Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Business Expo to help buyers ‘find it in Fayette’

Whether you're looking to tune up your golf game with high-tech computer analysis, locate the perfect personal chef or caterer for your next gathering, or just want to learn more about what's available in Fayette County, the 15th Annual Chamber of Commerce Business Expo is the place to be Sept. 22. Hosted annually by the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, the Expo is open to the public and is free of charge.

The Business Expo is the largest event of its type in Fayette County and is designed to showcase local businesses and community organizations in an open tradeshow format so consumers and businesses know where to "find it in Fayette." To accommodate the great popularity of the event, the Expo will be at a different location this year: New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville.

Why is it so important to "find it in Fayette" and spend your dollars locally? First and foremost, when you shop locally, you support your neighbors and friends.

Local business owners and managers are the people driving next to you on our roads, they are sitting in your pew on Sunday mornings and their children are classmates with your children. Spending money at local organizations keeps the community thriving, creates new jobs and keeps money circulating in Fayette County. For example, if a local business employs 50 people, you are supporting 50 families in the community when you shop there.

"Keeping your dollars in Fayette County has a multiplier effect," said Brian Cardoza of the Fayette County Development Authority. "When you spend your money in the county you live in, it helps local businesses grow, which creates new jobs and diversifies our tax base, which helps keep you property tax low. In addition, the local taxes you pay fund the services you receive such as water, sewer and roads."

The strength of the local economy depends on the commitment of local consumers, and that is at the very heart of why the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce is so committed to the Business Expo and bringing together the public and the business community.

The new Expo location at New Hope not only provides plenty of room for additional exhibitors this year (over 130 booths are already registered), but also allows for several special speakers to address the visitors to the event. During the Expo, Dan Cathy, president and chief operating officer of Chick-Fil-A, will speak at 6 p.m., giving his remarks on "Building Successful Businesses in a Community."

Prior to the start of the Expo at New Hope, from 2-4 p.m., business owners and entrepreneurs are also invited to a no-charge Business Growth Workshop. The workshop is designed to teach strategies for taking immediate control of profits and cash flow, 5 ways to increase sales and profits, and ways to develop, test and measure effective ad campaigns. Kevin Hanville, a respected business coach from Action International, will lead the Business Growth Workshop seminar. Both of these events are free and open to the public.

More information about these seminars, the Business Expo and a list of the participating businesses can be found at www.fayettechamber.org/expo.htm. The Expo runs from 4-8 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church, 551 New Hope Road, Fayetteville, with seminars starting at 2 p.m.