World of Asphalt is bringing critical education sessions to asphalt paving pros at its show and conference in Nashville, Tenn., March 29 to 31.
With topics like labor challenges and concerns over winning the next job at the forefront of asphalt business tasks, World of Asphalt and AGG1 is featuring several sessions that meet those, and many other needs.
"World of Asphalt is, first and foremost, an opportunity for asphalt paving pros and business leaders to learn," said World of Asphalt Show Manager Brittany Weltcheff. "As asphalt industry challenges continue to evolve and develop, we make sure our education offerings adjust to address those topics, and this year is no different."
World of Asphalt, and the co-located AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo, will showcase 120 education sessions for everyone at every level of their career in the world of asphalt paving. Here are five must-attend sessions focusing on the new challenges asphalt paving pros are facing today:
Top Ten Reasons Why Small Businesses Fail
The U.S. Small Business Administration says more than 50 percent of small businesses fail within the first year, and 95 percent within the first five years. Those that do survive past that point face peril when handing off from one generation to the next, with Forbes estimating two thirds fail going from first to second generation and another 50 percent going from second to third generation ownership.
This session walks small asphalt paving businesses through the common elements of businesses that have survived, how to evaluate your own company and what to look for to ensure success. Learn more.
Not Everything is Flat: Paving Up, Down and Around
Hills, curves, wide widths and super elevations all can pose challenges for asphalt paving projects. Proper paver setup and use of automatic and manual grade and slope control enables contractors to tackle every scenario.
This session will cover best practices for paver setup and take-off for different grades, curves and other challenges. Learn more.
Fundamentals of Professional Sales
Selling is the lifeblood of any successful organization, and it is also a skill that can, and often must, be learned.
This session discusses the characteristics and myths of successful salespeople including professionalism and first impressions. Tips for networking and building lasting relationships, which can be instantly applied to improve sales performance, also will be shared. Learn more.
Middle Managers Will Make or Break Your Culture
Have you evaluated and cultivated the management, leadership, and communication skills of your company leaders before promoting them into the role? If you haven't, you could make or break the culture of your workforce.
This session allows attendees to discuss this topic with peers in a round table learning environment and then present experiences, recommendations and creative plans to develop these critical employees. Learn more.
My Brain Made Me Do It
Sometimes, despite our best efforts to train crews on safety, accidents happen. But could the training they have received been ineffective because it didn't consider how people think?
This session helps attendees understand why people do or don't do what they should, how the mind perceives or fails to notice the world, and how to take advantage of biology, communicating more effectively and taking a human-centric approach to safety management. Learn more.
"We put a lot of effort in developing content for the People, Plants and Paving Conference this year," said Audrey Copeland, president and CEO of NAPA, majority-owner of the show. "It's why World of Asphalt is the must-attend event for the asphalt paving industry that it has become."
World of Asphalt will be bringing the asphalt paving community back together in person at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. For a look at the health and safety commitment, including the latest updates, click here. Registration is 15 percent off through Feb. 26.
For more information on World of Asphalt, visit www.WorldOfAsphalt.com.
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