75 attendees. 12 speakers. Over $15,000 in door prizes.
One unforgettable day celebrating small business in the Maritimes.
On October 22, 2026, business owners, entrepreneurs, professionals and community leaders came together in Moncton for the inaugural OMISTA Credit Union SmallBizRIOT Conference. And what a day it was!
The energy in the room, the conversations between attendees, the practical insights from our speakers and the overwhelmingly positive feedback made one thing clear: Greater Moncton’s small business community is ready for more events like this.
We’re already looking ahead to 2027 — and we want you to be part of it. GET ON THE LIST FOR SMALLBIZRIOT 2027
Be among the first to hear about next year’s conference, speakers, special offers and ticket availability.
A Big Day for Small Business
SmallBizRIOT was created around a simple idea: local business owners deserve access to inspiring speakers, practical business advice and valuable professional connections without having to travel to Toronto or another major city. Our first event brought that vision to life.
Across a full day of presentations, networking and conversations, 12 speakers shared ideas, experiences and lessons designed to help business owners build stronger, more profitable and more successful businesses.
But SmallBizRIOT was about more than sitting and listening to presentations. It was also about meeting other entrepreneurs, exchanging ideas, discovering new opportunities and building relationships with people who understand the challenges and rewards of running a business.
The response from attendees was tremendously encouraging, with enthusiastic comments and feedback throughout the day. And when we talked about doing it again, the message from the room was clear: SmallBizRIOT 2027 should be even bigger and better!
More Than $15,000 in Door Prizes — Designed to Help Businesses Succeed!
At SmallBizRIOT, we wanted the value of attending to extend well beyond the presentations and networking.
That’s why we assembled an extraordinary collection of more than $15,000 in door prizes, with a special focus on products and professional services that could genuinely help small business owners improve, grow and strengthen their businesses.
These weren’t your typical conference giveaways!
Attendees had opportunities to win valuable business strategy consultations, financial and growth assessments, leadership development programs, team workshops, business valuation research, event strategy sessions and much more.
Among the prizes were:
- A $3,500 Financial & Growth Assessment from ProfiTech Bookkeeping.
- A $3,250 business team workshop from Quorum Co.
- Three four-hour business consulting packages, each valued at $1,600, through LearnSphere.
- Business valuation and industry benchmarking research from ALP Limited Valuation Services.
- Leadership development, business strategy and financial management services from other generous contributors.
There were also books, coworking opportunities, coffee experiences and other thoughtful gifts.
Our goal was simple: give attendees opportunities to take something home that could make a real difference in their businesses.
A huge thank you to the businesses and professionals who contributed these remarkable prizes. Your generosity helped make the inaugural SmallBizRIOT an exceptional experience!
Meet Our 2026 Speakers
 | Kevin Rogers Networking — Getting the Most Out of RIOT |  | James McKenna Operations — Growth Through Adversity |
 | Rick Nicholson Revenue — Learn How to Sh*t Gold Bricks |  | Martina Bernhofer Team — Culture That Sticks |
 | Marc Mawhinney Revenue — Adding Additional Revenue Streams Into Your Online Business | < /td> | Elizabeth Onyemagwam Team — Building Your Bench |
 | Dennis Geelen Innovation — What a 61-Year-Old Farmer Can Teach Us |  | Steve Helou Team — Building High-Trust Teams |
 | Tony Doolin Innovation — Investing in a New Diamond Wheel Machine |  | Michelle Gallant-Richards Team — The Missing Piece in Workplace Communication |
 | Marc-André Alary Operations — A Business Built to Work for You, Not Because of You |  | David C. Barnett Closing — From Owner to Prisoner to Retired. The 5-step framework for Owner Retirement Planning |
What Attendees Had to Say
We received so many encouraging comments from the people who joined us for our first SmallBizRIOT.
“I absolutely loved it. Actually, it was a phenomenal event, and it was a fun time networking with people and listening to some professionals in the field just give all of their expertise.” — Colby Johnson
“I have an uncountable amount of takeaways that I want to implement personally and in my business.” — Colby Jardine
“As an event manager, I really liked the table changes. It was a very packed day, lots of good speakers, but I particularly enjoyed the table changes because it gets people out of their comfort zones and able to meet people.” — Amber Richards
“It’s been great to be surrounded by other people and encouraged to try new things, to learn from each other. It’s been very encouraging.” — Cindy Williams
“It’s very vibrant. It’s very different, and there is space to network, to make new connections, and to learn from others.” — Steve Helou
We’ll be sharing more attendee stories, photographs and highlights from the inaugural conference as well as videos of some of the talks with people on our email list.
Thank You to Our Sponsors and Supporters
An event like SmallBizRIOT doesn’t happen without businesses and people who believe in supporting the local entrepreneurial community.
We want to extend a special thank you to our headline sponsors:
Their support helped turn the idea of SmallBizRIOT into a reality.
We’re also tremendously grateful to all our other sponsors, prize contributors, speakers, volunteers and supporters. And, most importantly, thank you to every person who attended.
You took a chance on a brand-new event, brought your energy and enthusiasm, and helped create the kind of business community experience we hoped SmallBizRIOT could become. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Community Impact: 25 Christmas Family Meal Boxes for Second Mile Food Bank
SmallBizRIOT was also an opportunity to give back to our community. Our charity partner for the SnowFox Vodka-sponsored networking cocktail party at the end of the day was Second Mile Food Bank.
Attendees generously donated enough to provide 12 Christmas family meal boxes, and SmallBizRIOT contributed another 13 — bringing the total to 25 boxes and $1,000 in donations for Second Mile Food Bank.
We’re grateful to everyone who helped make the celebration meaningful for families in our community, and to Snow Fox Vodka for supporting the networking cocktail party.
Would you like to help too? You can make a contribution directly to Second Mile Food Bank. DONATE TO SECOND MILE FOOD BANK
The RIOT Continues in 2027!
If you attended in 2026, we’d love to welcome you back. If you missed the inaugural event, we hope you’ll join us next time.
We’re already thinking about how to make SmallBizRIOT 2027 an even more valuable experience, with great speakers, useful ideas, meaningful connections and the energy that made our first year so special.
Want to know when 2027 plans are announced?
Join our email list and you’ll be among the first to hear about:
- The date and location of SmallBizRIOT 2027
- Speaker announcements and program highlights
- Video releases of some 2026 talks
- Early-bird ticket opportunities
- Updates, resources and practical ideas for local business owners
KEEP ME IN THE LOOP FOR 2027! — Sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/a2a28ec1b6b0/small-biz-riot-newsletter-signup
Join the SmallBizRIOT email list for conference news, announcements and occasional small business resources. Unsubscribe anytime.
Built in Greater Moncton. For our Maritime Business Community.
SmallBizRIOT — Practical ideas. Real connections. Stronger businesses.
See you in 2027!
This post was contributed by David C. Barnett of SmallBizRIOT via newstips@nouzie.com
The original is posted https://www.smallbizriot.com/
