Uniondale, NY - May 4, 2017 - After a record-breaking debut at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University in Hempstead last year for its inaugural event, the Long Island Business Expo has celebrated its second successful year on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 after expanding its offerings within the walls of an entirely new venue: the mammoth exhibition hall of the freshly-renovated from the ground-up Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.
Event Management LLC President Marc P. Sherer – the mastermind behind the Long Island Business Expo and its big brother, the long-running New York Business Expo – said that he envisioned the event as a huge amalgamation of programming targeted specifically at and for the Long Island business community, and for 2017, he would be offering more vendor booths, speakers, seminars, and networking opportunities than any other business-specific event in the region.
Event Management LLC President Marc P. Sherer (left) with Carla Hamilton, Membership Director, Long Island Association, Inc. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle
Sherer’s company has been producing business-to-business shows for over 20 years, and due to popular demand he decided last year that it was high time to give Long Island - one of the most unique entrepreneurial markets in the nation - one of its very own.
“For the past 13 years, we've been successfully running an event in Manhattan at the Jacob Javits Center, and we were asked last year if we could bring that event out to Long Island, because it's got great content, great networking opportunities, and it's an avenue for growth for small businesses,” he said. “We said sure, let's look at it. Last year we did the show at Hofstra University, and we immediately outgrew it. We actually outgrew the facility before we ever even did the show. So we did a little bit of lobbying, and we were selected to be the first-ever trade show in the brand new Nassau Coliseum, and the result has been really spectacular. We're quite excited about it.”
The Long Island Business Expo is a huge amalgamation of programming targeted specifically at and for the Long Island business community. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle
With the move to the new location, according to Sherer, came a corresponding and geometric growth of not only the scope of the Business Expo, but the number of participants and attendees as well.
“We've doubled our metrics...in my world, that means twice as many attendees, and twice as many exhibitors,” he said. “On the show floor, there are about 240 exhibiting booths for various businesses and organizations, which is twice what it was last year at Hofstra. And as for attendance, the jury is still out as it's the middle of the afternoon, but we had lines out front when we started, the traffic is steady, and the meeting rooms are all very crowded. So we're doing very well.”
LongIsland.com was one of the 240 booths exhibiting various businesses and organizations at the Long Island Business Expo. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle
Francesca Carlow is the president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce, an umbrella organization representing 49 independent Chambers throughout Nassau County. She noted that events like the Long Island Business Expo are vital for helping small businesses not only survive, but thrive in a difficult economy.
“We were here last year, and it's much larger this year... I'd say at least twice as large as it was at Hofstra,” she said. “We've been here all day, and we've seen a lot of people, which is wonderful. And the people we've seen represent so many different industries, from service to software to non-profits…I think the event is very well done, and it's only in its second year, so there's no telling how much better it'll be next year.”
Nick Miller represents Golf Pro Delivered, a company based out of Port Washington that specializes in setting up virtual golf courses at events throughout Long Island.
“This is our first time at the Expo, and we just found out about it a few weeks ago and got in at the last minute,” he said. “It was an unbelievable move, and I already see that it's going to be great for our business and great for making connections.”
The Long Island Business Expo offered more vendor booths, speakers, seminars, and networking opportunities than any other business-specific event in the regiony. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle
Maria Fields of LegalShield, a legal assistance group catering to business owners and their employees, said the Business Expo has already gotten her a tremendous number of leads and possible new clients, and noted that her company will absolutely be involved again next year.
“I really like it...we've had a lot of people stop by, gave a lot of information out, and met a lot of nice people,” she said. “Thanks to the Expo, we have a lot more people interested in our business now, which is always helpful in a very tough marketplace.”
Marc P. Sherer and Event Management LLC have been producing business-to-business shows for over 20 years, and due to popular demand he decided last year that it was high time to give Long Island one of its very own. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle
Simply adding more exhibitors and enjoying a greater flow of attendees wasn't enough from Sherer; taking advantage of the extra space available to him, he opened up the Long Island Business Expo to include more not-for-profit groups, as well as exclusive partnerships, that tailor exclusively to the local business community and its unique challenges and needs.
“We've been very fortunate to work with partners like LongIsland.com, and many community-based organizations across Long Island that speak to the small business community, that have a mission to help try and advance their cause, whether it's to networking or through social connections or through business education,” he said. “So we expanded our base supporters, including 47 non-profit business organizations on Long Island, and they invest in the show by bringing their attendees to the building and we're very happy to have them involved…the show is blossoming. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in year three.”
The Long Island Business Expo has found it’s permanent home at the Nassau Coliseum for not only next year, but hopefully for many years to come. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle
Speaking of year three, Sherer noted that the Long Island Business Expo will not be searching for yet another new venue for next year's event; indeed, he said, the Expo has found it’s permanent home at the Nassau Coliseum for not only next year, but hopefully for many years to come.
“We're going to stay at the Coliseum…this is going to become the home of the show, and we have future expansion plans from more education and more floor space,” he said. “We're going to take over different opportunities within the building…this building is an extremely flexible space, so we've got the chance to do some things and really grow the event going forward. So, doubled in year two, let's see what happens in year three!”