Winning Awards Podcast with Donna O’Toole

Join leading awards expert Donna O’Toole as she reveals everything you need to know about winning awards.

In honest and open interviews with award winners, judges, and the organisers behind the world's most loved awards, Donna reveals the latest awards trends, the dos and don'ts of entering, what makes a winner, and more.

Discover how the awards industry has reacted to the challenges of the global pandemic, and what to expect as we head into a new era of awards and recognition.

Get your hands on WIN! from Amazon today by clicking HERE.

Donna O'Toole WIN! – August 2022

This episode introduces Donna's new book ‘WIN!' and explains the inspiration behind this must-have guide to winning awards for all entrepreneurs. Find out how recognition could help you achieve your true potential and discover the benefits of winning awards.

Donna O'Toole – January 2021

In this insightful episode, Donna talks about the New Year Honours List and looks at how diversity has grown in recent years, with recipients from all walks of life, backgrounds and ethnic groups. Learn more about who was honoured this year for their outstanding work, and the impact that this recognition can bring, as well as discovering how to make a nomination.

Antoinette Oglethorpe – October 2021

In this episode, Donna is joined by Antoinette Oglethorpe – a multi-award-winning consultant, coach, speaker and author who specialises in career management and mentoring. In 2012 – after 25 years’ experience as a Learning and Development Director for Accenture, Avanade and FTSE 500 companies – Antoinette founded her training and coaching company, Antoinette Oglethorpe Ltd.

Gez McGuire – September 2021

Gez McGuire, an award-winning digital marketer and international marketing awards judge with over 20 years' experience in marketing, joins Donna in this episode of the Winning Awards podcast. He's now working at the forefront of blending AI adoption and machine learning with human intelligence to deliver strategic digital marketing campaigns.

Neil Skehel – October 2021

Donna O'Toole talks with the CEO of Awards International, Neil Skehel, about the launch of a brilliant new award – the European Customer Experience Awards. In this episode, you’ll discover how these awards will work, along with a preview of the inaugural UK Business & Innovation Awards – also operated by Awards International – which close in early Dec 2021.

Dominic Colenso – September 2021

Donna is joined by Dominic Colenso, who began his career as a professional actor, before training as a director at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Through his company In Flow, he now empowers businesses, sales teams and leaders to increase the impact of their communication and perform at their best under pressure, by drawing on his extensive experience on stage and screen.

Pauline Saunders – June 2021

Donna O'Toole is joined by Head of Events at The Learning and Performance Institute, Pauline Saunders. Pauline talks about their flagship awards programme The Learning Awards, including what the 2021 entry process entails, who should enter, and which new categories have been introduced.

Debbie Gilbert – May 2021

Donna talks with Debbie Gilbert – a multi-award-winning entrepreneur who owns Viva Business Support, and founder of both Mums UnLtd and The Best Business Women Awards. Over the past 20 years, Debbie has built a reputation for being an excellent supporter of small businesses and start-ups; here, she tells her story in this insightful episode.

Queen's Awards for Enterprise

In this episode, Donna discusses the Queen's Awards for Enterprise and explains why these awards are widely regarded as the world's most prestigious. Learn more about this year's winners and find out how the entry process works, so that you're armed with the information you need to get started on your Queen's Awards journey.

Sarah Austin – April 2021

Sarah Austin is a leading voice of the awards and events industry. In addition to a 12-year career running an international awards portfolio at Informa (formally UBM), Sarah was notably the Awards Director for the National Business Awards. This year, she has launched The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards which celebrate the resilience, innovation and creativity of British businesses.

Mark Leruste

Donna talks with Mark Leruste, host of the Unconventionalists® podcast and former manager at the Movember Foundation, where he helped raise €2.8 million for men’s health and inspired 110,000 fundraisers to sign up. He explains about his big goal of creating a world where the vast majority of people feel connected to an important mission at work.

David Henson MBE

Donna is joined by David Henson MBE, a highly successful parasport athlete who took up athletics following a life-changing incident whilst serving in Afghanistan in 2011. Dave has since gone on to represent Great Britain at numerous global events, winning medals at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, the 2017 IPC World Championships in London, and the 2016 IPC European Championships.

Neil Skehel 2

In this episode, Donna talks to Neil Skehel, the CEO of Awards International, an international awards organiser with 12 programmes around the world including in Europe, the Middle East and the UK. He explains about the launch of two brilliant awards – the flagship UK Customer Experience Awards and the newly formatted UK Business Awards.

Ian Washington-Smith

Join Donna in conversation with Ian Washington-Smith, the Director of Rego, an organisation that works with people to solve problems and support individuals and teams to achieve their goals and reach their potential. Prior to this, Ian served in the Police for 30 years as a Detective Inspector – managing the Counter Corruption Unit working across the Thames Valley Police force area in his last post.

Charly Young

Donna is delighted to welcome Charly Young to the podcast. In 2013, Charly co founded The Girls' Network with her colleague, Becca. Starting out as a one-to-one mentoring scheme for 30 girls, The Girls' network has grown to support over 1,000 girls a year aged between 14 and 19 to overcome barriers and access to opportunities, as well as giving them the confidence and skills to seize those opportunities and thrive.

Stephen Fear

Join Donna in conversation with Stephen Fear, The Phonebox Millionaire™, British entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist and author with 50 years' international business experience. Discussing his incredible entrepreneurial journey from phonebox to freedom, to Chairman and Founder of the Fear Group, and being a Great British Entrepreneur Awards Judge.

Alison Edgar MBE

Donna is delighted to be joined by Alison Edgar MBE, also known as “The Entrepreneur’s Godmother” because of her incredible support of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. In 2020, Alison received an MBE for recognition of her long-term work within entrepreneurship and business, and I’m delighted that she can join me today to share her inspirational journey and possibly a few tips for us all to succeed in 2021.

Hayley Woodward & Neil Foster

Donna is joined by Neil Foster, Vice President of the Guinness World Records Consultancy who works with brands, agencies, community groups and charities to make and break records by creating challenges that complement their marketing campaigns.

And we are also delighted to welcome Hayley Woodward, Head of Global Marketing for Rubik’s – the iconic toy puzzle cube that has swept the world since 1980 and is as popular in Christmas stockings today as it was 40 years ago!

Dr Rebecca Zhi Herbert

Donna catches up with Dr Rebecca Zhi Herbert, founder and the Academic Director of Wisdom Spring Education. As Silver winner of the UK Customer Experience Awards for Customer Experience during the Crisis, and finalist of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, 2020 has certainly been an eventful year for Rebecca and her team!

Marvin Sordell

In this episode of our podcast, Donna spoke with Marvin Sordell, former Premier League, England and Olympic footballer, turned creative producer, writer and ambassador for mental health. Marvin shares his stories on leaving the footballing world, being fearless whilst striving boldly into a new industry and his advice on how we can all achieve our dreams.

Queen's Honours Episode

In this short episode, Donna shares her expertise and insights on creating a Queen's Honours nomination, the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours list, and how the honours nomination system works. Plus she explains why you should be nominating the people who have been ‘COVID Heroes'; giving back to their communities, and going above and beyond during the pandemic.

Neil Fachie

Donna is joined by Gold Medal winning team GB Paralympian Neil Fachie MBE. Neil shares his incredible story from learning of his condition and the trials and tribulations to get to London 2012 and achieve his dreams. And as a full-time athlete and now co-founder of a business performance coaching company Neil reflects on the similarities between sport and business.

Mike Tobin ep

This episode Donna is joined by “The father of the UK Data Centre Industry” himself, Michael Tobin OBE. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Michael shares his thoughts on the many challenges life throws us and how you can overcome fear to seize the opportunities now.. Plus he shares his stories from trekking to the South Pole, to receiving an OBE from the Queen, and joking with Prince Charles.

Ian Golding

Donna chats with Mr. Customer Experience himself, Ian Golding. Talking everything CX, Ian shares his journey into the world of Customer Experience, his stories of CX nightmares and examples winning CX strategies, plus Ian discusses the businesses who are winning in 2020 through their CX, and the effects of winning Customer Experience Awards.

Andrew Scott

Donna O'Toole talks with CEO of Ascot Group Andrew Scott, who shares his story in the publishing, events and awards industry, how they've navigated the pandemic and what entrants can expect when entering their award programmes.

Pauline Saunders

Donna O'Toole is joined by Head of Events at The Learning & Performance Institute, Pauline Saunders. Pauline talks about their flagship awards programme The Learning Awards, including what they're expecting from the 2021 programme, how they've made the submission process simple and robust, and how they support the Learning and Development Industry and Professionals.

Neil Skehel

Donna O'Toole catches up with Awards International CEO Neil Skehel to talk about his journey into awards, from award-winning McDonald's Restaurant Manager to organising some of the most popular awards in the UK and Internationally, the challenges of moving to digital award ceremonies in 2020 and his message to aspiring businesses.

Sarah Austin

Donna O'Toole speaks with The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards, Awards Director Sarah Austin, as they discuss the awards industry, and the effects of the pandemic on the awards in 2020, as well as the whole live events industry. Plus, Sarah discusses how and why you should be winning awards in 2020, and how to get involved in next years awards, which she promises to be bigger and better than ever!

AWARDS JUDGING

We are the chosen awards agency partner and judge at many world-leading awards.

Award-winning consultancy

We have excellent relationships with UK and International awards organisers. Donna has even been recognised for her outstanding contribution to judging by the UK Employee Experience Awards.

We are the first choice for many awards organisers when recommending an awards agency who will support entrants to win by providing everything from free webinars on how to write a world-class entry or presentation, to expert awards consultancy and coaching.

Our values are key to our success, and yours. We enjoy seeing the immense benefits winning awards brings to the businesses we work with, and we promise to do our best to deliver those benefits to your business. We know how much winning an industry award or a Queen's Award means to you and your company, and the potential difference it could make to your future results.

For these reasons, we will only work with you if we truly believe you fulfil the criteria required to enter, and we will guide you to the awards that, we believe, will meet your goals and give you the very best outcomes.