The latest episode of The Business Awards Show features an interview with Victoria Rennoldson.

Victoria is a Speaker, award-winning Coach and certified Facilitator, specialising in Global Leadership, Communication and Cultural Intelligence. She is the CEO and founder of Culture Cuppa and helps organisations to empower their current and future global leaders to amplify their impact, communicate confidently and collaborate in multicultural environments to lead effectively, deliver their results and thrive in their global careers.

In this episode we learn about the challenges global leaders face in managing teams, whether in one office, or across countries. She has built a highly successful business based on her knowledge and experience of helping companies overcome their culture and communication issues. Furthermore, she tells us her journey to starting that business (one she never meant or expected to take).

Victoria is a committed networker, and explains why it is so important for a business owner to have a supportive group of people they can call on when needed. That leads her to expand on why running a business is not easy, but also how rewarding it can be.

Getting a mentor has powered her business forward, and seen her win a Golden Peacock award in 2024. And Victoria has gone further on her awards journey. This year she is a finalist at the Best Businesswomen Awards. She discusses why these awards resonated with her and how the entry process proved so beneficial.

While being a busy entrepreneur, she also hosts the long-running Culture, Communication, Confidence, podcast. Victoria explains how it has evolved from being a solo effort to introducing guests with key expertise in these areas.

And as if that is not enough, she has also finished a book about becoming a global leader that will be published in November 2025. Listen to hear her experience of writing it over the last few years.,

This is a great episode for anyone struggling to communicate with their team. It sheds light on how to transition from a leading role in the corporate sector to running your own business. And it is a brilliant example of how utilising different media, and pushing yourself forward can enrich your life and power your business.

{1:37} How Victoria transitioned into entrepreneurship.

{3:30} Why she gravitated to coaching.

{5:09} The key challenges for global business leaders.

{6:55} Working in person and online.

{8:18} Improving online relationships and meetings.

{10:37} The challenges of running a business.

{12:38} Why Victoria is so committed to networking.

{13:57} There is a place for both face-to-face and online networking.

{15:07} When awards came on the radar.

{17:14} Why Victoria entered The Best Businesswomen Awards.

{19:09} The importance of winning The Golden Peacock Award.

{21:15} Writing her book - 'Become a Global Leader'.

{24:50} Victoria's podcast: it's purpose and why it matters.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Victoria: https://culturecuppa.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Culturecuppa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culture_cuppa/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/culturecuppa/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeTXIGIGHH47qCfO0X-V8_Q

Victoria's podcast: https://culturecuppa.com/podcast/

Victoria's forthcomoing book: https://culturecuppa.com/book/

Our latest episode features an interview with Natalie Snee, co-founder of Daedalus, a creative advertising agency. They work with ambitious business owners to advertise, strategise, and promote their business to the right customers.

Natalie has achieved the fine balance of starting a business with her partner Jack, while also caring for her sick young child. We hear about how she juggles the priorities between business and family, and the boundaries she has introduced, given she works from home.

As always, we talked awards, something Natalie has not always been an advocate of. However, she was taken with the approach of the Best Businesswomen Awards. Therefore, she applied, and, as a result, has been shortlisted for Best Businesswoman in Marketing & PR 2025. She went on to explain what has deterred her from entering awards previously, and why she dislikes voting to select a winner.

Given her business is founded on branding and marketing, we discuss the rise of AI and the impact it is having. Nevertheless, Natalie is not afraid of it, in fact her business uses AI every day. Furthermore, she is confident that AI cannot replace human creativity and that it should be used as a tool just like any other.

As a branding expert, Natalie explains why using a professional to hone your brand is so important. As an illustration, she told us about the work Daedalus did for Golden Bear coffee, a luxury coffee brand. Needless to say, it also led to a coffee addiction!

This is an important episode for those thinking about entering awards but not sure there's much point. Natalie has taken the plunge and reaped the rewards. It's also quite inspirational for working Mums who are struggling to deal with multiple responsibilities.

{1:26} Natalie's journey to starting her business.

{4:30} Where the name Daedalus comes from.

{5:45} Are awards attainable for a small creative agency?

{7:51} Taking time to reflect through the application process.

{8:13} Natalie's thoughts on voting in awards.

{9:38} Why she didn't enter awards before the BBWAs this year.

{10:02} The importance of customer service to Daedalus.

{11:40} Why professional branding is essential to any business.

{12:30} Typical branding clients.

{13:36} Where Daedalus gets leads from.

{15:54} The effect of AI and platforms like Canva on marketing.

{17:40} How Natalie uses AI.

{18:39} Award entries written with AI.

{19:20} How AI is damaging social media.

{20:36} Golden Bear Coffee - a project Natalie is proud of.

{22:00} Rebranding logos.

{25:26} Advice for juggling work & family while working from home.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Natalie: https://www.daedalus-it.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/daedalus-design-media/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daedalusdesignandmedia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativedaedalus/

The latest episode of the Business Awards Show features an interview with Penny Joyner-Platt, the founder of The Plattform, a PR and marketing agency.

Penny is dedicated to helping ambitious businesses raise their profile, win recognition, and achieve measurable growth. Her career spans more than 15 years in communications. As a result, she has worked across industries to deliver strategic campaigns that get brands noticed, talked about, and remembered.

During our conversation we discussed awards in depth, given they are at the heart of her expertise. Penny has been involved in every stage of the awards process — from planning her own awards, to judging categories, to writing, designing and mentoring many winning entries for clients. Her deep understanding of the awards process, combined with her creative storytelling skills, makes her one of the UK’s go-to experts for awards success. And in 2025 she has entered the Best Businesswomen Awards, being shortlisted as a finalist in two categories.

Furthermore, Penny explained why finalists in Businesswomen Awards can often get more PR than their male counterparts. She expanded by highlighting the growing number of women in the UK SME sector. Ultimately, Penny set up her business The Plattform to help businesses achieve wider reach. She stressed this was not just from award wins but in all areas of a business. The result: her business has grown rapidly over the last three years.

She went on to explain that not every small business can afford to outsource its PR and marketing. Therefore, Penny has created a solution by offering a mentor programme. Her first mentee, Tracy Fishburn, a former guest on the Show, has grown her business exponentially, and won multiple awards, thanks Penny's support.

This episode offers some fascinating insights into the world of Awards and how to succeed in them. Penny also provides common-sense advice about starting and running a business, and how anyone can create a sensible PR and marketing strategy with a little help.

{1:32} Penny's back story.

{4:46} How award entries differ in effort.

{8:20} Penny makes the Best Businesswomen Awards Final 2025.

{10:10} Setting up The Plattform.

{15:08} The success of Penny's first PR mentee Tracy Fishburn.

{17:20} The value of awards for PR.

{21:57} Why the Best Businesswomen Awards recognise all finalists.

{22:48} Penny's own awards.

{23:57} Why her awards ended.

{25:57} Penny's business tips.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Penny: https://the-plattform.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-plattform/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.plattform.agency

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.plattform

Listen to Episode 71 with Tracy Fishburn of Tracy's Treasured Keepsakes: https://thebusinessawardsshow.libsyn.com/episode-070-interview-with-tracy-fishburn

The latest episode of the Business Awards Show features an interview with Tracey Barr, an independent strategy consultant. The insightful conversation charted the course of Tracey's impressive 40-year career, exploring her transition into entrepreneurship, her philosophy on networking, and her valuable experiences as both an awards judge and a published collaborator.

Founder of the Strategic Link, Tracey recounted her diverse professional journey, which began with a sponsored engineering degree from Ford and evolved into high-level strategy consulting. Working with prestigious firms like LEK and Arthur Andersen, she was instrumental in major projects, most notably the development and launch of the now-dominant UK property portal, Rightmove.

Twenty years ago, Tracey made the leap to independent consulting, establishing her firm as a specialist in healthcare strategy. She explained how she built her business in a pre-social media era, relying on a robust professional network, word-of-mouth referrals, and strategic associations with other firms like Eden McCallum. Tracey further emphasized that her approach to networking has always been about more than just business development; it’s about finding community and connecting with inspirational, like-minded women.

Drawing from her experience as a judge for both the Best Business Women Awards and the Funny Women Awards, Tracey offered critical advice for anyone seeking recognition. She went on to stress that while a compelling story is important, the key differentiator for a winning application is the inclusion of clear, tangible evidence to substantiate your claims. She observed that many excellent candidates fall short simply by failing to provide the necessary proof to back up their narrative, a crucial lesson for any aspiring award winner.

The conversation also touched upon Tracey’s experience co-authoring the book "Fab Collab" with fourteen other businesswomen. Finally, Tracey provides some nuggets of wisdom about what it takes to thrive when setting up any new business.

{1:58} Tracey's career journey.

{5:35} The challenge of becoming a self-employed consultant.

{7:02} Getting her first clients.

{9:29} Obtaining work through referrals.

{10:42} What drives Tracey to do the work she does.

{11:19} The power of networking.

{13:05} What networking brings to Tracey's life.

{13:32} Building a relationship with Lynne Parker and Funny Women CIC.

{15:00} When awards first appeared on the radar.

{17:35} The Felix cat food campaign.

{18:14} Becoming a judge for the Best Businesswomen Awards.

{22:45} Judging the Funny Women Awards.

{24:23} Advice for setting up on your own.

{28:10} The F:Entrepreneur community.

{30:55} Co-writing 'Fab-Collab' with fourteen women!

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Tracey: https://www.thestrategiclink.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracey-barr-healthcare-strategy-digital/

Listen to Episode 62 with Lynne Parker of Funny Women: https://thebusinessawardsshow.libsyn.com/episode-062-interview-with-lynne-parker

This episode of the Business Awards Show features an interview with Craig McMurrough BCAh, a leadership and culture consultant.The discussion covers Craig's professional life, his experience as a judge for the Best Business Women Awards, and his deeply personal and award-winning campaign to raise awareness for ovarian cancer.

Craig's sister, Cheryl, tragically passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 43 after a delayed diagnosis. This devastating event inspired him to launch a unique awareness campaign. He created the persona "Mr. Ovary," dressing in a seven-foot-tall, bright pink ovary costume to spread information about the signs and symptoms of the disease while participating in marathons and other public events.

Through his efforts, Craig has raised nearly £100,000 for the charity Ovacome. He has run several London Marathons, numerous Great North Runs, over a hundred half marathons and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2018. His dedication has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards. These include the Pride of Britain, the BBC Fundraiser of the Year, and most recently, the British Citizen Award for his services to healthcare.

During the podcast, Craig shares the key symptoms of ovarian cancer, using the acronym BEAT. Listen to find out what each letter signifies and when to get checked.

He emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and encourages women experiencing these symptoms to see a doctor. The episode concludes with a call to action for listerners to support Ovacome and to help spread the word about ovarian cancer.

{1:40} Craig's career in leadership consulting and change management.

{2:45} The experience of being a Best Businesswomen Awards judge.

{4:23} Craig's campaign to fight ovarian cancer and the accolades it has brung.

{5:35} Craig's sister Cheryl and a fatal misdiagnosis.

{7:08} A lifelong passion for runnning.

{8:29} The facts abouit ovarian cancer and when to get checked (using the BEAT acronym).

{10:00} The money Craig has raised for Ovacome.

{11:50} Busting myths about cervical smear tests and why CA-125 blood tests are so important.

{12:24} Craig's ignorance of ovarian cancer before his sister contracted it.

{13:08} More detail on the timeline of his sister's illness and a tribute to her life.

{15:50} Using professional experience in change management to drive charity work.

{17:33} The privilege in meeting the King and Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.

{20:08} Craig's forthcoming races.

{21:05} How listeners can donate through the Ovacome Just Giving page.

{21:44} When Craig first connected with Ovacome.

{24:23} How you can help Ovacome and support Craig's efforts.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Craig: https://www.ovacome.org.uk/blog/longstanding-ovacome-fundraiser-craig-mcmurrough--aka----mr-ovary----set-to-receive-prestigious-award

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068688799125

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ovacomecharity/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigmcmurrough/

Ovacome fundraising page: https://www.ovacome.org.uk/fundraisers/help-mr-mrs-ovary-to-make-a-difference

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OvacomeCharity

Judges Tips for Awards Success is a special series of the Business Awards Show focusing on how to enter awards and why you should. In our latest episode, we are joined by Maggie Sarfo, a business coach, networking expert, and a judge for the Best Businesswomen Awards.

Maggie is a Business Growth Coach, author, and the Regional Director for The Athena Network in the London City area. As a judge for the Best Businesswomen Awards since 2021, she brings a wealth of experience in identifying standout businesses.

Through her company, Meres Consult Ltd, she helps entrepreneurs and leaders achieve exponential growth by focusing on strategy, execution, and personal development. Maggie is also a TEDx speaker and the author of "The One Secret to Happiness."

In our conversation, Maggie shares her invaluable insider perspective on what makes an award application truly stand out. She reveals her top three tips for crafting a compelling entry, discusses common mistakes to avoid, and explains the profound impact of storytelling and tangible evidence. The discussion also covers the underutilised networking opportunities at awards events, the power of being a "unicorn" in business, and insights from Maggie's own journey as a TEDx speaker and author. This is a must-listen for any entrepreneur looking to gain recognition and catapult their business to the next level.

{1:39} What Maggie looks for in awards entries.

{4:16} How to present your evidence.

{4:50} The common mistakes in entries.

{7:03} An entry that stood out.

{8:41} Awards - the perfect networking opportunity.

{11:47} Maggie's Athena Network online events.

{14:10} Maggie's work in business consulting.

{16:16} How awards contribute to business growth.

{18:08} Maggie's Ted Talk.

{19:39} Maggie's book - The One Secret to Happiness.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Maggie: https://maggiesarfo.com/

https://theathenanetwork.com/maggiesarfo/

http://www.meresconsult.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggie.sarfo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiesarfo/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-sarfo/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/meres-consult/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maggiesarfo

The latest Business Awards Show is a wide-ranging conversation with a panel of judges and sponsors.

The Best Businesswomen Awards prides itself on its scrupulous judging, fairness and integrity. Judge Denise O'Leary of Purpol Marketing and author of the bestselling Winner: How to Win Business Awards, explains why the process is so robust and thoroughly objective.

One of our sponsors is Fiona Scott, founder of Scott Media, a leading PR consultant. Fiona explains why being selective about the awards you enter is essential. She also emphasises the need to attend award events when you are shortlisted.

Diane Watson is our final sponsor and judge on the panel, a financial adviser who has helped thousands of women plan for a more secure future. She is the author of the brilliant She Can Prosper: Unlocking Financial Independence and Empowering Women to Thrive. Diane tells us what awards have meant for her business, how her profile has grown and why the Best Businesswomen Awards stand out from the crowd.

We talk about the kind of awards that may be considered dubious, but also give a shout-out to some we support wholeheartedly. Our guests talk about taking time and putting in the effort to complete the best possible entry. And, as we continually emphasise, evidence is vital if you want to be an award finalist, let alone a winner.

Listen now to ensure your award entries hit the mark every time, convincing the judges that you are a contender for the trophy.

{1:57} Fiona's recent award win.

{3:21} Diane's Lifetime Achievement Award in New York.

{4:06} What sponsorship brings to Diane.

{6:10} Denise on the judging process.

{8:01} Fiona on awards with voting processes.

{9:51} The importance of testimonials.

{10:43} Sponsors who enter their awards.

{12:43} Being disqualified for not attending a final.

{17:48} Be selective about the awards you enter.

{18:13} Why not attending awards finals dilutes your PR opportunities.

{19:20} How many awards should you enter in a year?

{21:11} Don't give up.

{23:44} Do your entry the right way.

{24:56} Awards that extend deadlines.

{26:23} What awards mean to each of our guests.

{29:17} A mention for some other excellent awards.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Fiona: https://scottmedia.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefionascott/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fionastuff

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fionascottmedia/

Connect with Diane: https://shecanprosper.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shecanprosper/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shecanprosper

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shecanprosper/

Connect with Denise: https://purpolmarketing.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/purpol-marketing-limited/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PurpolMarketing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purpol_marketing2014