About

The Powerlink Expo will host one of the Gulf Coast’s largest business expos and tradeshows on May 18-19, at the First Baptist Church Christian Life Center, in Fort Walton Beach, FL. This event is designed specifically for local businesses on the Gulf Coast to connect with each other and grow.

This is the 4th Annual PowerLink Business Expo being held on The Gulf Coast. The first three expos were held in Pensacola, Florida starting in 2011. Last year the hosts of The PowerLink Business Expo revamped the entire event, which created more opportunities, and held it at the Corrine Sanders Community Center, in Pensacola, FL.

The story of The PowerLink Expo starts with the vision of the founder Katrice Johnson. When Katrice started The PowerLink Expo, it was out of necessity. She saw how many of the local small businesses were struggling due to the oil spill in the Gulf in 2010. It was at that point, Katrice made a conscious decision to dedicate part of her efforts to helping local small businesses. Although her educational background and experience are in graphic design and marketing, she found herself doing research in other areas of business, due to the needs of her clients. After a couple of years of research, Katrice decided to put together a showcase opportunity for business owners. The first PowerLink Business Expo took place in 2011, at the Hampton Inn, on Airport Blvd. There were 25 vendors and close to 100 participants at this event. From there the efforts of The PowerLink Expo have grown into an awesome opportunity for business owners across the Gulf Coast.   

The PowerLink Business Expo offers a safe space for business owners to network and grow. Creating a support system for entrepreneurs and small business owners on the Gulf Coast. The PowerLink Business Expo offers small business owners workshops, seminars, conferences, and speed-networking sessions. Participants can enjoy workshops, seminars, and exhibits at no cost however, registration is required. If a participant chooses to be a part of the conferences and speed-networking sessions, they will spend between $5 and $85. The event hosts wanted to make this event as affordable as possible for business owners, helping them to get the tools that they need to continue growing their businesses.