Trish Moynihan has been participating in a popular women’s business expo since her custom shirt store opened.

The owner of Big Frog Custom T-shirts & More on Market Place Boulevard said she’s seen her business and A Woman’s Life Expo grow in the three years since both began.

“It’s kind of nice because they started A Woman’s Life Expo that same season that we were opening, so I was able to get in on the ground floor with them and now it’s my third year with them and my third year here,” she said.

The expo is a fundraiser for Garden of Empowerment, a nonprofit organization that helps separated, divorced and widowed women.

Garden of Empowerment director Sue Wilson said the event, set for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Lanier Technical College Forsyth Conference Center, is always a big hit.

She said about 80 vendors will participate this year, offering everything from jewelry and cosmetics to health services.

“It’s a fun day,” Wilson said. “They linger, you know, they don’t just come in and walk back out. They linger and everybody’s smiling.

“That’s what somebody told me last year, that every place she looked, people were smiling.”

Betty Oliver, one of the expo organizers, has also been a vendor every year.

“It’s been fun and we have actually gotten business from it each year,” she said. “Also, it’s great for us to get out into the community and let people know who we are and what we offer.”

Oliver said the event has grown each year.

“Our first year, we had about 300 and last year we know we had close to 600,” she said. “We’re hoping for more this year.”

Oliver said unlike some expos, A Woman’s Life limits the vendors to just a few from each area.

“We do limit the number of booths per industry, so when people come in they’re not going to see 10 insurance agencies, 10 makeup companies,” she said. “We limit it to two, possibly three, from each area and if, say, it’s makeup or jewelry, it’s going to be two completely different types of makeup or jewelry.

“We like to have a lot of variety at our program.”

Oliver said there also will be several demonstrations and performances throughout the day, such as dance, scarf tying and martial arts.

She said it’s an opportunity to get in some early Christmas shopping.

“It’s a good time to come in and look at different products and services,” she said. “It’s a good time to kick off the season and get some shopping done.”

Moynihan said the event is good for both vendors and attendees.

“Women do things differently than men do, particularly when it comes to business,” she said. “We network based on relationships and based on friendships we developed and this expo gives you a chance to talk one on one with women.

“Whether it be about what your business does or about owning a business in general, you can actually make that kind of connection that women do at the expo.”