WhosOff Shortlisted for Business of the Year - Smarta 100

Whosoff has been shortlisted in the Smarta 100 2012 and is therefore running for Business of the Year.

As judged by Dragons Dens' Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden, among other industry professionals, the Smarta 100 Awards recognise the UK's most dynamic and innovative small businesses.

The award organisers said: "We're not just looking for those who bring in the most cash, but the businesses that have the most original ideas and make a true difference. We want to find the beacons of enterprising Britain, the small firms that thrive during the gloomy economy, be it a brilliant social enterprise, an inspiring young tech start up or a small manufacturer."

All of the team at WhosOff are delighted to be recognised for our achievements in servicing an important role in businesses around the world. The recognition received is down to the hard work of the entire team of professional, friendly (and always willing to help) staff at our offices in Canterbury, Kent.

Please take a moment to vote for us to win the accolade of Business of the Year. You can place your vote here: http://www.smarta.com/smarta100/2012/whosoffcom

The Judges

DEBORAH MEADEN , Dragons' Den investor and Smarta board member, said: "This year's Smarta 100 showcase the fantastic breadth of small businesses making waves in the UK business scene. Some demonstrate managerial magnificence, overseeing teams of dozens to grow their businesses quickly and creatively. Other Smarta 100 winners are sole traders, or just individuals - and how impressive that, even single-handedly, they have proven that being innovative and dedicated can give you the edge. And it's not just all about cutting-edge tech companies either - this year's Smarta 100 go to show that any sector, however traditional, can be given an exciting injection of innovation when a great entrepreneurial mind takes it on."

THEO PAPHITIS , Dragons' Den investor and Ryman chairman, said: "The Smarta 100 has proven yet again how many exciting, innovative and successful small businesses and start-ups there are in the UK today, and I really find them inspiring. Some of the 100 are disrupting established industries, some are creating completely new markets, and others are simply doing an exceptional job in age-old marketplaces but knocking the socks off their competition. It just goes to show that in the face of challenging economic conditions, a credit crunch and reduced customer spending, entrepreneurs and business owners who work hard and think outside the box can still thrive in today's world. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners."

SHAA WASMUND , Smarta founder, said: "This year we had more entries for the Smarta 100 than ever before. There were hundreds of fantastic businesses in the running, but the final 100 are truly game-changing start-ups and small businesses, and I'm enormously proud of all of them. We've got everyone from entrepreneurs in their early 20s through to knitting grannies; people who started with only a few hundred pounds through to companies that received millions in VC funding. All of which proves that if you have a brilliant idea or a truly imaginative new approach, you can succeed against any odds."

BEN DOWD , business director, Telefonica UK at O2, said: "I'm delighted to join Smarta in celebrating such dynamic, varied, innovative and resilient small businesses. The Smarta 100 prove that even in tough times, talented entrepreneurs are able to seek out opportunity, exploit available resources, and most importantly make their customers feel valued. At O2 we work with many small businesses, and recognise that the right tools are an essential cog in the journey from start-up to fast-growth business. I'm proud to say that O2 offers flexible communications packages to help facilitate the growth that companies like these are capable of. I can't wait to find out which company will become the ‘Smarta 100 Together With O2' Business of the Year, and to see what they will go on to achieve as a result."

Voting is now under way to find the overall O2 Smarta 100 Business of the Year, winning £10,000 courtesy of O2

• The winner will be presented with their £10,000 prize - courtesy of O2 - at The Smarta 100 Awards final on Thursday 8 November at London's Proud2, The O2, in Greenwich.
• The evening will also see six special awards presented for the Smarta 100 companies deemed by the judges to be the best, in the categories of:
• Innovation
• Technology
• Social Impact
• Resources
• Marketing
• People
• Social Impact 
• The shortlisted companies can be viewed at www.smarta.com/smarta100

About WhosOff

WhosOff helps businesses reduce the time and money spent on paper chasing leave requests around the office. We love it as it means business can forget about managing the mundane tasks of finding out how much holiday people have left and when they're off and when they're not, Whosoff does it all for you. It offers a monthly-based subscription service for any business in any sector, quite the broad target audience!

WhosOff has over 40,000 users across 800 companies in over 40 countries, a great achievement for a business that only has 6 employees. The success of the business has come through grown through offering a two-month free trial period, that's al it takes for a business to fall in love. Whosoff also has a handy mobile app for the iphone, Android and Blackberry.

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Posted by Phil Cross
on Tuesday, 9th October 2012