What can a fair really do for a small business? For us, International Citizens Day was more than a booth and a banner, it became a turning point filled with lessons, community, and proof that entrepreneurship is built on small wins.
I founded We Are Entrepreneurs in early 2020 and the goal was always clear. I wanted to help people create their own job, their own small business, and use everything they know to make money and integrate in Denmark. Maybe it was because I saw that if I could do it, others could as well, and I wanted to be the support I once needed for others.
Fast forward five and a half years and so much has happened. My sole proprietorship became an ApS, the support I once relied on vanished after divorce, my business model changed more than once, and I worked night shifts in other places just to pay the salary of my team. Along the way I met so many people and collected so many stories. It has not been a straight line, however it has certainly been a real one.
When International Citizens Day came into view (again), it felt like the right time to take part. I designed my first banner for this fair. I submitted a proposal to speak on stage and to my surprise it was accepted. We delivered a session that was exactly who we are, practical and down to earth, and many people came afterwards to thank us. It was an amazing moment.
Preparing for it was not a light task. I created worksheets, I doubted how much to print or whether to print at all, I worked tirelessly to create our newcomer guide and to launch our Members Hub, even though I knew it was full of mistakes. Is it really entrepreneurship if everything flows smoothly.
When the banner finally arrived, I almost cried. I opened it and it was perfect. After years of uncertainty, pivots, late nights, and messy trial and error, this simple piece of fabric felt like proof. Proof that the work was real, visible, and ready to stand in front of people. Entrepreneurship is full of these small wins that do not look like much from the outside, yet they mean the world on the inside.
The day of the fair itself gave us more than I expected. A wonderful artist sketched our session live on stage. Past students from our online courses came to say hello and shared how much it had helped them. Long-time collaborators were there helping visitors alongside us, and it was inspiring to see their work again. These interactions reminded me why we do what we do and why all the late nights are worth it.
Next time we will bring more people to our booth, so visitors can also hear directly from entrepreneurs in our community. It will also mean we can take a break during such long hours, because being on for the entire day is intense. That balance matters too, especially when the goal is to be present and engaged with every person who stops by.
Surprisingly, one of the most successful outcomes came from something we did not expect to stand out, our Salsa and Well-being for Entrepreneurs activities. People signed up, asked for more, and wanted to join us in well-being sessions. It showed me how much entrepreneurs long for community in what can otherwise be a solitary path, and how important it is to care for ourselves while we build our businesses.
For a small business like ours, a fair like this can be a turning point if approached with intention. We did not go because everybody else went or because it was about time. We went with a concrete goal: to bring people to our Members Hub and to showcase something we had spent so much time working on, our down-to-earth approach to entrepreneurship and the benefits of creating your own job.
Lessons for Small Businesses Preparing for a Fair
Over the years I have learned that an event is never just an event. It can be a catalyst for collaborations, energy, and visibility, if you prepare for it with the right mindset. Here are my reflections, written as a checklist for anyone considering their own participation.
Do
- Set a clear goal before you go. Decide what you want from the fair and design your booth around that purpose. For us, it was Members Hub sign-ups. Without a goal, the day easily slips away.
- Keep your message simple. People remember one thing, not ten. Make sure your booth and materials all say the same thing.
- Prepare well in advance. Print what you need, test your QR codes, check that your sign-up forms work. The fewer things you leave for the last minute, the more present you can be on the day.
- Engage with people. Ask questions, listen, and adapt to what they share. The most valuable conversations are often the least rehearsed.
- Bring others with you if possible. It gives visitors more voices to hear from, and it gives you a chance to rest. A whole day at a booth is intense, and energy matters.
- Follow up. Send a message, share resources, invite them to your hub. A contact at a fair is only the start of a relationship.
Do not
- Go without a strategy. Being there “just because” rarely leads anywhere.
- Overload your booth. Too much text, too many flyers, and people walk away. Keep it clean and inviting.
- Leave everything to the week before. Stress will show and it will take from the energy you need for the day itself.
- Hide behind your table. Step forward, be approachable, and let people feel you are there for them, not only for yourself.
- Forget yourself in the process. Take breaks, drink water, eat something. If you are exhausted, you cannot connect.
- Let the work end when the fair ends. If you never reach out afterwards, the effort you put in will fade.
For us, International Citizens Day was not about joining a crowd. It was about meeting the right people at the right time and in the right way. The result was new members, new collaborations, new energy, and above all a reminder that “integration through entrepreneurship” is not just a slogan. It is lived in practice, every day, by every person who takes the step to create their own job.