A total of four North Okanagan businesses have been named top-10 semifinalists in the 12th annual Small Business B.C. Awards.
Vernon’s Rice Box has been listed in the Best Community Impact category, Durning Directions and Services is in the running for Best Employer and Sproing Creative is up for Best Workplace. Mel’s Mainstreet Pizza and Pasta is also a finalist for Best Workplace.
The Top 10 semi-finalists for the 12th Annual Small Business BC Awards have now been selected, and one very special company is from Enderby – Mel’s Mainstreet Pizza & Pasta for Best Workplace.
From Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, British Columbians were asked to nominate and vote for their favourite small businesses. This year was the biggest year yet for the competition, with more than 460 nominations received from nearly 70 communities across the province.
Nominated companies were given two months to gain as many votes as possible through word-of-mouth, social media, e-communications and other creative means.
Semifinalists will now move forward to face a panel of judges, who will review their applications, and based on the award criteria, narrow down the competition to the top-five finalists in each of the 10 categories.
Finalists will be named Jan. 30, and then invited to give a Dragons’ Den-style pitch in front of a panel of judges on why they should be named the best in B.C.
The winners will be honored and celebrated on Feb. 26 at the Small Business B.C. Awards Ceremony in Vancouver. The night will include addresses from Premier Christy Clark and Minister of State for Small Business Naomi Yamamoto.
Winners will each receive the Premier’s Prize of $1,500, a one-year all-access pass to Small Business B.C. education and resources, and one-on-one business mentorship opportunities with notable advisors from the award sponsors.
For more information, visit www.sbbcawards.ca.
