I Attended the NZ Small Business Awards and Here’s What it Reminded me

Last updated on 17 October 2026

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase with one of these links, I recieve a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read the full Affiliate Policy.

I’m not a scientist.

In fact, I nearly failed Year 13 Biology (the highest year in NZ schooling), and the only reason I scraped through was that my teacher basically spoon-fed me the answers.

It was bad.

I could never be a woman in STEM, that’s for sure.

So why am I talking about science today? Because if it’s not science behind the power of community, then it must be magic.

In October 2026, I was in the room with over 100 women in business.

• Service providers.
• Product designers.
• Beauty techs.
• Marketers.
• Agency owners.
• Photographers.
• Neurodiverse playground for kids creator (yes, really! So cool!)

I was at the NZ Small Business Awards

We were all gathered for the NZ Small Business Awards to celebrate the incredible achievements of women in New Zealand doing remarkable things.

While I didn’t really know anyone other than the organisers, nor was I getting an award, I went along anyway.

Because I wanted to be in the room with these women.

Because I wanted to be with other people who understood what it’s like to run a small business.

I wanted to hear from others in similar spaces to me.

I wanted to sit alongside them and learn, be encouraged, be inspired, simply make connections.

And I did.

And it really reiterated for me the power (the science, the magic) of community.

View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Anjali Kay | Blogging Coach (@thissplendidshambles)

View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Anjali Kay | Blogging Coach (@thissplendidshambles)

The Awards were put together by two incredible business communities in New Zealand: EmpowerHer and She Owns It. Both communities and memberships support women in business.

I’m part of the She Owns It membership, but have actually run masterclasses on blogging for business for both (and one of the founders of EmpowerHer did my brand photos!).

Together, they brought all these women together from all over the country to celebrate their wins, their against-all-odds achievements, their spectacular gumption and can-do attitude towards so many things.

The range of businesses was extreme – so many different industries.

But all the women who won awards that night (and those of us there to support) had something in common: They were part of a wider community.

It was a wonderful reminder of exactly why I created The Blogging Room Membership.

Because I recognise the power of community: having people in the same room as you, going through similar things, recognising the hard things, and really celebrating the wins.

And I want that for you.

Honestly, I don’t really mind if you don’t join The Blogging Room. That’s not my call.

But I hope that you find a community of women who are excited about you and your blog, your business, your work.

Because community can be the thing that switches something for you. That changes things. For the better.

It has for me.

And I hope it does for you, too.