This is how the judges pick the overall winner at The News' Business Excellence Awards

With 14 categories for people to enter, the competition is always bound to be fierce – but one category stands above the rest as the most desirable trophy to take home.

Sue Ball from Portsmouth and Waterlooville-based law firm Verisona Law is tasked with helping to choose the overall winner.

She says there is no black and white way of picking a winner and the judges’ minds can be swung for different reasons every year.

Sue said: ‘We have been doing the Business Excellence awards for around five years now.

‘For us, it’s really the intangible qualities that make a true winner – you see a lot of category winners that are worthy of the award, but there’s usually one or two that stand out from the rest.

‘These can be the businesses that have won several categories on the night, or it could be a business or individual that has that special something; they could be so impressive that they clearly deserve the award above anyone else.

‘The point that I really want to stress is that it isn’t just the person with the most trophies that can win this award, but anyone with that special something can end up taking it home.’

Sue says that winning an award is something of huge importance to businesses across the region.

She said: ‘I like the fact that the awards focus on local businesses – it’s a chance to find out more about what businesses are operating in the area.

‘Throughout the night, you not only get to catch up with people from other companies but also network with new acquaintances, so it’s a great opportunity for those who are nominated.

For more information and to enter the awards, go to portsmouthbusinessexcellence.co.uk.

You can also hear what others are saying by joining the conversation on social media by using #NewsBizAwards.