This article originally appeared on the eBay Inc. blog.

“Our Seller Community is the heart of everything we do. You drive our identity and purpose, and without you, we don’t succeed. To celebrate the lifeblood of eBay, and recognize National Small Business Week, we’re launching the SHINE Awards for Small Business for the third year in a row. The awards are eBay's opportunity to shine a light on our vibrant community of sellers. Sellers are the essence of who we are, and my favorite part of the year is celebrating their personal stories.”

These words from VP of B2C Selling and Global Trust Bob Kupbens perfectly sum up how we at eBay feel about sellers—and why we celebrate them with the annual SHINE Awards for Small Business.

The inaugural SHINE Awards for Small Business were launched in 2016 to highlight and recognize the role sellers play in powering our marketplace. In the two years we’ve held the awards, we’ve received inspiring entries from eBay sellers across the nation who shared their small business stories and told us how eBay helped them pursue their dreams. Each year, we select a number of finalists and then ask the community to vote for the sellers they think are making a difference. Then, we name one grand prize winner and five category winners who truly exemplify what it means to grow a best-in-class business on eBay.

Do you have what it takes? The application period for the 2018 SHINE Awards for Small Business is now open. We’re looking for shining examples of our community members who have a passion for selling on eBay. If you’re a U.S. eBay seller, you could win $10,000, a VIP trip to eBay’s Open seller celebration, a 1-year Anchor Store subscription, and much more!

"My favorite part of the SHINE Awards was seeing my story on the big screen and the reaction from fellow sellers and the eBay executive team. It was the first time I got to step back and see what I have actually accomplished over the years. It fueled my passion to pave the way for other women and minorities to pursue their dreams." - 2017 SHINE Awards Small Business of the Year Winner Angie Cardona-Nelson

This year, we’re looking for rockstar sellers in the following categories:

• Global Business: A small business owner who sells a portion of their inventory on eBay internationally.
• Minority or Woman-Owned: A female small business owner or small business owner from a racial or ethnic minority group: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
• Everyday Hero: A small business or organization owner who drives a positive impact in their community or leverages the eBay for Charity program.
• Young Entrepreneur: A person between the ages of 18-35 who owns or has a major role in the business operations of a small business selling on eBay.
• Click-and-Mortar Business Owner: A small business owner who sells both on eBay and from a physical retail location.

Applications will be accepted April 26-May 10, 2018 at ebay.com/shineawards. A judging committee will then narrow the field to three finalists in each of the five categories.

From July 2-July 18, 2018, we’ll be asking the eBay community to vote for their most inspiring seller. Those votes will help determine the most deserving winners among the 15 finalists. Finally, we’ll all celebrate our finalists and winners in style at this year’s eBay Open, July 24-26 in Las Vegas.

Ready to share your seller story and win big? Head over to ebay.com/shineawards to learn more about the eBay SHINE Awards for Small Business and enter the contest. Or, find out how to make your application stand out.

We can’t wait to read your stories and once again celebrate our incredible community of sellers!