Event Highlights: What We Learned at The Better Business Show
September is always a bustling, inspiring month for UK businesses, and this year’s Better Business Show at Worthing was no exception. As the founder of Career Path e-Learning & HR Services Ltd, connecting with like-minded professionals, SME leaders, and local innovators made this event a true highlight in our calendar. Here are our key takeaways, a few behind-the-scenes moments, and some practical lessons you can apply to your own business journey.
The Value of In-Person Connections in a Digital World
The past few years have reshaped how we all do business, with much of our learning, networking, and customer service moving online. Yet, nothing replaces the buzz of a room full of ambitious people, all energised to make a difference. For Career Path e-Learning, attending The Better Business Show reaffirmed the importance of face-to-face connection. We heard from clients who’d only ever joined our courses via Zoom, met partners we’d only linked up with on LinkedIn, and swapped real smiles and handshakes again.
Why does this matter? Because even in the world of online training, people buy from people. Trust and rapport, built in-person, often lead to stronger, longer-lasting partnerships. If you’re an SME owner or HR professional looking to grow your network or strengthen team engagement, prioritising a few key in-person events each year is well worth it!
Shared Challenges, Shared Solutions: What Local SMEs Are Talking About
At the show, a recurring theme emerged: compliance, wellbeing, and skills shortages are top of mind for so many organisations. Whether it was a care home grappling with mandatory health & safety updates, a hospitality manager keen for food hygiene refresher courses, or a construction firm worried about CSCS Green Card training, the message was clear, finding flexible, trusted learning pathways is make-or-break for business growth.
We had candid conversations with leaders who, like us, see training as an investment in people, not just a box to tick. Many want more help building learning into daily life (not just annual compliance sprints), practical support with onboarding, and real answers to staff’s digital learning worries. At Career Path e-Learning, these are precisely the problems we’re passionate about solving. This feedback keeps us focused on making our platform as supportive, clear, and practical as possible.
Reflections from the Founder: Horace’s Top Three Takeaways
After decades in HR, I believe events like The Better Business Show remind us that:
- 1. **Real dialogue drives progress.** Hearing directly from local business owners is invaluable, what works, where the pinch points are, and which skills matter most.
- **Personal touch is a true differentiator.** In a digital-first world, real human support is still what people value most. That’s why every Career Path e-Learning client gets access to human help and tailored guidance.
- **Small steps create big impact.** Just one new tool, contact, or compliance insight picked up at an event can spark major growth over time. Never underestimate the power of a single conversation.
Quick Wins for Event-Goers and Exhibitors
If you’re thinking of participating in a future business showcase or industry event, here are a few practical lessons we picked up:
- – **Prepare stories, not just leaflets.** People remember authentic stories, especially when they illustrate the real-life difference your services have made. We found attendees engaged most when we shared examples from our care, hospitality, and construction clients.
- **Make it easy to connect later.** Have QR codes ready that link directly to your course library, events calendar, or booking form, digital follow-up is key.
- **Listen more than you pitch.** We learned so much by letting business owners explain their pain points. It informed our next set of course topics and HR advice sessions.
Looking Ahead: How Career Path e-Learning Supports Growth
Events like The Better Business Show serve as powerful reminders that SMEs are not alone in the everyday challenges of compliance, training, and team growth. We left feeling even more energised to deliver sector-specific, CPD-approved online courses, virtual instructor-led sessions, and truly personal support for all our clients. If you met us at the show, thank you for making it memorable! If you didn’t but want to learn more about our learning pathways, we’d love to connect.
Career Path e-Learning is here to help turn regulations and upskilling from burdens into real business assets, 24/7, 365 days a year, with genuine guidance at every step. Let’s translate good intentions into measurable growth together.
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Elevate Your Career. Empower Your Workforce with Career Path e-Learning & HR Services.
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If you’d like to discuss your training needs or share your own event experience, get in touch today. Every conversation moves us forward.