You are participating in the Best in Business 2022 awards from Inc. ? Here are the answers to the 5 most frequently asked questions

Amar Hanspal (Light Machines); Lisa Dyson (Air Protein), Marek Ciolko (left) and Abir Sen (Gravie Insurance); Allison Robinson (Mom Project). Photographs by Damien Maloney, Allie + Jen, Bobby Rogers and Gesi Schilling.

First things first: bookmark the Best in Business app page.

Take a deep breath.

Okay, to recap, Inc.'s Best in Business Awards. recognize companies that have had an extraordinary impact over the past year in their field, within their communities or on society at large. We run programs focused on big data, such as Inc. 5000, and we wanted to balance that by also recognizing accomplishments that don't necessarily show up in a balance sheet. Although we have a lot of applications before the Advance Rates deadline of August 19, which is tomorrow, there is still time to apply. Here are the top five questions we get, along with our answers to get you on the right track. If your business puts profit before purpose, this is for you.

1. What are you looking for in an application?

In one sentence, positive impact. Ideally, this impact is measurable. And more than just a product of your company's day-to-day activities, although this is not a strict criterion. (Last year, we spotlighted Nova Credit, which helps immigrants build credit profiles in the United States — a business model too lofty for us to ignore. A more typical example is The Mom Project. , which, in addition to upskilling everyday working mothers, has established a technology training scholarship that has helped more than 2,000 women access jobs at companies like IBM and Deloitte.) together we seek efforts, initiatives, programs, etc., that go beyond a mission driven business model. Good work, really.

Pro Tip: Be specific and, where appropriate, include numbers we can verify.

2. Should more than one category be entered?

Probably. We feature over 40 industry categories this year, including business news from e-commerce, events and experience, management consulting, software as a service, sustainability, and more. In addition to these, we'll also be looking for winners by company size, stage, revenue, and region, as well as awarding an Overall Excellence winner (think Best Picture). If you can present a good case for your business in multiple categories, you should - The team of editors at Inc. evaluates the entries in each category against each other and examines each category individually. We'll award a winner in each category, so the more categories, the better your chances. Last year, we selected nearly 200 winners.

3. We're a public company, but we really want in. Can we?

No. Sorry. To be eligible, a company must be privately held, based in the United States and independent (i.e. not a subsidiary). Our fact checkers look for these criteria, so if you don't meet them, please save time and money for you and us.

4. Why should I apply and what if I win?

Well, because you want to be recognized as a company that puts purpose before profit by a trusted resource in corporate media. But there are many reasons. I can tell you that last year we have...