I just spent a great night in Kyneton, doing a presentation for the Macedon Ranges Business Excellence Awards. These people prove you don’t have to live in a major city to be a success. I love these award nights: hearing all the success stories really inspires me. 

I got to talk to a lot of the winners, and a lot who did not end up on stage. But everyone there was a winner. There were some who were very disappointed they didn’t win, but they haven’t given up. They will be back again next year. Talk about persistence.

I was talking to a first-time participant. They did not win, but they were so excited because they had taken the time to really look at their business. They were blown away by what they had achieved over the last seven years.

These awards give you a chance to work on your business and see it with fresh eyes. It takes a lot of courage to let an outside judge come in and check you out. But I think that’s what we all need to do: get somebody from outside who is not emotionally involved. They are able to help you see the opportunities to succeed and where you might be falling down.

I have always found it scary to get someone from outside to look at our business. But we do. If we don’t, we can become shop-blind, community-blind, and blind to the opportunities right at our feet. We can spend so much time looking where the grass is greener, and that’s often where the sewerage comes out.

Business award programs are one of the best ways to discover local business success stories. And it gives you a chance to share business know-how and help energise the local community. These awards are also great for staff morale. Your staff wants to work for a winner. They want to be proud of the business and the product.

These kind of awards help everyone involved. On top of that, the Macedon Ranges Business Excellence Awards make sure to recognise the diversity of businesses in their region. I suggest you check out the area: it’s well worth it.