2023 Sterling Awards Application - Micro Business Award Critera The Sterling Award for Micro Business recognizes an entrepreneurship or emerging business exhibiting success through innovation, creativity and collaboration. Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria: 1-10 full-time equivalent employed by Arizona operation o Full-time equals 30+ hours per week o Example: Two (2) part-time employees working 15 hours per week = one (1) full-time employee Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria: Established for a minimum of three years Licensed as a legitimate business in the State of Arizona Current member in good standing of the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce 5 years since being awarded as an honoree in this category Judging and Selection Process The Sterling Award selection process is among the most credible of all business award competitions in the metro Phoenix area. Following submission, your application will be reviewed by a panel of six (6) judges who will individually score your responses to each question. Judges will use a 10-point grading system for each question, resulting in a cumulative score for each applicant. The three (3) applicants with the highest scores will advance as finalists. Current applicants are not eligible to be a judge. The second phase of the judging process will include an on-site interview during which the judges will visit the finalists’ place of business. Each finalist will have an opportunity to make a formal presentation, conduct a facility tour and respond to additional questions from the judges. This process will result in a second and final set of scores which will determine the Honoree in the category. Honorees will remain confidential until announced on stage at the Sterling Awards ceremony on Thursday, November 9, 2023. All finalists will be recognized at the ceremony along with all video presentations. Important Dates and Deadlines (dates are firm and cannot be changed) Application Workshop - Thursday, June 22; 4:00pm-5:00pm or Tuesday, July 11; 9:00am-10:00am Application Deadline – Thursday, July 20, 2023 On-Site Judging (Finalists Only) – August 15, 16 OR 17, 2023 (date will be assigned) In-Studio Filming (Finalists Only) - Thursday, August 24, 2023 On-Site Video Shoots (Finalists Only) – September 6, 7 OR 8, 2023 (date will be assigned) Sterling Awards Ceremony – Thursday, November 9, 2023, 2:00pm – 4:30pm Application Instructions Complete this form and answer all questions entirely. Applications must be submitted online. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please check the website for updates. Fields indicated with * are required. If you have questions about the application or how to properly complete the application process, please contact Ann Deasy, 480-355-2712 or adeasy@scottsdalechamber.com. Basics Legal Business Name * DBA State of Business License * CEO/Owner * Phone * Email * If selected as a finalist, will the CEO/Owner be representing the organization as the spokesperson in the video? * Yes No If not, who? * Phone * Email * If selected as a finalist, will the CEO/Owner be representing the organization as the spokesperson at the ceremony? * Yes No If not, who? * Phone * Email * Business Street Address Address Line 1 * Address Line 2 City * State * Select option... Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut DC Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming DC Zip/Postal Code * Type of Business (manufacturing, service, etc.) * Principal Products/Services: * Please indicate whether your company/organization is a branch location, headquarters, or regional office. * If branch or subsidiary, where is the headquarters located and what is the parent company’s name? * How many years has the company/organization been in operation in Arizona? * How many years has the company/organization been a member of the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce? * Current number of Full Time Equivalent employees: * Full-time equals 30+ hours per week Example: Two (2) part-time employees working 15 hours per week = one (1) full-time employee Has your company applied for and/or been selected as a finalist for the Sterling Award in the past? * Yes No If yes, what year? * If yes, what category? * Has your company been selected as an honoree/winner IN THIS CATEGORY within the past 5 years? * Yes No If yes, what year? * Name of person submitting entry: * Affiliation with company: * Phone: * Email: * Main contact with the company: * Phone: * Email: * Please provide a response to the following questions and include any information that distinguishes your company and makes it uniquely deserving of the Sterling Award. NOTE: For the following questions you are allowed 1300 characters (about 200 words) for each answer. Definition of Business - Please describe your core business. * Mission, Vision, Values, Goals - State your corporate/organizational mission, vision, values and goals. * Culture - Please describe your management practices as they pertain to corporate/organizational culture, leadership, training and work environment. Give examples of how your company / organization cultivates an atmosphere that promotes employee growth, recognition and work/life balance in a multi-generational workforce. * Uniqueness - What is your company’s/organization's competitive advantage? What makes your company unique in its industry? How has your company/organization demonstrated innovation in the delivery of its product and/or delivery of service? * Impact and Contributions to the Community - Please provide details regarding economic impact and investment in the local economy. How does your company make a significant impact on the economy and local workforce in light of its relative size and resources? How has your organization improved the lives of those you serve? Please cite specific examples. * Adaptability - How has your company/organization responded to economic changes in your industry? Please cite specific examples. * Creativity and Innovation - Please describe your management practices and how you exhibit creativity and imagination in the running of your business. Give specific examples. * Evidence of Success/Future Growth - How does your company/organization define success? Please describe your success measures or metrics and provide appropriate historical data to substantiate your achievements. What about growth? What is your vision for the future? Awards or other recognitions? * Community Service - Please describe ways that your company/organization supports the community and the Scottsdale Chamber through the involvement of its executives and employees in community projects and/or volunteer efforts. * Alliance Partners - Please describe any important alliances or collaborations that contribute to your ability to provide service and expertise to your clients/customers. * Thank you for submitting your application for the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce Sterling Awards. For additional questions, please contact Ann Deasy at adeasy@scottsdalechamber.com or 480-355-2712. PLEASE NOTE: When successfully submitted, you will see a new page that reads: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUBMISSION. If you do not see this page, scroll to the top of the application and correct any errors listed in red, then re-submit. THANK YOU!
