Cape Talk Small Business Awards winner announced

L to R: Kieno Kammies (CapeTalk breakfast host), winners Erin-Lee & Chad Petersen and Tim Harris (Chief of Trade and Investment for the City of Cape Town)

The awards aim to recognise and celebrate small businesses that offer exceptional service, and provide them with the necessary exposure to help them grow and inspire other entrepreneurs to follow in their footsteps. The awards are sponsored by Sage One.

Run by a husband-and-wife team, Research Unit designs and makes quality leather goods from its own studio in Cape Town. Since its humble beginnings in 2011, it has focused its energy on building a leather goods brand that is recognised as an example of quality, innovation, minimalism and elegance.

"This year's entries are a clear reflection of the diversity and strength of the small business sector in Cape Town. With their willingness to go the extra mile, their obsession with quality, and their innovative use of materials and processes, Research Unit really stands out as a great small business," said Ivan Epstein, co-founder of Softline and CEO of Sage AAMEA (Australia, Asia, Middle East and Africa). "Our winner and our two runners-up illustrate just how much potential there is in South Africa for small businesses that dream big and execute well. Congratulations to them."

Prizes

Research Unit wins a laptop with free access to Sage One Accounting and Sage One Payroll software, including one year's worth of software support, and a training course or seminar of their choice, giving them the freedom they need to run their business anywhere, anytime.

The company also receives an airtime package to the value of R250,000 on Cape Talk and one month's advertising exposure on the Google Display Network to the value of R25,000 will also be awarded to the winners to promote their businesses further.

Runners-up Sweet Temptations and Perfect Hideaways will each receive Sage One Accounting and Sage One Payroll software, including a year's worth of software support. They will also receive a free training course or seminar of their choice as well as an airtime package to the value of R150,000 on Cape Talk.

Go to www.sba.702.co.za or www.sba.capetalk.co.za for more.