This week we had the fantastic opportunity of exhibiting at the Business Revival Conference at the London Excel. The show, being our first event since the lifting of restrictions, was great to get amongst the community, face to face and find out about all the exciting ideas that businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs alike had been cooking up over the last 2 years.
To share with you all the excitement from the event, we’ve created a fun roundup of all the antics.
Day 1: Setting Up
Matt and I hit up the exhibition hall at the excel early on Tuesday to get a head start on setup for the 2-day event. We donned our high vis (health and safety is paramount folks), grabbed our trunk and got stuck in.
Very serious stand setup photoshoot (essential).
The stand looking spick and span (minus our Arch swag)
We ended day 1 by soaking up the views on the harbourside, which despite being in close proximity to a regional airport, provides some excellent views.
Soaking up the views on the harbourside
Day 2: The first day of the conference
Day 2 saw us rise early to meet up with the newest member of our commercial team, Paul. A London local who arrived from just a short hop across the Thames. Our first port of call… Coffee!
Sweet display from Formula E at the Excel
After a quick catch up, we were on our way to the Excel, ready and raring to get stuck into our first day of the Business Revival Conference 2022. The day was a cacophony of great talks, excellent 1-2-1 conversations and all-around good vibes from our fellow exhibitors. It was great to see people out and about again, chatting about their businesses and passions face to face with no barriers.
Paul engaged in a riveting conversation about how business can become digital-first.
I took some time in front of the camera to promote Arch at the conference, much to the relief of Matt and Paul.
Later on in the day, former professional boxer David Haye took to the stage with an inspiring talk on overcoming adversity to achieve your goals. Self-confessed fanboy, Matt took to the stage to grab a photo with him.
David Haye (left), Matt O’Connor (right).
We finished off day two with a well-deserved team catch up over drinks and dinner before Paul headed home.
Day 3
Starting off with another early rise, and of course coffee, we headed over to the Excel to begin the second day of the conference.
In the classic last day conference style, conversations were filled with more social and inquisitive chats about the possibilities of implementing software-based offerings for a great range of businesses. Jokes, jovial conversations and allegories were shared, resulting in a day that truly felt like a pre-pandemic experience - a welcome return for exhibitors and visitors alike.
After closing up at the end of the day, we began the journey back to central London, our stand, now affectionately nicknamed 2 Tonne Thomas in hand, our lack of experience in finding tube station lifts and negotiating it up flights of stairs a spectacle for rush-hour commuters. Once back at Kings Cross, we took some time to reflect on the week and enjoy some all-important decompression over a pint before beginning our journeys home.
All in all, the expo was a welcome return to a more traditional way of doing business, getting to know people's stories, their drivers and motives.