First Annual Long Island Business Expo A Rousing Success

LongIsland.com

Held on April 21 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, the event combined education, information, and support for the Long Island business community.

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The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY.

Photo by: Chris Boyle

The inaugural Long Island Business Expo is in the history books, and judging by the facts – over 160 companies attending from Long Island, Manhattan, and even Arizona and California, as well as the thousands of guests who packed into the venue – the event can and shall be considered an unqualified success.

Held on April 21 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University in Hempstead, the Long Island Business Expo is an offshoot of the New York Business Expo, an event held annually at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan that has been heralded for the tools and resources it has been offering the professional community since its inception in 2006.

Both the New York and Long Island Business Expos are the brainchild of Event Management LLC President Marc P. Sherer, who expressed his enthusiasm at the prospect of bringing his event’s unique blend of savvy and smarts to the competitive business landscape of Long Island.

“We were very excited when we were offered the opportunity to come to Long Island and bring our brand of business expo and education to this marketplace,” he said. “We looked around and found that there wasn’t the exact kind of event of the nature that we do…our expo is built with the intention of educating our attendees with the best possible business education, with proven strategies, that – when applied – can expand their companies' horizons.”

Among the attractions at the Long Island Business Expo included 20 separate seminars, a Social Media Lab where professionals could learn about the importance of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and other websites and applications that could be used to promote their businesses. In addition, Sherer noted that the Expo featured four keynote speakers that were sharing their know-how over the course of the day, including Julie Hochhalter of Google and Ramon Ray of Smart Hustle Magazine and Infusionsoft.

“This is a really excellent opportunity for businesses to come and learn how to grow,” he said. “The companies here today really represent the best of business-to-business products and services for our attendees.”

John Colascione, CEO of Long Island Media Inc, the parent company of LongIsland.com, noted that his organization had partnered with Sherer in helping to make the Long Island Business Expo a reality.

“We’re going to have a very exciting day… it’s still early, but it’s already filling up in here,” he said. “The Long Island Business Expo is attracting a lot of attention and we’re expecting a great turnout. This is a great convention and educational conference… all of us here from LongIsland.com are very excited to be partnering with Marc on this and to be here today.”

Making a point of getting in on the action at the Expo himself, Colascione – himself an author of the best-selling book Mastering Your Website: Insider's Guide To Fully Understanding Your Website, Search Engine Optimization and Building Your Brand – held a well-attended and informative seminar on search engine optimization, local marketing, and social media, and engaged in a question and answer session afterwards with attendees.

Another vocal supporter of Sherer and his contributions to the business world over the years was Mark Jaffe, the President of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce.

“We’ve watched Marc and his team build great Expos throughout the region… the one in New York is the largest, and the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce has seen it grow over the last decade,” he said. “This is the first year of the Long Island Expo, and we’re sure that this will be an annual event that will bring thousands of people together networking and educational opportunities.”

Sherer expressed appreciation for all of the support that he has received over the course of his efforts to bring the Long Island Business Expo to life – including that of LongIsland.com – and said that the event is slated to have a long and healthy future servicing the needs dedicated Long Island professionals, entrepreneurs, and go-getters.

“We really see this as becoming an annual event on the Island. We’re honored to be here today at Hofstra, and the reception so far has been amazing, and we’re really excited about the prospects for the future,” he said. “The Long Island Business Expo is presented in its inaugural year with the very strong support of LongIsland.com, and I have to appreciate their support… it’s been an amazing partnership, and it’s because of them that this event has become possible for the business community.”

 

Photos

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • John Colascione, CEO of Long Island Media Inc. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • Event Management LLC President Marc P. Sherer, the founder of the New York and Long Island Business Expos. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • LongIsland.com was one of the major supporters behind bringing the Business Expo to Long Island. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • Long Island Business Expo attracted over 160 companies and a plethora of educational and networking services for Long Island professionals. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • A Social Media Lab washeld where professionals could learn about the importance of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • Universal Signs, one of over 160 companies attending the Long Island Business Expo. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • Long Island Business Expo attracted over 160 companies and a plethora of educational and networking services for Long Island professionals. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The check-in desks for the first annual Long Island Business Expo. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The show floor of the first annual Long Island Business Expo, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The LongIsand.com booth at the Long Island Business Expo. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • The LongIsand.com booth at the Long Island Business Expo. Photo by: Chris Boyle

  • Long Island Business Expo attracted over 160 companies and a plethora of educational and networking services for Long Island professionals. Photo by: Chris Boyle