Record attendance at the ‘be the boss’ expo

The Franchising Expo and Start Your Own Business Expo have wrapped up another successful Melbourne event, attracting a record 3,542 visitors across two days at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The exhibitions brought together over 100 exhibitors representing franchise brands, business services, industry suppliers and government organisations. Visitors also took advantage of a packed program of seminars covering franchising, marketing, finance, business planning and artificial intelligence.

Event Director Tim Collett said the strong attendance reflects the growing number of Australians looking to work for themselves. “We are currently seeing a boom in interest in these events. I suspect people are losing faith in the corporate world and worried about the impact of AI. They want to have some control over their future.”

Running side-by-side, the Franchising Expo and Start Your Own Business Expo gave visitors the opportunity to compare franchise opportunities, discover business services and connect with industry experts - all under one roof.

"One of the real strengths of these events is that visitors can explore every pathway into business ownership. They might come thinking they want to launch their own business but then see the power of a franchising model. Either way they can do their research and speak with operators who have been through the journey".

Exhibitors reported strong enquiry levels throughout the weekend, with many saying it was the best show in years.

Kellie Edge from inXpress said “As a franchisor, this expo exceeded our expectations. The event attracted motivated, high-quality prospective franchisees; was exceptionally well organised; and provided excellent opportunities to showcase our brand.”

Darren McAuliffe from Frandata said “I have been doing the franchising shows for over a decade and this is one of the best. I have never seen more excitement and interest from people wanting to work for themselves.”

Following the success of the Melbourne event organisers have opened stand bookings for next year and most exhibitors have already rebooked. Tim Collett says the shows will grow and include a brand-new feature called the Tradie Pavilion – aimed at tradespeople who want to move from employee to owner. He says “I have no doubt we are going to see increasing interest from everyday Australians awanting to wanting to sack their boss and build their own business.”

These are dates for next year:

• Brisbane – 21–22 March 2027
• Sydney – 29–30 May 2027
• Melbourne – 7–8 August 2027

For more information on exhibiting or visiting call the expo team on 03 9999 5460 or visit the event websites www.franchisingexpo.com.au or www.startyourownbusinessexpo.com.au

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Media enquiries and images:

Tim Collett
Specialised Events
E tim@specialisedevents.com.au