August/ 2019
I
n this age of entrepreneurship we
find ourselves in, especially the
bootstrap kind, self-promotion
is often the only cost-effective
tool available to shine the light on your
achievements. Who else is going to let
the world know about what you do?
The key to doing this without being a
jerk or a show-off is to enter awards.
Nothing screams credibility than
being nominated, making the finals or
winning a credible and well-respected
award. We live in a world dominated by
perceptions; what other people think
of us even before opening our mouths.
You can control that narrative by being
in control of what you are putting out
into the world.
People make decisions based on
emotion. They want to know, like
and trust the person they are doing
business with …and to do that, you
need to own your space and be
prepared to put yourself out there.
After all, who wants to be the best
kept secret?
Entering an award doesn’t have to
be a big, scary decision. It is just a
decision and it can have ongoing
benefits to you and your business. My vision is to end the overwhelm
and confusion about domestic
violence,” she said.
Christine Stow, a grants expert,
entered her first award last year.
It was a last-minute decision and it
was a race to deadline. She saw it
as a way to build her credibility. “It
made such a difference in the way
people approach me. Now they say
... ‘hey! I really need to talk to you’
or ‘hey.... that stuff you do must be
real... it must be legitimate since
you got that award',” she said. “As someone with significant
lived experience from childhood
into early adulthood, I needed
the power of global recognition -
because though my clients know
my approach is life changing and
powerful - I need other people
to realise what makes solutions
achievable and powerful, so
we can end the cycle for my
grandchildren’s generation.
For Christine, it opened doors. In
2019, she stood in the federal election
against the opposition leader, Bill
Shorten. While she didn’t win,
she says being an award winner
boosted her credibility. Lawyer, Chrissy Leontios, is
driven by her desire to help
women, especially women in
regional areas, navigate the
legal system. She entered the
Stevie Women in Business
Awards last year to showcase
the special work she does in the
legal system on an international
platform. “I wanted to take the
work we do internationally,”
she said.
Anita Bentata, a therapist who works
with women, awards were about
getting impartial validation. “I was
moving away from the work I had
been doing for 24 years. I needed
to become visible and credible
to thousands of people quickly.
“I’ve never considered myself
Women’s Network Magazine
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