An impressive line-up of speakers, one-to-one meetings with experts and speed networking sessions combined to attract more than 1,000 people to Swindon’s South West Expo.
Staged at the town’s STEAM Museum, it was the first since the original Expo teamed up with Business West’s Business Show Swindon to create one single event.
More than 120 businesses and organisations exhibited at the show, ranging from recruitment agencies to hotels, PR agencies to lawyers.
Visitors got the chance to meet like-minded business owners at the speed networking sessions and benefit from experts in the one-to-one sessions on social media, international trade and business start-ups.
Speakers included the UK’s Number 1 motivational speaker Brad Burton, award-winning young entrepreneur Julianne Ponan, double amputee and Afghanistan war hero-turned-inspirational speaker Rick Clement, sales guru and Entrepreneur’s Godmother Alison Edgar, and marketing genius Richard Woods.
Among the exhibitors was Claire Disney of Sedgemoor Publicity, which specialises in promotional products and business gifts.
She said: “It was an excellent day and had a vibrant upbeat feel. There was a definite buzz about and it was good to meet new potential clients. The footfall was extremely good and we finished the day with a very positive feeling and will definitely attend again. It was very well run and extremely professional.”
Ian Larrard, director of Swindon and Wiltshire Initiative at Business West – the region’s largest business organisation – said: “We are delighted to have partnered with South West Expo to make this year’s event bigger and better than all previous events.
“There’s nothing like meeting people face to face and the exhibition gives the opportunity to do just that. We’ve had incredibly positive feedback from exhibitors and attendees.”
