The Small Giants Hall of Fame
Honoring the Small Giants who go above and beyond
to lead with purpose and heart.
We’re recognizing some of the best Small Giants leaders in our Community through the Small Giants Hall of Fame Awards!
Nominations are now open for you to help us recognize the Next Gen Leaders and Founder/CEOs who represent, practice, and live out Small Giants values, philosophies, and what it means to be a purpose-driven leader.
Top finalists in each category will be announced in March based on nominations from others – the stories, reflections, and impact others share about them. We’ll celebrate all of the finalists in person during the evening reception at the annual Summit. This is also when we’ll announce the winners from the group of finalists – one Next Gen Leader and one Founder/CEO – who will be inducted into the Small Giants Hall of Fame.
Nominations for 2025 Hall of Fame Awards are open until January 24, 2025. Submit a nomination for a Next Gen Leader here and a Founder/CEO here!
Anyone can submit a nomination for a leader, peer, manager, mentee or mentor, team member, direct report, or someone who you believe embodies what it means to be a Small Giant. This is a globally recognized award.
Here’s what you should be looking for in the leader you nominate.
Common Traits of a Small Giants Leader
A Small Giant is a purpose-driven and heart-led leader who:
Learn more about the 2024 finalists here.
Next Gen Award
The Hall of Fame recognizes standout leaders across various levels of an organization – think leadership team members, chief level roles, senior or mid-level leaders impacting culture, people, operations, and the like – who:
Founder/CEO Award
The Hall of Fame recognizes current or former founders, owners, or CEOs who:
Who can submit a nomination for consideration?
Nominations can be submitted by anyone! Nominations should be submitted by someone who is associated with and familiar with the nominee.
Is there a fee to nominate someone?
It is free to submit a nomination. There is no cost associated with this award or the Hall of Fame.
How do I nominate someone?
Complete the correct nomination form:
Can I nominate myself?
This is a community-driven award based on nominations of others. Although you can’t nominate yourself (and no disguises either!), you can share the nomination form with a colleague and ask them to nominate you!
How many times can I apply or nominate someone?
Nominations from others are the only way to apply for the Hall of Fame. You can nominate as many people as you’d like, and there is no limit to how many nominations someone can receive on their behalf.
You can apply every year whether you were named as a finalist or not.
Once you receive the Hall of Fame award, you can no longer be eligible to apply for future years.
When does the nomination process begin?
Nominations for the 2025 Hall of Fame Awards are currently open until January 24, 2025.
Who is considered a Next Gen Leader?
Next Gen leaders come from different levels of an organization – think leadership team members, C-suite members, senior or mid-level leaders influencing culture, people, operations, etc. If a leader is not an owner, founder, or CEO, then they are considered part of the Next Gen category!
What are the Small Giants traits that this award recognizes?
A Small Giant is a purpose-driven and heart-led leader who:
Listen to this conversation with our 2024 Hall of Fame inductees to learn more about what it means to be a Small Giants Leader.
How many winners are selected?
Top finalists in the Next Gen Leader award category and top finalists in the Founder/CEO award category will be announced in April. These top finalists will be recognized during an in person ceremony at the evening reception of the Summit.
One winner from each category will ultimately be announced live during the Summit and will be inducted into the Small Giants Hall of Fame.
Learn more about the 2024 finalists here.
How are winners selected?
All nominations will be reviewed thoroughly by a tenured representative group of leaders and founders from the Small Giants Community. Nominees will be interviewed, along with other potential references.
Do I need to attend the Summit to win the award?
Since the awards ceremony will be held live during the Summit, finalists will be recognized in person, and the Hall of Fame recipient in each category will be announced live. Therefore, finalists must attend the Summit to be qualified to receive the award.
You can learn more about and purchase your ticket for the Summit here.
Who is in the Hall of Fame?
The Small Giants Hall of Fame recently launched in 2024, and we were pleased to induct these Small Giant leaders into the Hall of Fame:
Learn more about the 2024 finalists and winners here!
What happened to the Forbes Small Giants company award?
Who do I contact for other questions?
Please email hello@smallgiants.org with any questions.