Hashtag Events is running a free four-hour business show in Leicester next Friday, with a networking session and three short talks on the programme.
Hashtag Events has announced the Leicester Business Show for Friday 16 October 2026, running from 10:00 to 14:00 at Leicester Tigers. Entry is free for visitors, according to the Hashtag Events event page. For owners in Leicestershire it is a short trip to a familiar ground. The session times and our view on how a show like this fits alongside a referral group are further down this page.
When and where the show runs
It is an in-person event with a four-hour opening window. Exhibitor stands are available to book for businesses that want a presence on the day, and the organiser is the place to ask about those.
The venue is listed in two ways. The Hashtag Events page gives it as Leicester Tigers, Mattioli Woods Welford Road, while the Eventbrite listing gives Leicester Tigers Rugby Club, Aylestone Road, Leicester LE2 7TR. Neither listing explains the difference. If you are planning your route, a quick call to the organiser on 01670 284135 or an email to [email protected] will settle it.
The four sessions on the programme
The Eventbrite listing sets out four sessions:
- 10:30 to 11:15: B2B Networking Session, with Steven J Innes (Networking Host / MC / Events Compere / Secondary Income Expert)
- 11:30 to 12:00: “Stop being the best kept secret”, with Geoff Nicholson, host of The UK Business IQ™ Podcast
- 12:15 to 12:45: “Getting Started with YouTube – A Growth Strategy”, with Des Dreckett (YouTube-Led Inbound Systems That Replace Referral Dependency)
- 13:00 to 13:30: “The Ultimate Linkedin Masterclass”, with Sam Rathling (Get B2B Clients from LinkedIn® in 90 Days)
The listing gives titles and speaker descriptions only. If you win work through introductions, the networking session is the one most relevant to you, so arriving by 10:30 makes sense.
How a business show fits alongside a referral group
Des Dreckett’s descriptor talks about systems that replace referral dependency. We see it differently. A trade or adviser working in a local market still wins most of their work through word of mouth, when someone the client already trusts gives them a name. That kind of warm introduction is hard to replace.
A show gives you a morning of new contacts. A group with one seat per trade gives you people who have seen your work, know your reputation and vouch for you month after month, and that is where a steady flow of referrals comes from.
So use the show for what it is good at, which is meeting people. Note who you spoke to and what they do, and within the week book a one to one with anyone who looks like a natural partner for your trade. Conversations started on a busy Friday morning go cold quickly unless someone follows them up, and it may as well be you.
If you are weighing up a stand, set its cost against that steadier flow. A stand puts you in front of whoever walks past for four hours. A seat in a group puts you in front of the same people at every meeting, and over time they come to know your work well enough to recommend it.
Come along to a FindaBiz group as a guest first to see how a meeting runs and who is in the room. Your first visit is free. If you would like a look at FindaBiz before committing to a morning, our free online networking runs every Friday and is open to anyone with a free account.
