Hi everyone,
This blog will outline the key reasons why you should get yourself down to a business event!
Recently my business partner and I had the opportunity to attend London’s biggest business event, known simply as ‘The Business Show’. We had never been to any sort of business event before, but as we are attempting to start-up a business we decided to go for it as even if it didn’t help us, it would be a fun day out at the least.
What we found was that attending the business show was a fantastic experience, which we would both strongly advise anybody who even has the slightest interest in business to attend. Here are some of the main reasons why:
1. Advice
Business events include many keynote speakers. All of these keynote speakers are successful businesspeople who have priceless knowledge to share with you. Being able to learn from: one of the dragons from dragons den, the owner of a premier league football club, and a member of the Forbes 30 under 30 list, was a great opportunity to listen to advice on what to do and what not to do when starting and running a business. Additionally, business events often include many different stalls of business’, these allow a more personal discussion with successful business owners with any questions you may have for them!
2. Connections
Everybody knows that it’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know. If you want to be successful in business, then you have to make contacts with other people in business. Business events are the perfect place to make these connections. Not only can you get the contact details of the many businesses offering useful services that you may need somewhere along the line. But many events often have a section devoted to networking. At The Business Show there was a ‘speed networking’ activity which encouraged visitors to share information about their business’ with each other and exchange contact details.
3. Confidence
One of the main things we took away from the business show was confidence that we can make our start-up successful. Being able to listen to millionaire businesspeople reflect on what it was like when they were starting out, makes you realise that they went through the same problems that you did! For instance, some spoke of struggling to think of a business idea and some spoke of coming under heavy criticism for their idea. It is very reassuring to know that these successful people still made their business work despite all of the potential hurdles. We left the business show feeling confident and motivated to make out start-up as successful as it can be!
4. They are often free!
Tickets for these shows are often free! If you have any sort of interest in starting a business or working for yourself, you would be really losing out if you didn’t go along to one!
The Business Show is back in London on May 17 and 18 in the Olympia. Search Google for business events in other areas.
If you are interested in my business start-up check out: https://www.facebook.com/occumi/
For a 1-1 business advice session, get in contact with the Hub team: unikenthub@kent.ac.uk
Thanks,
Josh Clarke, Hub for innovation and enterprise Student ambassador