GIE+EXPO Workshops & Hardscape Demos Announced for Lawn & Landscape Pros

Valuable opportunities abound at the 2017 GIE+EXPO (Green Industry & Equipment Expo) for lawn & landscape pros interested in improving profitability. The show is set for Oct. 18-20 at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

The GIE+EXPO Workshops will cover a variety of management topics specifically for landscape contractors’ businesses. In addition, for contractors looking to diversify, Hardscape North America’s co-location with GIE+EXPO provides the opportunity to learn about expanding into the hardscape market.

2017 GIE+EXPO Workshops

Thursday, October 19

8:00-9:30 am
Hardscape Workshop 1: Production Management and Crew Motivation on the Hardscape Jobsite

Frank Gandora, Creative Hardscape

Creating and winning a bid is only half the story. With over 30 years of hardscape experience, Frank Gandora knows profits are made or lost on the job site. In this info-packed session, he will share valuable techniques that will motivate your crew, increase production and ensure a profitable project.

10:00-11:30 am

Hardscape Workshop 2: Hardscape as a Profit Center

Frank Bourque

Hardscape services prove to be one of the most profitable areas in the landscape industry. Adding hardscape services to a landscape business can mean big dividends if done the right way. Not only is the consumer demand high and increasing, but the variety of equipment, attachments and tools available make it easy for landscapers to add to the services they provide without sacrificing productivity and efficiency. In this high-impact session, landscape professionals will learn how to differentiate their businesses from the competition and implement proven systems to gain the maximum return on investment by adding hardscape services.

1:00-2:30 pm

NALP Workshop 1: 50 Sure-Fire Ways to Reduce Cost & Increase Profits

Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme, The Harvest Group, National Association of Landscape Professional Consultants
Are you frustrated working 24/7 with low profits? Are your sales growing bigger and your bottom line smaller? It’s time to figure out the things that really make money. This hard-hitting session will include real-world case studies and practical advice to help landscape professionals attract, motivate and keep great people and maximize market share with powerful estimating and pricing strategies.

3:00-4:30 pm

NALP Workshop 2: A Critical Analysis of the Six Estimating Systems Used in the Green Industry Today

Jim Huston, J.R. Huston Consulting, National Association of Landscape Professional Consultant

Learn the six most commonly used estimating methods in the green industry. Attendees will gain an understanding of six estimating methods and the tools to identify the weaknesses and strengths in each; how to analyze a bid; and how to define and calculate direct costs, general and administrative overhead costs, a break-even point, gross profit margins and net profit margins.

Friday, October 20

8:00-9:30 am

NALP Workshop 3: The Success Marketing Strategy for Growing Your Landscaping Business

Christopher Yates, Success Landscape Marketing, National Association of Landscape Professional Consultant

Websites and social media are changing at lightning speed and it’s a challenge for a business owner to stay on top of it all. In this workshop, the author of The Complete Guide to Marketing Success for Landscapers will break everything down in a practical way to help businesses generate more clients, referrals and revenue.

8:00-9:30 am

NALP Workshop 4: Teamwork – In Every Aspect of Your Life!

Rich and Crystal Arlington, Rich Arlington & Associates, National Association of Landscape Professional Consultant

The Dynamic Duo of Landscape and Snow, Rich & Crystal Arlington will explain how to work together as a team at work and at home. To be successful in our personal lives and business, a person must understand and develop a plan to overcome the obstacles presented when husband and wife work together. Attendees with learn how to create a professional environment, use technology as an effective tool and utilize each other’s strengths to build unity in a business and personal relationship.

10:00-11:30 am

NALP Workshop 5: Tips and Trends for Hiring and Retaining Employees

Kent Kohn, Pro-Motion Consulting Inc., National Association of Landscape Professional Consultant

What are businesses doing to attract and keep employees? What is the most important policy to maintain when hiring and firing? What are the most common hiring mistakes? How do you hire the best talent? How can an employer appeal to different generations? Landscape professionals will learn answers to these key employment questions and much more.

10:00-11:30 am

NALP Workshop 6: Sustainable Winter Management

Phill Sexton, Chief Knowledge Officer, Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA)

Phill will present the results of his two-year study about sustainability issues of the winter management industry. He will discuss solutions to consider for the industry to further its credibility as a profession. A lack of formal standards offers an opportunity for the industry to self-regulate its policy and practice and to elevate its image as environmental stewards.

1:00-2:30 pm

NALP Workshop 7: How to Develop a Well-Trained, Safe and Effective Workforce! …Do We Really Know How to “Train Our Trainers?”

Fred Haskett, The Harvest Group, National Association of Landscape Professional Consultant

This presentation examines the current state of training programs and systems in our information-rich environment. It offers a simple and implementable system that will arm any organization’s trainers with the self-confidence to train their team members to execute tasks consistently and thoroughly in order to achieve a safe, competent and effective workforce.

3:00-4:30 pm

NALP Workshop 8: The 4 Keys to Crush Your Goals

Jeffrey Knight, Director of Education, Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply

The problem with goals is that many of them lack imagination or they are simply tasks that should never be categorized as a “goal” in the first place. Imagine what you could achieve if you conditioned yourself to stay in a mental state that constantly takes advantage of things that contribute to your success.

Hardscape Demonstrations

(Held in the tented Hardscape North America Outdoor Arena in the Outdoor Demonstration Area)

The format for the Hardscape Demonstrations will be a continuous build, which will happen during show hours in the HNA Outdoor Arena with one-hour featured demonstrations.The presentations will be led by Bill Gardocki, Owner of Interstate Landscape Co., Inc. and University of New Hampshire.

Thursday, October 19

11:00 am-Noon
SRW Construction with a Focus on Double Tiered Walls and Proper Geo Grid Specification, Placement and Use

1:00-2:00 pm
Installation of Base Material and Pavers for Interlocking Pavements and Go Pro Time-Lapse for Construction Jobs

3:00-4:00 pm
Permeable Base and Paver Installation

Friday, October 20

11:00 am-Noon
Tools of the Trade

1:00-2:00 pm
Hardscape Lighting

3:00-4:00 pm
Outdoor Kitchens

Each HNA demonstration is eligible for one ICPI Certified Installer Continuing Education (CE) Credit. Attendees should pick up a CE tracking form at the HNA registration desk at the tradeshow.

Registration Details

Registration in advance is required for the workshops and demonstrations. NALP Workshops: $85; Hardscape Workshop: $50. Those who only want to attend the HNA Demonstrations can upgrade their tradeshow registration for $50 to include all six live demos. Register for all sessions online at www.gie-expo.com.

GIE+EXPO 2017

GIE+EXPO’s 2017 dates are Wednesday, Oct. 18, Dealer Day and Oct. 19-20 for all industry participants. The annual event is sponsored by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Inc. (OPEI), Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) and National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). HNA is sponsored by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI).

For more info on GIE+EXPO, click this link. Come on, clicky!