Nail art company named Small Business of the Year as inspirational small organisations honoured at awards
Nail art company named Small Business of the Year as inspirational small organisations honoured at awards
HONA – 'Home of Nail Art' – is a hypoallergenic nail product business set up to raise standards in the nail industry by providing safe, high-performance products for professional nail technicians.
Welsh business Home of Nail Art, on a mission to improve safety standards in the beauty industry, won Small Business of the Year at the Small Awards; photographed with Sue Perkins (left) and Michelle Ovens CBE (right)
A Welsh nail art business has been named 'Small Business of the Year' by Small Business Britain at this year's Small Awards, with ten other stand-out, inspirational small businesses from across the country also celebrated.
HONA – 'Home of Nail Art' – is a hypoallergenic nail product business set up to raise standards in the nail industry by providing safe, high-performance products for professional nail technicians. Michael Henson from Newport founded HONA after seeing nail artists struggle with allergens in nail products and a lack of transparency from suppliers.
The Small Awards celebrates the nation's 'smallest and greatest' small businesses across all sectors, and is sponsored by digital marketing leader Constant Contact.
HONA was awarded the prestigious Small Business of the Year title by Sue Perkins at a glittering ceremony in London, as well as being awarded winner of the 'Supply Chain Champion' category.
Leyla Alexander Design (right) won the 'Sole to Sole' award for best one-person business at this year's Small Awards, this year sponsored by digital marketing leader Constant Contact
Ten other UK small businesses also received awards, including Blind Beauty, a skin care brand set up when founder Hazal Baybasin lost her sight, as well as Italian family eatery 'Shambles Restaurant and Bar' in Teddington, co-run by Massimo Langella and first established by his parents.
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Now in its ninth year, the annual Small Awards is organised by Small Business Britain, which champions, inspires, and accelerates small businesses in the UK.
From high street heroes and sole traders to sustainability leaders, over 80 independent businesses across 11 categories were celebrated and spotlighted for their incredible achievements and community contributions. The full list of winners included:
Michelle Ovens CBE, Founder of Small Business Britain, stated: "Small businesses are the heart and soul of their communities and contribute massively to the UK economy. Every year, The Small Awards recognise their efforts after a nationwide search of the smallest and greatest of businesses.
"We are incredibly proud of all the nominees, and congratulate the winners for their success. We are thrilled to celebrate them at our glittering London ceremony, which champions these inspiring entrepreneurs and their businesses. I am excited to see them go from strength to strength, inspiring and supporting other small businesses on their journey."
Hazal Baybasin (left) and her accessible skincare brand, Blind Beauty, won Mission Possible at the Small Awards ceremony in London
The Small Awards was judged by a panel of leading enterprise experts. Guests enjoyed a night of entertainment at St Mary's church in London, with performances by the London City Voices choir and catering by independent providers.
Erika Robinson, UK General Manager at Constant Contact, said: 'Constant Contact exists to help small businesses succeed and grow, and the Small Awards shine a much-deserved spotlight on the incredible entrepreneurs doing just that.
'Our research shows that 79 percent of Brits feel small businesses positively impact their lives - and this year's winners exemplify that impact through their innovation, resilience and deep community roots. We're proud to support their efforts and their vital role in driving the UK economy forward.'
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Michael Henson, founder of the Small Business of the Year Award winner HONA, said: 'What an honour to win tonight—we are so grateful for the judges and Small Business Britain for the recognition. Awards like this give us the validation and push to keep doing what we're doing, making a difference in the beauty industry.'
To find out more about the winners visit https://thesmallawards.uk/index.aspx\#theAwards
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