Nominations and applications for 2018 SBN Business Awards

SAMOA BUSINESS NETWORK PRESS RELEASE 16.07.18

Nominations and applications for the 2018 SBN Business Awards are NOW OPEN!

This has been confirmed by Laura Keil-Hall, Co-founder & Chairwoman of Samoa Business Network. The official announcement of the Awards was made by Afamasaga Jackie Curry, SBN Samoa Chairwoman at the SBN & NZSTIC Independence Day Event held last month.

Keil-Hall says that this has been a long time coming and says it is important for us to recognise and celebrate Samoan entrepreneurial success and showcasing our Samoan business owners and operators and their achievements. She says, not only that, it is also acknowledging the contribution that the Samoan business community make to the NZ Economy. "This hasn't been done before and it is about time we do. This is also a way to encourage our people to be entrepreneurial and start thinking about starting a business", says Keil-Hall.

This year would be the Awards first year of inception and the Network is hoping to have this as a bi-annual event. Keil-Hall mentions that the event will be a double celebration to also mark 5 years since Samoa Business Network was formally established.

December last year saw the Network's Samoan branch hold it's very first SBN Business Innovation & Young Entrepreneur Awards to celebrate and recognise local Samoan based businesses' efforts creating business oppurtunities online. An initiative that was well received by its members and the local business community. SBN will be providing further support for these businesses in Samoa, by delivering a Digital Marketing Workshop in early August 2018.

The 2018 SBN Business Awards will pose 9 award categories:
1. Excellence in Business
2. Excellence in Construction & Trades
3. Excellence in Hospitality
4. Excellence in Professional Services
5. Excellence in Innovation
6. People's Choice Award - Favourite Business
7. Young Entrepreneur of the Year
8. Start-up of the Year
9. Award for a Samoan based Business

Key dates to note:
Nomination/Application opening date - NOW
Closing date - 7 August
Finalists announced - 24 August

At this time, the Awards evening has been confirmed to take place on 28 September, 2018.

Laura and Afamasaga Jackie are urging all the Samoan businesses in New Zealand to apply. We have worked really hard to bring this initiative into fruition and we just want to honour and celebrate our hard working, successful Samoan businesses.

We also welcome interest from Corporate Sponsors in New Zealand and Samoa, who would like to support these Awards.

Link to nominate or apply: https://www.samoabusinessnetwork.org/sbnawards.html

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