It’s hard to believe it’s mid-March already, although with the slew of public holidays coming our way I think most of us are happy to have made it this far.

The same may be true for many businesses out there, setting themselves up for what they hope will be a successful year. Of course success is often about who you know as much as what you know, which is why a little networking goes a long way.

If you haven’t yet heard of Bizlink’s Crunch Time Expo you’re just in time, those dates having shifted from this weekend coming up to July 13 and 14. That’s good news for those who missed the boat, because this event promises to be a great opportunity for the SME’s out there.

The Crunch Time Expo is essentially a business and networking expo that looks like a real good’un. The event is tailored for SME’s, startups, entrepreneurs, established businesses and sales people, meaning the whole team should come along for the ride.

You’ll be hosted at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand too, talk about living the high life.

Crunch Time provides the perfect chance for businesses to meet with new paying clients – new clients who can help your businesses to grow, survive and prosper.

Then there’s the incredibly exciting Fund Me initiative, a place where you can pitch your business idea, concept or existing business. Fund Me is about raising finance to take your business to the next level.

A selection of 12 businesses will compete for the opportunity to pitch live onstage at Bizlink Crunch Time to an audience of VC funders as well as public and private investors. These and all other Fund Me applications will be filmed, with your application uploaded to the Fund Me portal on Crunch Time. Businesses and individuals will be able to book a recording slot at the expo or at our recording studio.

You should really get on signing up for Bizlink as well, the world’s most comprehensive business focused, marketing and networking social media platform. Think of it as Facebook for your business, without all the irritating selfies and attention-seeking mates.