Small businesses and government agencies ‘speed date’ at Reverse Trade Show in Orlando

By Christa Yates, Staff Writer

 

The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in partnership with the Florida Apex Accelerator, hosted the Government Contracting Reverse Trade Show in the Small Business Center at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, Florida, March 19.

 

The Reverse Trade Show provided an opportunity for small businesses to meet with government agencies and prime contractors. The event hosted 30-plus exhibitors for attendees to connect with, including the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orange County Government, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, the Sanford Airport Authority, and more.

 

“We do this every year, and the idea is to give small businesses with an interest in government contracting an opportunity to meet with [government] agencies face-to-face,” said Steve South, government contracting consultant for the Florida Apex Accelerator. “We’ve got a mix of federal, state, local and prime agencies, where other shows may focus solely on federal or local agencies.”

 

Harrison “Hal” Thayer, associate director of the Florida SBDC, emphasized that not only were the opportunities provided by the Reverse Trade show important, but also the training that small business owners received prior to the event to capitalize on those opportunities.

 

“We do a ‘tips’ class beforehand and send out several emails encouraging [small businesses] to research [attending agencies],” Thayer said. “We educate them on how to take advantage of these opportunities [and] get their elevator pitches ready and well rehearsed so they’re confident when discussing their capabilities.”

 

South estimated that during the event, over 170 small businesses passed through the exhibit hall to engage with the exhibiting agencies.

“It’s like speed dating,” Thayer said. “Each business spends three to five minutes at each booth.”

 

According to Thayer, while this show is in its fourth year, the event has operated for the last 10 years under a different name.

 

“I think [the Reverse Trade Show] is a great opportunity for people to network and connect with organizations that they might find opportunities with,” said Lana Garcia, an exhibitor at the University of Central Florida booth.

 

The next Reverse Trade Show will be in conjunction with the Florida SBDC’s fourth annual Small Business Success Summit, Aug. 18-19, in Tampa, Florida. The summit will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions and networking opportunities that help small businesses form strategies and make connections to help further their business, while providing small businesses with resources to reach new limits and encourage success and growth.