Auckland, NZ — The Samoa Business Aotearoa Exposé, a culmination of several months of planning and meetings with a group of Samoan business owners in Auckland, was held today at the Maota o Samoa in Mangere. Spearheaded by Toleafoa Leatuao Tupa’i-Lavea and Salā Robbie Lauano, the event aimed to connect and showcase local Samoan entrepreneurs, their businesses, products, and services.
Inside the Maota o Samoa, participating service providers displayed their banners and products, while the parking lot hosted food stalls and health support services. The event sought to create a network of Samoan businesses, promoting the idea of Samoans selling to and buying from Samoans in Aotearoa.
In an interview with Samoa Newshub, Sāla explained, “The vision behind Samoa Business Exposé is for our Samoan business owners in Auckland to come together and showcase their goods and services.” He articulated the vision of the event is for Samoa business owners in Auckland to “connect and grow together.”
The planning for this event began in April, with initial meetings attracting a small number of businesses responding to a social media ad. As word spread, more businesses joined, leading to today’s successful exposition on 22 June 2024.
The day began early, with food stalls setting up around 6 am. A service led by Rev. Mamea at 9 am was followed by speeches from Consulate General Afemata Palusalue Fa’apo II Sakaio Lemalu and Samoa Trade Commissioner Va’atuitui Apete Meredith. Meredith expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, noting it will connect Samoan businesses in New Zealand with those in Samoa.
Toleafoa, in an interview with Blu TV, stated, “The program supports Samoan businesses in this inaugural launch. We aim to build relationships and support each other. It’s crucial to support our own people, who send money back to their families in Samoa. I’d rather give my money to a Samoan mechanic or health provider than someone else. This event is about bringing our business owners together and recognizing the diversity among Samoan entrepreneurs. This is an encouragement, a request, and a challenge to all Samoan business owners to unite. We will announce another meeting in July.”
According to Sāla, 20 Auckland-based Samoan businesses have registered, and more are encouraged to join the initiative. The goal is to facilitate connections, buying, and selling among Samoan businesses in Aotearoa. There will be a follow-up meeting in July to discuss today’s event and plan the next exposé.
