Island businesses gathered at Lakeside Park Hotel, Wootton, on Wednesday (September 14), for the annual Isle of Wight Business Expo.
It's been a challenging few years. Firms had been negotiating their way around Covid-19, rising energy bills, and then came the death of Queen Elizabeth II and even rain, on the day itself.
However, it turned out to be the perfect opportunity to share experiences, meet old friends and new faces and plan for the future.
The Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce's flagship networking event welcomed a host of representatives, from Island cancer and animal charities to tech firms, and from communications experts to eco businesses.
Chamber CEO Steve Holbrook told the Isle of Wight County Press: "It's gone very well. It's been very busy.
"The car park's full and overflowing, which is a good sign that it's been well supported.
"We've had some challenges this year, with the rain, but there's still a busy hall and lots of people interacting.
This year's Business Expo fell within the official mourning period, following the Queen's death on September 8, and while some businesses were required not to attend, for others it was a chance pay tribute to the late Monarch, who was patron of the British Chambers of Commerce.
Among those at the show was Isle of Wight cleaning firm Top Mops, represented by contract manager Sam Flux.
"It's been really busy," he said.
"I've had quite a few leads and have been meeting other businesses. It's great awareness for us. It's great to show our face and be out and about."
Isle of Wight ferry firms also travelled to Wootton Bridge.
Red Funnel's sales development manager Sarah Dawson, said: "I look after a lot of our Island business accounts - trade, general business and the tour operator side.
"We're members of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce. We like to support the Island in anyway we can. We like to be very visible, seeing how we can help, especially in these difficult times.
"It's always busy. We've had some lovely conversations with people we know, people we have good relationships with, as well as new people. It's been very beneficial."
For Wightlink, sales manager Travis Cooper said: "We're quite an important part of the Island life, so we like to make sure we're visible. We're making ourselves available to Island businesses and anyone who wants to come and see us.
"We're finding there's a lot of engagement.
"We want to do a bit of mythbusting and make sure people realise the stretch of water isn't as expensive as they might think it is. We offer business rates and try and support local business as much as possible. We don't want people to be put off doing business on the mainland."
New to the business expo was Michael Dangerfield, MD of Wight Productions and isleofwight.com.
"It's been fantastic. There's been a constant flow of people coming past the stand," Michael said.
"We wanted to showcase our video production work. We wanted to meet the people we already work with and new people - make new connections.
"We do traditional videography, but we also do time-lapse, video streaming and quite a lot of drone work. We've got the drone on the table, as an eye-catching thing for people to see. We're also giving out popcorn!
"We're always looking at latest technology. Everything moves on so fast."
Freelance Isle of Wight photographer Robin Crossley was also catching eyes, thanks to his latest bit of kit - an open air photo booth.
The set-up, for business events, weddings and more, can snap quality pictures of nearly 30 people at a time.
He explained: "You're not limited to something like a passport booth. It's a glorified selfie machine with an inbuilt printer and once you're happy with your photo, you get it within about ten seconds!"
Charities were also well represented.
Corynn Povey, animal centre manager for RSPCA Isle of Wight told the County Press: "We're here to raise awareness of what we do - including our five star boarding facility for cats and dogs - Bohemia Boarding. We are looking for sponsors for our kennels and cat pods.
"We have 12 kennels and 27 cat pods. We can do medications and grooming and all money goes straight back into the RSPCA and supports those looking for homes."
Island Roasted's, Steph Burgess, was handing out coffees and representing Newport's Caffe Isola.
She said: "We have always done the expo.
"It's awesome the Chamber works so hard at these events. It's a case of networking and piecing our brand together- our flagship coffee bar and our wholesale side, which is Wight Label tea and Island Roasted.
"It's really important for us to show we know what it takes to run a coffee bar and deliver hospitality. It's good to get out here and talk about it."
JR Zone chose to promote its new laser tag guns with an impromptu game, involving some of the other exhibitors.
From the business, Carl Joyce said: "We managed to get quite a few people involved in playing a game of laser. It caused a bit of chaos!
"It's been really exciting. We're trying to show that laser tag and soft play isn't just for kids, it's for adults and businesses and team building as well."
Matthew Chatfield was there to introduce himself as the new manager of Matrix Create.
He said: "Hopefully, it's going to be an exciting year. We've got lots of things going on.
"We have clients on the mainland and very big clients on the Isle of Wight, some of whom we've been working with for 20 years and some of whom are brand new.
"People like a firm you can come and see - who you can ring up in the middle of the night and they'll sort out your problems.
"We make websites, but we're human beings - not just nerds!"
Isle of Wight Distillery's Mermaid Gin brand has exploded in recent years and was even spotted in the latest James Bond movie.
That doesn't mean the firm discounts local events to show off their wares - in fact, it is crucial, Fay Mowbray said.
"We want to continue in our support to local organisations and local businesses. It's always great to have a meeting place, to catch up with everybody and to be present.
"Massively, the company is what it is because of its routes
"We are an international brand and we often have people say to us they feel like we're representing the Island.
"It's great when someone goes to Italy, or Canada, or Australia and sees that little bit of the Isle of Wight. We're deeply to connected to where we started and where we make everything."
Isle of Wight County Press editor Alan Marriott said: "The County Press has been a long-time supporter of the Expo and recognises its importance as an occasion for Island businesses to get together, meet customers old and new, and generally chew the fat."
Speaking at the busy event, Chamber CEO Steve Holbrook said: "There were a few people who weren't able to attend, but we thought, with the money people had invested, it was important to go ahead, if we could. The Queen was a huge supporter of business."
"It's always good to see new businesses coming through. Every Expo is different.
"We had the Covid years, which were challenging, but now we're going into a new period of challenges with fuel costs. It's a difficult time. That's why I think it's good when businesses come together because they can share experiences and talk to each other.
"The Island business community is resilient and it's showing all those skills at the moment."
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