| Beginner •
Intermediate •
Advanced •
Business 101: Financial Strategies •
All the knowledge and enthusiasm in the world won’t get you far if you don’t have a steady stream of capital while getting your operation up and running. This session covers the essentials of creating a strong business plan and offers guidelines on how to set up your accounting systems to manage your hard-earned cash. The discussion also centers on finances, cash flow, raising capital and opportunity cost.
Presenter: Joe Kavanaugh
Road Map to the Future • • •
It’s a given in our society that advances in technology will dramatically impact our lives in the future. One might well ask how that concept applies to the countertop industry. We ask a prominent chemical engineer who holds numerous patents in solid surface development to gaze into his crystal ball for a glimpse into the future. What he reveals may astound and amaze.
Presenter: Lenny Elbon
What is Green and Why Should I Care? • • •
The Green Movement is gaining momentum and will soon touch every corner of the countertop industry, including the residential sector. Specifiers and designers are already engaged and will require their fabricator partners to be knowledgeable, respectful and compliant. Learn about what it means to be Green, what LEED points are and how they impact you, as well as other essential information on this all-important subject.
Presenter: Eric Corey Freed
Starting Up Your First Stone Shop •
You’ve dreamed about this for years and now you’re ready to “make the plunge” and become an honest to goodness Stone Fabricator. Learn just what it takes to set up a Fabrication Operation from the ground up. Find out what the bear necessities are in getting a shop “off the ground”. Learn what types of support considerations are required to make your shop not only run, but MAKE A PROFIT. If you are going to open a new Fabrication Shop in the near future, or you’re doing your research for a new shop of your own someday, this seminar is for you!
Presenter: Kevin Paddin
CCIC - Getting Started in Concrete Countertops •
Whether you are a solid surface fabricator, a decorative concrete contractor or just want to start your own business, there are essential questions you need to ask yourself before you get started in a concrete countertop business. Do you have the right skills, equipment, and most importantly, expectations? Come to this seminar by a successful businessperson who has recently added concrete countertops to his business and can guide you past the pitfalls.
Presenter: Evan Kruger
CCIC - Which Technique is Best? A discussion of wet cast, hand packed, cast in place and GFRC •
Get the nuts and bolts knowledge you need to succeed with Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete for concrete countertops and three-dimensional concrete such as fireplaces and tubs. Concrete can be so much more than “just countertops”, and that’s a big part of its appeal and its profit potential. Learn how GFRC, in combination with the right mold making techniques, can transform your shop from cranking out less and less profitable slabs on boxes to producing the most amazing and in-demand designs.
Panel: Mark Celebuski, Rich Holschuh, Jon Schuler, Tommy Cook
Business 102: Sales & Marketing •
Who are your customers and why should they do business with you? How do you find new customers? How much should you spend on marketing? Get the answers to these and other burning questions about promoting your business in this session. Topics include defining your market, sales, branding, advertising and literature.
Presenter: Joe Kavanaugh
Project Management: Getting it Right the First Time
Presenter: Evan Kruger
How to Stay Competitive in Tough Economic Times • • •
In the climate of a down economy, good fabricators must learn how to get better in order to survive tough times. In this session, we discuss methods for maintaining a healthy bottom line when demand is soft. The importance of a strong brand, conserving cash, managing expectations and lean manufacturing are among the topics covered.
Presenter: Vanessa Bates
The Many Shades of Green - What it Means to You • • •
The latest gold rush is tinged with Green, which means manufacturers are looking for ways to make their products fit into the sustainable movement. As a fabricator, you should understand the difference between product compliance and marketing hype in a world where there are many shades of Green.
Presenter: Chuck Geerdes
CCIC - Three-Dimensional Techniques Using GFRC •
Get the nuts and bolts knowledge you need to succeed with Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete for concrete countertops. Concrete can be so much more than “just countertops”, and that’s a big part of its appeal and its profit potential. Learn how GFRC, in combination with the right equipment and mold making techniques, can transform your shop from cranking out less and less profitable slabs on boxes to producing the most amazing and in-demand designs.
Presenter: Jeremy French
The Myth of Sisyphus: A Plan for Greening Our Buildings • • •
In this thought-provoking talk, you will uncover the hidden opportunities across our largest environmental problem areas. By reviewing the construction issues around the Suburbs, Las Vegas, and New Orleans, you'll see the world in a new way. Drawn from the most advanced research in Green Building, this provides you with a roadmap for our buildings for the next 50 years. Using rich graphics, multimedia and never before seen research, this seminar will change your view of green building. - Create a deployable plan how to save energy, water & money in our most common building types
- Discover ways to sell clients on the crucial need for greening our buildings in new & funny ways
- Understand the problems & issues surrounding our way of life by exploring data in an innovative way
Presenter: Eric Corey Freed
Business: Working ON Your Business Instead of IN It •
Learn how to multiply yourself through establishing a workable management protocol. Make the leap from micromanaging to effective delegation without losing control of your operation. Find out the secrets for building a strong management team through proper structuring and superb communication.
Presenter: Joe Kavanaugh
Concrete Countertops: Form, Function & Design • • •
Elevated sidewalks? Not even close. Get the low down on the hottest segment of the surfaces market. Expand your business offering and expertise with the craft of concrete countertops. Know the key differences between pour-in-place and off-site countertops. You’ll get insight on everything from design, mold-making, mixing, inlays, knockouts, forms, finishing and installation considerations. Know what homeowners are wanting for their homes and what inspires designers and architects to spec concrete countertops for their projects.
Learn from Fu-Tung Cheng, bestselling author of Concrete Countertops, who has built over 20 years of experience with concrete countertops. Spark your imagination with a comprehensive presentation of images that will present the unlimited creative possibilities.
Presenter: Fu-Tung Cheng
The Next NEW Surface(s) • • •
What’s hot and what’s not in the world of decorative surfacing? We pull out the crystal ball to look at the latest emerging products and examine how they are specified. Can they be meshed into your product offering? What are their marketing strengths and weaknesses? Come prepared for a glimpse into the future that may impact your fabrication business.
Presenter: Sean Jacobs
CNC Tricks & Treats • • •
What can you do to get the most out of your CNC? Are there shortcuts that help make it more efficient? Where can you go to get DXF files and other important resources? This session offers a grab bag of ideas and tips that help make working with your CNC a sweet experience.
Presenter: Paul Bingham
CCIC - Troubleshooting: Common Problems and How to Prevent Them or Repair Them •
Troubled by effluoresence? Haunted by ghosting? Hassled by cracks? Is lemon juice your enemy? If you’re worried about all the problems you’ve heard about with concrete, come learn from one of the most experienced concrete countertop makers in the country who has been there, done that and can save you a lot of headaches.
Presenter: Mike Karmody
CCIC - Cutting-Edge Concrete Countertop Mixes •
If you’re already familiar with basic from-scratch concrete countertop mixes but want to take your mix designs to the next level, come learn about the latest technologies in binders, admixtures, reinforcement and more. This is a highly technical seminar that assumes you already know the basics.
Presenter: Jeffrey Girard, P.E.
Design Contest Awards, Industry Leaders Panel • • •
What are the burning issues in our industry today? This panel of industry leaders offers their perspective on the direction of the decorative surfacing industry then takes questions from the audience.
Presenters: Roberto Contreras, Gasper (G.K.) Naquin, Todd Werstler, Fu-Tung Cheng, Bob Paradiso
Moderator: Tom Mather
Radon – Handling Customer Perceptions & Best Practices • • •
Consumer perceptions about radon and granite slabs are being influenced by recent attention in the national press. Regardless of their position on the controversy, today’s fabricators and dealers must deal with the fallout of possible negative consumer reaction to the issue. In this session our panel discusses methods for mitigating customer concerns and offers best practices solutions for working with granite slabs.
Presenters: Mark Lauzon – Stone Fabricator, Sean Jacobs – Dealer
GFRC Countertops: Design Integrity and Applications • • •
Join this team of industry leaders for a presentation on Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete and it's application to surfaces. Learn about GFRC’s advantages and how to save time, labor and money with this technique. Get insight into how to meet the demands of the high-end market by utilizing this exciting material to create bold new designs. We’ll move beyond the use of GFRC for making fake rocks, simulated surfaces and artificial facades.
Presenters: Fu Tung Cheng, Jim Ralston and Mike Heidebrink
Designing Kitchens That Multi-Task • • •
Multi-tasking has become a way of life for homeowners – and nowhere is this more evident than in the kitchen. Revered as the “heart” of today’s home, kitchens are increasingly being required to also function as the “brain” – acting as a central command station for everything from food preparation, dining and entertaining to doing homework, planning household activities, paying bills, organizing schedules, controlling security features, and more. As a result, today’s kitchens must feature clearly defined zones that work both individually and as part of the greater whole, allowing members of the household to perform tasks simultaneously, and in the same space, while maximizing both functionality and family time. From dual-function appliances to multi-tiered islands, this insightful seminar will provide attendees with a wealth of ideas about how to create exciting, multi-functional kitchens.
Presenter: Melissa Galt
CCIC - Sealers: The Achilles Heel of Concrete Countertops? •
The concrete countertop sealer issue is a very complicated question that requires understanding the technical and aesthetic performance of a wide variety of sealers, satisfying the demands of sometimes difficult clients, and balancing many factors such as ease of use, environmental friendliness, and cost. Learn how to select the right sealers for your business, and your sealer woes will be over.
Presenter: Jeffrey Girard, P.E.
CCIC - Standards, Certification, Association: The Future of the Concrete Countertop Industry •
Concrete countertops are poised to be the “next big thing”. As the industry grows, its problems will multiply unless concrete countertop professionals come together to guide the industry to success. Join this very important discussion about the future of concrete countertops – your future.
Open Discussion
Style Smarts: Using Signature Theme Designs to Increase Your Value • • •
Whatever style your clients favor, learning to create signature designs in a specific style is a great way to create a lucrative specialty area and raise your value and reputation for design excellence. But theme design is more than just surface deep, and creating authentic designs in a specific style requires careful research, access to key design and product resources and a passion for excellence. This seminar will introduce you to the basics of theme design, including essential research tools, key resources and marketing tips for growing this end of your business.
Presenter: Melissa Galt
Creating a Green Shop • • •
It sounds good, but can a fabricator really make a go of it in a totally Green world? Come see how one fabricator has built his business around sustainability practices to put some extra Green into his pocket.
Presenter: Gene MacDonald
Polyester vs. Acrylic •
This informative seminar includes an overview of Polyester vs. Acrylic solid surface products and explains important differences in the fabrication for each.
Presenter: Lenny Elbon
CCIC - How to Make Your Concrete Countertops Greener • • •
Concrete countertops have the potential to be one of the greenest countertop surfaces. However, many aspects of the commonly used materials and manufacturing processes are not as green as they could be. Learn several approaches to make your concrete countertops greener and more desirable to a growing market segment that values eco-friendly products.
Panel: Michael Bustin, Alla Linetsky, Dave Banko
CCIC - How to Run a Profitable Concrete Countertop Business •
Many concrete countertop businesses start out as a hobby, but run into problems once they incur overhead, employee costs and project management issues. Learn how to grow your business profitably, avoiding some of the unique pitfalls that concrete countertop makers face.
Panel: Mark Celebuski, Troy Thompson
Template Demos
We invite representatives from the major electronic templating companies to demonstrate their techniques on identical kitchen layouts.
Presenters: ETemplate/Laser Products
Chiseled Edges
Do you want to offer a chiseled edge but are unsure of the best method for creating that unique look? This is your chance to learn from the experts.
Presenters: Mark Lauzon
Hard Surface Seam Polishing
Learn how to create a seam that blends perfectly with the rest of the countertop.
Presenter: Mark Lauzon
Coved Back Splash Techniques
Coved backsplashes add real value to a solid surface installation. This hands-on clinic demonstrates various techniques for creating this classic add-on feature.
Presenter: Eric Kemp
Removing Stains in Quartz
Yes, quartz surfacing does stain. Removing those nasty blemishes may be a lot easier than you think.
Presenter: Fred Hueston
Fabricating Recycled Glass Countertops
See and learn about the newest “Green” Products – Recycled Glass Countertops - that can help add to your portfolio of finer quality options as a Fabricator.
Regardless of the manufacturer, Recycled Glass Countertops are becoming more and more popular with environmentally conscious clients. Knowing HOW to properly fabricate this new “Green” product type WILL determine whether your first project will have a positive or negative impact on your green environment – your bank account.
Because Recycled Glass Countertops all contain an amount of glass particles AND a cement binder, these product DO use many of the same tools, machines and techniques that are employed in the fabrication of Natural & Engineered Stone. The similarities are many, However, Recycled Glass Countertops DO HAVE a unique set of considerations that Fabricators MUST be aware of – especially when they fabricate their FIRST project.
The finished product appeals to many people, so why not get informed as to how to work with Recycled Glass Countertops at this informative seminar. ALL brands and products will be discussed.
Whether it’s a residential or commercial application, Fabricating Recycled Glass Countertops is a new “twist” on the age old question of how do I keep re-inventing MY offerings to MY clients? Learn how this new product can increase YOUR market share, and how YOU as a Fabricator can benefit from offering this new option to your client base.
Presenter: Kevin Paddin
Rope & River-washed Edges in Stone
The Vintage River Washed & Rope Edge details are becoming very popular in America’s high end residential market, and now you can learn how it’s done and how YOU as a Fabricator can benefit from offering both of these options to your client base.
Presenter: Kevin Paddin
Removing Stains in Quartz
Yes, quartz surfacing does stain. Removing those nasty blemishes may be a lot easier than you think.
Presenter: Fred Hueston
Coved Backsplash Techniques
Coved backsplashes add real value to a solid surface installation. This hands-on clinic demonstrates various techniques for creating this classic add-on feature.
Presenter: Eric Kemp
Template Demos
We invite representatives from the major electronic templating companies to demonstrate their techniques on identical kitchen layouts.
Presenter: PhotoTop/Proliner
|
