Following another Queen’s Award win, we talk to Midstream Lighting’s Co-Founder Yuli Grig about his childhood dream and what this latest win means for Midstream.
YULI, YOU SAY WINNING A QUEEN’S AWARD WAS A DREAM COME TRUE. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT?
As a child, I remember looking at the packaging of Vitabiotics Vitamins and setting a mental target to one day win a Queen’s Award. 20 years later, we’ve won two!
WHAT MADE YOU APPLY FOR YOUR AWARDS?
My boyhood dream was probably there in the background somewhere. But it wasn’t just that. As the world’s No.1 specialist and pioneer in LED lighting, we believed we deserved the Innovation Award. The award panel obviously thought so too. The kudos of winning that award in 2018 lead to our international sales growing considerably. So, it made sense to apply for International Trade Award.
WHAT HAS WINNING THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE AWARD MEANT FOR MIDSTREAM AS A BUSINESS?
The Queen’s Awards are the most prestigious of all the business awards in the UK. And we’re incredibly proud of winning two of them. This latest award reflects the hard work our staff and partners put in to achieve the fast, international growth we’ve seen. Winning this Queen’s Award, coupled with last year’s Sunday Times Fast 100 award, really helps solidify our credibility in the market. And, when it comes to our partners and suppliers it inspires confidence in our brand. So, winning awards like this has a real net benefit to the business. This award also grabs the attention of everyone else who’s been involved in our journey.
What has winning this award meant for your company and staff?
It’s hard to link winning this award with any new business wins – yet. But it’s clear it gives significant prestige and credibility to our brand. It also gives us a fascinating story to our customers. They love the fact that a relatively small business like ours can win top awards like this, not just once but twice.
For staff, it’s a great morale booster and very comforting to have external recognition that your company is heading in the right direction. It’s great to be part of a winning team!
Are there any other ways the award has benefited Midstream?
For our sales team, winning an award that recognises your hard work has been a great energiser. It’s also really inspired our distributors, especially in Commonwealth countries. And of course, I can’t stress how much it’s given our reputation a massive boost.
Have you any advice for any companies applying for a Queen’s Award?
There’s no reason you can’t apply. Previous winners have come from all sorts of industries and backgrounds. So, have faith in what you do and your story, then lead with that in your application. Carefully check the criteria for the award you’re entering and take plenty of time to plan your application. When you win a Queen’s Award it elevates your company to a new status. Go for it!
About the Queen’s Awards.
First established in 1965, they’re UK’s most prestigious business awards. They celebrate the success of UK businesses leading the way with pioneering products or services. This year 220 UK businesses have been recognised for their contribution to International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development, and Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility).