A businessman from Mansfield Woodhouse has been nominated for three awards for his work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Stephen Goddard is a co-founder of KuKu Connect, an innovative business networking service that has supported businesses and charities for free during the crisis.

It has been nominated for the Best Business Awards’ Outstanding Support During Covid-19 category; the National Business Awards’ Pivot For Purpose Award, and the Global Business Excellence Awards’ Outstanding Support During Covid-19 category.

KuKu Connect’s Covid-19 support work and services were set-up in March for free to help its members, but were also opened up to any business or community organisation.

The company paused its members’ subscription payments to focus on supporting others, despite the impact on its own business viability.

Stephen has been posting on social media and over LinkedIn for free. KuKu Connect also set-up several innovative free support services at the outset of the pandemic and its services have continued ever since.

They include Carry On KuKu video-bulletins, broadcast over social media, like a kitsch news show, giving out daily business tips, events, opportunities, business news and offers to help.

Stephen also featured daily shout-outs for a range of individual businesses, venues and charity appeals, recording more than 100 videos from his kitchen, which has been turned into a mini-studio.

Another free service is KuKu Cocktail Hour, a networking event that uses Facebook Live.

Dressed in black tie, Stephen and his co-founder, Philip, connect businesses and charities together over virtual cocktails, offering something completely different to online networking events.

“It was a truly great surprise that KuKu Connect has been nominated for these prestigious awards — not just one, but two national and one international awards nominations is astounding,” Stephen said.

“It has been great to support so many different businesses and charities throughout the pandemic and we are still here supporting.

“I am really looking forward to restarting our physical business networking Connect Reception events as soon as is safe to do so. Face-to-face networking will always be the best way to build great business relationships.

“It has been such an awful time for us and so many others, but the power of social media and digital technology, along with some KuKu-style creativeness, has been huge and has made a difference to businesses.”

The next KuKu Cocktail Hour networking event is on Wednesday, 30th September, from 5pm-6pm. To take part join the Facebook KuKu Connect Corona Group.

For KuKu Cocktail Hour event details go to https://www.facebook.com/events/314697712976093

Photo credit: Suzanne Fells Photography