New Class Schedule Coming Soon!
Atlanta Build Expo's lineup of keynotes and classes are free to attend with your free, all-access pass.
Atlanta Build Expo
July 23 - 24, 2025
Cobb Galleria Centre (Halls A,B & C)
Exhibit Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Classes Start at 9:30 a.m. Each Day
Click to View
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
His DVD series can literally be used as an individual or corporate training program. He's been featured on CNN and in USAToday as well as dozens of media outlets across the country. Tom is extremely entertaining in his approach and well studied in the dynamics that occur in bidding, quoting and developing customer brand loyalty. His high energy approach combined with practical applications can bring results immediately after his seminars.
His corporation, Seal the Deal, is sought after by trade associations, contractors, corporations, suppliers, construction expos and publications regularly. He currently writes for 4 publications, has 20 regular contractor clients and speaks to in excess of 10,000 construction industry individuals a year. Tom turned a Caterpillar rental territory from 2.5Mil to 10Mil in revenue in 18 months while raising margins by 2%! He also trained 325 sales reps for a 750 Mil nationwide equipment firm. In his first sales position at 19 years of age he took a 150K contractor sales territory to 2.5Mil in 1 year. His customized training programs hit areas targeted for improvement head on. He knows how to get people to buy and manage a sales effort to success!
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
PVC101 – The Benefits & Uses of Cellular PVC | - 1.0 AIA Credit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 117
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 Laminates
- PVC’s contribution to Sustainability
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors and Architects in Commercial and Residential applications.
Rich Maurer is the Southeast Regional Sales Manager for Versatex Building Products. The territory spans from North & South Carolina, through Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
For over ten years, Rich has grown the territory by developing all aspects of the business. By focusing on distribution and stocking dealer development, he has expanded the business throughout the Southeast Region. By raising the awareness and training builders, remodelers and contractors on the benefits found in using PVC products, Versatex has been able to provide these craftsmen with beautiful products that also offer their clients the benefit of low maintenance.
Most importantly, Rich has worked with the architectural community throughout the region to ensure architects and designers have the facts, knowledge, comfort level, and confidence to use valuable cellular PVC products in their designs.
Rich lives in Greenville, SC, and can’t make a living playing golf…thus, he will be presenting here today!
Job Costing to Guarantee Profitability
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 116
Rilee Fisher
Director of Business Development | JobTread
Have you ever wondered “what went wrong” when your actual profit margin fell short of your target? It’s time to identify the exact sources of the problem. Through accurate and timely job costing, you will be more in control of your finances for each job and find ways to stop your slipping profit.
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors, Remodelers, Specialty Contractors, Business Owners
Rilee’s experience in both construction and software development fuels his passion for using technology to help people build and scale their businesses. He loves setting up contractors with the right tools to make their businesses more organized and profitable.
Holding a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Texas A&M University as well as a Certificate in Fullstack Web Development from Southern Methodist University, Rilee is well-versed in guiding contractors through streamlining processes while maximizing profits.
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
A Google Certified Partner, Joshua's teaches interactive conferences based on material received from Google. Plus hear real life stories of success and failures that business owners have had. These powerful, interactive conferences are jammed packed with information that Joshua received during weekly meetings with Google. This is information every business owner needs to know.
Before becoming a Google Partner, Joshua was an outsourced CMO for several large U.S. based companies. As a CMO over the last 9 years, Joshua has managed over $2.5 million in AdWords and Digital Marketing Budgets and managed more than 2,800 campaigns. As a Bing Partner and Google Certified Partner, Joshua attends national conferences with some of the other great minds that influence SEO, digital marketing, and social media. Today, Joshua speaks all over the country helping businesses improve every element of their marketing.
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
- Construction project management consultant, author, public speaker, and trainer.
- S., M.S., and Ph.D. in civil engineering, specialized in Construction Management.
- Experience: Over 26 years diversified:
- Industrial: private and public sectors, in the U.S. and overseas. Positions occupied include project engineer / manager, cost estimator, planner / scheduler, project controls manager, cost manager, training manager.
- Academic: faculty member / professor, head of department.
- Extensive experience in continuing education and professional training around the world. Topics are mainly technical but also include soft skills.
- Author of:
- Construction Project Scheduling and Control (currently 3rd edition)
- How to Estimate with Means Data: Basic Skills for Building Construction (currently 4th edition)
- Many articles; technical and other
- Many presentations in professional conferences such as PMI, AACE International, Primavera Users Conference. Also, a public speaker in many local, regional, and international events.
- An authority on project planning, scheduling, and project control; was part of the PMI team that wrote the first Project Scheduling certification (PMI-SP) exam in 2007.
- An advocate of holistic healthy living and sports
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
Amy Walker, Founder of the Exit School, is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and small business investor. She is passionate about buying and selling businesses and helping others do the same. She is an International Speaker and Business Growth Strategist. Amy believes that every business is better when it’s built to sell. She believes that business can be a platform for creating positive change in the world and empowers entrepreneurs to go after their dreams.
Amy has been featured in Fast Company, Huffington Post, and various radio and television programming. When she’s not running her multi-million dollar company, Amy is a mom to 5 boys, married to her best friend, and loves writing books.
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
Jason Rhoads is the proud CEO and owner of Rhoads Creative—a data-first, digital-always marketing agency tailored for home consultation and services companies. He began his career specializing in statistics and analytics for financial service companies and moved to digital marketing over ten years ago. Over the last ten years, he has become an expert in all things digital by creating marketing strategies for companies big and small, resulting in unheard-of results (like a 1,127% increase in ROI).
Rhoads Creative, under Jason’s stewardship, has not only delivered the results but has positioned itself at the forefront of digital marketing innovations:
- A proud Google Certified partner
- Trailblazers in geofencing, being among the first ten agencies globally
- Exclusive members of beta testing teams for Hulu and TikTok advertising
- Actively involved in Chat GPT and OpenAI's beta testing
Beyond Rhoads Creative, his involvement in industry associations like NAHB, 55 Plus Council, and various HBAs, along with my representation of over 100 home consultation and service entities, has enriched me with a breadth of insights. This knowledge drives me to deliver tailored, high-impact campaigns consistently.
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.
Ann McNeill is the President of MCO Construction and Services Inc., MCO Consulting, Inc., Constructively Speaking, Inc., and Founder of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) and the International Mastermind Association.
Ann began MCO Construction in 1983 as a trailblazer for Blacks and women in the industry. Since then, MCO has grown into a first-rate company with five offices in Florida and Georgia and over 30 employees. Several projects of note include:
MIA South Terminal Expansion Program, Miami Intermodal Center, Port Miami Terminal V, Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, Miami Dade Children’s Courthouse, and the Marlins Ball Park to name a few.
Ann is a highly sought after speaker, life coach, and business strategist. Ann is warmly known as the "Master Builder," where she excels in "Building Master Lives."
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
Ganesh Nayak, AIA, LEED AP (BD+C) is a principal at Metier, Inc. in Atlanta, GA consulting on sustainable design and accessibility. He is a registered architect with twenty-five years of experience in various project types, including federal, mixed-use developments, multi-family housing, hospitality, education (K-12), institutional, industrial, and healthcare. He has led teams in the master planning, design, and construction documentation of projects representing over $300m in value. As a sustainability expert, Ganesh has directly coordinated LEED certification for many major projects totaling over five million square feet.
Ganesh holds a Master of Architecture degree from Kansas State University. The Savannah District of the USACE awarded him the Charles Trainor Team Award for his work in LEED program management on a major project. He also holds a Construction Quality Control Management for Contractors certificate issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers, while working as Quality Control Manager on three USACE sites in Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina. He is an ICC-certified accessibility specialist and plans examiner. He has written and presented extensively on sustainability, accessibility, and quality control.
Local Visibility Mastery: Unlocking the Secrets to Being Found
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 118
Darren Tessitore
Owner & CEO | Thrive Management
Join our highly anticipated seminar tailored specifically for general contractors, home builders, commercial builders, architects, developers, and property management companies!
Discover the art of getting found by local customers and unlock the tremendous growth potential in your industry. In this dynamic and insightful session, you will gain invaluable knowledge and actionable strategies to propel your business to new heights.
Here's what you can expect to take away from attending:
- Master local search engine optimization (SEO) techniques: Learn how to optimize your online presence and climb to the top of local search results, ensuring your business is visible to customers actively seeking your services.
- Harness the power of online directories: Explore the world of online directories and discover how to leverage them effectively to increase your online visibility, credibility, and customer trust.
- Amplify your online reputation: Understand the importance of customer reviews and testimonials in attracting local customers. Learn how to manage and enhance your online reputation to establish your business as a trustworthy and reliable choice.
- Stand out from the competition: Gain insights into powerful differentiation strategies to make your business shine in a crowded marketplace, attracting more local customers and winning lucrative projects.
- Leverage social media for local reach: Uncover the secrets of using social media platforms to connect with your target audience locally, build brand awareness, and drive engagement.
- Explore local advertising opportunities: Get acquainted with various local advertising channels and learn how to choose the right ones to effectively promote your services to local customers.
Don't miss this incredible opportunity to transform your business's online presence and unlock a world of untapped local customers. Join us at this seminar and gain the competitive edge you need to thrive in today's digital landscape. Secure your spot now and set your business on the path to local success!
Over 20 years of public speaking and corporate training experience, a knack for making meaningful connections with audiences and an insatiable appetite for helping others grow their businesses, Darren knows how to rock a platform, connect with a crowd and provide training so that others can effectively apply what he is teaching.
Darren's down-to-earth humor compels audiences to laugh while they learn.He engages groups from the moment he steps in front of them and leaves them with empowering tools and focused mindsets that they will use long after the lights have gone out on the event. Darren is passionate about people, leadership and successful businesses. He is especially inspired to help people take their companies to higher levels.
Darren is the owner and CEO of Thrive Management a technology consulting firm and the creators of Thrive Reviews, reputation management company. Darren has delivered seminars on hundreds of stages across the US for the past 15 years, personally training over 20,000 business leaders.
Turn Google Reviews, Messaging and Social Media to Revenue
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. |
Amanda Walker
Business Growth Expert | Birdeye
If you're looking to improve your business' ranking on Google, you've come to the right place. John will share the Birdeye guide on using reviews, messaging and social media to grow your local reputation and SEO. You should expect to take away a page of notes on everything you need to know about attracting, converting and delighting your customers and prospects that interact with your business.
Target Audience: Owners, Management, Soloprenuers, Supporting Staff
Solar Power in 2023 and why you should be using it
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 115
Peter Giroux
Founder | American Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions
This presentation will be an overview on today’s solar systems (residential & commercial) and the numerous features and benefits a system can provide. Will look at modern day solar panels, inverters, batteries and lighting products and the numerous applications they support along with a few challenges we face in our industry. Will touch on the financial aspects of installing solar and the benefits a system provides. Solar Power is not new, it has been around for over 40 years and has evolved into a bankable home or business add-on or improvement that pays generous returns for 30+ years.
Target Audience: Architects, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Builders, Remodelers and Developers that are considering super energy efficient homes and communities.
Peter Giroux is the founder of American Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions inc. Based in Roswell Georgia with 12 great years of customers throughout Georgia, Alabama, Florida & Tennessee. My background was in High Tech Search and Consulting prior to starting ASAE with technology customers in North America and Israel. While ASAE’s customers are varied along with their requirements it never changes the simple fact that they are spending a lot of money on their home or business Solar systems and should get the best quality, performance, and service possible.
As a Contractor myself, certified in PV design, 1000’s of hours of continuing education and 100’s of successful solar installs I know that solar is not a one solution fits all ( and sometimes solar does not fit at all ) which pushes us to deliver unique designs, scalable systems and a great return for our customers.
Automating your Processes with QuickBooks and Apps for Contractors - Level 1
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 106
We are living in a time that requires efficiency and organization. Having tons of paperwork and loose ends that take up your time and effort to grow and be more efficient is not the ideal picture. Join my class and learn all about being financially efficient with QuickBooks and the Apps. Learn what is the right QuickBooks for you and the different apps that are available for your builder's business. Learn the solutions that can completely change your perspective about accounting and project management.
Target Audience: • Architects • Engineers • Designers • General Contractors • Subcontractors • Commercial Builders • Home Builders • Developers • Real Estate Professionals • Building Managers • State Planners • Spec Writers • Government Agencies • Municipalities • Facility Managers • Property Management Firms • Military/ Corp. of Engineers • and any business owner in the construction industry
Vanessa Vasquez superpower is to bring solid financial education and strong strategies to Entrepreneurs and Accountants. Destroying the kryptonite of small business, which is lack of financial knowledge, Vanessa presents the correct tools and processes for businesses to grow and expand.
Her main focus has always been helping her clients streamline their small business financial management processes through education and the application of technology.
With 20+ years of experience and as a Latina Entrepreneur Wonder Mom, Vanessa recognizes the importance of providing learning opportunities and financial solutions for the rapidly growing small business community all around the globe.
Español
El superpoder de Vanessa Vasquez es brindar educación financiera y estrategias sólidas a empresarios y contadores. Destruyendo la kriptonita de las pequeñas empresas, que es la falta de conocimiento financiero, Vanessa presenta las herramientas y los procesos correctos para que las empresas crezcan y se expandan.
Su enfoque principal siempre ha sido ayudar a sus clientes a optimizar los procesos de gestión financiera de sus pequeñas empresas a través de la educación y la aplicación de tecnología.
Con más de 20 años de experiencia y como una emprendedora latina Mama Maravilla, Vanessa reconoce la importancia de brindar oportunidades de aprendizaje y soluciones financieras para la comunidad de pequeñas empresas de habla hispana en rápido crecimiento.
Estimating Direct and Indirect Costs in Construction
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 106
Direct and indirect expenses in construction projects: This presentation takes a quick and comprehensive look at all expenses expected in a typical construction project. We identify direct and indirect expenses and list all types of categories under each type. The presentation makes a brief analysis of labor, materials, equipment, overhead, bonds and insurance, profit, contingency, and other expenses. Knowing and estimating these expenses can make or break the contractor’s business. This presentation is a must for contractors and anyone in the construction industry.
Target Audience: Builders and Contractors
Construction project management consultant, author, public speaker, and trainer.
B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in civil engineering specialized in Construction Management.
Experience: Over 26 years diversified:
- Industrial: private and public sectors, in the U.S. and overseas. Positions occupied include project engineer/manager, cost estimator, planner/scheduler, project controls manager, cost manager, training manager.
- Academic: faculty member / professor, head of department.
- Extensive experience in continuing education and professional training around the world. Topics are mainly technical but also include soft skills.
Author of:
- Construction Project Scheduling and Control (currently 3rd edition)
- How to Estimate with Means Data: Basic Skills for Building Construction (currently 4th edition)
- Many articles; technical and other
- Many presentations in professional conferences such as PMI, AACE International, Primavera Users Conference. Also, a public speaker in many local, regional, and international events.
- An authority on project planning, scheduling, and project control; was part of the PMI team that wrote the first Project Scheduling certification (PMI-SP) exam in 2007.
- An advocate of holistic healthy living and sports.
Automating your Processes with QuickBooks and Apps for Contractors - Level 1
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 119
Founder | Candella Accounting & Advisory
We are living in a time that requires efficiency and organization. Having tons of paperwork and loose ends that take up your time and effort to grow and be more efficient is not the ideal picture. Join my class and learn all about being financially efficient with QuickBooks and the Apps. Learn what is the right QuickBooks for you and the different apps that are available for your builder's business. Learn the solutions that can completely change your perspective about accounting and project management.
Target Audience: Builders and Contractors
Candella CEO and Founder, Carla Caldwell, has over 25 years of experience in the accounting industry. She has built a team at Candella that combines a passion for technology-focused advisory and accounting services with a culture that emphasizes responsiveness, accuracy, excellence, and integrity.
As a member of the exclusive Trainer Writer Network with Intuit, Carla teaches accounting professionals how to modernize their process by leveraging the use of QuickBooks Online and other software tools. Here’s the bottom line: she knows how to talk to people about accounting and business. Carla is a loving wife, proud mother of two, business owner, and world traveler.
The 5 Reasons Your Workers Don’t Wear Fall Protection
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. |
Real opinions from real workers on why they might forgo life saving gear, and what you can do to get them back in compliance.
Target Audience: Safety Managers
Trends and Concepts in Building Sustainability Today - A Primer
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 108
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: Architects, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Builders, and Remodelers
Ganesh Nayak, AIA, LEED AP (BD+C) is a principal at Metier, Inc in Atlanta, GA consulting on sustainable design and accessibility. He is a registered architect with twenty-five years of experience in a variety of project types, including federal, mixed-use developments, multi-family housing, hospitality, education (K-12), institutional, industrial, and healthcare. He has led teams in the master planning, design, and construction documentation of projects representing over $300m in value. As a sustainability expert, Ganesh has been directly involved in coordinating LEED certification for many major projects totaling over four million square feet.
Ganesh holds a Master of Architecture degree from Kansas State University. He was awarded the Charles Trainor Team Award by the Savannah District of the USACE for his work of LEED program management on a major project. He also holds a Construction Quality Control Management for Contractors certificate issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers, while working as Quality Control Manager on three USACE sites in Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina. He is an ICC-certified accessibility specialist and plans examiner. He has written and presented regularly on sustainability, accessibility, and quality control.
Automating your Processes with QuickBooks and Apps for Contractors - Level 2
1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. | Room 106
Learn how to be efficient with the tools and resources available for automation. When you finish this class, you will know how to use QuickBooks, how to properly set up QuickBooks, and how to troubleshoot for proper job profitability reporting. Join me to unfold the world of apps and how they work for your benefit. Understand the ecosystem available for you and how you can be more productive right now.
Target Audience: • Architects • Engineers • Designers • General Contractors • Subcontractors • Commercial Builders • Home Builders • Developers • Real Estate Professionals • Building Managers • State Planners • Spec Writers • Government Agencies • Municipalities • Facility Managers • Property Management Firms • Military/ Corp. of Engineers • and any business owner in the construction industry
Vanessa Vasquez superpower is to bring solid financial education and strong strategies to Entrepreneurs and Accountants. Destroying the kryptonite of small business, which is lack of financial knowledge, Vanessa presents the correct tools and processes for businesses to grow and expand.
Her main focus has always been helping her clients streamline their small business financial management processes through education and the application of technology.
With 20+ years of experience and as a Latina Entrepreneur Wonder Mom, Vanessa recognizes the importance of providing learning opportunities and financial solutions for the rapidly growing small business community all around the globe.
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El superpoder de Vanessa Vasquez es brindar educación financiera y estrategias sólidas a empresarios y contadores. Destruyendo la kriptonita de las pequeñas empresas, que es la falta de conocimiento financiero, Vanessa presenta las herramientas y los procesos correctos para que las empresas crezcan y se expandan.
Su enfoque principal siempre ha sido ayudar a sus clientes a optimizar los procesos de gestión financiera de sus pequeñas empresas a través de la educación y la aplicación de tecnología.
Con más de 20 años de experiencia y como una emprendedora latina Mama Maravilla, Vanessa reconoce la importancia de brindar oportunidades de aprendizaje y soluciones financieras para la comunidad de pequeñas empresas de habla hispana en rápido crecimiento.
A Better Way to Manage Your Jobs From Start to Finish - JobTread Demo
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 116
Hector Ponce
Get organized, complete your projects on time, and increase your profits. JobTread is end- to-end construction management software that helps you manage all of your business processes, from sales and estimating through to project completion. Learn why contractors give JobTread a 5-star review and consider adding JobTread to your toolkit.
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors, Remodelers, Specialty Contractors, Business Owners
Rilee’s experience in both construction and software development fuels his passion for using technology to help people build and scale their businesses. He loves setting up contractors with the right tools to make their businesses more organized and profitable.
Holding a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Texas A&M University as well as a Certificate in Fullstack Web Development from Southern Methodist University, Rilee is well-versed in guiding contractors through streamlining processes while maximizing profits.
Hector Ponce is a first-generation Mexican-American with a strong passion for improving business operations in the construction industry. Having observed his family and friends struggle to expand their construction businesses due to their reliance on traditional methods such as pen and paper and spreadsheets, Hector developed a deep-rooted desire to challenge existing processes and seek innovative solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
As a forward-thinking advocate of next-generation technology, Hector recognizes the transformative power of technology in simplifying daily tasks and fostering better organization. He has witnessed firsthand the tremendous impact that software solutions can have on construction companies of all sizes, ranging from streamlining data entry processes to consolidating operations within a single system. With an unwavering commitment to helping businesses thrive, Hector is dedicated to assisting construction companies in their growth journey.
Hector Ponce holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from The University of North Texas. To explore how his expertise can contribute to your business's success, schedule a call with Hector today.
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
A Google Certified Partner, Joshua's teaches interactive conferences based on material received from Google. Plus hear real life stories of success and failures that business owners have had. These powerful, interactive conferences are jammed packed with information that Joshua received during weekly meetings with Google. This is information every business owner needs to know.
Before becoming a Google Partner, Joshua was an outsourced CMO for several large U.S. based companies. As a CMO over the last 9 years, Joshua has managed over $2.5 million in AdWords and Digital Marketing Budgets and managed more than 2,800 campaigns. As a Bing Partner and Google Certified Partner, Joshua attends national conferences with some of the other great minds that influence SEO, digital marketing, and social media. Today, Joshua speaks all over the country helping businesses improve every element of their marketing.
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.
Bobby Mink is owner and Head Coach at Choice Consulting and Management, LLC from Atlanta, Georgia and has been in business and construction management for over 40 years. From Finish/ Warranty manager to Builder, Master Builder, Project Manager and General Manager to Vice President of Operations and Development as well as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Chief Operations Officer. Mink has had the opportunity to manage all types and levels of the building industry as well as managing sales and marketing. Mink has managed and grown several startup home building opportunities using strategic planning, fundamental systems, and tactics to achieve the desired outcome and turn around opportunities for struggling companies. He has also used his experience with land development to use great start up processes for new developments being acquired and being brought online. Through his corporate coaching, Bobby has helped solidify corporate structure, communication, accountability, clarity, and teamwork for countless organizations. As the owner and Head of Coach for Choice Consulting and Management, LLC, Bobby has had the opportunity to coach business owners and custom home building and remodeling companies on how to grow their companies, set up streamlined processes, effective communication, accountability, increased profitability, and customer service by putting in place good, fundamental proven business principles that help individuals and organizations reach their full potential and inspire that change with passion. Mink has worked with all types of organizations ranging in size from $1,000,000 to over $70,000,000 and helping companies grow from $4,000,000 to over $40,000,000 in less than 4 years. Mink has been an instructor for the NAHB for over 14 years. He is also a national instructor for RLI, Real Estate Land Institute, SEBC, Southeastern Builder Conference and the IBS, International Builder Show. Bobby is the author of his books “Choices” and “Clarity”. He is a John Maxwell International Speaker and Coach, and holds designations from the NAHB in GMB (Graduate Master Builder), CGB (Certified Graduate Builder), CMP (Certified Marketing Professional), CSP (Certified Sales Professional), CAPS (Certified Aging in Pace), MIRM (Member of the Institute of Residential Marketing)
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
Mitchell is a visionary leader in the construction technology space, serving as the CEO and Founder of Ressio, the industry's most intuitive and cutting-edge construction management software. Before founding Ressio, Mitchell played a pivotal role in helping small contractors grow their businesses at ServiceChannel and provided strategic consulting to Fortune 500 companies at McKinsey & Company. In his free time, he enjoys planning his future home, delving into the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence, and spending his fall Saturdays watching Michigan football.
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
Amy Yan, founder, and CEO of C Three Business Consultants boasts over 25 years of extensive experience and expertise in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, and Business Processes. With a commendable track record spanning over two decades in the construction industry, she has solidified her reputation as a seasoned professional. Amy has served on the leadership council for the Southern Illinois Builders Association and holds memberships in prestigious organizations such as the American General Contractors Association of Missouri and the Midwest American Subcontracting Association. Additionally, she spearheads the women’s leadership group within the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers.
Amy's tenure in the construction sector has endowed her with invaluable insights into emerging trends and technologies, positioning her as a respected authority in her field. Her achievements have been recognized through accolades such as being named among the Top 100 People to Know in St. Louis and receiving the distinguished title of Top STL Leader. Furthermore, C Three Business Consultants has been awarded Top Consulting Firm in 2024.
Amy's prominence extends beyond her professional achievements; she has lent her expertise as a panelist at esteemed events including Tech STL, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Women’s Conference, and forums hosted by the Washington University School of Business. Her profound knowledge and thought leadership distinguish her as a preeminent figure in her industry, consistently delivering unparalleled insight and guidance across the Nation.
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
Zach is an accomplished entrepreneur and marketing specialist with over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing. He has established himself as a leading figure in the industry, having created over a billion dollars in sales for his clients throughout his career. Aside from his impressive professional achievements, Zach is also an accomplished author, having published several books on marketing and entrepreneurship. His expertise and insights have helped countless individuals and businesses achieve success in their respective industries. Despite his busy schedule, Zach values his personal life and time with family above all else. He enjoys spending quality time with his loved ones and can often be found playing golf or attending Lightning games in his free time. With his vast experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to his personal life, Zach brings a unique perspective to any project he works on. His expertise and passion for marketing and sales continue to make an impact in the industry, and he remains a valuable asset to any team or client he works with.
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
Jonathan Schooler, founder and president of Global Restoration, brings over 30 years of construction and restoration expertise to his company. He first opened Global Restoration while attending The Ohio State University in 1991. As President, Jonathan is deeply involved in shaping business strategies and business models. He has extensive experience managing and supervising catastrophic events throughout the country, resulting from hurricanes, water damage, mold, tornadoes, and fires.
Jonathan has overseen millions of dollars in property losses throughout his career, demonstrating his proficiency in handling large-scale disasters. Under his leadership, Global Restoration has grown into a multimillion-dollar, top-rated corporation. He is a specialist in helping businesses develop and implement robust disaster recovery strategies.
In addition to his role at Global Restoration, Jonathan is a licensed custom home builder in Atlanta and maintains active involvement in several charitable organizations such as The Boys and Girls Club of America, Young Life, and Habitat for Humanity. His commitment to community service is further evidenced by his previous board memberships with Nationwide Insurance Contractor Advisory Board, The Boys and Girls Club of America, The American Red Cross, and Habitat for Humanity.
Credentials:
Education: The Ohio State University: 1991-1995
Training and Certification:
- Licensed General Contractor
- IICRC Water Damage and Smoke Restoration
- IICRC Certified Water Restoration
- IICRC Certified Fire Restoration
- IICRC Mold Restoration
- IOT Certified-Mold
- IOT Certified-Disaster Planning
- IOT Certified-Emergency Response and Preparedness
- Large Loss Institute Certified
- OSHA Certified
- EPA-Lead Certified
- Hazmat Certified
Unlocking Leverage: How to Secure Reliable Private Capital for Spec Construction
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 101
Aidan Mosher
Business Development Regional Manager | Lima One Capital
In an uncertain market, it can feel like your capital sources are constantly moving the goalposts. In this class, we will pull back the curtain on the lenders that help keep the industry moving. Learn the red flags to avoid when choosing a lender and pick up some tips on how to secure consistent funding for all of your real estate investments.
Target Audience: Spec Builders who own their own company
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.
His DVD series can literally be used as an individual or corporate training program. He's been featured on CNN and in USAToday as well as dozens of media outlets across the country. Tom is extremely entertaining in his approach and well studied in the dynamics that occur in bidding, quoting and developing customer brand loyalty. His high energy approach combined with practical applications can bring results immediately after his seminars.
His corporation, Seal the Deal, is sought after by trade associations, contractors, corporations, suppliers, construction expos and publications regularly. He currently writes for 4 publications, has 20 regular contractor clients and speaks to in excess of 10,000 construction industry individuals a year. Tom turned a Caterpillar rental territory from 2.5Mil to 10Mil in revenue in 18 months while raising margins by 2%! He also trained 325 sales reps for a 750 Mil nationwide equipment firm. In his first sales position at 19 yrs of age he took a 150K contractor sales territory to 2.5Mil in 1 year. His customized training programs hit areas targeted for improvement head on. He knows how to get people to buy and manage a sales effort to success!
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
PVC101 – The Benefits & Uses of Cellular PVC | - 1.0 AIA Credit
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 117
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 Laminates
- PVC’s contribution to Sustainability
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors and Architects in Commercial and Residential applications.
Rich Maurer is the Southeast Regional Sales Manager for Versatex Building Products. The territory spans from North & South Carolina, through Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
For over ten years, Rich has grown the territory by developing all aspects of the business. By focusing on distribution and stocking dealer development, he has expanded the business throughout the Southeast Region. By raising the awareness and training builders, remodelers and contractors on the benefits found in using PVC products, Versatex has been able to provide these craftsmen with beautiful products that also offer their clients the benefit of low maintenance.
Most importantly, Rich has worked with the architectural community throughout the region to ensure architects and designers have the facts, knowledge, comfort level, and confidence to use valuable cellular PVC products in their designs.
Rich lives in Greenville, SC, and can’t make a living playing golf…thus, he will be presenting here today!
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
Amy Walker, Founder of the Exit School, is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and small business investor. She is passionate about buying and selling businesses and helping others do the same. She is an International Speaker and Business Growth Strategist. Amy believes that every business is better when it’s built to sell. She believes that business can be a platform for creating positive change in the world and empowers entrepreneurs to go after their dreams.
Amy has been featured in Fast Company, Huffington Post, and various radio and television programming. When she’s not running her multi-million dollar company, Amy is a mom to 5 boys, married to her best friend, and loves writing books.
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
Mitchell is a visionary leader in the construction technology space, serving as the CEO and Founder of Ressio, the industry's most intuitive and cutting-edge construction management software. Before founding Ressio, Mitchell played a pivotal role in helping small contractors grow their businesses at ServiceChannel and provided strategic consulting to Fortune 500 companies at McKinsey & Company. In his free time, he enjoys planning his future home, delving into the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence, and spending his fall Saturdays watching Michigan football.
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
Jason Rhoads is the proud CEO and owner of Rhoads Creative—a data-first, digital-always marketing agency tailored for home consultation and services companies. He began his career specializing in statistics and analytics for financial service companies and moved to digital marketing over ten years ago. Over the last ten years, he has become an expert in all things digital by creating marketing strategies for companies big and small, resulting in unheard-of results (like a 1,127% increase in ROI).
Rhoads Creative, under Jason’s stewardship, has not only delivered the results but has positioned itself at the forefront of digital marketing innovations:
- A proud Google Certified partner
- Trailblazers in geofencing, being among the first ten agencies globally
- Exclusive members of beta testing teams for Hulu and TikTok advertising
- Actively involved in Chat GPT and OpenAI's beta testing
Beyond Rhoads Creative, his involvement in industry associations like NAHB, 55 Plus Council, and various HBAs, along with my representation of over 100 home consultation and service entities, has enriched me with a breadth of insights. This knowledge drives me to deliver tailored, high-impact campaigns consistently.
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
Ann McNeill is the President of MCO Construction and Services Inc., MCO Consulting, Inc., Constructively Speaking, Inc., and Founder of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) and the International Mastermind Association.
Ann began MCO Construction in 1983 as a trailblazer for Blacks and women in the industry. Since then, MCO has grown into a first-rate company with five offices in Florida and Georgia and over 30 employees. Several projects of note include:
MIA South Terminal Expansion Program, Miami Intermodal Center, Port Miami Terminal V, Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, Miami Dade Children’s Courthouse, and the Marlins Ball Park to name a few.
Ann is a highly sought after speaker, life coach, and business strategist. Ann is warmly known as the "Master Builder," where she excels in "Building Master Lives."
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
- Construction project management consultant, author, public speaker, and trainer.
- S., M.S., and Ph.D. in civil engineering, specialized in Construction Management.
- Experience: Over 26 years diversified:
- Industrial: private and public sectors, in the U.S. and overseas. Positions occupied include project engineer / manager, cost estimator, planner / scheduler, project controls manager, cost manager, training manager.
- Academic: faculty member / professor, head of department.
- Extensive experience in continuing education and professional training around the world. Topics are mainly technical but also include soft skills.
- Author of:
- Construction Project Scheduling and Control (currently 3rd edition)
- How to Estimate with Means Data: Basic Skills for Building Construction (currently 4th edition)
- Many articles; technical and other
- Many presentations in professional conferences such as PMI, AACE International, Primavera Users Conference. Also, a public speaker in many local, regional, and international events.
- An authority on project planning, scheduling, and project control; was part of the PMI team that wrote the first Project Scheduling certification (PMI-SP) exam in 2007.
- An advocate of holistic healthy living and sports
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
A Google Certified Partner, Joshua's teaches interactive conferences based on material received from Google. Plus hear real life stories of success and failures that business owners have had. These powerful, interactive conferences are jammed packed with information that Joshua received during weekly meetings with Google. This is information every business owner needs to know.
Before becoming a Google Partner, Joshua was an outsourced CMO for several large U.S. based companies. As a CMO over the last 9 years, Joshua has managed over $2.5 million in AdWords and Digital Marketing Budgets and managed more than 2,800 campaigns. As a Bing Partner and Google Certified Partner, Joshua attends national conferences with some of the other great minds that influence SEO, digital marketing, and social media. Today, Joshua speaks all over the country helping businesses improve every element of their marketing.
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
Amy Yan, founder, and CEO of C Three Business Consultants boasts over 25 years of extensive experience and expertise in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, and Business Processes. With a commendable track record spanning over two decades in the construction industry, she has solidified her reputation as a seasoned professional. Amy has served on the leadership council for the Southern Illinois Builders Association and holds memberships in prestigious organizations such as the American General Contractors Association of Missouri and the Midwest American Subcontracting Association. Additionally, she spearheads the women’s leadership group within the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers.
Amy's tenure in the construction sector has endowed her with invaluable insights into emerging trends and technologies, positioning her as a respected authority in her field. Her achievements have been recognized through accolades such as being named among the Top 100 People to Know in St. Louis and receiving the distinguished title of Top STL Leader. Furthermore, C Three Business Consultants has been awarded Top Consulting Firm in 2024.
Amy's prominence extends beyond her professional achievements; she has lent her expertise as a panelist at esteemed events including Tech STL, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Women’s Conference, and forums hosted by the Washington University School of Business. Her profound knowledge and thought leadership distinguish her as a preeminent figure in her industry, consistently delivering unparalleled insight and guidance across the Nation.
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
Lauren Furtado is the owner of a Fractional CFO Services firm, who is labeled as "Not your typical CPA". She spent 19 years in public accounting serving multi-billion-dollar Fortune 100 companies but was passionate about bringing big company strategies to blue collar business owners to simplify their finances, enhance growth and impact, and improve their profitability. Through her firm, she offers fractional CFO services tailored to the needs of business owners, helping them navigate financial complexities and achieve sustainable growth.She is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of New Jersey, who is grounded in her faith and family-values driving her impact driven results for her 7 and 8-figure business clients, focusing on empowering them with the financial tools and insights necessary for success.
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
Zach is an accomplished entrepreneur and marketing specialist with over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing. He has established himself as a leading figure in the industry, having created over a billion dollars in sales for his clients throughout his career. Aside from his impressive professional achievements, Zach is also an accomplished author, having published several books on marketing and entrepreneurship. His expertise and insights have helped countless individuals and businesses achieve success in their respective industries. Despite his busy schedule, Zach values his personal life and time with family above all else. He enjoys spending quality time with his loved ones and can often be found playing golf or attending Lightning games in his free time. With his vast experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to his personal life, Zach brings a unique perspective to any project he works on. His expertise and passion for marketing and sales continue to make an impact in the industry, and he remains a valuable asset to any team or client he works with.
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
Jonathan Schooler, founder and president of Global Restoration, brings over 30 years of construction and restoration expertise to his company. He first opened Global Restoration while attending The Ohio State University in 1991. As President, Jonathan is deeply involved in shaping business strategies and business models. He has extensive experience managing and supervising catastrophic events throughout the country, resulting from hurricanes, water damage, mold, tornadoes, and fires.
Jonathan has overseen millions of dollars in property losses throughout his career, demonstrating his proficiency in handling large-scale disasters. Under his leadership, Global Restoration has grown into a multimillion-dollar, top-rated corporation. He is a specialist in helping businesses develop and implement robust disaster recovery strategies.
In addition to his role at Global Restoration, Jonathan is a licensed custom home builder in Atlanta and maintains active involvement in several charitable organizations such as The Boys and Girls Club of America, Young Life, and Habitat for Humanity. His commitment to community service is further evidenced by his previous board memberships with Nationwide Insurance Contractor Advisory Board, The Boys and Girls Club of America, The American Red Cross, and Habitat for Humanity.
Credentials:
Education: The Ohio State University: 1991-1995
Training and Certification:
- Licensed General Contractor
- IICRC Water Damage and Smoke Restoration
- IICRC Certified Water Restoration
- IICRC Certified Fire Restoration
- IICRC Mold Restoration
- IOT Certified-Mold
- IOT Certified-Disaster Planning
- IOT Certified-Emergency Response and Preparedness
- Large Loss Institute Certified
- OSHA Certified
- EPA-Lead Certified
- Hazmat Certified
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.
My Marketing Plan Needs a Change Order: How to Get Leads in a Tightening Market
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 118
AJ Beson
Founder & CEO | Beson4
Mike Hicks
Executive Vice President | Beson4
This course will inform attendees about implementing targeted digital marketing strategies to generate leads. The information will help attendees understand how to use a comprehensive variety of digital strategies to advertise more successfully in a tightening market affected by inflation, rising interest rates, and reduced budgets. When you need to do more with less, a results-driven digital marketing plan can be your ticket to lead generation.
During this course discuss strategies for:
- Website Conversion Optimization
- Effective SEO
- PPC Campaign Tips
- Valuable & Creative Video Content
- Key Social Media Strategies
- Why Email Marketing is Still Important
- Managing Your Online Reputation
Introduction to Safe Digging in Georgia/Damage Prevention
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 111
Michael K Bell
Productivity Adjustments and its Impact on Cost and Duration
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 106
Direct and indirect expenses in construction projects: This presentation takes a quick and comprehensive look at all expenses expected in a typical construction project. We identify direct and indirect expenses and list all types of categories under each type. The presentation makes a brief analysis of labor, materials, equipment, overhead, bonds and insurance, profit, contingency, and other expenses. Knowing and estimating these expenses can make or break the contractor’s business. This presentation is a must for contractors and anyone in the construction industry.
Target Audience: Builders and Contractors
Construction project management consultant, author, public speaker, and trainer.
B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in civil engineering specialized in Construction Management.
Experience: Over 26 years diversified:
- Industrial: private and public sectors, in the U.S. and overseas. Positions occupied include project engineer/manager, cost estimator, planner/scheduler, project controls manager, cost manager, training manager.
- Academic: faculty member / professor, head of department.
- Extensive experience in continuing education and professional training around the world. Topics are mainly technical but also include soft skills.
Author of:
- Construction Project Scheduling and Control (currently 3rd edition)
- How to Estimate with Means Data: Basic Skills for Building Construction (currently 4th edition)
- Many articles; technical and other
- Many presentations in professional conferences such as PMI, AACE International, Primavera Users Conference. Also, a public speaker in many local, regional, and international events.
- An authority on project planning, scheduling, and project control; was part of the PMI team that wrote the first Project Scheduling certification (PMI-SP) exam in 2007.
- An advocate of holistic healthy living and sports.
Estimating, Pricing and Increasing Sales with Upgrades & Selections
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 116
We don’t always need to cut our profit to win the job! Learn how to leverage JobTread to estimate effectively, price jobs to reach target profits, and increase your sales through upgrades and selections.
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors, Remodelers, Specialty Contractors, Business Owners
Rilee’s experience in both construction and software development fuels his passion for using technology to help people build and scale their businesses. He loves setting up contractors with the right tools to make their businesses more organized and profitable.
Holding a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Texas A&M University as well as a Certificate in Fullstack Web Development from Southern Methodist University, Rilee is well-versed in guiding contractors through streamlining processes while maximizing profits.
10 Minute Marketing Strategy Plan
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. |
A fractional CMO that ranks on page one in your city for the term, "Fractional CMO __(add your city name here)___" is coming to teach and tell you exactly how to rank on page one and also give you a 10 min action plan that will propel your business forward exponentially.
Get your own 10 minute action plan that will drastically improve your marketing. Then stay for the round table of other businesses similar to your industry on what they are doing and how they can improve through new techniques taught by Joshua Ramsey.
Target Audience: All building and construction professionals
A Google Certified Partner, Joshua's teaches interactive conferences based on material received from Google. Plus hear real life stories of success and failures that business owners have had. These powerful, interactive conferences are jammed packed with information that Joshua received during weekly meetings with Google. This is information every business owner needs to know.
Before becoming a Google Partner, Joshua was an outsourced CMO for several large U.S. based companies. As a CMO over the last 9 years, Joshua has managed over $2.5 million in AdWords and Digital Marketing Budgets and managed more than 2,800 campaigns. As a Bing Partner and Google Certified Partner, Joshua attends national conferences with some of the other great minds that influence SEO, digital marketing, and social media. Today, Joshua speaks all over the country helping businesses improve every element of their marketing.
Grow Your Brand On Social Media Using The "Contractor Facebook Funnel"
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 119
Learn how to set up your company's Facebook Business Page to consistently attract your ideal client and turn them from browsers into buyers.
Target Audience: Residential Contractors (remodelers, landscapers, painters, exterior remodeling), Residential GC's, and GC's performing light commercial construction.
Logan Shinholser is the owner of Contractor Growth Network, one of the fastest growing contractor-focused marketing agencies. As a contractor branding and marketing expert, he's helped hundreds of companies elevate their brand to scale their business and command higher prices.
Solar Power in 2023 and why you should be using it
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 115
Peter Giroux
Founder | American Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions
This presentation will be an overview on today’s solar systems (residential & commercial) and the numerous features and benefits a system can provide. Will look at modern day solar panels, inverters, batteries and lighting products and the numerous applications they support along with a few challenges we face in our industry. Will touch on the financial aspects of installing solar and the benefits a system provides. Solar Power is not new, it has been around for over 40 years and has evolved into a bankable home or business add-on or improvement that pays generous returns for 30+ years.
Target Audience: Architects, General Contractors, Subcontractors, Builders, Remodelers and Developers that are considering super energy efficient homes and communities.
Peter Giroux is the founder of American Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions inc. Based in Roswell Georgia with 12 great years of customers throughout Georgia, Alabama, Florida & Tennessee. My background was in High Tech Search and Consulting prior to starting ASAE with technology customers in North America and Israel. While ASAE’s customers are varied along with their requirements it never changes the simple fact that they are spending a lot of money on their home or business Solar systems and should get the best quality, performance, and service possible.
As a Contractor myself, certified in PV design, 1000’s of hours of continuing education and 100’s of successful solar installs I know that solar is not a one solution fits all ( and sometimes solar does not fit at all ) which pushes us to deliver unique designs, scalable systems and a great return for our customers.
Implementing QuickBooks and Apps for Contractors - Level 2
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. | Room 119
Founder | Candella Accounting & Advisory
Learn how to be efficient with the tools and resources available for automation. When you finish this class, you will know how to use QuickBooks, how to properly set up QuickBooks, and how to troubleshoot for proper job profitability reporting. Join me to unfold the world of apps and how they work for your benefit. Understand the ecosystem available for you and how you can be more productive right now.
Target Audience: Builders and Contractors
Candella CEO and Founder, Carla Caldwell, has over 25 years of experience in the accounting industry. She has built a team at Candella that combines a passion for technology-focused advisory and accounting services with a culture that emphasizes responsiveness, accuracy, excellence, and integrity.
As a member of the exclusive Trainer Writer Network with Intuit, Carla teaches accounting professionals how to modernize their process by leveraging the use of QuickBooks Online and other software tools. Here’s the bottom line: she knows how to talk to people about accounting and business. Carla is a loving wife, proud mother of two, business owner, and world traveler.
A Better Way to Manage Your Jobs From Start to Finish - JobTread Demo
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room 116
Hector Ponce
Get organized, complete your projects on time, and increase your profits. JobTread is end- to-end construction management software that helps you manage all of your business processes, from sales and estimating through to project completion. Learn why contractors give JobTread a 5-star review and consider adding JobTread to your toolkit.
Target Audience: Builders, Contractors, Remodelers, Specialty Contractors, Business Owners
Rilee’s experience in both construction and software development fuels his passion for using technology to help people build and scale their businesses. He loves setting up contractors with the right tools to make their businesses more organized and profitable.
Holding a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Texas A&M University as well as a Certificate in Fullstack Web Development from Southern Methodist University, Rilee is well-versed in guiding contractors through streamlining processes while maximizing profits.
Hector Ponce is a first-generation Mexican-American with a strong passion for improving business operations in the construction industry. Having observed his family and friends struggle to expand their construction businesses due to their reliance on traditional methods such as pen and paper and spreadsheets, Hector developed a deep-rooted desire to challenge existing processes and seek innovative solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
As a forward-thinking advocate of next-generation technology, Hector recognizes the transformative power of technology in simplifying daily tasks and fostering better organization. He has witnessed firsthand the tremendous impact that software solutions can have on construction companies of all sizes, ranging from streamlining data entry processes to consolidating operations within a single system. With an unwavering commitment to helping businesses thrive, Hector is dedicated to assisting construction companies in their growth journey.
Hector Ponce holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from The University of North Texas. To explore how his expertise can contribute to your business's success, schedule a call with Hector today.
2024 Exhibitors
