Transcript
Hello, I'm Emma Hewitt. I'm a Business Awards advisor. I help small businesses to boost their visibility and their confidence through awards. Today I'm going to be talking about some of the key information for the Encouraging Women into Franchising awards. So the awards are now open and they close at 5:00 PM on the 31st of July. So it's quite a small window to get your application ready and submitted. All finalists are required to attend an event in Leeds on the evening of the 17th of October and the daytime of the 18th of October, so if you are applying, please check that you are available to take part in the events. The words are free to enter and you don't need to be an Edwin F member or ambassador to take part. You must be a woman, franchisor, franchisee or employee of a franchise and based in the UK. However, the categories for service provider and ambassador are also open to men. So you can enter yourself or you can be entered by another person as long as you've given your agreement and you download an official application form from edwinf.org. The application comprises of a written statement which is simply. Please tell us why you deserve to win. And up to 12 supporting documents. My key thing to think about before you start is that your answer will focus only on activities and achievements during 2023. So these awards really are a one year thing and you need to have think of your achievements in that time frame. Your entry form and all supporting documents must be uploaded via We Transfer. They're not acceptable in any other way, so it's important that you follow those instructions. And just have a think about why apply. One of the first pieces of advice that I give people when they're choosing awards is to look at the quality and the reputation. And with EWGF, we're talking about a leader for the franchise industry. So these are one of the most reputable awards that you can take part in and they have excellent visibility. So they are really valuable opportunity for anyone involved in franchising. Process of applying for awards gives you an opportunity for reflection goal setting. Thinking about what you've achieved in the last year, but also where you're going next. So it's really valuable opportunity to to take part in that exercise and and give yourself that self review. Network is a big part of the awards process and as a membership community, EWGF offers a offers a fantastic opportunity for networking and meeting other people across franchising being a variety of sectors. Status, again, we've already talked about the reputation of VWF, so the status that goes with being a nominee or a finalist or a winner potentially is, is huge. The content that you work on for your award is really valuable to you. So it's always a a piece of work to be done and often in a short deadline and people tend to think I haven't got time for that and whatever. But the content that you will produce when you're actually writing your award and gathering together the supporting evidence and the documentation will give you content that you could use for the next few weeks. So it's it's really worthwhile doing and you can think about how the work that you've done could be repurposed. And then finally, just end with the confidence that you get from from going through this process. Putting yourself forward for an award takes a little leap of faith. And once you've done it, you will have a confidence boost immediately. And then when you start seeing your, your name and your business out there as a nominee, as a finalist, rubbing shoulders with some of the sector leaders. Your confidence will go through the roof, so it's definitely worth a go. If you're looking for a little bit of support with your application, Ioffer a one to one review service where I can look at your draft and give you some advice on your answer and the sort of evidence and examples that you could include. And I also offer a power hour chat where we would talk on the phone or over Zoom before you get going to really sort of break down what sort of things you would want to include, what sort of examples you could use that would. Shine a light on your achievements and show your business in the best way. Well, thank you for listening. You can find more information at Amherst Awards on Instagram and Facebook, or e-mail me at
[email protected].
Founder & Franchisor of Dot Kids Art Inspiration; an award-winning innovative approach to art education, dedicated to increasing children's wellbeing, self-expression & confidence through the transformative power of art.
2mothis was so helpful Emma, thank you