KickstartSEO Wins Business Awards for Leadership and Client Service

This post was originally published on 4 September 2025. We updated it on 1 October 2025 after learning that we had won.

Update: From finalist to winner

Back in September, we shared that KickstartSEO had been nominated for a business award. At the time, it felt like a solid nod. Since then, things have moved on.

In October, we were told we had won.

The SME Visionary Leadership Awards recognised KickstartSEO in two categories. I was named Most Instrumental Visionary SEO Services Leader 2025. More importantly, our team—myself, Dee Atkins, Teri Price, and Norman—were awarded the Client-Centric Leadership Excellence Award.

You can see the official listing here: SME Visionary Leadership Awards – KickstartSEO.

What the awards actually recognise

These aren’t SEO awards in the usual sense. They’re business awards. They focus on how companies operate, how they lead, and how they serve their clients.

The SME Visionary Leadership Awards focus on leadership, innovation, and real business impact. They’re not about who shouts the loudest. They’re about how a business actually operates day to day, and the results that creates for clients.

That matters more.

Our entire model is built around service. Clear advice. Honest feedback. Work that actually moves a business forward. The blend of human experience and AI strategy is part of that, but it only works because the focus stays on the client.

The image still says it all

The image we shared—me standing alongside Norman—still holds up. It represents how we work every day. No smoke and mirrors. Just a partnership that gets results.

Most agencies still separate “AI” from “people”. We don’t. It’s one system, working together.

A quick reality check on awards

I’ve always been wary of the whole “award-winning” label. In many cases, it’s more about visibility than substance.

This one felt different. No invoices. No sponsorships. Just a recognised SME awards process and a decision based on how we actually work.

Still, an award reflects what you’ve already done. It doesn’t guarantee what comes next.

What happens now

The trophy is on the shelf. It looks good. I won’t pretend otherwise.

But it doesn’t change anything.

The focus stays the same: helping UK businesses improve their visibility, generate better enquiries, and build something sustainable. That’s where the real value sits.

If anything, this just raises the standard we hold ourselves to.

Keep moving forward

If you want to understand how we approach that work, start with The Norman Advantage. Or take a direct look at your own site with our Website Fitness Evaluation.

Awards are nice. Progress is better.