What's new at GIE and LANDSCAPES 2018?

The GIE+EXPO is the largest green industry event in the United States.  It is held every October in Louisville, Kentucky.

More than 24,000 participants will attend this year continuing a strong tradition of suppliers, manufacturers and contractors getting together to make the industry great.  An integral part of this event is LANDSCAPES hosted by NALP which offers educational events.  Aspire Software is a big sponsor of LANDSCAPES.  This year they are sponsoring Breakfast With Champions and the LANDSCAPES Program guide.  Be sure to attend the breakfast...  it is always the key event.

In addition, check out a few of the new and exciting things that LANDSCAPES has to offer this year.

New Host Hotel

The luxurious Omni Louisville Hotel opened just this spring offering a brand new lodging experience, just next door from the traditional Marriott. All of the keynote and networking events will take place here if they're not at the expo hall. There will still be shuttles running all day to transport attendees back and forth to the expo hall.

Photo Credit: Omni

The Omni has a spa, pool deck, bowling alley, high-end restaurants and bars, and an excellent location downtown near restaurants, bars and 4th Street Live. Rooms at the hotel can be booked after you register for LANDSCAPES 2018 at a rate of $234/night.

Free Awards Reception

Every year, NALP has an awards ceremony called Awards with Excellence and this year it's FREE for all paid registrants.

Photo Credit: NALP

We love this event because it's a formal reception where you can network with colleagues and view all of the best commercial and residential design/build and maintenance projects in the country.

Joins us there on Thursday October 18th from 6:30 to 8:30PM at the Omni in Commonwealth 4-5.

Featured Keynotes and Entertainment

As always, the keynote speaker is new this year. Oceanographer and former U.S. Navy officer Dr. Robert Ballard will share his stories of exploration, environmental discovery and leadership that he learned from discovering the Titanic and conducting hundreds of deep sea expeditions.

If you're looking for after hours entertainment, just head down to one of the many free concerts on 4th Street Live every night of the conference. The Crashers, Colt Ford, and Jana Kramer are the featured acts this year.

We recommend meeting a group in the lobby and walking over together. Remember you must be 21 to get in.

New App Provides Your Customized Schedule

NALP now has a free mobile app that you can view your schedule on instead of using paper handouts. You can still grab a small accordion paper with the schedule, but we like the app because it reduces paper and allows you more customization.

Go to this link on your smartphone or text NALP to 474747 and you will receive a link to the app landing page, select your phone type, download the Engagefully app, enter NALP in the search bar, and then download.

Cool new features of the app include:

• Create your own schedule by clicking a checkbox on the events you want to attend

• Add notes for yourself within the app for each lesson you listen to

• Sort events by speakers and get a background on their bio

• Update your company roster online and register online

We're proud to be the App and Schedule sponsors for this event and it came in perfect timing that we just released our new Crew Mobile app this summer as well!

Traditional, Must-Attend Events

These traditional events get better every year.

• Specialty Summits: Beginning on Tuesday before the conference begins, these are add-on classes that you can purchase to hear real life examples from successful business owners.

• Breakfast with Champions: Get up early on Wednesday & Thursday morning to rush into the conference room for the best small group networking you'll get all week. Aspire is sponsoring the breakfast on Thursday and will have several of our key team members facilitating discussions at the tables.

• Young Professionals Reception - This is the second annual party for the under 40 year olds taking place on Wednesday night at the Omni's rooftop pool deck.

Register for LANDSCAPES or the GIE+EXPO today and meet us at these fun events.

Don't Miss Cocktails with Champions

New this year, we're hosting an interactive networking opportunity at the Hyatt Regency Louisville on Thursday October 18 from 4:00-6:30PM called Cocktails with Champions. 

Keynote Speaker:  Kevin Kehoe – Five Technologies That Will Change the Way You Do Business

In business, no one likes disruptions.  But disruption opens doors to new opportunities for those alert enough to see and act upon them.  The landscape and snow management business are no different and hardly immune to these major business disruptions.  Five disruptions…  what they mean, and how to take advantage of them:

1. Millennials:  They live and thrive in a mobile world. Hiring, retaining and motivating the best is the key to scaling your business.  What can you do to address this disruptive force?

2. Amazon:  They are changing the purchasing model in every industry.  How will this model affect your business?

3. Uber:  You may have taken a ride in one this week and they are changing the customer service model.  They provide a platform that can be essential in our industry.

4. Intelligence:  Yes information is important, but intelligence is invaluable.  Making the right decisions more consistently will provide the competitive advantage to those who adopt this technology.

5. Virtuality:  The lines between manufacturer, distributor and contractor are blurring and narrowing.  The potential cost reduction opportunities of this emerging reality will have a profound impact on everyone in this value chain.

Table Sessions:  Aspire Leadership Team

Each table is led by a facilitator.  You can exchange ideas and learn something new to bring back to your business.

• Reporting and Information Management:   How data warehousing and business intelligence tools will change your business.

• Production Management:  How integration in purchasing and equipment processes is evolving and can reduce cost and waste.   

• Customer Management:   How CRM systems are evolving and making the sales and service people in your company more productive.

• Leadership:  How to develop a coherent vision for technology in your company. 

Open Bar and Light Refreshments

Registration is FREE. If you plan on attending, please register by October 10, 2018. Limited tickets available.