On Tuesday, 12th May 2026, Growthack was named runner-up at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Growth Awards 2026 in partnership with HSBC.
We entered the Micro Business Award (East Midlands), which is officially described as “businesses with up to 9 employees punching above their weight.”
There were over 2,800 entries across all categories, so even being in that room felt like a privilege.
A conversation that stuck
During the evening, I had a really good conversation with Doug Andrews, who won our category.
He’s been running his business for 17 years. Started as a consultant, then gradually built a team around him.
I asked him what the end goal was after all that time.
“I don’t really have one. I just still enjoy what I do.”
That stuck with me.
Rethinking the “finish line”
After being a consultant myself and doing this for six years, it’s easy to assume there’s a finish line. A point where everything clicks into place and suddenly makes sense.
But maybe that’s not how it works.
Maybe for a lot of people, it’s simpler than that.
It’s just about continuing to do something you care about.
And for me, that’s where I’ve landed.
I genuinely enjoy doing the work. Improving it. Building the right environment around it.
The room matters
One of the standout parts of the evening was the mix of people in the room.
Different industries and journeys. Completely different businesses.
But there was a shared experience underneath it all.
You could feel it in the conversations.
And I won’t pretend otherwise, walking up on stage still feels a bit awkward and nerve-wracking, even when you already know where you stand.
That part doesn’t change.
A moment to take it in
It was a great evening.
Lovely people. Good conversations. A reminder to step back and actually take in how far things have come.
And congrats again to everyone involved.
Small by design. Built to compete.
Growthack is a micro business. And that’s not something we’re trying to grow out of.
We’re small by design.
It means we stay close to the work. We stay fast. We stay accountable.
But it doesn’t mean small in capability.
Through our Beyond SEO® approach, we bring in the right specialists when needed. Technical SEO, content, data, paid, development.
So you get the best of both worlds.
- A specialist consultant who understands the full picture
- A wider team when the work demands it
No unnecessary layers or dilution in thinking.
Small doesn’t mean limited. It means focused.
And for now, that’s exactly how we intend to stay.
Staying nimble. Staying close to the work.
And continuing to compete with the best, regardless of size.
