Session Descriptions - Thursday, October 28

Track
Session Title
Presenter

Business Building Blocks
Pricing and Profitability
Kevin Kehoe, Three Point Group

Learn about “real-world” strategies being employed by contractors that are working to produce both increased sales and profits. Many of the old ways of pricing really no longer apply. In fact, they actually reduce competitiveness and profitability.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Establish a general pricing model and price levels.
• Determine labor and materials rates for estimating.
• Establish service-line pricing to maximize sales and profits.
• Establish a flexible job-size pricing structure with differential rates.
• Determine total customer profit model.
• Use price as a marketing weapon.

Design/Build/Installation
Design Inspiration … Exploring Design Styles with Plants
Katharine Rudnyk, Monrovia Growers

Today is really tomorrow’s future when it comes to design/build. Explore design styles that are popular today as well as the emerging trends of tomorrow. Learn about new and exceptional plants and elements that capture fashionable American styles, regardless of where you are working. Building a foundation plant palette by style is a helpful tool when making quick design choices with a client. More and more resources are available to help you recreate a popular style in today’s culture or develop you very own signature style. Attendees will receive a design style guide of the most requested styles.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Design using an image and translate it to wherever they work.
• Make plants their design focal point using available tools.
• Diversify their signature style.
• Use trends in garden design.

Design/Build/Installation
Designing and Constructing Exceptional Water Features, Part 1 of 2
David B. Duensing, David B. Duensing & Associates, Inc.

Key planning and visual elements required to properly locate and integrate water features into the surrounding landscape are addressed. Sizing and shaping of basins, streams and equipment will be discussed as well as working with natural stone. Specific design issues for commercial and residential projects will also be covered.
Attendee will learn how to:
• Identify and convert your clients goals and emotions into design and sales opportunities
• Identify and avoid the most common design and build mistakes
• Provide long term satisfaction and enjoyment to your clients through visual, audible and interaction opportunities
• Work with and  incorporate stone properly into your waterfalls as well as pond and stream edge treatments
• Understand various techniques for naturalizing ponds and water gardens with aquatic plantings

Landscape Management
How Low Can You Go
Bill Horn, Landscape Industry Certified Manager & Technician, Terracare Associates, Bruce Moore Sr., Landscape Industry Certified Manager, Eastern Land Management, Inc. / Moderator: Roger Phelps, STIHL Inc.

People Don’t Always Buy Low Price! They buy the best perceived value, differentiation, or a personal relationship. Today’s customer demands exceptional service, perfect quality, and lots of choices.  Even in this competitive, price-driven economy, you can become the preferred provider of products and services, using proven marketing and sales ideas that work
Attendees will learn how to:
• Help customers solve their problems and make a profit.
• Add value and produce results for their customers.
• Present their products and services.
• Offer more than a low price.

Landscape Management
Keys to Effective Sales Presentations
Chris Kujawa, Landscape Industry Certified Manager, Kujawa Enterprises, Inc.

Your company’s success is dependent on your ability to show prospective clients why they need to work with you. This presentation will offer suggestions and ideas for preparing and executing successful sales presentations and how they can lead to profitable, long-term relationships. You will walk away with key tactics and ideas that you can implement immediately.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Present their services in the most effective way.
• Identify the value of their services.
• Increase their value to the client.

Lawn Care
Real Customer Service … the Missing Link
William Hoopes, Grass Roots Training and Consulting

Too many lawn services talk about but fail to deliver serious customer service. Many are convinced all homeowners want is a deal. Find out why that is not the case and how you can build a service culture, guaranteed to impact your bottom line. Presentation content provides real experiences and information you can immediately use in your operation.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Identify what is really important to home services shoppers.
• Identify cost-cutting tactics that are killing service and losing customers.
• Gain market share from cost-cutting competitors — guaranteed.
• Extend lifetime values and build profit through service.
• Build a true “service culture.”

Lawn Care
Sustainability/Green – How to Position Our Industry Better
Nick Harmon, Bayer

Sustainability
Sustainable Landscaping: A Visionary Look at the Future of Gardens
Owen Dell, Owen Dell & Associates

Progressive landscape professionals have come to realize that there’s a better way to design, build, and maintain landscapes. Join nationally known landscape architect and contractor Owen Dell for an eye-opening and entertaining session on the evolving art and science of sustainable landscaping. This immensely popular talk includes many specific ideas on how to create stable, beautiful landscape systems that work for you and your clients.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Reduce adverse environmental impacts.
• Make landscapes easier to build.
• Maintain quality, reduce costs, increase safety, and create profitable business opportunities by incorporating sustainable landscaping principles into their projects.

Hardscape
Bidding and Estimating for Commercial Hardscape Projects
Andrew Vear, Southwest Specialties of Reno

As the commercial construction industry moves towards completely digital plans and specifications, the hardscape contractor has to find and learn how to use the tools that will allow them to access these markets. This session will look at the process and tools, such as estimating software, used to create an estimate. The process begins at the local plan room website, where plans and specifications for hardscape projects are posted.  Once a project is identified, an "on-screen take off" can be performed and the resulting estimates and  quantities can be determined.

Hardscape
Your Ticket to Success: Partnering with Suppliers
Lisa Lackovic, Marketing Manager, Watkins Concrete Block Co. Inc.

Contractors and distributors, learn how to develop partnerships to grow your business.  Proven marketing approaches such as contractor referral programs, designer showrooms, hardscape contractor seminars, hardscape advisory councils, hardscape newsletters, quarry/plant tours, and home show support will be reviewed.   This entertaining presentation will be filled with videos and personal stories that illustrate success.

Hardscape
Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement: A Stormwater Management Solution
Kevin Earley, Director of Commercial Sales, Nicolock Paving Stones

Permeable pavement systems can store and infiltrate stormwater directly through the pavement, eliminating runoff and associated impacts.  This presentation reviews the basic design and construction of permeable interlocking concrete pavement, along with case studies.  Performance issues related to joint maintenance, ADA compliance, winter plowing, freeze-thaw, and concrete durability are reviewed.  Regulatory incentives for LID paving solutions and potential LEED® credits are also identified.

Hardscape
Increasing Profits through Paver Enhancement and Maintenance
Rich Colletti, President, Seal’n Lock System Corporation and Mike Riehm, President, Envirobond Products Corporation

Learn how to increase your profits through existing and previous customers by offering paver sealing, joint stabilization products, and maintenance services.  Paver sealing and joint stabilization products provide your customer with an enhanced, rejuvenated and superior paver system.  The benefit to you?  Diversifying your business and increasing your bottom line.

PGMS
Stormwater Protection & Greener Landscapes
Sarah Lynn Cunningham

Discussion on how to protect Storm water Systems from runoff and incorporation sustainable practices to Landscape Design

PGMS
Lessons Learned from Analyzing Fatal Injuries in the Landscape and Horticulture Field
Sam Steel

Discussion of data compiled and lessons to be learned from fatal industrial incidents in the Green Industry

 Business Building Blocks
Managing Costs and Budgets
Kevin Kehoe, Three Point Group

The need to focus on the numbers has never been more important for a contractor. The current business climate is ushering in changes that will be permanent in terms of contract pricing and business relationships. There will not be a return to the “good old days” once the recession ends. With this in mind, Kevin Kehoe is presenting his benchmarking research, and keys and tools to assist contractors in securing their financial success. 
 Attendees will learn how to:
• Identify key profit-performance drivers — how much should I make?
• Establish a budget and road map to achieve high profits — how do I get my company to improve?
• Establish pricing and contracting models — How will I charge my customer and keep them?
• Establish an organizational structure to maximize efficiency — How many people do I need?
• Use an 80/20 approach to execute a budget plan — what five factors will make me better fastest?

Design/Build/Installation
Incorporating Design Technology for Efficient and Accurate Landscape Design/Build Workflows
Eric Gibley, Nemetschek North America

Many companies struggle when adopting design technology, fearing the transition would be more costly than beneficial. However, design/build professionals are finding advantages when integrating software and online resources to aid in client satisfaction, material selection, and successful installations. This presentation will take you through various levels of technology that landscape design/build firms can use today to improve productivity and accuracy.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Incorporate general and industry-specific software applications, or online resources, to assist in a hand-drawing or limited CAD design workflow.
• Leverage various design software applications to ensure accurate calculations for estimates, easily share information with other team members, and create deliverables for client presentations.
• Adopt fully integrated design software that can help achieve accurate and illustrative 2D drawings, 3D analysis and rendered presentations, and connectivity between various portions of a design/build operation.

Design/Build/Installation
Designing and Constructing Exceptional Water Features, Part 2 of 2
David Duensing, David B. Duensing & Associates, Inc.

Adding More Value to Your Water Features!   This class deals specifically with construction of waterfalls, ponds, lakes and streams using design principals from the previous class. Here we will look at a variety of projects under construction as well as materials, equipment and installation techniques.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Understand proper preparation of the site for enduring and problem free features
• Installation and protection techniques for waterproof lining materials
• Importance of and the construction opportunities with pond edges
• Work with natural rock to create authenticity in your water features
• Create and enhance the acoustic and visual elements of a waterfall, stream or pond

Expanding Your Business
Growing Your Business with Tree Care
Mark Chisholm, Aspen Tree Expert Company

Explore the ins and outs of working with other green industry professionals in your community to expand your offerings for a win-win combination. What types of work can landscape contractors do from the ground and when do you need a trained climbing professional?
 
Learn how to choose the best alternative for your business - referral, subcontract or in-house, and the pros and cons of each. Also, discover how to evaluate and connect with the best tree care professionals in your area. 
Attendees will learn how to:
• Determine what work crews can do from the ground and when to hire a trained climbing professional.
• Understand pros and cons for your business of providing referral, subcontract or in-house tree care services.
• Evaluate and connect with the best tree care professionals in your area.

Landscape Management
Business in a Box: The Four Core Buckets for Companies Under $750K
Bruce Wilson and Tom Oyler, Wilson-Oyler Group

Business in A Box is an exciting new benefit designed specifically to help small contractors set up their businesses with a solid foundation in the four buckets that are fundamental to a sound business: financial architecture, operational architecture, market positioning, and social architecture (HR). This is a step-by-step approach to setting up a landscape maintenance business with all the tools necessary to be successful.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Use this new tool to build their businesses with a strong foundation of business practices.
• Use the four essential components of all business: financial architecture, operational architecture, sales and market positioning, and social architecture (HR).
• Use our diagnostic tool to identify strengths and weaknesses of their businesses today.

Landscape Management
Safety & Training Case Studies
Matt Bland, Landscape Industry Certified Manager, Bland Landscaping Co., Inc., Laurie Erdman, The Bruce Co. of Wisconsin, Inc., Gary Clevenger, CNA Business Insurance, Chuck Stribling , OSHA Federal-State Coordinator / Moderator: Rick Cuddihe, Landscape Industry Certified Manager, Husqvarna

Safety is one of the most important issues we deal with. Employees must be trained on safe job performance. Hear from a panel of experts about safety programs they’ve developed to ensure a safe work environment.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Apply state-of-the-art safety training programs.
• Implement important safety program ideas that work.

Lawn Care
Who Is Your Advocate for Legislation and Regulations That Affect Your Business?
Panelists: Jim Campanella, The Lawn Dawg; Jim Skillen, RISE
Moderator: John Buechner, Lawn Doctor

When state or local politicians want to pass laws or enact regulations that could impact your business, what do you do? Lawn and landscape applicators are facing a new onslaught of pesticide and nutrient legislation. Hear from a panel of experts what you can do at the local and state level to protect your livelihood.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Apply “All Politics Are Local”
• Be an advocate for their businesses and for the industry.
• Create a grassroots network.
• Case studies of advocacy at work.

Lawn Care
Managing Lawn Insects with Reduced Chemical Inputs
Daniel A. Potter, University of Kentucky

Lawn care professionals face increasing pressures to maintain quality lawns and landscapes while reducing costs and safeguarding people, pets, and the environment.  This talk focuses on diagnosing and managing lawn insect pests with reduced pesticides, with straight talk on what does and doesn’t work.  New reduced-risk insecticides will be discussed including how they work, optimum timing and rates, and how to educate customers about their advantages. Biological control, pest resistant grasses, and how mowing, fertility, and irrigation can be adjusted to make lawns less suitable for insects will be covered, as well as updates on new pests and control tactics.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Signs and symptoms of destructive lawn insect pests
• The latest information on new reduced-risk insecticides: how they work, pest spectrum controlled, optimum timing, and lowest effective rates   
• Options for non-chemical control, including strengths and limitations of biological insecticides and insect-resistant grasses
• How to distinguish between pests and beneficial insects
• What lies ahead for sustainable management of lawn insect pests

Sales and Marketing
Steps to Win More Customers & Contracts
George Hedley, Hard Hat Presentations

Being the low bidder is not enough. To win more jobs, you’ve got to give customers a better reason to award your company a contract. Hedley, author of Profit-Driven Estimating and Bidding Strategies That Work! will share how to overcome the low bid process, set your company apart from the competition, improve your estimating strategy, and negotiate more contracts.  
Attendees will learn how to:
• Implement winning estimating and bidding strategies to win more contracts.
• Give customers a reason to award more contracts to their companies.
• Get in front of the decision maker and negotiate to win.
• Set their companies apart from the competition.
• Improve their proposal bid-hit success ratio.

Sustainability
Business Opportunities in Sustainable Landscaping
Owen Dell, Owen Dell & Associates

If you’re not offering sustainable landscaping options to your clients, you’re missing out on the biggest business opportunity in the green industry today. This workshop will show you some of the great new possibilities for expanding your products and services into the booming field of environmentally sound landscaping practices. There’s no easier sell in the industry because sustainable landscaping saves clients money and appeals to the values of the 85 percent of Americans who consider themselves environmentalists.
Attendees will learn how to:
• Make money in the growing fields of eco roofs, pervious paving, watershed friendly landscaping, integrated pest management, alternative building methods, and a lot more.
• Develop a new enthusiasm for their work, and prepare to change their entire outlook on their business.

PGMS
Global Water Issues
Kelly Kopp
Discussion of issues related to water use in regard to current and proposed regulatory issues and the effects that these regulations may have upon the Green Industry.
 
PGMS
Using Standardized Risk Analysis Matrix to Reduce Risk in the Landscape Industry
Sam Steel

Discussion of data involving industrial incidents in the Green industry and how the Manager can use the data to reduce risk to their employees

PLANET’s Keynote Address
Above All Else: The Power of Passion
Jamie Clarke

Mount Everest speaker Jamie Clarke shares his journey of tenacity and triumph with breathtaking images and live recordings. As a leadership speaker, Clarke is perfect for audiences seeking expertise on change management, risk-taking, project management, and team building. Before every speech, Clarke seeks to learn about your organization's challenges and goals, customizing his presentation and masterfully personalizing the experience for each audience member.

While sharing humor and passion from the heart, Clarke challenges his audience to think differently - to view failure as a learning experience, to experience the art of grunt work, to conquer fear through focus - to live life with passion on their own terms.