See Who's In This Week's Top 50 As The Competition Advances
Alignable's annual contest just keeps getting bigger and better each year -- thanks in large part to the hundreds of thousands of you who participate in it!
Right now, we've already surpassed 112,000 votes, marking the highest participation we've seen at this stage of the contest in more than six years?
And our Local Leaderboards, which were revealed last week, are going strong, with new contenders appearing frequently. (In some communities, we're seeing action on the Local Leaderboards every few minutes).
If you want to check out your status on your Local Leaderboard, follow this link: https://www.alignable.com/my_town/votes.
Also, you'll have the chance to vote for your peers by clicking the big purple button under your status. You'll receive the full leaderboard via email.
What's most exciting about this contest is the opportunity it offers all small business folks to support each other -- and the recognition it gives not only to the people who win locally, but also the people who are the best voters.
On that note, regardless of who wins your local race, you can win a Community Supporter Badge like this one just by voting for 10 peers who are most supportive to you, your business, and/or your community.
The badge will appear on your profile after the contest ends -- and it stays there forever, showing what an awesome person you are.
Let me also remind everyone that you can go beyond the 10 votes everyone receives, if you want to make the most of this once-a-year networking frenzy. Here are a few ways to do that:
- Upgrade your membership and receive an extra 50 votes to use to honor others. This also gives you maximum visibility across the platform.
- Join your Local Alliance & gain another 10 votes to use.
- Anyone who is an Alliance Ambassador or a Group Leader, will receive an additional 20 votes to use for others in the contest. (Click here to apply to be an Ambassador. To be a Group Leader, go here).
And anyone who attends our upbeat, recognition driving contest events this week, who is not already an upgraded member, will receive information on a great, discounted deal to spur a premium membership -- only available during the contest. Reserve your spot now to learn more about this exclusive offer.
Drumroll, please -- Now, what many of you have been eagerly awaiting: this week's Top 50 Small Business Leaders across our network, as of 2:26 a.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
This list constantly evolves and is becoming much more challenging to land on, but that's because we have so many fantastic members gaining acclaim beyond their local communities.
Top 50 So Far
- JB Beckett – 300 votes (No. 1 in the U.S.)
- Yolanda Bennett – 206 votes
- Shane Hicks – 169 votes
- Ruth Aldana-Ricketts – 131 votes
- Brian Gregory, Michael Keller -- 128 votes
- Dr. Thomas Hill -- 125 votes
- Paul Finkelstein -- 122 votes
- Dr. Mary Welsh -- 118 votes
- Paul L. Odendahl – 114 votes
- Gunther Kramer – 107 votes (No. 1 in Canada)
- Helena Smolock – 101 votes
- Steve Levinson -- 97 votes
- Sara Finkelstein -- 96 votes
- Dr. Karen Fiorillo, Ralph Danna, & Mark Robbins – 95 votes
- Dr. Janet -- 89 votes
- Robz Lopez – 84 votes
- Jill Cone (AZ Metals), Stacy Mueller -- 81 votes
- LaToya Germaine, Len Marshall – 79 votes
- Char Ross, Debbie Smith –- 77 votes
- Todd Mitchell -- 74 votes
- Tony Ransdell -- 73 votes
- Geoffrey Kent, Alise Kabakoff –- 72 votes
- Tom Kavanaugh -- 69 votes
- James Clemens -- 68 votes
- Evan Raoof, Lauren Doll -- 67 votes
- Susan Husa, Rob DeLeon -- 66 votes
- Rosalind Severin McClean -- 65 votes
- Sam Rafoss, Michael Stuck -- 63 votes
- Lindsay Pettinicchi -- 62 votes
- Richard Brooks – 60 votes
- Paul Kirch -- 59 votes
- Angie Carlson -- 57 votes
- Brian Halverson -- 56 votes
- Maria Wirth, Victor Felix -- 55 votes
- E.G. Sebastian, Jay Aubrey Jackson -- 54 votes
- Mark Withrow-Sensei -- 53 votes
- Steve Kent, Steve Liebroder, Mark Amell, Leland Burton, & Roshni Sharma-Fleming -- 52 votes
- Marc Weathers -- 51 votes
- Jeannine Warrick – 50 votes
- Anton Burnette, J.R. Muller, Tracey Lee Davis, Cherri Pedrioli, & August Clark – 49 votes
- Joseph Wesley, Jason Integrity, & Carolyn Sampson -- 47 votes
- Phyllis Arnstein, Christopher Carbaugh, Kevin Rhodes, Seth Goldstein, Yvette B Eldridge, Kathleen Miles, Mark H. McCormick, & John D. Allen -- 46 votes
- JoAnn Donovan -- 45 votes
- Joe Moore -- 44 votes
- Fields Cage, Joyce Gilliam -- 42 votes
- Kimberly Noh -- 41 votes
- Arba Cooper, Karen Scott, David Creel, Birgit Cummings, Balanced Bookkeeping, & Robin Eddleman -- 40 votes
- Fred Bays, Mike Robinson, Judy Helm Wright, & Mark Satiya -- 39 votes
- George Scott, Craig Wolfson, & Sherri Moore – 38 votes
- Michael Chase, Gezrine Duncan, & Carol Witt -- 37 votes
Last week, all you needed was 19 votes or more (at the press deadline) to land on this list. Now, nearly twice as many votes are required. And we have several weeks left in the contest, which means this list will shift many more times. So, keep the momentum going, everyone.
I'm aiming to shout-out as many people as I can on the Top 50 list -- and then when the contest is over -- hopefully 5,000+ local winners. One of my personal missions—far beyond this great job—is to help as many of you as possible gain more recognition and success, both on our platform and in the media.
If you have any questions, please post them in our Local Biz Person Of The Year Group, or send them directly to me at chuck@alignable.com.
Thanks for reading! We hope you're enjoying the contest as we reach the halfway mark.
Comments (1-10)
Woohoo! 🥳 Another fabulous article by Sir Chuck covering a sample of Alignable's hardest working networkers. Bravo to each and every member listed.
Big Cheers to those that have cast a vote for someone who has made you smile or lifted you up over the past year. Your vote is a message of kindness that will remain for years to come. It's no small feat. It's huge.
Personally, its an extreme honor to even make the list at all. After one of the hardest years (2024) of my life, I persevered with Gusto while maintaining my character with high honor. Never give up and never stop learning!
Oh what fun it is to ride the “Top 50 List of the LBPOTY of 2025. Like after school, we all race down to the gymnasium or office where the list of hopefuls trying out for their teams or school plays, and either disappointed you didn’t make the squad or team, or the opposite. Either way, you are all to be congratulated for trying and “DREAMING AGAIN”! Many people haven’t been this excited about something in a while.
It’s not about winning or losing, but rather, the enthusiasm, engagement, excitement that makes YOU, find a reason to hope again. To believe again. To have that childlike enthusiasm and feeling that YOU CAN DO IT ONE MORE TIME. Don’t quit, keep it moving, and on March 7th, be proud you participated in something that maybe your once in a lifetime to dream again!
THANKS CHUCK AND YOUR TEAM, FIR ALL YOU DO, AND HAVE DONE THROUGH FEBRUARY 2nd.
Congrats to the "Top 50" and ALL our members who are giving and receiving votes with recommendations. Give + Teach = Gain is the key!
Alignable is highlighting North American businesses "One Vote At A Time". Members are privileged to help grow the success of every business owner. We all make North America's economy stronger by supporting and recommending each other. My focus will remain on getting out the vote, "Vote and Thrive in 2025."
Only 34 Days left to vote in this amazing contest. We can reach a new milestone of 500,000 total votes if we, "Vote 10 or More Like in 2024."
If you have not experienced the "Value" of the "Alignable Community Supporter Badge," I encourage you to cast your 10 votes before March 7th and experience "Remarkable Business Growth" in 2025 and beyond.
Thank you for the awesome update, Chuck Casto a.k.a. The Contest King! Let's all follow Chuck's example shining the positive light on small businesses everywhere by voting for 10 or more like we did in 2024 and recommending 10 or more as well. The recommendations we all leave can help the SEO for each person highlighted during the contest and beyond. Have fun during the contest connecting and reconnecting with great people across Alignable.
I am really excited to be a part of this contest, to be able to reach out and give a shout to everyone especially the Ambassadors on the Smart Connects, I am grateful for each and everyone of you. I must say congrats to all participants ,I wish you continued success on your journey.
This contest is a way for you to acknowledge thos who have supported you helped you in your business. Who deserves your vote/testimonial. The more you give, the more you educate your audience the more you business stands out. You are a winner no matter how you look at it :)
Thanks for all you do Chuck for small business owners around the country!
Chuck is truly amazing! His support for all of us business owners on Alignable is incredible. I’ve never been on a platform where building relationships feels so much like family! The enthusiasm here is unmatched—I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many inspiring entrepreneurs and hearing their incredible stories of success. The way we lift each other up makes all the difference. Love the positive energy and support in this community!
Chuck and fellow members, Susie Q's Kids is honored to be on the list and connect with so many incredible people committed to their crafts and uplifting others. My "Grab A Friday calls" have been inspirational!, fIlled from morning to night the past couple of weeks. If you want to connect, check for an opening, I love meeting new peeps.
Have fun this week, look forward to seeing each week's new list...
Thank you Chuck for all your doing to help each of our businesses. After just watching Alignable for a few years we are excited 😊 to finally feel apart of a business community.