FAQs

Q: How do I get nominated for an award?

A: Please nominate yourself! Filling out the form only takes a few minutes!

Q: Once I nominate my business, how do I get people to vote for me?

A: Share that you’ve been nominated with your network and direct them to your page to vote! You can do this through email, social media, or by word of mouth! Remember, deadline for votes is November 30, 2011.

Q: Once I submit my nomination, can I go back and edit it?

A: No. Nominations are final once submitted and will be published on the site. If you made a mistake or typo in your nomination form and realize after submission, contact Small Business BC (604-775-6255).

Q: Will the number of votes be published on the site or made available to nominees?

A: No. Vote tallies will not be made public on the Successful You site, or made available to nominees. Because a normalization calculation is applied to the votes to determine the Top 10 finalists, pure vote numbers are not indicative of performance in the competition.

Q: I live in a small town. How can I compete with businesses in bigger cities with bigger networks? Won’t they have an advantage?

A: We understand all BC communities are different sizes and that different businesses have different sized networks. To level the playing field, votes will be normalized against British Columbia Regional District Population Figures. Please see contest rules and regulations for more information, or contact us for more information.

Q: My business is not located in BC, but we conduct business in BC. Can I still nominate myself?

A: No. You must be a registered BC based business to be nominated.

Q: Can I vote for my favourite business more than once?

A: No. Only one vote per person is allowed per nominee. Votes for nominee will be tracked by IP address to ensure multiple voting does not occur.

Q: Can I vote for multiple businesses?

A: Yes. Vote for as many different businesses as you like!

Q: How will the winners be chosen?

A: To win the contest, you must be the top performer in the following 3 stages of the contest:

• Voting – Nominees in each category will be initially evaluated by the number of votes they receive throughout the voting period. The Top 10 voted companies will move on to the next step. This is why it’s important to get your network involved right away!
• Application – The Top 10 companies will be asked to provide additional information (and documentation such as financial statements, executive summaries, etc...for certain award categiories) through an application explaining their qualifications for the award. Applications will be judged to determine the TOP 5.
• Pitch to Win! – The Top 5 companies in each category will be asked to present their pitch to a judging panel. Judges will then choose a winner per award category, and winners will be announced on February 28, 2012 at the Successful You Awards Ceremony.

Q: When does the contest end?

A: The deadline for nominations and voting is November 30, 2011.  Finalists will be announced December 13, 2011 and the winners will be announced February 28, 2012. See 'How it Works' (link) for a full Contest Timeline.

Q: Do you have to be operating as a business to be nominated for the Best Concept Award?

A: No. Nominees for the Best Concept Award can either be new BC based businesses (in operation less than two years), or simply a business idea. Should you be selected as a finalist, you will be expected to provide an Executive Summary from your business plan.

Q: What happens if I make the Top 10?

A: If you are chosen as one of the TOP 10 for your category, you will be notified by December 13, 2011 and sent a link to the extended application page. You will then have until January 13, 2012 to fill out the application form and upload any relevant documents. Should you be selected into the Top 5 based on your application, you will be asked to present your pitch to a judging panel between February 13 to 17, 2012. Winners will be announced on February 28, 2012 at the Small Business BC Successful You Awards ceremony at the Pan Pacific Vancouver.

Q: What’s in it for me? Why would I enter my business?

A: As an award nominee, your business is exposed repeatedly to all voters and website visitors. Even if you don’t win, nominating yourself is a great way to reach new potential clients and customers, as well as raise the awareness of your company profile. And if you do win.....you will be recognized as one of BC’s best companies for 2012 and receive local, provincial and national exposure for your business! Last year, Successful You Award Nominees, Finalists and Winners gained over $207,500 in media exposure. Check out some of the media coverage on last year's nominees!