New businesses are always exciting - and their success should be hailed. That's why the Start-up Business of the Year award is one of the most important at the Suffolk Business Awards.

The winner of Start-up Business of the Year will have shown clear financial activity which translates into inward investment and/or increased turnover and/or acceleration to profit stage.

Open to businesses that are less than three years old at the point of application closing, co-judge Ian White, managing director of Beckett Investment Management Group, says the award recognises businesses during arguably the hardest point in their journey.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ian White, managing director of Beckett Investment Management GroupIan White, managing director of Beckett Investment Management Group (Image: Archant)

“All business start with what seems to be a ‘great idea’,” he said. “The challenge is to ensure that ideas are converted into a viable business. From finance, through to marketing and recruitment, all elements to be focussed on delivering an excellent result for the client. No easy task!”

But Mr White believes it’s important to recognise businesses at this stage: “Start-up businesses are at their most vulnerable during the first couple of years of trading and so it’s important to champion these business people who, in most cases, will have invested a great deal of time and money in their venture.”

Entering the Suffolk Business Awards also enables business people to explain what they have excelled at. “We are all guilty of getting distracted by the day-to-day process of running a business instead of looking at our achievements, and entering awards like these provides us with an opportunity to celebrate our successes,” said Mr White, adding that winning an award of this calibre can be used as an opportunity to celebrate with staff.

“It also creates a sense of pride within your staff because your company has been recognised as being special as a direct result of their work and effective leadership,” he said.

Enter the Suffolk Business Awards at www.suffolkbusinessawards.co.uk


Meet the sponsor

Beckett Investment Management Group offers financial wellbeing to private clients on an independent basis, and provides employee benefit consultancy to corporate clients. We have over £600m of funds under management.
As Chartered Financial Planners, our clients enjoy the highest standards in our industry, and we have received awards for our employee engagement, client satisfaction and innovation.
We have won a string of awards and were voted the ‘Best Financial Firm in the East of England’ in 2020 by prestigious publication New Model Adviser. We are also recognised as being one of Top Financial 100 Financial Firms in the UK by Financial Adviser, a Financial Times publication.

East Anglian Daily Times: Beckett Investment Management Group has received awards for its employee engagement, client satisfaction and innovationBeckett Investment Management Group has received awards for its employee engagement, client satisfaction and innovation (Image: Archant)