Episode 155: Judges Tips for Awards Success with Maggie Sarfo
The Business Awards Show
Judges Tips for Awards Success is a special series of the Business Awards Show focusing on how to enter awards and why you should. In our latest episode, we are joined by Maggie Sarfo, a business coach, networking expert, and a judge for the Best Businesswomen Awards. Maggie is a Business Growth Coach, author, and the Regional Director for The Athena Network in the London City area. As a judge for the Best Businesswomen Awards since 2021, she brings a wealth of experience in identifying standout businesses. Through her company, Meres Consult Ltd, she helps entrepreneurs and leaders achieve...
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Episode 154: Judges & Sponsors Talk Awards
The Business Awards Show
The latest Business Awards Show is a wide-ranging conversation with a panel of judges and sponsors. The Best Businesswomen Awards prides itself on its scrupulous judging, fairness and integrity. Judge Denise O'Leary of Purpol Marketing and author of the bestselling Winner: How to Win Business Awards, explains why the process is so robust and thoroughly objective. One of our sponsors is Fiona Scott, founder of Scott Media, a leading PR consultant. Fiona explains why being selective about the awards you enter is essential. She also emphasises the need to attend award events when you are...
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Episode 153: Karen Campbell - Marketing Director, Small Business Britain
The Business Awards Show
Karen Campbell - Marketing Director, Small Business Britain and founder of networking group Hotsy Totsy, is the latest guest on the Business Awards Show. Karen is a ball of energy and a vital supporter of small businesses in the UK. She started out as a journalist, moving to London from her native Yorkshire to be the Arts & Entertainment correspondent for the Metro newspaper. From there, she moved into the fashion industry and then the Performing Rights Society. When the partying got too much, she decided it was time to start her own marketing business. We track her journey through the...
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Episode 152: Nevina Holland Founder of Peekaboo Studios
The Business Awards Show
Nevina Holland founder of Peekaboo Studios is a maternity and newborn photography specialist with a rare talent. She has won multiple photography awards and is a Licentiate of The Master Photographers Association, recognition of her outstanding work for over fourteen years. Nevina won the Best Customer Service award at the Best Businesswomen Awards in 2017! She has gone from strength to strength since then, growing her client base, continuing to develop her outstanding offering and building a business on word of mouth. In our discussion, discover how Nevina followed her passion for photography...
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Episode 151: Judges Tips for Awards Success with Aarti Parmar & Mary Gregory
The Business Awards Show
Judges Tips for Awards Success is the next in a special series of the Business Awards Show focusing on how to enter awards and why you should. Judge Aarti Parmar, an award-winning brand consultant, shares her thoughts on judging the Best Businesswomen Awards. Aarti offers excellent advice to anyone thinking of entering or who has not won previously. Mary Gregory, leadership coach and winner of the Best Coach 2024 has decided to sponsor the awards this year. Mary suggested we create a new category - Best Female Leader. So we did! And we are delighted that she is sponsoring the award. Mary...
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Episode 150: Get the Award-Winning Mindset with Dee Clayton
The Business Awards Show
When considering entering awards do you find yourself thinking: “I’m not good enough,” “What if I don’t win?” “What if I do win?” “I don’t want to enter myself—someone should nominate me” “It’s not okay to tell people how great I am—they should see it anyway”. In this session, founder of The Best Businesswomen Awards Debbie Gilbert discusses with Dee Clayton, multi-award-winning NLP expert and founder of Simply Amazing Training, how to overcome these mental barriers and step confidently into the spotlight. Dee reveals in this empowering episode: ✨ How to...
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Episode 149: Kate Cherry Athena Network Beds & Mid-Herts
The Business Awards Show
Kate Cherry Athena Network Beds & Mid-Herts is an award-winning Regional Director of one of the UK's leading women's networking organisations. After a 15-year career in the financial sector, Kate bought a franchise in the Athena network and has been running groups in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire for nearly a decade. She explains how she wanted more time with her children and so shifted her focus from a corporate career to her own business success. She loves being a connector and introducer for like-minded businesswomen, and thrives on building confidence in others. This has been at the...
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Episode 148: Ceylan Boyce Founder Academy For Women Entrepreneurs
The Business Awards Show
Ceylan Boyce Founder Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, is a ball of endless energy. Steeped in business strategy, Ceylan's academy has helped hundreds of female entrepreneurs grow their companies. Born in Turkey, Ceylan gained a Masters in Marketing & Communications in Paris before studying Executive Coaching at Cambridge. After a successful corporate career consulting in business strategy, she set up her own consultancy business in the healthcare and pharma sectors. But this was still too corporate for this driven entrepreneur. While developing her yoga training, she was encouraged...
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Episode 147: Cheryl Laidlaw London Web Girl
The Business Awards Show
Cheryl Laidlaw, London Web Girl, is a multi-award-winning web designer who exudes positive energy. After four years doing web design in a creative agency, she decided to go it alone, launching Reyl Design Group in 2010. Many other brands have followed since. Cheryl has become an expert in AI, helping clients to embrace its benefits, overcoming the myths that come with it. She helps clients set up AI assistants to underpin their business operations, boosting productivity and ensuring accuracy and prompt responses. She is passionate about every business getting the best from their website....
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Episode 146: Bina Briggs Founder Plain Talking HR
The Business Awards Show
Bina Briggs founder of Plain Talking HR, is a true inspiration. On 7th October 1972 she arrived with her mother and sister at a foggy Heathrow airport. The family had fled Idi Amin's murderous regime in Uganda, as his nationalistic dictatorship sought to purge all minorities from the country. Carrying only a suitcase, without even a warm coat to keep out the autumn cold, Bina started a new life in a foreign country, with an alien culture. She soon found employment at Luton Airport rising to senior HR management in a career that spanned over 35 years. When she was made redundant, whilst a...
info_outlineBina Briggs founder of Plain Talking HR, is a true inspiration. On 7th October 1972 she arrived with her mother and sister at a foggy Heathrow airport. The family had fled Idi Amin's murderous regime in Uganda, as his nationalistic dictatorship sought to purge all minorities from the country.
Carrying only a suitcase, without even a warm coat to keep out the autumn cold, Bina started a new life in a foreign country, with an alien culture. She soon found employment at Luton Airport rising to senior HR management in a career that spanned over 35 years.
When she was made redundant, whilst a huge blow, she knew she had to carry on. The only way in her mind to do that was to start her own business. Plain Talking HR was born.
Bina discusses the many challenges that employers face today, in an environment of ever-changing legislation. Having an expert to run HR operations has never been more essential, as she explains the risks of trying to do it yourself.
In 2021, Bina published her book, The Red Thread. A memoir of her mother's life but also offering insight into her own world, it is a moving and profound story with many life-lessons.
She is also a multi-award winner, and a long-time sponsor and supporter of awards. She explains why they mean so much to her and what they can do for your business.
Over the years, Bina has grown her business through the power of networking. Discover how this has powered her forward, and the many friendships she has developed as a result.
Bina is a very wise businesswoman with much to tell us about life, HR, and awards! Listen to this episode because you will definitely learn something!
{2:37} Arriving from Uganda carrying only a suitcase.
{12:19} How her experience formed Bina as a person.
{14:47} Bina's awards experiences.
{18:50} Bina's book - The Red Thread.
{22:41} Overcoming the challenges of the pandemic.
{23:59} Key challenges employers face in 2025.
{26:05} The risks of running your own HR.
{29:16} Manage franchisees like employees.
{30:21} Bina's tips for staying motivated in business.
{32:17} Networking: the foundation of any successful entrepreneur.
Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk
Connect with Bina: https://www.plaintalkinghr.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plaintalkinghrltn/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plaintalkinghr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plain-talking-hr-ltd/
The Red Thread: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Thread-everlasting-invisible-connections-ebook/dp/B094DTY5FL