Small Business Expo goes international

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: Small business sector specialists Sarah Trotman and Associates have taken the concept overseas and are franchising the event through New Zealand's franchise company Franchize Consultants.

"We plan to invite a number of APEC SME leaders and managers charged with looking after small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the EU to attend the 2008 Small Business Expo and Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards to see for themselves that we are indeed world class," Trotman said.

She is confident the franchise package which includes the Small Business Expo, the Excellence in Business Support Awards and the Your Business Your Way expo magazine will work as well internationally as they have in New Zealand. These three business support initiatives will be offered as a total business support package for franchising through Franchize Consultants.

Trotman said, "Our business model has moved forward at a very rapid rate over the last three years and we expect there to be significant interest from overseas, especially Australia. We have the country's largest database of business owners who are pro-active in growing their business and the ability to build a similar database in other countries will undoubtedly be a major attraction for franchisees."

"I expect our 2008 expo to build on the successes of last year when it went national and provide more of the much needed inspiration for business owners with our aim again to invite excellent keynote speakers and provide great networking opportunities for the people attending," Tortman said.

Ninety-five percent of all New Zealand's businesses employ 19 people or less, which classifies them as small to medium-sized (SMB) enterprises and these are the people the Small Business Expo is aimed.

"These enterprises account for nearly 40 per cent of New Zealand's total value-added output and employ 30 per cent of all employees so are an important contributor to our economy and it is vital that these businesses keep up with new ideas and products and services," she added.

"Exhibitors at the 2008 Small Business Expo will range from software to telecommunications, courier services to legal and financial advice, education specialists to office equipment, so there are many opportunities for business owners to investigate the best options available to help them grow their business in one easy-to-navigate location," she says.

The Small Business Expo is being held at Auckland's ASB Showgrounds from Auckland April 16 to 18; at the Christchurch Convention Centre from May 20, 21, 22 and in Wellington at the TSB Arena on June 25 to 27.