The Edge July/August 2025

THE NALP EXPERIENCE

ELEVATE Goes West: Unlock Your Potential with the Industry’s Best

By Jill Odom

WANT TO CONNECT WITH the brightest minds in the industry? Mark your calendars for ELEVATE, presented by NALP and powered by Cat, which will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, on Nov. 2-5, 2025. This powerful event not only allows you to discover new innovations, learn fresh ideas and strengthen relationships, but it can also help take your business to the next level. One of the aspects that sets ELEVATE apart is the education is curated by landscape professionals like yourself. The ELEVATE Committee has developed eight different education tracks that align with your professional goals. They include: Q Leadership & Management: Unlock Your Organization’s Full Potential Q Technology & Innovation: Powering Growth & Resil ience Q Human Resources, Recruit ment & Retention: Attract, Develop, and Keep Top Talent Q Sales & Marketing: Drive Growth and Acquire High-Value Clients Q Finance & Accounting: Mas ter Your Numbers, Maximize Your Profits Q Operations, Safety & Risk Management: Protecting Your People, Profits, and Future Q Sustainability: Innovation for Environmental and Econom ic Value Q Grow Your Business: Unlock Your Landscape Company’s Growth Potential This year’s event features more than 50 total education sessions. Prepare to be inspired by our two Main Stage speakers. Kevin Brown is a branding and

ful conversations.

The day before ELEVATE is the ticketed NALP Women’s Forum. Designed to support women in the green industry, this event will equip attendees with ideas to drive change, uplift others, and help build a more inclusive and equitable future for all. The conference also features fun networking opportunities with a Phoenix flair starting with the Welcome Reception held at The Duce. This one-of-a kind venue was once a Prohibi tion-era warehouse that served as a produce district by day and transformed into a neighbor hood speakeasy at night. Fea tured on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,”this hotspot is known for its inventive dishes and rooftop lounge. To close out the event, the ever-popular ELEVATE Bash will be hosted at Corona Ranch. Ex perience an authentic Mexican rodeo, a live Mariachi band, and Southwest cuisine at Arizona’s only private Mexican and West ern rodeo grounds. Attendees also have the opportunity to go On Tour with Creative Environments on Nov. 5. Go behind the scenes of this award-winning full-service landscape firm that prides themselves on their innovative designs and customer service. Don’t miss out on this all-inclusive, must-attend event! Registration is open now. TE

cialty and exchange practical insights related to lawn care, design/build, commercial land scape maintenance, residential landscape maintenance or irrigation. New this year is a role-based roundtable session. This is a valuable opportunity to con nect and learn from peers who face similar challenges directly relevant to your day-to-day responsibilities and business goals. The ELEVATE Expo will provide you with the chance to have conversations with over 100 exhibitors while learning about the cutting-edge equip ment and solutions revolution izing the industry. The 33,000 square feet of exhibit space is expected to sell out once again, as it is one of the fastest-grow ing tradeshows in the nation. The ELEVATE Expo will also house the Campfire Conver sations spaces. These 12 small, informal gatherings allow you to share experiences, ask ques tions, and engage in meaning

culture expert and author of “The Hero Effect.”He spent the last 20 years of his corporate career as part of a leadership team that built the family busi ness SERVPRO into the No. 1 franchise in their industry with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion. Brown will blend his business insight, personal expe rience, and passion for helping people into a message that will help attendees unlock their inner hero at work and in life. Meanwhile, Ben Nemtin, author of “What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?”and“The Bucket List Journal,” will share a message of radical possibility and how to unlock your true potential. ELEVATE also provides several different types of round table discussions. Breakfast with Champions is a ticketed session where you can share ideas and learn from peers in an informal breakfast setting. Let’s Talk Shop is a roundtable discussion where you can select your spe

42 The Edge // July/August 2025