I’m going to let you into a little secret. When people talk about the business awards we have won and they ask how many business awards we have won – the answer is 12. However, if we were to be completely honest, the actual answer, currently, is 11.
That’s because I shouldn’t really include the most important business award, because I can’t claim it was judged and given to me completely fairly!
The first business award that I was a finalist for was the DevelopHer Unsung Hero Award 2015. I was given 4 tickets for the event and chose to invite my partner, Dan, and my grandparents. The award ceremony was in Norwich and they live in Godmanchester.
I explained to my grandparents that they really didn’t need to come as it was far away, but of course that they would be very welcome. I told them it was highly unlikely that I would win as the competition was really stiff.
Regardless of this my grandparents came along and we sat together throughout the awards ceremony. I kept telling them that I wasn’t going to win, so not to be let down, etc.
As they read out the finalists, the 3 of us had to stand up. They then read out the winners name – and it was me!! I won Unsung Hero of the Year Award.
There was an excited yelp from my Aunt at another table and just stunned silence from me. I went to the stage and collected my award, before returning back to the table show off my award and hug my family.
On my return my Grampy passed me a heavy box and said “You won’t be needing this then!”. I opened the box and inside was a gorgeous glass trophy that was engraved. The engraving said “To Our Own Unsung Hero”.
I had told my grandparents so much that I wasn’t going to win the award, that my Grampy went to the trophy shop and got me my very own trophy, in case I didn’t win.
I promptly burst into tears and insisted that I definitely did want that award from my Grandma and Grampy, and that it was the most important award to me now and forever.
And I stand by it… I may have only won 11 awards fairly, from un-bias judges, but I will always call it 12. And this one is and always be the business award that means the most to me.
