We’re proud to share that Climb & Conquer has been shortlisted for Small Business of the Year at the 2026 Tees Business Awards.
The fourth annual awards, a Tees Business event in association with razorblue, will take place at Hardwick Hall Hotel on Thursday, April 23. Winners will be revealed on the night, with former Middlesbrough and England manager Steve McClaren returning to the region as keynote speaker, sharing insights on leadership, team-building and performing under pressure.
A Competitive Category
The Small Business of the Year category attracted more than 30 entries and features five finalists:
- Southern Asset Management
- Climb & Conquer
- Tanglewood Games
- Logic-i Group
- GLC Projects
To be recognised among such strong Teesside businesses is a significant moment for our team.
Building Roots in Teesside
We’ve recently made the deliberate move to establish deeper roots in Teesside. For us, this was not a short-term decision or a convenience move. It was a strategic commitment.
We believe in backing regions that back ambition. Teesside has the talent, the energy and the resilience that aligns perfectly with our challenger mindset. We’re here to build long term, to create skilled digital roles and to help ambitious brands grow nationally and internationally from the North East.
Since moving, we’ve already seen strong momentum across SEO, Meta/Google Ads and Klaviyo performance marketing campaigns, working with businesses that want clarity, accountability and results.
Shane Parkins, Founder of Climb & Conquer, said:
“We’ve recently moved to Teesside because we believe in putting down real roots. This is a region full of ambition and straight-talking business owners who want results. That suits us perfectly.
We’re here to stay, to grow and to keep proving that a challenger agency from Teesside can compete at the highest level. The success we’re seeing so far only strengthens that belief.”
Looking Ahead to April
Over 100 entries were received across all categories, highlighting the strength and diversity of businesses across the Tees region.
For now, we’re focused on what we always focus on: delivering performance for our clients, developing our team and continuing to grow with intent.
April 23rd will come around quickly. Regardless of the outcome, being recognised at this level is something we’re extremely proud of.
We’ll see you at Hardwick Hall.
