Last week saw Nottingham’s first Business Expo take place at the Nottingham Conference Centre.
Organised by NMB member, All About Tourism in conjunction with the Nottingham Post, the event was a huge success and an opportunity for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire businesses to showcase their organisations. It was great to see so many NMB members exhibiting and to receive enquiries from a number of other businesses too.
Keynote speakers included, Nick Leeson, Wayne Hemmingway and Gareth Davis and there were workshops throughout the day on everything from IT to intellectual property.
Nottingham Means Business took part in the ‘Bull Pit’, a Dragons’ Den style panel with budding entrepreneurs pitching for honorary membership of NMB and NCBC, in addition to press coverage in the Nottingham Post. 
Simon Gray (NMB), Councillor Nick McDonald (Nottingham City Council) and Andy Whyles (All About Tourism) at the Business Expo. 
Nick Leeson addresses the audience. 
Inside the ‘Bull Pit’ L-R: Aamir Butt (Next Business Generation), Simon Gray (NMB), Simon Curtis (Potter Clarkson) and Manny Agalamanyi (D2N2 LEP).
“It was a pleasure to be asked to take part in the Bull Pit at the Nottingham Business Expo. It was fantastic to see such a wealth of talent in the three businesses who presented and a very tough decision to pick one winner.
After much deliberation we chose Nicky Gray, Founder of Food Freedom. Her passion and drive was infectious and she has a proven business proposition, which is now ready to be taken to the next level. I’m delighted to welcome her as an honorary member of Nottingham Means Business for 12 months and look forward to working with her.
The Business Expo was a great success and something we should definitely repeat again next year – congratulations to all involved”. – Simon Gray (NMB)
“Pitching was a real ‘Dragons’ Den’ style approach which turned out to be quite exciting. The feedback and advice I received from the panel was invaluable, giving me so much to think about and potential ways to improve my business. I feel extremely grateful and privileged to have had this opportunity. Winning was just the icing on the cake!” – Nicky Gray, Founder (Food Freedom)
Nicky Gray from Food Freedom our winner in the ‘Bull Pit’ receives her certificate from Simon Gray (NMB), Gary Allen (All About Tourism) and Simon Curtis (Potter Clarkson).
Nicky will be attending our next lunch on 20 March 2015 at Nottingham Racecourse – for more information on Food Freedom, please click here.