1:27pm Wednesday 30th June 2004
By Daniel Menhinnitt
Last year's Business First exhibition provided one fledgling business with the opportunity to grow after they met their new landlord at the show.
Having a stand at Business First 2003 meant the three-person team were able to find the perfect new premises.
Natalie Stewart, the sales manager for Art Division, a web and graphic design company, explained: "The new offices meant that we could expand the business from being based in a garage. It also meant we were much closer to our Croydon client-base.
"The opportunity to network business-to-business, when there was no one visiting the stand was a perfect opportunity to visit other businesses on their stands to find out what they do."
This year Art Division will not only be exhibiting at the show, which is sponsored by the Guardian, but sponsoring its e-newsletters, which are expected to be up and running by the end of the week.
At last year's exhibition the team took on three new clients who wanted a website, printed marketing material and flash animation for a CD-ROM. This generated enough income to cover the costs of the stand.
The business is based in Wallington. Visit www.art division.co.uk.
This year's Business First exhibition is being held at Fairfield Halls on October 6 and 7. Contact Croydon Chamber of Commerce on 020 8680 2165.
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