Charlotte Build Expo 2026 | Keynotes & Seminars

Your P&L says you made money last year. Your bank account says something different. That gap — between what you earned on paper and what actually sits in the bank — is the single most common problem in construction, and it has nothing to do with how hard you're working or how many jobs you're closing. Using real, live examples from real contracting businesses, this keynote lays out exactly why profitable companies run out of cash, and the specific playbook to fix it — without buying another piece of software, without raising your prices, and without taking on debt to bridge the gap. This isn't theory. It's the exact framework being used inside contracting businesses right now to turn "profitable on paper" into cash you can actually see.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the specific point in your business where profit is quietly leaking out between the job and the bank account.
2. Learn the account structure that separates true profit from operating cash — so you always know what's actually yours to spend.
3. See a live, real-numbers example of a contractor who fixed this exact problem without raising a single price.
4. Leave with the first two moves to make this week to start closing your own cash flow gap.

Most businesses approach government contracting by searching for posted solicitations and responding to bids. However, successful government contractors understand that the procurement process begins long before an opportunity is publicly released. Agency missions, budgets, market research, acquisition strategies, and stakeholder collaboration all influence purchasing decisions well in advance of a Request for Proposal.

This session provides a practical framework for understanding the government acquisition process from the agency's perspective. Attendees will learn how requirements are developed, who influences buying decisions, why market research and early engagement matter, and how to identify opportunities before they reach the bidding stage. The presentation also explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in market research, opportunity identification, and proposal development, while emphasizing the continued importance of relationships, trust, and strategic positioning.

Whether you're a contractor, architect, engineer, manufacturer, construction professional, or business owner looking to expand into the public sector, you'll leave with a clearer understanding of how government agencies make purchasing decisions and practical strategies to position your business for long-term success in the government marketplace.

Customers often focus on the lowest bid they receive. Contractors spend more time getting as low a number as possible as opposed to making a good profit on projects. Contractors are capable of winning work but struggle in securing a reasonable profit on their projects. The result is focusing on bidding and quoting as opposed to full customer engagement to drive higher profits. There are very effective methods to increase margins within a solid sales effort. These methods will be presented and examples of their success related. Contractors and suppliers alike will benefit from this detailed information.

You already earn enough revenue. The problem was never how much money comes in — it's how much of it you actually get to keep. This keynote is built for the contractor owner who is tired of living deposit to deposit, tired of watching real revenue disappear before it ever becomes real profit. Using live, real-world examples, we'll show you exactly how cash-rich contractors are built — not through bigger jobs or higher prices, but through a small number of specific shifts to how revenue is captured, protected, and kept inside the business. You'll leave knowing exactly what separates a contractor who's always chasing the next check from one who never has to again.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the difference between revenue and Real Revenue — and why that distinction is the root of the deposit-to-deposit cycle.
2. See a live example of a contracting business that ended its own cash cycle without changing pricing or volume.
3. Learn the specific account structure that protects revenue the moment it comes in, before it can leak out.
4. Leave with a clear, personal definition of what "cash-rich" actually looks like for your business — and the first shift to make toward it.

In this class we will layout how to determine what associations to join, how to work them and get business from your involvement. The single greatest way to find grouped customers and network contacts is right in your backyard association! Work them to the fullest and you'll never make a cold call again!

https://www.tomwoodcocksealthedeal.com

Discover the three biggest marketing leaks costing contractors revenue: visibility, website engagement, and lead follow-through. Learn how AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help fix each leak, improve conversions, and reduce wasted marketing dollars. Leave with practical strategies, real-world examples, and actionable insights to grow your business profitably.

Discover essential fireplace safety precautions while exploring a range of direct vent and luxury collections—traditional, transitional, and see-through. Learn about custom fireplaces, configurations, construction, and installation best practices. This session also covers electric fireplaces, outdoor fire features, and design options to enhance safety, efficiency, and style in both residential and commercial spaces. Course provided by and AIA approved through Travis Industries. DaVinci Custom Fireplaces is a registered provider with The American Institute of Architects continuing education systems (AIA/CES) for AIA members.

This training empowers construction professionals with option-based survival skills to stay alive until law enforcement arrives and ultimately survive a violent incident. The course applies these skills to construction worksites, including active jobsites, offices, warehouses, and other project locations, while working within your organization’s Emergency Operations Plan. Through an engaging presentation with interaction and demonstrations, attendees will learn how to recognize threats, respond under stress, and make informed decisions during an active shooting or other violent incident. No hands-on training or surprise scenarios are used.

Topics to be discussed:

·       Lessons Learned from Prior Active Threat Events

·       Evolution of Law Enforcement Response

·       Workplace Violence on Construction Jobsites

·       Human Response to Stress

·       What to Do if You Encounter an Active Shooter

·       Basic First Aid

·       How to React When Law Enforcement Arrives

Based on the EOS (entrepreneurial operating system) 6 key components of running your business more effectively and maximizing profitability. EOS is based off the book Traction, written by Geno Wickman and used by hundreds of companies to break through the ceiling when they are stuck. This simple set of practical tools helps to increase accountability throughout the organization.  

You know the number. You have looked at it enough times to know it by heart. Two trucks. A handful of good people. Revenue that has been flat long enough that you have stopped calling it a slow year. And you already tried the obvious answer. You worked more. You answered the phone on Sunday. You quoted the job at 9pm because nobody else was going to. It bought you a little, and it cost you a lot. Here is what almost nobody tells you: you are not stuck because your market dried up. You are stuck because the company you built to run at one or two million was never designed to carry five — and the money that would fix that is sitting one desk away from you, at a bank, waiting on paperwork you have never been shown. When a lender turns you down, they are not judging your work ethic. They never met you. They read a file. Ninety minutes from now you will know exactly what is in that file, why it reads the way it does, and which two things you can change to make the same banker say yes to a bigger number than you were going to ask for. You will also get a straight answer on private equity — what it actually is at your size, what it costs you, and why almost nobody is going to hand you a check. Nothing is sold from this stage. Two thirds of this session is teaching. The last part is one way forward, if you want it, and you are free to ignore it and keep the rest.

What You Walk Out With

FIX ONE  ·  You will see the exact structural break that stalled you. Not a motivational answer. The specific internal systems that snap at this stage of a company's life — and why working harder makes the break worse, not better.

FIX TWO  ·  You will read your own books the way an underwriter reads them. What they measure, what they require, what quietly kills a file, and what makes a bank willing to lend past the number you walked in asking for.

ONE WAY FORWARD  ·  You will see what it looks like to have someone build it with you. The seats a growing company has to fill — tax attorney, CPA, contracts, books, marketing, operations — and how to get there without hiring six people you cannot afford yet.

This Is For You If…

·       You run a home services company — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, pest, roofing, restoration, remodeling

·       You are somewhere between roughly $500K and $5M and you can feel the ceiling

·       You have thought about a second crew, a second truck, or a second location and stopped at "how do I pay for it"

·       You have been turned down for financing and never got a real reason why

·       You want to sell one day and you would like the number to be bigger than it is right no

Discover how to use ChatGPT effectively to reduce marketing costs and generate better leads. Learn the prompts that improve AI visibility, strengthen your website’s credibility, eliminate ineffective marketing messages, and identify hidden opportunities using Search Console. Leave with practical strategies you can implement immediately to attract more qualified customers.

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.

If you had $1,000 to market your contracting business tomorrow, where would you spend it? Google Ads? Facebook? A new website? SEO? Social media? Or should you spend any of it at all? In this session, we’re putting an actual budget on the table and showing exactly how we’d use it. We’ll start at $0 and work our way through $500, $1,000, $2,500, and $5,000, showing what contractors should prioritize at each level, what they can handle themselves, and what probably isn’t worth paying for yet. And here’s something you probably won’t hear from the CEO of a marketing agency: there are times when you shouldn’t hire a marketing agency. Before spending money to generate more leads, contractors need the right foundation to turn those leads into business. This session will help attendees understand when to DIY, when to start investing, when paid marketing begins to make sense, and when professional help can actually produce a return. No vague advice. No unlimited imaginary budget. Just a practical roadmap for making smarter marketing decisions with the money you actually have.

Course Outline:

1.     $0 Budget: Start Here Before You Spend Anything
Get the free fundamentals right first, including your Google Business Profile, reviews, business information, project photos, website basics, follow-up, and tracking where customers come from.

2.     $500 Budget: Make the Basics Better
Identify the first places a small investment can make a meaningful difference without committing to ongoing marketing expenses you aren’t ready for.

3.     $1,000 Budget: Where Would We Actually Spend It?
Prioritize the marketing investments most likely to help a contractor get found, build trust, and generate opportunities without spreading the budget too thin.

4.     $2,500 Budget: Start Building a Marketing System
Understand when you can begin moving beyond individual tactics and start connecting your website, search presence, advertising, lead handling, and tracking.

5.     $5,000 Budget: Now the Conversation Changes
Learn when more sophisticated marketing strategies and professional support can begin making economic sense.

6.     When NOT to Hire a Marketing Agency
Understand what contractors should be doing themselves and the signs that paying an agency would be premature.

7.     When Professional Marketing Starts to Make Sense
Learn the business, budget, lead volume, and operational signs that indicate you may be ready for outside help.

8.     Build Your Next-Step Marketing Plan
Attendees will identify where their business currently falls on the budget ladder and what they should do next instead of trying to do everything at once.

How to use federal programs to fast-track your revenue and legally bypass the bidding wars

Want to stop fighting over low-margin local bids and break into high-paying federal construction contracts? The U.S. Federal Government is the world's largest buyer of construction services, and by law, billions of dollars are locked away exclusively for firms utilizing specific federal programs.

If you aren’t aggressively leveraging certifications like 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, and VOSB, you are leaving massive, guaranteed revenue on the table for your competitors. Even better—programs like Joint Ventures and the SBA Mentor-Protégé agreement allow you to team up with larger contractors to win massive federal projects you couldn't qualify for alone.

In this high-impact session, we strip away the complex government bureaucracy and give you the exact roadmap to position your construction firm for elite federal status.

What you will learn:

• The Big Three Catalysts: How to get positioned on the GSA Schedule, capture emergency FEMA funding, and leverage the 8(a) program for sole-source (no-bid) contracts.
• The Teaming Secret Weapon: How to legally use Joint Ventures and the Mentor-Protégé program to bid on massive federal projects using a larger partner's past performance.
• The Target Demographics: How to stack HUBZone, Veteran-Owned (VOSB), and Women-Owned (WOSB) status to eliminate 95% of your competition.
• The Fatal Compliance Trap: The #1 reason construction firms lose their federal certifications mid-project—and how to bulletproof your business against audit failures.

Stop guessing at government paperwork. Come learn the step-by-step framework to unlock a steady stream of highly profitable, recession-proof federal work.

Construction companies rarely lose growth opportunities because they lack demand. More often, growth slows because critical sales, project, technical or field leadership positions remain vacant—or because the wrong person is hired under pressure. Projects slow down. Territories lose momentum. Strong employees absorb additional responsibilities. Managers become overwhelmed, and companies eventually hire the first acceptable candidate instead of the right one. This class will show construction leaders how to replace reactive hiring with a practical and repeatable talent strategy. Attendees will learn how to anticipate workforce needs, define measurable expectations before advertising a position, build a stronger candidate pipeline, conduct structured interviews and improve the likelihood that the right professionals accept the offer and remain with the company. The presentation will remain strictly educational. It will not include recruiting-service pricing, a company sales presentation or product promotion.

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

·       Recognize when an unfilled position is beginning to restrict revenue, project execution or customer service.

·       Replace generic job descriptions with a practical scorecard based on measurable outcomes.

·       Identify qualified talent beyond traditional job postings and matching job titles.

·       Use evidence-based interview questions to evaluate performance, motivation and accountability.

Sustainable Sound Control in Residential & Commercial Construction examines how building assemblies can control noise while advancing energy efficiency and sustainability goals. Attendees will explore insulated concrete form (ICF) construction for exterior envelope performance, then move to interior applications using recycled denim batt insulation in wood and metal stud walls, as well as ceilings between floors. The course covers acoustic ratings (STC/NRC), thermal performance, and installation considerations for each system, showing how they work together as a layered sound-control strategy. Designed for builders, architects, and developers, the session gives attendees practical guidance for specifying quieter, more sustainable buildings.

It is paramount that contractors realize that the most important aspect of their business is sales. Without them you have nothing. Yet, the amount of attention given to sales by most contractors is minimal. This results in low profits and the ups and downs of revenue. It doesn’t matter how good your marketing is or how efficiently you run your business if you’re not closing deals. We’ll get you closing more projects at higher profits.

 You don't need to be technical. You don't need another piece of software you'll abandon in a month. What you need is something that acts like a second brain — a built-in assistant that takes the repeatable, energy-draining work off your plate so you can get back to running the business instead of being buried inside it. In this live, hands-on workshop, we'll build a real AI-powered delegation system in front of you — no scripts, no fluff, just a working tool you can start using the moment you walk out the door. This isn't about chasing every new AI trend. It's about turning AI into the one thing most contractor owners have never had: a system that remembers, reminds, and executes so you don't have to carry it all in your head.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the three categories of repeatable owner-level tasks in your business that are safe to delegate to an AI assistant today — and the ones that are not.
2. Build a working AI delegation prompt live in the room, using your own business as the example, that you can put to use the same day.
3. Learn the difference between an AI tool and an AI system — and why only one of them actually gives you hours back.
4. Leave with a specific, written plan for the first 8 hours per week you will reclaim, and what you will do with that time instead.

Construction business owners spend years building companies, developing customer relationships, training employees, acquiring equipment and creating value. But what happens to that business if the owner dies, becomes incapacitated, retires unexpectedly or simply decides it is time to step away? This session goes beyond the traditional “you need a will” conversation. Construction business owners will work through the practical decisions that determine whether a company can continue operating when its owner is no longer running the show. Using real-world construction scenarios, this session will examine ownership, management authority, buy-sell agreements, business valuation, key employees, contractor licensing, equipment and real estate, family inheritance, trusts, powers of attorney and the coordination of business and personal estate plans. Attendees will leave with a practical checklist of questions to take back to their attorney, CPA, financial advisor and leadership team—and a clearer understanding of the gaps that could put their company, employees and family at risk.

Most contractors don’t have a bookkeeping problem — they have a transparency problem. Thinking they can skip investing in the accuracy of their numbers leads to thousands upon thousands of lost dollars and sometimes, the demise of the business altogether. Accurate numbers tell a story: which jobs are actually profitable, where cash is quietly leaking, and whether the business can survive its next growth spurt. Most owners just aren’t set up to hear it, because "good enough" books were never built to talk back. This session is not a bookkeeping tutorial. It's a live demonstration of how a P&L can look completely correct, and still be wrong. Attendees leave with a clear picture of what their financials should look like and be telling them, why the consequences of ignoring that story is often invisible until they’re expensive, and what it actually looks like to run a contracting business that makes decisions from real numbers instead of gut feelings.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

Read their own P&L the way their business actually needs it read — and identify the financial blind spots specific to job-costed, contract-based businesses, not generic small-business bookkeeping advice.
Recognize the early warning signs that their books are hiding a problem instead of revealing one.
Understand the real, often-delayed cost of poor financial visibility.
Walk away with a short list of questions their financials should be able to answer today — and know within minutes whether theirs can.

This training empowers construction professionals with option-based survival skills to stay alive until law enforcement arrives and ultimately survive a violent incident. The course applies these skills to construction worksites, including active jobsites, offices, warehouses, and other project locations, while working within your organization’s Emergency Operations Plan. Through an engaging presentation with interaction and demonstrations, attendees will learn how to recognize threats, respond under stress, and make informed decisions during an active shooting or other violent incident. No hands-on training or surprise scenarios are used.

Topics to be discussed:

·       Lessons Learned from Prior Active Threat Events

·       Evolution of Law Enforcement Response

·       Workplace Violence on Construction Jobsites

·       Human Response to Stress

·       What to Do if You Encounter an Active Shooter

·       Basic First Aid

·       How to React When Law Enforcement Arrives

How to put AI to work in your business this week. The mindset shift (treat it like an employee, not a search bar), how to set up a workspace with roles and your real company docs, a simple prompt framework, and two starter plays: reviewing sub bids in 90 seconds and drafting a scope of work in two minutes. Everyone leaves with something they can run Monday.

Building and sustaining a safety culture is a practical, leadership-focused session designed for business owners, executives, and safety professionals who want measurable results, not just policies on paper. This course breaks down the core elements of an effective safety culture, including leadership accountability, employee engagement, hazard recognition systems, behavioral reinforcement, and regulatory alignment. Attendees will learn how to move from reactive compliance to proactive risk management, reduce incidents rates, strengthen morale, and protect their organization from operational and legal exposure. This session includes real world examples and actionable strategies participants can implement immediately.

Tired of losing good jobs to "bad" (over priced) financing? In this fast, fun, and practical session, we'll show you how to use the Figure Loan to help your customers say "yes" faster - and to bigger projects. Whether you're a remodeler, roofer, painter, or jack-of-all-trades, this talk will break down how you can grow your revenue without adding a single dollar of dealer fees.

We'll keep it simple and real. You'll walk away with:

• Why traditional financing doesn't always work (and what to do instead)

• How to present Figure's 100% digital Loan in plain English

• What to say when customers say, "We need to think about it..."

• Real-life examples of contractors using this tool to close more deals

• How to get started in less time than it takes to eat a burrito

This session is for residential contractors who want to make more money without being a finance expert. No jargon. No fluff. Just tools you can use right away.

Learn how to fix the two biggest marketing leaks costing contractors revenue: poor website engagement and slow lead follow-up. Discover how AI can improve website performance, automate personalized responses, re-engage lost prospects, and increase close rates. Build a smarter marketing system that converts more leads without increasing your advertising budget.

Is your financial house in order? Discover the tools construction company owners can use to strengthen lawsuit protection, reduce tax exposure, and build long-term financial security in a high-risk industry.

1) Learn how to manage common construction risks including job site injuries, property damage, subcontractor liability, contract disputes, and employee claims- and how proper business structure can help protect both business and personal assets.

2) Explore proven tax reduction strategies many contractors overlook, helping potentially save thousands each year through better entity structure, deductions, and planning.

3) Understand how to avoid probate, reduce estate taxes, and prepare for a smooth business transition using a clear succession planning checklist designed to protect your company and provide continuity for employees and family.

Lawsuit Protection 

·        Common sources of lawsuits in the construction industry, including job site injuries, subcontractor negligence, defective work claims, and contract disputes- and how to proactively reduce exposure.

·        How construction company owners can structure their business to help protect personal and professional assets from litigation.

·        Strategies to help protect the business when facing judgments that exceed insurance coverage or fall outside policy exclusions. 

·        Common asset protection mistakes construction owners make with entities, contracts, and insurance coordination and how to avoid them.

·        How to reduce vicarious liability for employees, subcontractors, and third-party vendors on job sites.

Tax Reduction and Estate Planning 

·        Five key tax reduction strategies construction company owners can use to potentially reduce income taxes by up to 40% annually.

·        Strategies to minimize or eliminate capital gains tax when selling a construction business, equipment-heavy assets, or investment property holdings.

·        What construction company owners should be doing now to prepare for a successful business succession or transfer of ownership.

·        Techniques to avoid probate and reduce estate taxes, helping ensure assets pass efficiently to heirs.

·        How to properly use corporations, LLCs, trusts, wills, and family limited partnerships in a construction business structure.

An introductory class explaining "no-bid" pathways in federal contracting, with definitions, eligibility, where they appear, and compliance basics. Participants will learn how relationships and market research factor in, and where to find authoritative rules and examples to capture government contracts.

Many contractors struggle to find qualified workers through traditional local hiring channels alone. This session explores the hidden costs of limiting recruitment to local markets, challenges common misconceptions about remote and global talent, and demonstrates how businesses can access skilled labor faster, more flexibly, and often at a lower cost. Attendees will learn practical strategies for expanding their talent pipeline, implementing scalable workforce solutions, and taking the first steps toward building a more resilient labor strategy. The session concludes with a live Q&A and actionable next steps.

Course Outline:
I. Introduction
II. The Real Cost of Local-Only Hiring
III. Rethinking Where Labor Comes From
IV. The Business Case: Cost, Speed, Flexibility
V. Myth-Busting
VI. How to Get Started
VII. Q&A + Call to Action

Most contractors don’t have a bookkeeping problem — they have a transparency problem. Thinking they can skip investing in the accuracy of their numbers leads to thousands upon thousands of lost dollars and sometimes, the demise of the business altogether. Accurate numbers tell a story: which jobs are actually profitable, where cash is quietly leaking, and whether the business can survive its next growth spurt. Most owners just aren’t set up to hear it, because "good enough" books were never built to talk back. This session is not a bookkeeping tutorial. It's a live demonstration of how a P&L can look completely correct, and still be wrong. Attendees leave with a clear picture of what their financials should look like and be telling them, why the consequences of ignoring that story is often invisible until they’re expensive, and what it actually looks like to run a contracting business that makes decisions from real numbers instead of gut feelings.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

Read their own P&L the way their business actually needs it read — and identify the financial blind spots specific to job-costed, contract-based businesses, not generic small-business bookkeeping advice.
Recognize the early warning signs that their books are hiding a problem instead of revealing one.
Understand the real, often-delayed cost of poor financial visibility.
Walk away with a short list of questions their financials should be able to answer today — and know within minutes whether theirs can.

This class empowers construction entrepreneurs with essential tools to build, grow, and sustain a successful business. Learn industry best practices, project management, marketing, and client relationship strategies. Gain actionable insights and practical skills to thirve in the competitive construction industry. 

This workshop will take participants through the complete business loan process—from preparing the application to managing the loan after funding. Participants will learn what lenders look for, what documents and information are required, and why each component matters. We’ll also demystify the underwriting process by exploring what happens behind the scenes as lenders evaluate a loan request. The session will also cover what to expect once a loan is approved, including loan closing, acceptance of terms, accessing funds, and the borrower’s responsibilities after receiving financing. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to prepare a stronger loan application and what it takes to successfully manage borrowed capital.

Based on the EOS (entrepreneurial operating system) 6 key components of running your business more effectively and maximizing profitability. EOS is based off the book Traction, written by Geno Wickman and used by hundreds of companies to break through the ceiling when they are stuck. This simple set of practical tools helps to increase accountability throughout the organization.  

Learn how to build a marketing system that consistently generates qualified leads. Discover the five channels every contractor should understand—Google Ads, Meta, retargeting, SEO, and AI search optimization—and how each supports business growth. Gain practical strategies for allocating your marketing budget, improving ROI, and creating a predictable pipeline of new opportunities.

The next level. How to set up AI agents that run on their own every morning (overnight bid intake, job-cost rollups), and the big one — building a single, always-current cost catalog from the invoices and bids you already have. This is where AI stops being a novelty and starts protecting margin.

A candid, practitioner-led panel on real-world AI in construction and government contracting: what's changing in workflows, compliance, bidding, and client expectations. Leaders share wins, stumbles, and practical guardrails so small and midsized firms can evaluate where AI fits-today and in the next 12 months.

Good marketing is meaningless if you don’t know how to close leads. Contractors spend significant dollars on marketing to produce leads. It’s necessary to use all the vehicles in regard to social media, A.I., web and e-newsletter marketing to gain leads. We’ll teach you how to raise your close rate and improve your ROI on that marketing investment. Marketing is NOT sales but can effectively lead to sales if leads are worked properly. Find out how.

"QuickBooks doesn’t work." "It never gives me the right numbers." We hear some version of this constantly, and it’s almost never true. QuickBooks Online can do everything a contractor needs: job costing, payroll allocation, work-in-progress tracking, all of it. The software isn’t the problem. The problem is what got put into it, by someone who didn’t know what "correctly" looked like. This session is the natural next step after "The Story Your Numbers Are Telling You." Where that session showed what the numbers reveal once they’re right, this one shows why so many contractors’ numbers never get there in the first place — and exactly what to check in your own file before you blame the software.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

Explain why "the software is wrong" is almost always a data-entry problem in disguise — and why that’s actually good news, because data entry is fixable.
Recognize the specific, common breakdowns that quietly wreck job costing in QuickBooks: jobs tagged as customers, income counted twice, payroll that never lands on a job, and bills that go
missing until they’re paid.
Walk away knowing what to ask the person doing their books — whether that’s themselves, an employee, or Devine Consulting.

Is your financial house in order? Discover the tools construction company owners can use to strengthen lawsuit protection, reduce tax exposure, and build long-term financial security in a high-risk industry.

1) Learn how to manage common construction risks including job site injuries, property damage, subcontractor liability, contract disputes, and employee claims- and how proper business structure can help protect both business and personal assets.

2) Explore proven tax reduction strategies many contractors overlook, helping potentially save thousands each year through better entity structure, deductions, and planning.

3) Understand how to avoid probate, reduce estate taxes, and prepare for a smooth business transition using a clear succession planning checklist designed to protect your company and provide continuity for employees and family.

Lawsuit Protection 

·        Common sources of lawsuits in the construction industry, including job site injuries, subcontractor negligence, defective work claims, and contract disputes- and how to proactively reduce exposure.

·        How construction company owners can structure their business to help protect personal and professional assets from litigation.

·        Strategies to help protect the business when facing judgments that exceed insurance coverage or fall outside policy exclusions. 

·        Common asset protection mistakes construction owners make with entities, contracts, and insurance coordination and how to avoid them.

·        How to reduce vicarious liability for employees, subcontractors, and third-party vendors on job sites.

Tax Reduction and Estate Planning 

·        Five key tax reduction strategies construction company owners can use to potentially reduce income taxes by up to 40% annually.

·        Strategies to minimize or eliminate capital gains tax when selling a construction business, equipment-heavy assets, or investment property holdings.

·        What construction company owners should be doing now to prepare for a successful business succession or transfer of ownership.

·        Techniques to avoid probate and reduce estate taxes, helping ensure assets pass efficiently to heirs.

·        How to properly use corporations, LLCs, trusts, wills, and family limited partnerships in a construction business structure.

Marketing doesn't have to mean trying every new platform, chasing every trend, or spending money on tactics that aren't connected to a clear goal. 
In this practical session, small business owners will learn five core strategies for creating simpler, more effective marketing in 2026. Attendees will identify where their business is today, clarify who they need to reach, understand how customers make decisions, determine what their marketing needs to accomplish, and develop a message that connects. The session will also explore how tools such as Al can support marketing without replacing the strategy, experience, and human connection that make a business stand out. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of what to focus on now, what can wait, and how to make more intentional marketing decisions. 

Esta capacitación brinda a los profesionales de la construcción habilidades prácticas de supervivencia basadas en diferentes opciones de respuesta, diseñadas para ayudarles a mantenerse con vida hasta que llegue la policía y, en última instancia, aumentar sus posibilidades de sobrevivir a un incidente violento. El curso aplica estas habilidades a entornos de construcción, incluyendo obras activas, oficinas, almacenes y otros lugares de trabajo, de acuerdo con el Plan de Operaciones de Emergencia de su organización.

A través de una presentación dinámica que incluye interacción y demostraciones, los participantes aprenderán a reconocer posibles amenazas, responder bajo situaciones de estrés y tomar decisiones informadas durante un tiroteo activo u otro incidente violento. No se realizan entrenamientos prácticos ni escenarios sorpresa.

Temas que se abordarán:

·       Lecciones aprendidas de incidentes anteriores de amenazas activas

·       Evolución de la respuesta de las fuerzas del orden

·       Violencia en el lugar de trabajo en obras de construcción

·       Respuesta humana ante situaciones de estrés

·       Qué hacer si se encuentra con un tirador activo

·       Primeros auxilios básicos

·       Cómo reaccionar cuando llegue la policía

Construction companies rarely lose growth opportunities because they lack demand. More often, growth slows because critical sales, project, technical or field leadership positions remain vacant—or because the wrong person is hired under pressure. Projects slow down. Territories lose momentum. Strong employees absorb additional responsibilities. Managers become overwhelmed, and companies eventually hire the first acceptable candidate instead of the right one. This class will show construction leaders how to replace reactive hiring with a practical and repeatable talent strategy. Attendees will learn how to anticipate workforce needs, define measurable expectations before advertising a position, build a stronger candidate pipeline, conduct structured interviews and improve the likelihood that the right professionals accept the offer and remain with the company. The presentation will remain strictly educational. It will not include recruiting-service pricing, a company sales presentation or product promotion.

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

·       Recognize when an unfilled position is beginning to restrict revenue, project execution or customer service.

·       Replace generic job descriptions with a practical scorecard based on measurable outcomes.

·       Identify qualified talent beyond traditional job postings and matching job titles.

·       Use evidence-based interview questions to evaluate performance, motivation and accountability.

Every contractor owner is being told they're falling behind if they're not "using AI." Much of it is not true, and most of it is a distraction from the real problem. In this live workshop, we cut through the hype and show you the truth: most contracting businesses don't have an AI problem — they have a system problem, and AI without a system just makes chaos move faster. Using a live demo, we'll show you exactly where AI does and doesn't belong in a contracting business, and how to build the system underneath it first, so that when you do use AI, it actually works.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the difference between a business problem AI can solve and a business problem only a system can solve.
2. See a live demo of AI layered on top of an existing business system — and understand why it fails without that system in place.
3. Learn the specific, narrow list of tasks where AI creates real time savings for a contractor owner today.
4. Leave with a one-page plan for what to build first — system or AI tool — based on where your business actually stands.

What if you could make your marketing better by next week without spending another dollar? Most contractors don’t need another complicated marketing strategy. They need to fix the simple things that are quietly costing them leads, customers, and revenue right now. In this practical, no-fluff session, we’ll walk through 10 things every contractor can check, fix, or improve in just one week. From what customers see when they Google your business to missed calls, reviews, website problems, old estimates, and leads that may be slipping through the cracks, every takeaway is designed to be something you can actually do. No massive marketing budget. No six-month strategy. No marketing degree required. Just 10 straightforward improvements that can help more customers find you, trust you, contact you, and ultimately hire you. You’ll leave with a 10-item checklist and a simple challenge: give us one week and do all 10.

Course Outline:

1.     Google your company and see what potential customers actually see.

2.     Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile.

3.     Ask five satisfied customers for reviews.

4.     Respond to every existing Google review.

5.     Take better photos of completed projects.

6.     Check your website phone number and make sure it works properly, especially on mobile.

7.     Test your own website contact form and see what happens after a lead submits it.

8.     Call your business after hours and experience what a potential customer experiences.

9.     Ask every new customer how they heard about you and consistently track the answer.

10.  Follow up with old estimates and opportunities that never closed.

This training empowers construction professionals with option-based survival skills to stay alive until law enforcement arrives and ultimately survive a violent incident. The course applies these skills to construction worksites, including active jobsites, offices, warehouses, and other project locations, while working within your organization’s Emergency Operations Plan. Through an engaging presentation with interaction and demonstrations, attendees will learn how to recognize threats, respond under stress, and make informed decisions during an active shooting or other violent incident. No hands-on training or surprise scenarios are used.

Topics to be discussed:

·       Lessons Learned from Prior Active Threat Events

·       Evolution of Law Enforcement Response

·       Workplace Violence on Construction Jobsites

·       Human Response to Stress

·       What to Do if You Encounter an Active Shooter

·       Basic First Aid

·       How to React When Law Enforcement Arrives

Running a business means making legal decisions every day—from choosing the right business structure and protecting personal assets to hiring workers, signing contracts, managing risk and resolving disputes. This practical presentation will help business owners identify common legal risks and take proactive steps to protect their businesses. Topics include business structure and liability protection, employee and independent contractor classification, employment policies, contracts and contract red flags, indemnification, dispute resolution, risk management, and recordkeeping. Using real-world examples, including situations commonly encountered in the construction industry, attendees will learn what to look for before signing an agreement, what documentation matters, and when to seek legal advice. Attendees will leave with specific action items and a practical checklist they can use to identify potential legal gaps in their own businesses.

"QuickBooks doesn’t work." "It never gives me the right numbers." We hear some version of this constantly, and it’s almost never true. QuickBooks Online can do everything a contractor needs: job costing, payroll allocation, work-in-progress tracking, all of it. The software isn’t the problem. The problem is what got put into it, by someone who didn’t know what "correctly" looked like. This session is the natural next step after "The Story Your Numbers Are Telling You." Where that session showed what the numbers reveal once they’re right, this one shows why so many contractors’ numbers never get there in the first place — and exactly what to check in your own file before you blame the software.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

Explain why "the software is wrong" is almost always a data-entry problem in disguise — and why that’s actually good news, because data entry is fixable.
Recognize the specific, common breakdowns that quietly wreck job costing in QuickBooks: jobs tagged as customers, income counted twice, payroll that never lands on a job, and bills that go
missing until they’re paid.
Walk away knowing what to ask the person doing their books — whether that’s themselves, an employee, or Devine Consulting.

Sustainable Sound Control in Residential & Commercial Construction examines how building assemblies can control noise while advancing energy efficiency and sustainability goals. Attendees will explore insulated concrete form (ICF) construction for exterior envelope performance, then move to interior applications using recycled denim batt insulation in wood and metal stud walls, as well as ceilings between floors. The course covers acoustic ratings (STC/NRC), thermal performance, and installation considerations for each system, showing how they work together as a layered sound-control strategy. Designed for builders, architects, and developers, the session gives attendees practical guidance for specifying quieter, more sustainable buildings.

This class will provide insight into how safety is more than compliance.  It is a strategic business investment that directly impacts an organization’s performance, profitability, and long-term success.  This class explores how effective safety leadership creates a measurable value by reducing risk, preventing costly incidents, improving employee engagement, and strengthening operation excellence.

 Participants will learn how safety professionals contribute to the bottom line by identifying hazards before they become losses, using data decision-making, improving workplace culture, and partnerships with leadership to achieve business objectives.  The course will examine true costs of workplace incidents, the financial impact of proactive safety programs, and how organization can demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of safety initiatives.

The class is designed for business leaders, operations managers, HR professionals, and safety practitioners.  This session provides practical strategies for transforming safety from a perceived expense into a competitive advantage.