Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube
Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube

About The Awards

Founded in 2015 by multi-award winning entrepreneur Debbie Gilbert, the Best Business Women Awards are now considered to be one of the UK’s most prestigious awards for business women.

The awards cover a wide variety of industries and recognise and reward female business talent.

Over 2000 people have attended our award events since the first event and the positive reputation for the awards has grown dramatically.

Over 7500 people have entered the awards since they launched.

We have a highly engaged social media presence with over 3000 followers on Facebook and over 7800 followers on Instagram. Our reach during the awards month is well over 250,000!

In addition, we have an email list of 8000 people who have either attended an event, opted in or applied, and these figures are growing daily. If you are interested in being a sponsor do contact us.

Each year we raise money for the winner from the previous year of the Charity Champion Category. So far we have raised over £80,000 since we started the awards for these great charities – Teens Unite Fighting Cancer, Their Future Today, Hemraj Goyal Foundation, Wales Air Ambulance, TIC Box Productions, The Santa Maria Foundation , Be Kind Movement, Dance Syndrome, Azeala, Reminiscence Learning. In 2026 we will be supporting our 2025 Gold Winner for Charity Champion the Ashdon Jazz Academy. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enter?

Entries for 2026 will open on 3rd March 2026 Entries are online. Entries will close on 10th June 2026 at 6pm – there are no extensions to this date under any circumstances. Our finalists will be announced early July.

There is no voting, this is a credible business competition, not a popularity contest! The finalists and winners are chosen by a panel of business experts based on the information supplied in the entry.

The cost to enter is £39.00 plus VAT per entry category. You can enter up to two categories and we do advise specific entries for each one. Please note we do not charge for the Charity Champion category.

Entry Questions

The entry can be written in first or third person.

You will need to evidence your entry. Consider what you can add to help enhance your answers and to prove the points you have made. Ideas include case studies, accounts, testimonials, relevant photos, customer surveys, staff surveys, graphs, infographics and links to videos.  Make your entry interesting and informative.

The judges will be looking for:

  • How your business differentiates from your competitors
  • A clear demonstration of passion, knowledge and business acumen for your industry
  • Evidence and detail of financial performance
  • Evidence of satisfied clients

Please make sure you are eligible to enter the category you are applying for and that you read our terms and conditions.

About the Business Up to 250 words

Please share what the business does – the services or products it offers your customers.

How does your business differ from its competition?

What is your USP?

Why are you passionate about your industry? 250 words

Please include what drives you and any experience or qualifications you have in your industry.

What activities have been instrumental in the growth of your business? 250 words

How do you deliver great customer service? 250 words

How have you coped with challenges in your business over the past 12 months? 250 words

What does your business do to give back to others? 250 words

For example – pro bono work, community projects, charity work or mentoring

Financials

Please detail the overall trend in your sales turnover and profit

Share your turnover, gross and net profit.

Share your business achievements over the past year. 250 words

BUSINESS BIO – Summarise your business in 50 words. 

Some categories have slight variations on these questions so do check.

Do I have to provide financial information?

Yes, this is a business competition and we need to know all the information about your business to enable the judges to make their decision. It’s important to answer all the questions as fully as possible. All information is in the strictest of confidence. Entries without financials will not reach the final.

I am not a big business – are these awards for me?

Yes, most certainly. Our awards for business women focus on ordinary individuals who have accomplished amazing achievements for themselves, their business and their clients. These awards are not about big bucks, but people who have made a difference.

Who judges the awards?

We have a specially selected panel of business experts from banking, finance, law, business consultants and business experts. Details are on the judges page.

Do I have to attend a final?

If you are a selected as a finalist then we would love to celebrate with you. It really is pointless entering if you cannot make the final or have no plans to attend. The PR opportunities and coverage is immense and not attending means you miss out on this as well as the photos and celebrations.

Being part of our Gala Final is a great opportunity to get dressed up and enjoy a fabulous night. The ticket price include a 3-course dinner, 1/2 bottle wine person, entertainment and drinks reception. All our finalists are worthy of recognition for their achievements. This competition is very much about the businesswomen themselves, so please do not enter if you cannot attend!

The Gala Awards Night is on 16h October at The Daventry Court Hotel, Daventry, Northamptonshire. We have moved the awards out of central London to make it more accessible for those further north and to keep the costs down. London hotels are now so expensive!

Tickets are £149.00 plus VAT per person and we have a room rate for our finalists which will be sent to all those selected, rooms are around £100 including breakfast. 

Remember that all costs to attend are a business expense! There is ample free parking at the venue and a pool and gym so you can also take some time to relax! 

This is a real celebration of female entrepreneurial achievements. The Gold winners of each category are announced on the night.  All our finalists are awarded a Silver Award to recognise the achievement of being selected. Everyone is welcomed onto stage to collect their award and for our category photos. 

What happens after the awards ceremony?

All Gold and Silver Winners are sent our logo to use and a certificate to personalise and a press template in order to help gain publicity. Plus we promote all winners via social media. We invite all winners onto our podcast The Business Awards Show, which is one of the top 40 marketing podcasts in the UK.  Additionally, all winners are added to our ‘Winners Club’.

Each year we hold two winners drinks events, where winners past and present get together with sponsors and judges. Over the years some amazing connections have been made .

If you have any more questions about our awards for businesswomen, do feel free to contact us on debbie@bestbusinesswomenawards.com.

Sign up for our newsletter

Signup today for free and be the first to get notified on new updates.

Quick Links

Get In Touch

Events

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube

© 2024 Best Business Women Awards All Rights Reserved

The Book Midwife® is a book coaching company founded in 2002 by multi-award-winning entrepreneur Mindy Gibbins-Klein. Since its inception, the company has helped over one thousand experts plan, write and publish great books fast!

The philosophy of the company is that “Every book deserves to be written and published”. Having spent ten years trying to write and publish her first book, Mindy created a process to help aspiring authors get their books done better and faster, and with more clarity and confidence.

The Book Midwife® is specifically reaching out to people from traditionally under-represented groups to create more diversity, equality and inclusion on our bookshelves.

Visit the website – https://www.thebookmidwife.com

Banya Family Placement Agency

Banya Family Placement Agency is an independent foster agency.

Our fully supported foster carers look after children and young people placed by local authorities.

Banya supports foster carer households all over the UK. Hundreds of children and young people have benefited from placements with our foster carers since Banya was founded in 1997.

We provide a high standard of foster care for a range of children and young people. Banya has developed specialisms in placing sibling groups, unaccompanied children and young people from overseas, children with special needs, and troubled teenagers.

We’re a diverse and welcoming fostering agency, so we open our foster carer applications to everyone. Your race, culture, sexual orientation or income don’t affect your chances. In fact we need foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds, races and religion. This is because all children have their own unique and individual background and heritage. You do not need to be married, own a house or have children of your own.

We believe the diversity of the foster parents we work with is a positive thing when finding the best possible family for a foster child.

Find out more about becoming a Foster Parent here

Visit the website – Who Can Foster?

Plain Talking HR

Plain Talking HR, based in Luton, offers comprehensive human resources services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and beyond. Our mission is to provide quick, decisive, and cost-effective HR support tailored to each business’s unique needs.

The service offerings include:

  • Essential HR: Ideal for businesses with up to 10 employees, this service establishes a solid HR foundation by reviewing current HR functions, updating contracts of employment, implementing employee handbooks compliant with GDPR, organizing employee files, and providing ongoing advice telephone and email support.
  • Practical HR: For companies seeking more hands-on assistance, this service builds upon the Essential HR package by offering direct support to managers in handling employee matters, implementing HR Processes, and providing regular on-site assistance to ensure compliance and effective people management.
  • Strategic HR: Aimed aligning HR practices with business objectives, this service focuses on developing long-term HR strategies, enhancing company culture, and ensuring that HR initiatives support overall organisational goals.
  • Additionally, Plain Talking HR offers an HR Mentoring Service designed to guide businesses in establishing compliant HR systems and processes, providing training and support to internal teams to manage HR tasks effectively.

Led by Bina Briggs, who holds a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development qualification and has extensive experience across various industries, Plain Talking HR is committed to delivering practical and pragmatic HR solutions. Their approach ensures that businesses remain compliant with employment laws while fostering positive employee relations and a productive work environment.

Visit the website – https://www.plaintalkinghr.com

Mary Gregory Ltd offers comprehensive leadership coaching services designed to empower senior leaders and organizations to maximize their impact and performance. Recognising the challenges posed by today’s relentless pace of change, Mary provides tailored solutions to help leaders navigate complex dynamics and drive meaningful results.

Services include:

  • 1:1 Executive Coaching: Personalized development programs that focus on enhancing individual strengths, leadership styles, and achieve specific professional goals.
  • Insight Sessions: These sessions assist leaders in identifying and aligning with their core values, fostering authentic leadership, and facilitating effective decision-making.
  • Leadership Development Programs: Customised workshops and presentations aimed at cultivating positive leadership behaviours, building high-performing cultures, and addressing topics such as leadership presence, influence, resilience, and ego-less leadership.

By engaging with Mary Gregory Ltd’s services, leaders can strength their confidence, enhance communication, boost resilience, and gain clarity in their vision and purpose, both personally and organizationally. Mary’s approach is centred on enabling leaders to access their strengths, values, and purpose, leading from a place of power, love, and humility.

Link to website https://www.marygregory.com/

Academy for Women Entrepreneurs

The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is a business platform designed to guide women business owners in growing and scaling their businesses with confidence. AWE provides access to business opportunities, the right network, and a disciplined strategy to drive success.

Founded by Ceylan, AWE delivers real impact—its active members experience an average income growth of 88% within 12 months (Impact Survey 2022) and achieve both their business and life goals through strategic planning and business education.

At the heart of AWE’s offering is THE PLANNING. The word itself may not be exciting, and the process might not be thrilling, but the results? Absolutely phenomenal! Strategic planning is the key to making business growth intentional, predictable, and stress-free.

AWE’s flagship “Create Your Game Plan” event series empowers women entrepreneurs to take control of their future by setting clear goals, overcoming roadblocks, and building actionable strategies that drive real results. These sessions also provide access to AWE’s signature growth programs, tailored to different business levels.

Beyond tools and events, AWE fosters a supportive community of ambitious women who want to scale their businesses with confidence and ease.

OUR PHILOSOPHY: NO FOUNDER LEFT BEHIND!

Because when women entrepreneurs plan for success, they win big—and so do their communities and the world around them.

Visit the website – https://academyforwomenentrepreneurs.com/