Complimentary Keynotes & Seminars
Atlanta Build Expo's lineup of keynotes and classes are free to attend with your free, all-access pass.
You will hear the true story of how one simple-minded contractor started 2020 thin on cash not realizing what the rest of the year had in store.
Three years later his business is on a sure foot while taking on zero debt. He borrow no money and has no need to ask his vendors, partners, or subs for additional time for payment.
You can run a small or large firm on cash. You can stop the constant calls from creditors wondering when they are going to get their money. You can stop living from deposit to deposit. You can stop going to bed every night hoping the next receivable will be in the mailbox tomorrow.
In this life-changing talk, Scott Beebe (CEPA) will share real numbers from a simple contractor that will motivate and inspire you to build a business without being dictated by chaos, and placing you in the driver’s seat.
Learning Objectives
- See how using one or two bank accounts in your business is crippling
- Watch real life examples unfold showing the growth of the cash over time...even when a business declines in annual revenue
- Walk away with a simple structure you can implement tomorrow and the roadmap to do so
Target Audience: Homebuilders, Remodelers, Contractors
We’re seeing volatile pricing formats, supply chain interruption and rising interest rates. This usually ends in tough economic conditions, resulting in construction industry challenges. Knowing the best way to stay ahead of these changes and keep your business moving forward is difficult. We’ll look at the methods successful contractors use to weather shifting economic conditions.
We’ll cover:
- Increasing your portion of the market pie
- Getting a competitive advantage
- Managing customer expectations
- Structuring your sales effort
- How to balance sales and marketing efforts
You’ll come away from this session with a better understanding of what it will take to grow in both revenue and profitability in these times. Sales is the most important aspect of your business. Everything else simply follows that lead.
Thursday, August 1 | 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
In this mindset-shifting talk, Scott Beebe, CEPA, the founder of Business On Purpose will walk you through the difference between a "lifestyle business" and a "value creation" business that allows you both unlock the purpose, people, process, and profit of your business while living with real impact and purpose today and tomorrow.
This talk will catapult you from feeling like your business is a burden and chore, and reframe your business into a massive asset that allows for significant value for you, your family, and many others.
You will leave feeling hopeful about the business you already have instead of dreading what you are afraid your business has become.
Want to sell your business someday? This is the talk you need. Yes, even your business.
Discovery points...
- Learn how much of your net worth is locked away in your business
- Determine the most profitable and least profitable systems in your business
- Realize the number one myth in business related to workforce engagement
- Leave with ONE thing that you can implement tomorrow that will build value to either sell, or continue towards meaningful value growth
Target Audience: Homebuilders, Remodelers, Contractors
Effective Sales Presentations
9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. | Room 102
Construction professionals excel in building living and working environments, not necessarily doing a sales presentation. Most have never been formally trained in doing a presentation. Being more effective in presenting your bid, quote, product or
service can be the difference in securing the business. You’ll learn specific presenting tips that can make the difference.
- Managing a lunch and learn
- Effective in home presenting
- Controlling a commercial presentation
- Proper use of presentation tools
Sales is the most important aspect of any business, especially construction. Becoming more proficient in how you present to a potential customer can raise not just your revenue numbers but also profitability. The better you are at presenting, the easier the close!
Target Audience: Architects, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Builders, and Remodelers
4 Blind Spots Preventing Contractors From Retaining Talent and Growing Profit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 106
Most contractor owners cross their fingers and hope for the best when desiring a solid culture, meaningful profit, and a product that they are proud of. Luck is not a strategy!
This highly engaging education program will reveal four critical blind spots sabotaging the growth of your business and your team. You will leave this presentation with ONE action item to immediately implement into your business that will wishing you had heard this talk ten years ago!
After this presentation you will have clarity on why the younger generation “will not listen” and how you can respond, the leadership “RPM’s for a healthy culture, and the one system that will ensure necessary profit that will fuel culture and growth.
Learning Objectives
- Learn the 3 foundational cornerstones of EVERY contractor business
- Understand the 3 non-negotiables of building and leading a vision-centered team
- Discover how an owner's process leadership directly impacts people, profit, and productivity
- Create a proven plan for predicting your profit
Target Audience: Homebuilders, Remodelers, Contractors
How Google And Chat GPT Can Boost your Online Lead Flow
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 101
Google has certain expectations of your website. The number one thing Google wants…. Good User Experience (UX).
In this session learn:
- Exactly how to communicate to Google
- How to track what your user experience
- How to use Chat GPT to communicate better
All of this plus get access to a free marketing/Chat GPT tool, complimentary in part from Build Expo and www.JRcmo.com Joshua Ramsey, Fractional CMO.
Not sure what a fractional CMO is? Learn more about a fractional CMO by searching ‘JRcmo fractional CMO’
Wondering if this speaker is worth your time? Hear his podcasts, radio show and online teaching by searching 'Joshua Ramsey Marketing’
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
Tips and tricks in Cost Estimating
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Room 115
Cost estimating for construction projects is a complicated matter that requires knowledge and expertise. It involves so many aspects that a mistake in one of them can be devastating for the contractor. This seminar will provide a group of valuable tips that will improve the accuracy of the cost estimate. The tips include quantity take-offs, identifying individual items, adding waste allowances, pricing items, adjusting cost for productivity fluctuations, additional charges (such as shipping, delivery, taxes, customs, other fees), custom and special items, estimating overhead and profit, and contingency allowance, and putting the estimate together. Other topics include the impact of location and timing on the price and importance of reading the contract and good documentation.
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
Lateral Load Path Basics - 1.0 AIA Credit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 108
The overall strength of a building is a function of all building components – roof, walls, floors, and foundation – working together as a unit. Load paths may not be obvious at first glance. Knowing where to look for clues when tracking the load path through the building is vital to ensuring load path continuity and overall construction quality. This session will provide a top-to-bottom overview of gravity and lateral design for wood framed structures, including examples of complete and incomplete load paths.
Target Audience: Architects, Engineers, General Contractors, Home Builders, Framers
Exit Planning and Value Acceleration: How to sell your business for 7-8 figures
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 117
80% of businesses listed for sale never transition ownership. They simply close their doors, or the owner works until they are no longer able only to liquidate equipment. This workshop will teach you how to figure out your company's valuation, what you can do now to attract a buyer down the road, how to grow through acquisition, and what buyers are actually looking for. You've worked too hard just to close your doors. We'll show you how to create 7 or 8 figure exit.
Target Audience: Business Owners
Chat GPT and AI's Evolution: Simplifying Tasks for Builders
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 118
In the intersection of artificial intelligence and digital marketing, ChatGPT shines as a game-changer. We'll unpack its profound impact on online marketing, exploring its present utility and future potential to deliver better and more profitable leads. The presentation will be in four parts:
1. Introduction:
- An overview of ChatGPT: OpenAI's language model that's transforming digital interactions.
- Current State of Online Marketing: How traditional practices are being overshadowed by AI capabilities.
2. AI Integration in Online Marketing, SEO, and Sales:
- Content Generation: ChatGPT's role in crafting engaging and SEO-optimized content.
- Data Analysis: Gleaning actionable insights from user behavior and feedback.
- User Experiences: Creating personalized user pathways and sales funnels.
- SEO Strategies: AI's role in analyzing search trends and generating SEO-friendly content.
3. Future Prospects of AI in Marketing:
- Evolving Capabilities: The ongoing growth and refinement of AI tools like ChatGPT.
- AI in Search Algorithms: How AI might dictate the direction of search marketing.
4. Q&A Session: Open floor for attendees to probe deeper, challenge assertions, or seek clarification.
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
How to Work with the City
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 116
In this lively and highly informative discussion, Ann McNeill, the "Master Builder" explains the steps, skills, and strategies needed for construction contractors to successfully bid on and obtain work with governments.
Ann has worked with all levels of government and specializes in helping small businesses thrive.
PVC101 – The Benefits & Uses of Cellular PVC - 1.0 AIA Credit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 111
Upon completion of this course, architects and participants will understand:
- Properties of cellular PVC
- Cellular PVC micro-ingredients
- Key differences between high and low-quality cellular PVC
- Ease of use and adaptability
- Common and unique end-use applications
- Painting, staining, and laminating options
- PVC’s contributions to Sustainability
- Properties of Cellular PVC Trim
- Are all cellular PVC Trims the same?
- Working With PVC
- Uses & Applications
- Residential – Exterior & Interior
- Commercial
- Multi-Family
- Historical Preservation
- Dark paint technology for cellular PVC trim
- New trim surface technology - Film Lamin
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors and Architects in Commercial and Residential applications
Trends and Concepts in Building Sustainability Today - A Primer - 1.0 AIA Credit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 119
The conversation in building sustainability is constantly evolving, with changing codes and shifting market preferences. There's a greater awareness of the role of buildings in climate change and resilience. The session will examine present trends in building sustainability and will discuss terms related to decarbonization in building and operations, among others. It will serve as a primer to better equip the audience to address sustainability requirements in their projects and become aware of future trends and developments.
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors and Architects in Commercial and Residential applications
10 Min Marketing Plan to Avoid Marketing Overspending & Headaches. Plus, Where / How to Generate More Leads?
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 101
A Fractional CMO (Joshua Ramsey) is going to spend this time together show you how to deal with the most common frustrations of business owners.
- Stop over-spending on marketing campaigns that don’t work
- Use Technology to streamline your prospect funnels
- Don’t let agencies take advantage of you
PLUS – learn how to build a ‘bullet proof marketing plan’ for yourself that big companies use to stay on top.
If you don’t attend this session, your competitors will!!
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
9 Great Business Fundamentals for Growth
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 102
Owner and Head Coach | Choice Consulting and Management, LLC
Explore real-life examples to uncover the nine business fundamentals you need to grow and impact your company, employees, customers, and bottom line. Equip yourself with the tools you need to identify the current challenges in your organization and how to apply these disciplines for higher profits, reduced waste, higher customer satisfaction, higher employee satisfaction and put a process in place to identify and address challenges. Learn to identify and develop your mission/vision statement and core values. Discuss setting long-term and short-term goals, core focus, marketing strategy and the staffing process. Identify and develop talent within your organization and so much more.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn the need for a company scorecard and how to implement that process.
- Discover the importance of clarity, values, mission, and goals.
- Uncover the "Meeting Pulse" process and how it impacts your business.
- Discover methods to identify, discuss and solve company challenges (the IDS approach).
Target Audience: Owners, CEO’s, COO’s, managers.
Unlocking the Power of AI in Project Management Software
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 116
CEO and Founder | Ressio
Learn the practical applications of Artificial Intelligence when paired with modern project management software. Discover how simple AI tools can take your business to the next level by boosting your team's productivity and delivering a more interactive client experience.
Target Audience: Home builders, remodelers, and contractors
Certify & Prosper: Unlocking Billions in Government Contracting Opportunities
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 115
Unlock access to billions of dollars in government contracts by strategically pursuing Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB), and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certifications. By leveraging these certifications effectively in your government contract bids, you can elevate your competitiveness and tap into a vast array of contracting opportunities. These opportunities span across local, state, and federal government entities, presenting a lucrative avenue for business growth and expansion.
Join our comprehensive class where we delve into the intricacies of certification requirements, the diverse range of certification options available, and expert strategies for securing both government and non-government contracts. Gain invaluable insights and actionable tactics to position your business for success in the competitive government contracting landscape.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding the different types of certifications.
- Understanding the requirements needed to get certified.
- Knowing where to get certified.
- Where to find opportunities.
- How to leverage your certification.
Target Audience: Women Owned Businesses, Minority Owned Businesses, Veteran Owned Business, Architects, Engineers, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Builders, and Suppliers
Manipulating Google to Dominate your Local Market
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 106
Manipulating Google to Dominate your Local Market" offers strategic insights on leveraging Google's algorithms and tools to enhance local business visibility. This talk provides actionable techniques for optimizing local search rankings, mastering local SEO, and empowering businesses to capture and sustain a dominant market position in their local area.
Target Audience: Business Owners
Business Survival 101- Disaster Planning and Recovery
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 117
What does your disaster plan look like?
Every business needs these three components to survive-
- Maintaining profits
- Retaining Clients
- Minimizing Business Interruptions
Global Restoration’s Emergency Response Program is designed to protect these three components. The objective of this class is to ensure you leave knowing with confidence that we can provide you with peace of mind for your business.
Target Audience: Business Owners, Investors, Property Management Companies, Builders & Contractors
Thursday, August 1, 2024
Proper Customer Sales Management
9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. | Room 102
Construction professionals often struggle with the nuts and bolts of proper sales techniques. This includes closing new targets, maintaining recurring customers and crafting a complete sales effort. Properly managing customer expectations and satisfaction can cultivate further opportunity. Not doing so can result in low revenue and profitability results.
We’ll cover:
- Why customers commit
- Why your close rate is too low
- Winning projects or orders with peak profitability
- Managing commercial and residential customers
Applying these concepts can bring immediate results in your most critical sales efforts. Effectively reading your customers will result in you being in control of the sales process. Making closing work an easier proposition.
Target Audience: Architects, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Builders, and Remodelers.
Building a Predictable Business Culture that Recruits, Hires, and Retains Great Gen Z Talent
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 106
The culture of your business is a DIRECT RESULT of the ingredients that you allow to enter into the building. Good ingredients equal good culture, and vice versa. Culture is more than ping pong tables and bean bag chairs. Culture is about relationships, connection, and communication.
Culture will determine the joy that we find in running our business. We all want a great culture, and we know we have to work for it…but how? Most strategies include a cross-your-fingers approach.
This fun and surprising workshop will remove the confusion around great culture, and provide you the action and clarity you need to build a culture that you are proud of and that all generations want to be a part of.
Learning Objectives
- Clarify the elements of great culture, and identify distracting elements of bad culture so you can focus on the elements of great culture
- Walk away with a one page visual of building great culture in your business starting tomorrow
- Discover the motivation to stop wasting time and money on team outings and bonus plans that rarely move the needle
Target Audience: Homebuilders, Remodelers, Contractors
Frame for Success - 1.0 AIA Credit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 108
Based on hundreds of job site inspections, APA - The Engineered Wood Association staff have identified the most common wood construction framing and sheathing challenges and errors found in today's wood framed construction. This session will examine the consequences of the errors and provide practical solutions for avoiding them in future construction.
Target Audience: Architects, Engineers, General Contractors, Home Builders, Framers
Staffing Secrets: Strategic Solutions to Filling the Gaps and Staying Profitable
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 117
This dynamic training delves into the core challenges of staffing within construction. We'll deep dive into proven techniques for identifying, attracting, and retaining top talent while getting rid of the headaches like high turnover, bad hires, and no shows for interviews. Your hires shouldn't feel like a hit to your bottom line. They should allow you to increase revenue and protect your profits. We'll show you how.
Target Audience: Business Owners, HR and Managers
Maximizing Efficiency with Job Costing & Project Management Tools
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 119
CEO and Founder | Ressio
Discover estimating and project management software tools that keeps your team, trades, and clients connected, improving efficiency and profitability. We'll discuss the pitfalls of spreadsheet estimating and how software can help you track your expenses in real-time. We'll also explore scheduling tools that allow you to manage your team and trades effectively.
Target Audience: Home builders, remodelers, and contractors
Chat GPT and AI's Evolution: Simplifying Tasks for Builders
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 118
In the intersection of artificial intelligence and digital marketing, ChatGPT shines as a game-changer. We'll unpack its profound impact on online marketing, exploring its present utility and future potential to deliver better and more profitable leads. The presentation will be in four parts:
1. Introduction:
- An overview of ChatGPT: OpenAI's language model that's transforming digital interactions.
- Current State of Online Marketing: How traditional practices are being overshadowed by AI capabilities.
2. AI Integration in Online Marketing, SEO, and Sales:
- Content Generation: ChatGPT's role in crafting engaging and SEO-optimized content.
- Data Analysis: Gleaning actionable insights from user behavior and feedback.
- User Experiences: Creating personalized user pathways and sales funnels.
- SEO Strategies: AI's role in analyzing search trends and generating SEO-friendly content.
3. Future Prospects of AI in Marketing:
- Evolving Capabilities: The ongoing growth and refinement of AI tools like ChatGPT.
- AI in Search Algorithms: How AI might dictate the direction of search marketing.
4. Q&A Session: Open floor for attendees to probe deeper, challenge assertions, or seek clarification.
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
Niche to be Rich in Construction
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 116
Being a general contractor does not mean you should be a general business owner. If you want to have business success, you need to become an expert specialist in your craft.
Join Ann McNeill, the "Master Builder," as she shares the principles, solutions, and plans needed for your business to excel by drilling down and discovering your niche in construction to find your riches.
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
Construction Schedule Updating: What is my percent complete, anyway?
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 115
Contractors have to update the projects’ schedules periodically. This update is so important not only because it provides the contractor and the owner with an idea of where the project stands at this point, but also because progress payments from the owner to the contractor depend on information in these updates, specifically amount of work performed this period on each activity. This amount of work is usually expressed in percent complete. However, there are many types of percent complete, based on physical estimates (units), cost, time, manhours, or other. It is also important to calculate both baseline and actual percent complete for the activity, in order to determine if work is on, ahead, or behind schedule. This seminar takes a quick look at different types of percent complete, explains them, and discusses what they represent and when to use them.
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
How Google And Chat GPT Can Boost your Online Lead Flow
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 101
Google has certain expectations of your website. The number one thing Google wants…. Good User Experience (UX).
In this session learn:
- Exactly how to communicate to Google
- How to track what your user experience
- How to use Chat GPT to communicate better
All of this plus get access to a free marketing/Chat GPT tool, complimentary in part from Build Expo and www.JRcmo.com Joshua Ramsey, Fractional CMO.
Not sure what a fractional CMO is? Learn more about a fractional CMO by searching ‘JRcmo fractional CMO’
Wondering if this speaker is worth your time? Hear his podcasts, radio show and online teaching by searching 'Joshua Ramsey Marketing’
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
PVC101 – The Benefits & Uses of Cellular PVC - 1.0 AIA Credit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 111
Upon completion of this course, architects and participants will understand:
- Properties of cellular PVC
- Cellular PVC micro-ingredients
- Key differences between high and low-quality cellular PVC
- Ease of use and adaptability
- Common and unique end-use applications
- Painting, staining, and laminating options
- PVC’s contributions to Sustainability
- Properties of Cellular PVC Trim
- Are all cellular PVC Trims the same?
- Working With PVC
- Uses & Applications
- Residential – Exterior & Interior
- Commercial
- Multi-Family
- Historical Preservation
- Dark paint technology for cellular PVC trim
- New trim surface technology - Film Lamin
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors and Architects in Commercial and Residential applications
Navigating Cybersecurity in Construction
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 115
Founder & CEO | C Three Business Consultants
Compliance with regulations is non-negotiable, as failing to meet regulatory requirements can result in significant financial penalties and reputational damage. Understanding and adhering to regulations such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, GDPR, or industry-specific standards like the Construction Industry Institute (CII) Cybersecurity Program is essential.
In this class, we discuss real-world examples of cyber threats in the construction industry and their consequences. Which can help illustrate the importance of cybersecurity measures. Additionally, we will provide practical guidance on developing and implementing a cybersecurity strategy tailored to the unique needs and challenges of the construction industry to effectively safeguard your assets, data, and reputation.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding the different types of threats both on and offline.
- Understanding the risks of a cyber intrusion.
- Staying on top of current security measures for compliancy.
- Understanding cybersecurity insurance.
- Creating a disaster recovery plan to be proactive rather than reactive.
Target Audience: Architects, Engineers, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Builders, and Suppliers
The Critical Four Key Financial Metrics and Unleashing the Power of your Cashflows
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 102
This course explores the roles of accounting professionals and the Critical Four Key Financial Metrics. Lauren will emphasize cashflow significance and offer practical advice on avoiding business failure due to poor cashflow management. Attendees will gain confidence in interpreting financial indicators and enhancing their business decision-making skills.
Target Audience: Owners, CEOs, C-Suite Executives, Finance/Accounting personnel
Driving customers into your business with the Customer Journey
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 106
Driving customers into your business involves guiding them through a strategic customer journey. From initial awareness to advocate, each touchpoint is optimized to engage, enlighten, and convert. By understanding this journey, you can create personalized experiences that build loyalty and drive conversions, transforming prospects into long-term, satisfied customers.
Target Audience: Business Owners
Building a More Resilient Business
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 117
Did you know that 1in 4 businesses never re-open their doors after a disaster? We are here to equip you with the knowledge you need to build a more resilient business. In this class, we will cover:
- Identifying Risks
- Proper Insurance Coverage
- Mitigating Risks -Emergency Response Plan
- Testing and Updating Plans
Target Audience: Business Owners, Investors, Property Management Companies, Builders & Contractors
Best Practices for Bidding Public Works Project
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 119
Locating and bidding public works projects has a series of challenges and strict guidelines that change based on the Agency and project. The process in knowing how to navigate through the bidding process a key factor is securing projects but more importantly securing the “right project.”. This discussion will focus on the process that FORD EC takes during the bidding process to ensure the Agencies requirements are met, locating the proper subcontractors/vendors and being specific on if the project is the right avenue for company. Discussion will assist subcontractors, general contractors and others on the process that has taken over 25 years to develop in the evolving bidding process. The project will have an emphasis on bidding with the City of LA but can apply to many other Public Agencies.
Target Audience: Contractors and owner.
2024 Exhibitors
