Canberra’s inaugural Pop Up Small Business Fair was held last Friday (31 July) at the Belconnen Arts Centre. The event featured a range of local stallholders specialising in areas such as graphic design, accounting, legal, business development, photography and public relations, providing an opportunity for small businesses to connect, network and exchange ideas with each other.

For event organiser and Canberra businesswoman Hilary Wardhaugh, the event was a natural extension of her Pop Up Office venture, which is a community of local freelancers, creatives, entrepreneurs and professionals who regularly attend ‘hang out’ sessions to work and discuss business ideas in a relaxed environment. Hilary is a strong believer in the power of collaborating with like-minded people, particularly since “it only takes one idea or one connection to completely change your life!”

Nick Tebbey from Snedden Hall & Gallop Lawyers agrees, seeing the pop up event as a great way to connect with other businesses and develop mutually beneficial relationships, while also staying in touch with the challenges and opportunities for Canberra’s small business sector. 

Bookkeeping firm Figures Matter and web development company Technowand also understand the value of ‘keeping it local’, saying that their local presence is paramount in understanding their clients’ business needs and delivering tailored solutions. And for Canberra-based creatives She Is Helen and LibCreative, the deeper relationships forged with their local clients are just as important as the word of mouth they generate.

Events like these are also a great platform for new ideas, and local startup Solution Solution took the opportunity to showcase their newly-launched product - an innovative fabric cleaner that instantly removes makeup and cosmetic stains without producing a watermark. The event also allowed them to engage one-on-one with attendees, giving them direct insights and feedback on their product.

The old saying of ‘no business is an island’ still rings true today, and asking for help or advice certainly isn’t a sign of weakness – which is why Pop Up Office and their events are so valuable to Canberra’s small business and freelance community. For more information on Pop Up Office and their future events, visit their website or connect with them on Facebook.