A MARKETING agency, a travel agency, a caterer and company that makes badges labels ­— the shortlist for the Owner Managed Business category in the South Coast Business Awards demonstrates the diversity of companies in the region creating wealth and jobs.

“The awards act as a fantastic gateway for businesses across the South region to showcase their talent”, said Stuart Datlen, managing partner of the category sponsors Moore Stephens' Southampton office.

Celebrating the contribution of OMBs to the UK economy, this award recognises small to medium sized businesses which have demonstrated solid growth and strong financial performance, understands its customer, has an engaged workforce with effective leadership and is continually innovating to support future growth. It is open to organisations with £750,000 to £10m turnover in their last financial year.

The shortlisted companies are:

The MindWorks Marketing Company

MindWorks Marketing is an employee-owned and industry-recommended full-service marketing agency with local and international clients across a range of sectors.

Being employee-owned means that clients benefit from a level of dedication and shared values that, in turn, deliver a level of customer service and creativity that

the company believes is second to none. Across all the disciplines it works in, its aim is to raise awareness, increase footfall and sales or reinforce a brand for clients. The company has 35 in-house specialists, all focused on delivering the right work at the right time for our clients.

The Natural Travel Collection

The Natural Travel Collection is a privately owned award-winning travel company, consisting of the following specialist brands: Wildlife Worldwide, The Travelling Naturalist, Dive Worldwide, Families Worldwide, Schools Worldwide and Walks Worldwide. The company is owned and managed by directors Chris Breen, Teresa Bennett and Nick Joynes who have worked together for many years and are passionate about the sustainable and ethical foundation that underpins every brand and is at the heart of the company values. Each brand has expert teams – everyone is knowledgeable and highly experienced in their roles. The teams are passionate about travel and meticulously create exceptional holidays and experiences.

Diametric Technical

Diametric Technical Ltd is a corporate branding specialist with over 35 years’ experience of providing innovative, high quality product branding solutions. Its Southampton-based head office is home to the widest range of processes available in the UK. Diametric design and produce a comprehensive range of commercial badges, labels and nameplates for a wide variety of industries. The company's longstanding commitment to the product design and manufacturing industry is evident in its continued research and development and has resulted in us working alongside the biggest brands in the world to create exceptional badging and labelling solutions.

Vanilla Catering & Events

Vanilla Catering & Events provides outstanding, innovative food supported by friendly and professional service for every occasion. Now in its fifteenth year, the company is as passionate as ever about ensuring that you get the experience you are seeking. Whether it’s your wedding, a formal corporate function, or a relaxed private party, Vanilla’s primary focus will always be on producing exceptional food and providing outstanding service. Based on the banks of the River Hamble in Swanwick, near Southampton, Vanilla's team of chefs work with the very best and freshest ingredients, locally sourced and sensitive to the seasons wherever possible.