Smart Enterprise and PLDT SME Nation Collaborates with Rappler for the first ever Bozz Awards
An award body that aims to recognize new generation of digitally
savvy entrepreneurs
Manila, Philippines
(August 5, 2015) – Smart Enterprise, under PLDT SME Nation, has unveiled its
latest initiative to empower the new breed of Filipino entrepreneurs.
The Bozz Awards is a social media
crowdsourcing search for the new generation of entrepreneurs who are harnessing
digital tools to grow their businesses. These entrepreneurs are known for
spearheading a revolutionary change in business platforms through their use of
technology.
In partnership with
Rappler, a pioneer in embracing online platforms for news generation and
distribution, the Bozz Awards hopes
to inspire more entrepreneurs with success stories of those who have boldly
embraced the challenges and opportunities of the digital era.
Rappler will house the
main site for the Bozz Awards, and
will facilitate the crowd sourcing aspect of the campaign which will carry the online
handle #BeTheBoss.
“For years now, PLDT
SME Nation has been known for our MVP Bossing Awards which celebrate Filipino
business titans whose stories of success embody perseverance and continuous
innovation. They are the industry icons start-up entrepreneurs look up to,” PLDT
First Vice President and Head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde explained. “The
Bozz Awards is all about the new
breed of entrepreneurs, who are just as persevering and innovative, albeit
faced with a different set of challenges and opportunities in this digital age
of doing business.”
The Bozz Awards is part of the line-up of
activities for PLDT SME Nation’s recently launched Small Business Month celebration which is a pioneering initiative
aimed at empowering small businesses to embrace the digital revolution.
Rules of digital
engagement
To qualify for the Bozz Awards, entrepreneurs must be 45
years old and below, based in the Philippines, and must be business owners for
at least two years.
Nominations, which
will officially open on August 10, must be done online via the microsite on
Rappler. Those who want to nominate their own bozz can also ‘Tweet-pitch’ a 140-character nomination using the hash
tag #BeTheBoss. More details will also be announced on August 10 via the
official Bozz Awards site.
A shortlist of 15
nominees will be chosen by a panel of judges with three each under five
categories—The Boss for Mobile Readiness, The Boss For E-commerce, The Boss for
Social Media, The Boss for Customer Service, and The Boss for Social
Responsibility and Entrepreneurship.
The public will then
have a chance to cast their votes and these votes, together with the results of
the panel deliberation, will determine the final five Bozz Awardees (one from each category). The finalists will be honored
in a grand celebration and post-awards culmination party to mark the end of the
first ever run of the Bozz Awards.
The first batch of Bozz awardees will each receive a full-powered
Smart Enterprise Biz Kit which consists of business-enhancing tools and gadgets,
including year-long data subscription, to help keep them always connected to
their customers and updated with their operations, even while on the go.
As a fitting tribute
to game-changing entrepreneurs who are leading the digital revolution in
business, the final five Bozz
awardees will also be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the world’s
melting pot of technology via an exclusive Silicon Valley tour.
Abelarde added, “We’ve
said it before, and we’ll say it again—there’s nowhere to go but digital. We’ve
seen a lot of budding and progressive entrepreneurs who’ve managed to
revolutionize the traditional ways of doing business through online presence or
ground-breaking use of digital tools and platforms. This new breed of movers
and shakers paved the way, and we want to recognize and empower them so they
can inspire more entrepreneurs.”
For more information
on how to #BeTheBoss, visit rappler.com/betheboss.
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