THE OMA LIVING SHOW UNSUNG HEROES AWARD AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE recognises, promotes and builds entrepreneurship in Nigeria and Africa. All our award recipients, nominees and participants demonstrate the best traits of entrepreneurship, including willingness to take risk, drive, perseverance, business creativity and character.
GUIDELINES Award recipients, nominees and participants should demonstrate the best traits of entrepreneurship, including willingness to take risk, drive, perseverance, business creativity and character.
In order to qualify, the nominee which can be a person, company or organization must be based in, have been founded in, or have a significant presence in Nigeria and Africa or at least be a Nigerian or African.
Nomination Procedure:
- Nominations must be submitted online at the provided address or link.
- A statement either from business management, customers, employees or others familiar with the nominee can be very helpful for the selection process that will make you qualified for voting.
- Nominees will be contacted and asked to submit a nomination portfolio consisting of supporting materials.
- Self-nomination is allowed. Selection Process: Judges’ decisions are made from personal knowledge of the nominees and/or the quality of the supporting materials that are submitted. All nominees will be notified of their status only through the names of individuals, companies or organisations shortlisted for voting.
Primary Criteria for THE OMA LIVING SHOW UNSUNG HEROES AWARDS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE: Entrepreneur must be the founder of the business, or have been critical to its growth.
The entrepreneur’s company must be based in, or have been founded in, or have a significant presence in Nigeria and Africa.
- The company should demonstrate profitability.
- The company should demonstrate significant growth and long-term potential.
- The company must be one that solves visible and relatable problems.
- The entrepreneur should note contributions to the community through charitable or leadership roles.
- The company should demonstrate innovative employee programs and corporate culture.
- The entrepreneur should demonstrate the ability to overcome adversity. Additional Considerations:
- Entrepreneur has founded more than one company.
- Entrepreneur has an online presence.
- Entrepreneur’s company has received local, regional, national or international recognition before.
- Previous honorees will be considered if involved in a venture different from one that was previously recognized.
THE OMA LIVING SHOW UNSUNG HEROES AWARD AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE Categories:
– Early Stage Award: The award recognizes an individual whose company or organization has shown great promise and achievement in its early stages. Entrepreneur’s company should demonstrate a likely prospect of profitability. The company should have been in business for five or fewer years.
– Growth Award: Honorees are recognized for significant revenue growth over a two year period.
– Innovation Award: Transforming the entrepreneurial dream into the reality of a tangible product or technology that will solve a problem is the first defining benchmark of entrepreneurial success. This award recognizes the best innovation-based products, technologies, systems or practices.
– Young Entrepreneur Award (under 40): Honorees must meet the primary entrepreneurial criteria, and they must be under the age of 40 at the time of the nomination deadline.
– Outstanding Service to Entrepreneurs: Through both personal and professional service, the recipient of the Outstanding Service to Entrepreneurs Award exhibits a strong commitment to helping entrepreneurs in a variety of industries. These honorees provide entrepreneurs with the resources they need to give our community its competitive edge. Examples of candidates would be attorneys, accountants, consultants, teachers and others who work with entrepreneurs.
– Regional Spirit Award: Honorees should demonstrate commitment to the growth and well-being of the region through outstanding corporate citizenship and promotion of regional ties. Honorees should demonstrate the following: •
- Be active in local and regional business groups •
- Promote charitable and civic causes •
- Work to build the region’s work force and enhance its quality of life
– Lifetime Achievement Award: Honorees should demonstrate the following:
– Contribution to the growth of the suburban business community for at least one decade.
– Provide inspiration to younger entrepreneurs by examples of risk-taking, community mindedness and success.
– Provide information regarding outstanding achievements in business and in the community at- large, or development of the region’s economy. Candidates may be nominated in multiple categories.
The judges will make that determination. For more information regarding the Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards, as well as for advertising and sponsorship opportunities, please contact; +2348038815613 or send an email to theomalivingshow@gmail.com
Nominee Checklist Please use this guide for providing needed and relevant materials for your nomination portfolio.
Include all information or materials you think would be helpful to the selection committee in considering this year’s award recipients.
Remember, judging is conducted solely from the quality of the information and materials submitted. If the materials you need to submit are videos and audio, please send us a link.
Entrepreneur Biography: This may include the entrepreneur’s resume and history, as well as mission/vision statements for the company or organization. Include information that tells the story of the entrepreneur.
Include brochures if applicable, as well as testimonials or articles. Growth: Describe how the entrepreneur has contributed to the growth of the company or organisation and the society at large.
Please include measurable data such as statistics showing significant revenue growth over a period of time and how the entrepreneur contributed to this growth.
Also describe the entrepreneur’s potential for continued growth and achievement going forward. Innovation: Describe a unique quality of the entrepreneur and/or their company or organization.
This may be a tangible product or technology, a customer service system or practice or something that distinguishes the entrepreneur, company or organization within its industry.
Workforce Potential: Describe how the entrepreneur has developed the potential of the company or organization’s workforce.
Achievements: List honors, awards, or achievements that the entrepreneur and/or the company or organization has earned. Service and Entrepreneurial Spirit: Describe how the entrepreneur and the company or organization has reinvested in its community.
List any involvement with business organizations, charitable or civic causes or any involvement that would enhance quality of life and give back to the community.
Category: Describe how the entrepreneur fits the awards category. FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) What do you do with the nomination supporting materials that I provide? A. The supporting materials that you provide are the basis for selection. The material is also used to profile your company at the recognition event and in the follow-up issue to the event.
You should NOT submit any materials that you do not want disclosed either verbally or in print. How much financial information must we disclose?
- Not that much. There is no need to disclose proprietary information. We are looking for some general benchmarks of financial growth and success. Percentages are often used. (e.g. “the company grew by over 150 percent in the last five years and expects sales to exceed 100 million naira in 2019.”) Why should our company participate in this awards program?
- The awards provide a significant public relations opportunity and let’s your entire company share in your success. Award recipients are profiled on all our platforms and major dailies as well as online through our e-mail newsletter.
You can send out your own press release to interested media. You can post your honor on your company’s web page and insert copies of articles in your sales kits. You will also have the opportunity to meet other successful entrepreneurs who are being honoured, so this means exposure, publicity, advert, and promotions for you, brand and your company.
This means more visibility. Who does the judging and what are they looking for? Most of our categories are voting categories, so the votes determine.
For the non voting categories, we have a panel of judges who are tested and trusted… they go through the nominees’s profiles and do their fact finding. Our goal is to select a representative sample of entrepreneurs who are successful in our community.
We are looking for good business stories. What is the recognition event like? Who should attend?
- Approximate attendance is 1000 people. Last year, we had about 542 people in attendance. The event is very content rich as it is not just an award event but also an entrepreneurship conference.
It starts with a reception, panel sessions, keynote speaking, entertainment and lots more before the award presentation. The award recipients are introduced from the stage and recognized. Each award recipient is given one minute to speak to the audience.
Award recipients often invite colleagues, co-workers and/or family members. Different bodies, organisations and groups are also invited in line with the theme of the event.