Business, Book, Podcast, and Media Awards You Can Apply to Win [2024]
Wouldn’t it be exciting to say, “I’m the founder of an award-winning business,” “I host an award-winning podcast,” or, “I’m the author of an award-winning book”?
Here’s a list of awards that you can apply to win.
True story: I have a client who filled out the nomination form for an NAACP Image Award at the last possible moment … and won! You never know. Someone’s going to win. Why couldn’t it be you? Shoot your shot!
Business
The Best of Small Business Awards (BASA) – Celebrating “exceptional small businesses in America.”
The Small Business Expo Awards – Numerous categories including “Best Business Coach,” “Best Financial Advisor,” “Best Workplace,” and many more.
The National Small Business Week Awards – Presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
America’s Top Small Business – Presented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The Outie Award – Recognizing businesses that “advance LGBTQIA+ workplace equity and belonging.”
The Stevie Awards – Honoring “excellence in the workplace” including sales and customer service, leadership, technology, and more.
The FedEx Small Business Grant – Winner receives a $50,000 grand prize.
The Inspire Awards – Finalists have an opportunity to share an innovative business idea in front of a live audience. Prizes range from $25,000 to $250,000.
The Globee Business Awards – Check out the Disruptor Award, “celebrating the trailblazers and pioneers who are reshaping industries and challenging the status quo.”
The Best Of Small Business Awards – Includes categories like CEO of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Best Business Coach, Best Customer Service, Best Financial Advisor, and many more.
The Big Innovation Award – “Recognizing the people, organizations, and ideas changing how we experience the world.”
The Eventex Awards – Honoring excellence in events, conferences, brand experiences, and more. They have a People’s Choice Award, too.
The International Business Awards have a category for Events, too – In-person events, virtual events, live events, launch events, pop-up events, brand activations, and more.
Are you a Coach or Consultant? Check out the Coaching Excellence Awards, The Coach Awards, NPCH Excellence in Consulting Award, or the Top Consultant Award.
Podcasts, Books, and Media
The Living Now Book Awards – Celebrating “books for better living” in numerous categories, from “cooking and entertaining to fitness and travel.”
The PEN America Book Awards – Honoring “outstanding voices in literature across diverse genres, including “science writing, essays, sports writing, biography” and many more. $350,000 gets doled out to winners annually.
Prima Materia Book Award – Presented by First Matter Press, a small indie publisher. For first-time BIPOC authors. Winner receives a book deal.
The Audie Awards – It’s all about “achievement in spoken word” including audiobook narration.
The Black Podcasting Awards – Their mission: more recognition for Black podcast professionals, including folks who host, produce, edit, and more.
The Axion Business Book Awards – Have you written a book on a business topic, such as marketing, sales, branding, operations, or leadership? Apply for this award.
The Chanticleer International Book Awards – Numerous categories including short stories, essays, novellas, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and more.
The Page Turner Awards – Nominate your book for Best Book Cover, Best Debut Novel, Best Book Series, Best Illustrated Book, Best Co-Authored Book, Best True Story, or another category.
The PenCraft Awards – Given for “outstanding writing” and books that “foster new insights into culture, society, and the human condition.”
The NAACP Image Awards – Celebrating “the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 competitive categories spanning film, television and streaming, music, literature, and podcasts.”
The Awwwards for website design, honoring “the talent and effort of the best developers, designers and web agencies in the world.”
The Webby Awards – “Honoring excellence on the Internet.”
FYI: There are numerous awards especially for self-published books, including The National Indie Excellence Awards, The Writers Digest Self-Published Book Award, The Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and many more. Here’s a list of more awards for self-published titles.
PS. Wild idea: why not create your own award–and host your own award ceremony?
Come up with categories, invite your community to nominate contenders and vote, or select a judging panel. Offer a cash prize or another exciting reward, such as a year’s worth of free products, mentorship, a golden trophy, or something else.
Celebrate people’s accomplishments while bringing attention to your own business, too. Win-win.