Sustainability theme for Small Business Expo

Sustainability theme for Wellington Small Business Expo

The Minister for Climate Change Hon David Parker will open the Sustainability Morning of the largest event held for business in New Zealand – the Small Business Expo in Wellington – at 9.30am on 26 June.

Sustainability is the theme at this year’s Small Business Expo which will be held at the TSB Bank Arena, Queens’ Wharf, Wellington from 25-27 June. A Genesis Energy Sustainability Zone has been set up to make it easy for people attending the expo to get information on becoming sustainable.

A major attraction of the Small Business Expo is The National Bank Seminar Series which offers free seminars non-stop all three days of each expo with speakers hand-picked to offer advice that will help business owners to be more successful in their business. Seminar speakers this year are from a variety of industries and their brief will be to give practical advice that business owners can use to grow their business.

All keynote speakers at this year’s Small Business Expo will discuss their journey of success and business growth stemming from their commitment to sustainability says the business woman behind the Small Business Expo, Sarah Trotman.

“While sustainability will be the core of each address, the brief is to give practical advice that business owners can use to develop their business and increase productivity. This is of such pressing interest to business that we decided the best way for people to learn how to build a sustainable business was to invite a number of experts to discuss how the principles can be applied to any small and medium business,” she says. Speaking will be some of Wellington’s most prominent sustainable business owners including Laurie Foon, Director of the Starfish fashion label on Thursday 27 June at 11am and Catherine de Groot of Trilogy at 12.30pm.

Last year was the first for the Small Business Expo to go nationwide and it proved a huge success Sarah Trotman says with more than 12,000 people attending the three events. The Small Business Expo in Wellington is sponsored by OGGI, Genesis Energy and Newstalk ZB, with partners the National Bank and Genesis Energy.

“We intend the Small Business Expo to be the highlight of the year for business owners from the Wellington region,” Sarah Trotman says. “But while we are big, the best part of the Small Business Expo is what we can offer business. We provide real information that is useful to those in business – whether it means keeping up with technology, banking practice or becoming sustainable - we have it all – a one-stop shop for business. That’s why we are the considered the best expo for business and why crowds flock to visit the Small Business Expo throughout the country.”

Research from the last expos found nearly 90 percent of who attend the Small Business Expo do business at the expos (according to a Touchpoll independent survey).

As well as the Genesis Sustainability Zone this year’s zones will include The Ministry of Economic Development Online with Business Zone, Statistics NZ Business Information Zone, The National Business Support Zone and The National Bank Seminar Series.

With 120 exhibitors expected at the 2008 Small Business Expo, owners of small to medium-size businesses will find useful ideas and information for their business according to organiser Sarah Trotman.
“We had so many comments from people following last year’s expo praising us because of the excellent advice and information they had been able to access at the expo and exhibitors too were delighted at the numbers that attended,” she says.

Prospective attendees can book exhibition space and purchase tickets online for all three venues from the Small Business Expo 2008 website www.businessexpo.co.nz

ENDS

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