Back from Chicago: Wrapping Up Our Latest Summit (Part 2)

Hopefully you had an opportunity to read part 1 of our wrap-up from the latest home improvement program that we ran in Chicago.

Some of the other pertinent topics that were covered at the Summit include:

• Paul Toub, who is the Vice President of Marketing for Kachina Lead Paint Solutions, discussed the impact of the Lead Paint Act on the home improvement industry, particularly the new law which went into effect on April 22nd.
• Chris Zorzy, who is the Owner of A & A Services, touched on the new EPA RRP Regulations, coming from the vantage point of not only a business owner, but from someone who has over 15 years of experience as a de-lead contractor. He also shared an excerpt of his video that instructs contractors on how to test for lead in the home as well as expedite lead removal.
• Matt Wallace, the Vice President of ISU Environmental Insurance Brokers, talked about what contractors need to do in order to manage their risk when working in the home, and what types of defenses are available to contractors should they get into a bind.
• D.S. Berenson, who is our legal counsel and one of the managing partners of Johanson Berenson LLP, filled in the blanks regarding the legal implications of these new laws and presented some of the differences that vary across state lines.
• Sam Borgia, the President of Homeowner Resource Center, presented the new Home Star Energy Bill and the implications that it will have for companies within the home improvement industry.
• Chris Ripley, who is the Owner of Smarter Coating, proposed the benefits of sealants to bring down energy costs within the home.
• Mike Redman, the National Representative for Temo Sunrooms, discussed a changing business model that they have used in their business to assist in diversification. It is called Fun Space Direct, and the goal is to provide a factory-direct product and service at a wholesale price.
• Frank Farmer, the President of American Metal Roofs, presented the case for including solar among your product line.
• I discussed how you properly analyze profitability by explaining how you delve into a balance sheet and operating statement to find the critical items that may be impactful on your business.
• Finally, we brought back our team of Senior Account Executives to explain the important concepts of selling and sales management.

The 2-day event wrapped up with another extended Q & A session before we sent the attendees back to their places of business.

If you would like to see photos of the event click here.

Our next management program will be taking place in conjunction with The Remodeling Show in Baltimore, MD on the 14th and 15th of September. To pre-register for this event you can e-mail us at admin@daveyoho.com. More information on the program will be made available in the near future.

Also, be on the lookout for more blog postings that go into further detail about each of the individual topics that were covered in Chicago.