best micro
BUSINESS
This award recognises the strength and contribution of micro businesses across Hawke’s Bay. It is suited to small teams, owner-operators and lean businesses that are delivering quality work, building trusted relationships and making a meaningful contribution within their market or community.
Judges will be looking for clear business thinking, strong customer value and practical examples of how a small business is achieving strong outcomes with the resources it has.
WHO SHOULD ENTER
This category may suit your business if you:
- Operate as an owner-led business or small team
- Have a clear product, service or niche
- Can show strong customer relationships
- Make careful decisions with limited resources
- Have built a reliable reputation
- Can show progress, resilience or local impact
EVIDENCE TO PREPARE
- Customer testimonials or repeat customer examples
- Business systems or process improvements
- Financial or performance indicators
- Examples of challenges and solutions
- Local supplier, community or sector contribution
- Growth, stability or improvement stories
WHAT A STRONG ENTRY SHOULD SHOW
A strong entry will show how the business makes good decisions, looks after customers and keeps improving. It does not need to be the biggest business. It needs to show strength, focus and impact.
WHAT JUDGES WILL LOOK FOR
Business clarity
Judges will look at how clearly the business understands its offer, customers, pricing, strengths and goals.
Customer value
Judges will consider how the business delivers quality, solves problems and builds trust with customers.
Operational strength
Judges will look at how the business manages time, systems, suppliers, processes and workload.
Financial awareness
Judges will consider whether the business understands its costs, margins, cashflow and sustainability.
Resilience and adaptability
Judges will look for examples of how the business has handled pressure, change or constraint.
Local contribution
Judges will consider the contribution the business makes to customers, community, suppliers, employment or the wider Hawke’s Bay economy.