The former IGA building housed one business, but on Monday, September 19, the building was packed with over 45 businesses showing their wares and services. With months of planning behind them the building was perfectly set by Midnight Confetti to showcase local and regional businesses and services.

Chris Thompson, SRMT Economic Development Director said, "This is part of the Buy Local Initiative. Buy Local has the goal of creating more activities for our local businesses. We have over 350 businesses in Akwesasne. A lot of people don't know that. We provide the public with a hard copy of our local Akwesasne Business Directory. And we also have an online directory website which has the most updated information. The changes are made instantaneous on the website. Say you own a business in Akwesasne and you come in and tell us you have a new phone number – we can change that information immediately on our website. The hard copy is once a year, the online Akwesasne Business Directory website is up to the moment.

These are all efforts to let people know what we have here. This is essentially bringing the business directory to life. You get to look the people in the eye, they get to show their wares and it's a good promotion. We endeavor to make this a big promotional event for the businesses. We pay for this 100% so the businesses don't pay anything. It's a great advertising technique for them."

The SRMT Economic Development, the Mohawk Council Economic Development office and Akwesasne Chamber of Commerce, organized this event.

Thompson added, "We try to do as much together to fully utilize our skills, services and options for our local businesses. Last year we had 17 businesses, this year we have 48, maybe next year we'll showcase 75 to 100?"

One purpose for the Business Expo is attracting consumers to our region and lower the 78% leakage of business that leaves Akwesasne.

Amanda Jock and Francine Jock, owners of Iroquois Beads offer a variety of beads and specialize in Toho and Miyuki beads.

The Business Expo also had guest speakers such as Jamey Hoose from Clarkson University who spoke of the services and support the Shipley Center for Innovation offers to businesses. Monica Peters, owner of Monigarr.com, shared how she can work with local businesses and individuals to learn how to develop apps or websites for their businesses. Kelly Bergeron, Founder of Code Heroes and Danielle Johnson, Chapter Chair for SCORE, also presented.

This year the Expo's theme was Technology. Free Wifi and Mohawk Networks Broadband. The opened a gig ring and provided super speed access. Mohawk Networks also provided a monopad to show tweets and Facebook's likes in real time.