is a real buzz about our offices at the moment and this award will take pride of place, it will help us take things further. We have big plans for the next twelve months. We will look to continue to expand our business across the country, with some significant growth plans in place. I think Tayside in the past has been lacking in a bit of self-confidence, but things are certainly looking forward. Events like the Courier Business Awards are important, they allow businesses of all sizes from across Courier Country to be recognised for the work they do and earn the recognition they deserve.”
“We are super excited to have won. We are only in our second year and this is our second award, it is wonderful to be recognised locally for the work we are doing to try and change the world.”
“We are very excited to be hear and pretty surprised to have won, to be honest. We were nominated last year so absolutely delighted to win this year. This is testament to the people and groups who we work with and have done throughout the last year.”
“A great thank you to all our staff on a fantastic achievement.”
“We are delighted, we never thought would win to be honest. Both of our sons are involved with the company and our four grandchildren might join too, which would be lovely.”
“I am delighted to have won. These awards are a credit to the area and Tayside and Courier Country is a wonderful place to build a business. I have worked and set up businesses across the world but I have never been in such a good area to do business in.”
“Most people who know me know I’m not speechless very often but I am this time. I just didn’t expect it at all. I came here 21 years ago thinking I would be here for five years but Dundee just got in my blood and now I would not leave it for the world. Let’s not make bones about it – Dundee two decades ago was for some people not the best of cities. But I wanted to try and get ourselves to believe that we could be the best little city ever. We’re getting there now. The recently retired city planner added: “In some ways I’m sad that I’m not going to be there to lead it but there’s so much more to come.”
“We didn’t expect it but we are absolutely delighted. We have been a big part of the community in Dundee for many years and we are so pleased to be recognised.”
“We have been a family-run business for 82 years and it is very exciting to be recognised like this. Who would have thought we would win two awards in one evening, I am delighted”
“Incredibly humbled to have won this award. It has been a very good year for us at Pocket Sized Hands, we have had tremendous support from Abertay University. To be in a room filled with so many fantastic industry leaders, there is such a buzz in Dundee at the moment and it is so exciting to be a part of it.”
“This win was so unexpected, I am really happy to have won. Just being nominated was a surprise and an honour. I am delighted to have won.”
“We entered in 2015 but this is the first year since. Over the last year we have been trying to get our name out there and that’s why we entered again. It’s a bit of a surprise but we’re really pleased.”
“I can’t believe we have won a Courier Business Award for a second year in a row. It was so unexpected, we were just delighted to have been nominated for this year’s award. We used last year’s win as a benchmark, to see how we have improved over the year. We have a terrific team of volunteers and staff who do such a great job, without whom we wouldn’t be where we are.”
“It is absolutely amazing to have won this award. What we are trying to achieve with the business is a fresh and new approach to butchery, so Young Business of the Year award is perfect.”
“Our team have worked really hard this year and recently we have been nominated for quite a few awards. Some we have won but some we haven’t but it’s a complete surprise to win this. We have just opened our office in Dundee too.”