HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — Small business leaders in the City of Hopewell came together on Friday afternoon to celebrate manufacturing, entrepreneurship and economic growth in the tri-cities. The first Made in Hopewell Conference and Trade Show event was hosted by the Hopewell Downtown Partnership. The special event kicked off on Friday, Oct. 4, with a panel of local experts covering a variety of issues including the manufacturing industry in Central Virginia. After the conference ended, the trade show portion celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit of the city.   Shara Thomas is the owner of “Sharra Styles” and was one of the 18 small business owners representing their hustle and passion at the Made in Hopewell event at Beacon Theater.   “I got to talk to other people about exposure," Thomas said. “That was a big thing, having exposure and potential grant funding that I would need for that expansion of business.”   Thomas started her business in 2019 and said she is ready to pour back into her community.  “I want to be able to expand it into a manufacturing company where I can have my house or produce jobs for people in the local area, because I do know that job scarcity is still a thing in some areas,” Thomas said. The Made in Hopewell Conference and Trade Show is the first of its kind, but organizers like Director Heather Lyne said it is long overdue. “We are known for being an industrial community and for manufacturing as a city," Lyne said. “And that's kind of how the city came to be and was built.”    The event ended with $10,000 going to several new and established businesses who were showcasing their services at the event.   “What we're trying to do is bring more awareness to our locally made products and then support those business owners with whatever the next step is in their journey,” Lyne said. Lyne said that the money being poured into these small businesses will not only strengthen them, but the entire city.   “It helped me see that there is endless opportunities for me, and it helps me become or remain optimistic about my future as a business owner,” Thomas said. The $10,000 grant for those small businesses was made possible by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.