A new regional business event is coming to Duluth Jan. 13 and 14.
Business North and the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) are partnering to launch the Business North B2B Expo, a two-day event built to bring businesses, organizations and professionals from across northern Minnesota and Wisconsin together under one roof.
The inaugural Business North B2B Expo will take place Jan. 13-14 at the DECC, with the expo floor open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
The event is being developed as a regional gathering for the 18-county area served by Business North, while remaining open to businesses of all industries and sizes. Companies throughout the region are invited to exhibit, attend, network, and participate.
“Doing business after COVID has been exceptionally hard, and I think we’ve lost some of the face-to-face connection that used to be such an important part of building a business,” said Andrew Weisz, owner of Business North. “We wanted to create something that gets people back in the same room. Whether you’re looking for a new customer, vendor, employee, partner or simply want to meet more of the people doing business across our region, we want this to be a place where those connections can happen.”
The two-day expo will feature businesses representing a wide range of industries, along with keynote speakers, educational sessions, interactive clinics, games, competitions and opportunities for attendees to get direct advice from regional professionals.
Programming is expected to cover topics including marketing, human resources, finance, legal, sales and tourism. Attendees will also find more interactive opportunities throughout the event, including Office Olympics, Best Handshake, Best Business Card, a closest-to-the-cup Putting Competition, Résumé Reviews, Ask a Marketer sessions, Financial Audit drop-ins and other clinics and informational gatherings.
A unique part of the Business North B2B Expo will be its Vendor Spotlight program. Every exhibiting business will receive 15 minutes on the main stage during the event to introduce their company, talk about what they do, share their expertise or present on a topic of their choice.
The goal is to give businesses more than a booth. The Vendor Spotlights will provide exhibitors with an opportunity to speak directly to attendees while giving visitors a chance to learn more about the companies and expertise represented throughout the expo.
“We don’t want this to be an event where you walk through rows of booths, grab a few business cards and leave,” said Dan Hartman, Executive Director of the DECC. “We want there to always be something happening and another reason to stick around, meet someone new and learn about a business you may not have known was right here in our region.”
The partnership between Business North and the DECC combines Business North’s reach throughout the regional business community with the DECC’s experience hosting large-scale events and gatherings in downtown Duluth.
The expo is intended for the entire business community. Contractors, manufacturers, professional service firms, financial institutions, health care organizations, technology companies, retailers, nonprofits, tourism businesses, entrepreneurs and other organizations are all welcome to participate.
For attendees, the event will provide an opportunity to discover businesses throughout the region, find potential vendors and partners, learn from other professionals and build new relationships. For exhibitors, it offers two days to put their business in front of potential customers and decision-makers from across the Business North footprint.
Additional details, including exhibitors, keynote speakers, programming and registration information, will be announced as the event approaches.
Learn more at businessnorthexpo.com
About Business North
Business North is a regional business publication covering business, industry, economic development and the people shaping northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Its coverage serves an 18-county region and connects business leaders and organizations throughout the Northland.
About the DECC
The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center is a convention, entertainment and event destination on the waterfront in downtown Duluth. The DECC hosts conventions, trade shows, sporting events, concerts, community gatherings and other events throughout the year.
