A couple of months ago we went to the National Pavement Expo in Nashville TN. Turns out, the show was a huge success for so many people and in so many ways.
I thought I would take a few minutes to share my feelings about it and encourage you to think seriously about going to the next NPE if you aren’t already planning to attend.
1 – Inspiration
Inspiration is powerful. Chances are when you started or took over your pavement maintenance company you were completely “psyched” about dominating your corner of the country and being the best pavement contractor around. Your mind was reeling with new ideas and you would often spontaneously grab the closest calculator to figure up all the massive profits you could make at fixing parking lots and driveways. You were inspired, and that inspiration got you up in the morning to push your company to new heights. It was exciting — difficult, don’t get me wrong — but exciting.
It may be, however, if you are human, that somewhere along the way you lost your inspiration. Business became just business, and now years later, because you lost the inspiration to push your business, it has more or less plateaued.
I feel that the National Pavement Expo can be a very inspiring event. You will meet many people just like yourself who have done amazing things with their business. You will also realize how far you’ve come with your own business and all of the accomplishments you’ve made. This is very inspiring and can be just what your business needs to get you started dreaming again.
2 – Networking
Networking is a huge reason to attend NPE and it brings many benefits, including getting more work. Yes, believe it or not by creating relationships with other contractors around the country you can get more work. Many property owners and management companies operate in cities across the US. Why wouldn’t your new friend in Atlanta refer your company in Tampa if the opportunity arose?
Networking can also give you the opportunity to learn new approaches and practices that you may have never thought of. By networking, you can find solutions to some of your companies biggest challenges.
Networking will also afford you the opportunity to help others. You might think this is not such a big deal, but offering other contractors solutions to their challenges can somehow be just as helpful for you.
3 – Re-Evaluate Your Business
There is something about getting out of your normal environment that helps you see things a little differently. Going to an event like NPE where you will meet people, learn more about your field and see new sealcoating equipment gives you a new perspective. It will also get your mind turning and thinking about the areas in your business that may need work. It may be that you are missing opportunities to make money in certain areas or maybe you are spending too much money in other areas unnecessarily. Regardless, just being at NPE will cause you to start re-evaluating your business and help you make it better.
Conclusion
You may notice that none of the top 3 reasons for going to NPE are directly related to walking around the show floor and sitting in class rooms. Don’t get me wrong, these are great reasons to attend, and you will surely benefit from both. However, going to NPE is really about the whole experience. At the center of that experience are the new relationships you make with contractors all over the US. These new relationships will create a powerful network of like minds that can inspire you throughout the year, provide a resource for learning new ideas and perhaps even bring new customers to your doorstep without even trying.
I think it’s a great idea to make NPE something you do every year. I’ll be there and so will hundreds of some of the most successful pavement contractors around the US.
