Nosy Crow, an independent publisher of child-focused books and apps, has wowed the judges at this year’s Nectar Business Small Business Awards, beating hundreds of other UK-based SMEs to scoop the lead prize of Small Business of the Year 2014.
Founder of Nosy Crow, Kate Wilson, impressed the panel of judges — which included star of BBC 1’s ‘The Apprentice’ Karren Brady CBE — with her clear business goals and strong corporate-social-responsibility projects.
The judges said the company is a shining example and a great business to inspire others to do something similar – especially in the current economic market.
Nosy Crow, which is based in South-East London, specialises in parent-friendly books, e-books and interactive story apps for children aged 0 to 12 years-old and has a portfolio of over 60 authors and illustrators.
Kate won a prize of £2,000 cash and 50,000 Nectar points as well as the opportunity to receive tailor-made business advice directly from Karren Brady at a round table event which formed part of the ceremony. Kate joined the winners of the four other categories – Contribution to the Community Award, Entrepreneur of the Year, Innovation of the Year and Homegrown Business of the Year to discuss the main issues facing small businesses in the UK today.
Other winners included Two Fingers Brewing Co., which won the Contribution to the Community Award for donating all profits from its beer sales to Prostate Cancer UK, and Mask-arade, a novelty mask specialist that began life in a spare bedroom and went on to win the Homegrown Business of the Year prize — a new award category for 2014.
The Nectar Business Small Business Awards are free to enter and celebrate the achievements of successful small businesses and business people across the UK.