As the publisher/editor/writer of Small Biz Diamonds, small business resource blog I am super excited to announce that we have been named a 2012 Community Choice Honoree in the Small Business Influencer Awards!!! Thank you to all that voted and support our contributions to the small business community. This blog is relatively new (just 5 months old) and I never dreamed of recognition this soon on a national/international scale. #TrulyHonored!!!

Community Choice Honorees are just one segment of the Small Business Influencer Awards. The Top 100 Champions will be announced on August 8th, 2012. *fingers crossed*

Here is the official press release for Small Biz Diamonds’ nomination:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Small Biz Diamonds Named a Community Choice Honoree in the 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards

Cleveland, OH, August 6, 2012 - Small Biz Diamonds has been voted a Community Choice honoree in the 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards. Small Biz Diamonds achieved the designation as the result of receiving top votes in the popular voting segment of the Awards, from the small business community. Small Biz Diamonds was one of the top five popular vote getters in the category of News Outlets.

“Because it is so new; I’m in shock that Small Biz Diamonds has been able to place third in the top five for it’s category,” commented Ashley Neal, publisher/ editor/ writer of SmallBizDiamonds.com. “When I found out we were nominated I was extremely happy to be apart of something so big in the small business community. To be recognized by the small business community as a Community Choice Honoree is truly an honor! I’m still pinching myself.”

The Small Business Influencer Awards honor those who are influential to small businesses in North America, through the products, services, knowledge, information or support they provide to the small business market.

The Awards are designed to recognize the unsung heroes of small businesses - those who support and encourage entrepreneurs and small business owners, and help them achieve success and stay successful.

There are two different Award designations within the Small Business Influencer Awards: (1) Community Choice, and (2) Top 100 Champions. The Community Choice designation recognizes those whose communities have supported them with top votes.

Says Anita Campbell, CEO of Small Business Trends and one of the co-founders of the Awards, “Influencers are those who play crucial roles in the small business ecosystem, but who often are in the background. Many of the Community Choice honorees are themselves small business owners, entrepreneurs or small businesses.”

Awards co-founder Ramon Ray of SmallBizTechnology.com notes, “Being recognized by the community as a Community Choice honoree also reinforces with employees that their dedication and hard work has paid off. The Awards are intended to provide that added boost in motivation and morale that can make a big difference in results.”

BlackBerry is the title sponsor of the 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards. Other sponsors who leant their support include Infusionsoft, Vocus and GetResponse.

About the Small Business Influencer Awards

The Small Business Influencer Awards, now in their second year, enable the small business community to nominate and show their support for those that influence and support them. The Awards have an open nomination period, followed by community voting, and then a judging period by a group of industry-knowledgeable judges.

The Small Business Influencer Awards initiative is produced by Small Business Trends, an award-winning online publication, serving over 4,000,000 small business owners, stakeholders and entrepreneurs annually, and SmallBizTechnology.com, a media company that produces online content and live events educating small and mid-sized companies on how to strategically use technology as a tool to grow their businesses. The Awards can be found on the Web at: SMBInfluencers.com.

CONTACT:

Anita Campbell, CEO
Small Business Trends LLC
admin@smallbiztrends.com
Twitter hashtag: #SMBInfluencer

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• And the Winner Is…

Ashley Neal is an entrepreneur and small business advocate that enjoys writing about topics pertaining to small business.  She is the owner of Small Biz Writer, where she specializes in providing quality content online for small business owners which in turn increases visibility and sales. Additionally, Ashley is the editor/writer and publisher of her own small business resourceblog Small Biz Diamonds. She also writes for Examiner.com as the Atlanta Small Business Examiner, and Future Simple’ssmall business blog: Growth University.