The search is on for the UK's top business advisers

A national competition to celebrate the hard-working advisers who power the UK's small business community launches today.

Now in their eighth year, the UK Top Business Advisers Awards – run in association with Constant Contact – will celebrate the unsung heroes whose professional advice behind the scenes has helped shape the future of some of the most successful small businesses across the nation.

We're inviting business owners and managers to nominate their most-valued advisers across 10 professional categories:

1. Business strategy

2. Finance and accounting

3. Marketing strategy

4. Digital marketing

5. PR and content

6. Sales

7. Social impact and sustainability

8. People

9. Legal

10. International trade

Advisers can also nominate themselves if they're able to provide evidence of their work with small businesses (and the resulting benefits), alongside relevant testimonials. We must receive all entries by Tuesday 4 November 2024.

Advice can be invaluable

In our most recent Small Business Barometer, we found that around 27% of small businesses work with an adviser, while another 18% have a mentor.

Emma Jones, founder and CEO of Enterprise Nation, says:

"We know from more than 850,000 small businesses that have visited our platform in the past 12 months just how invaluable the advice of professional experts can be – especially in the challenging economic conditions they've been tackling for the past few years.

"Business advisers are the unsung heroes behind Britain's growing army of small businesses and we don't hear enough about the invaluable work they do.

“We want to show this important work in action, in order to help more small businesses to find a clear path towards growth."

Erika Robinson, Constant Contact's UK general manager – who founded children's play centre Picnic in 2019 – says:

"The reality is that small business owners aren't experts in all the skills it takes to run a successful business. They need to seek out partners or advisers who can support them as they navigate challenges.

"We're delighted to support these awards, encouraging more small businesses to access trusted and affordable partners – whether that's individual advisers or services such as Constant Contact – so they can reach their potential."

A game-changer for business

Andrew Sperring became a business adviser to support small businesses after working with a coach helped him turn his own business around.

He was helming Almondsbury-based JAS Construction in 2020 when it hit a hurdle during the pandemic. Turnover dropped by almost 100% and swallowed cash reserves set aside for expansion.

That left Andrew with two choices: close the business or change his approach and go for growth. He says:

"Business stopped for us over the pandemic and it was becoming unsustainable. I'd got to the point where it genuinely looked like the end of the company.

"But at the same time, I could see other similar businesses out there that were actually growing and seemed virtually unaffected by the crisis.

"I decided to find out what they were doing differently to me – and they told me they had a coach or an adviser. I quickly found one for myself and that was a game-changer for me and the business."

That experience led Andrew to put his faith in mentoring – and he quickly became one himself, as a way of giving back and helping founders find their self-belief and ambition.

To take part, business advisers need to be either nominated by someone they've helped, or nominate themselves (while providing evidence and testimonials). A panel of judges will then create a shortlist, which will go to a public vote.

We'll announce the winners of the UK Top Business Adviser Awards at an awards ceremony in London on Wednesday 4 December 2024. The awards are free to enter, so submit your application now!