Shop window to best in Wexford business
WEXFORD business put itself on show at County Hall last week with 80 exhibitors taking part in one of the biggest networking events of the year.
The Wexford Business Expo provided a shop window on the county, with stalls representing an A-Z of the business community eager to attract visitors.
Model Rosanna Davison, who won Miss World in 2003, along with editor of the Sunday Business Post, Ian Kehoe, made an appearance at this year’s Business Expo, which drew more than 2,000 visitors.
In his address, President of Wexford Chamber Karl Fitzpatrick, who officially opened the Expo, said the event is there to help exhibitors to progress their business and ‘find the next gear.’
He said that the free event offered a wealth of opportunities, advice and information for those who wanted to expand their business.
Dr Janette Davis and Dr Veronica Kelly from Wexford Campus IT Carlow were heartened to see a variety of educational stands among those exhibiting.
‘It is a fantastic opportunity for someone like us to show that we arehere, in terms of educational support around Wexford,’ said Mrs Davis.
Over at the stall of the Wexford Working Men’s Shed, Brendan Tormey and Teddy Doyle were very happy to get the opportunity to showcase what they do.
Every year AIB Wexford set up a stall to give financial information to the visitors. This year AIB’s Martin Doyle said the Expo was the best one yet.
‘The atmosphere here is just brilliant and where we are situated [near the entrance] is great. We get to catch people coming in and when they are leaving,’ said Mr Doyle.
Karol Jackson from Menapia Properties achieved what she set out to do at the Business Expo.
‘I got two great leads today, so I am more than happy. I feel it is very important for businesses to make the public aware of their services.’
The Chamber had three Google Garage workshops running throughout the day – Reach New Customers Online, Tell Your Story Online and Know Your Business with Google Analytics.
Newspaper editor Ian Kehoe spoke of the risks and rewards of growing your own business.
His presentation was followed by the launch of Wexford Chamber’s BAR (Businesses Acting Responsibly), a new initiative encouraging involvement in community, philanthropy, health and wellbeing, and environment.
Meanwhile, the Wexford Food Family also launched their Wexford Food Focus 2020 strategy at the Expo. It aims to promote and grow the Wexford Food Family businesses for the next three years, by setting up meetings with the public to help them expand.
Later in the day, model Rosanna Davison made an appearance and took the time to pose for pictures with some of the exhibitors.
The businesses who took part in the year’s Wexford Business Expo were: Wexford Food Family; Finance Ireland; Bus Eireann; AIB; Wexford County Fire Services; Local Enterprise Office; The Hatch Lab; Public Participation Network; Wexford Library - Work Matters; Wexford Tidy Towns; Visit Wexford; Business Acting Responsibly; The Sunday Business Post; County Wexford Chambers; Wexford Chamber Skillsnet; Wexford People Newspapers; Graphedia; Wexford Local Development; Department of Social Protection; EmployAbility Service Wexford; Bofin Consultancy; Magnet; Mastered; Local Link; Wexford Working Men’s Club; Datapac; CWS-boco Ireland Ltd; Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board; South East BIC; Think Print & Design; Think Business Solution; CHC Environmental Solutions; Bank of Ireland; EBS; InterTradeIreland; Glen Fuels; Caulfield Financial Ltd; Asset Locator; Gas Networks Ireland; Wright Insurance Brokers Ltd; Wexford Chamber Vouchers; GD Accounts Training; Zurich Insurance Ireland Ltd; Wexford Arts Centre; O’Driscoll Lynn Architects; David M Power Consultancy; Spiritual Earth; Swift-Admin.com; Schedulie. com; Abodoo.com; 123 Connecta. com; JamDigital.ie; AirbaseMakeup. ie; Number 12; Clayton Whites of Wexford; Delaney Corporate Finance; Home Instead Senior Care; Strategic Bank Corporation of Ireland; Wexford Campus IT Carlow; IOAC-International Outdoor Adventure Centre; Elevation Construction Network McGrath Construction Consultants; Total Slip Solutions; Enniscorthy Air; Menapia Properties; and NP Liquid Glass.