If you’re looking to stay competitive in the quickly evolving landscape industry, there is no better place to find fresh, forward-thinking content and proactive peers than at ELEVATE, presented by NALP and powered by Cat.
“ELEVATE has always been one of my favorite weeks of the year because I get to connect with so many of my great friends from the industry, and learn alongside them,” says Doug McDuff, chair of the ELEVATE program committee and president of Landscape America, based in Wrentham, Massachusetts. “This event alone provides me with months of takeaways and actionable strategies that I can implement in my business. I always leave with new connections and resources to help me stay accountable and problem- solve throughout the year.”
What’s New?
This year NALP’s premier event is headed out west to Phoenix, Arizona, and will take place Nov. 2-5.
“We’re excited to really provide a venue where you can see some of the unique characteristics of some of the Western members, but also just the opportunity to take people to a different environment,” says Britt Wood, CEO of NALP. “If you’ve never been to Phoenix in November, there may not be a more beautiful place at that time of year in the United States of America. That is a big aspect of what sets this year apart.”
Kim McCrossen, director of education for NALP, adds that hosting on the West Coast opens up new opportunities for fresh perspectives, expanded networking, and unforgettable experiences.
“You’ll connect with industry peers you may not typically meet at East Coast events, helping to broaden your professional circle,” McCrossen says.
The NALP program committee also challenged themselves to wow the attendees with better networking, stronger education and more fun at ELEVATE.
“We are really excited about our educational program, and we focused on making sure our topics would bring value and learning opportunities to every position in a landscape organization,” McDuff says. “From tools and tips on implementing AI, understanding private equity and how mergers and acquisitions might affect the industry, and diving deeper into leadership and team development, we’re sure our members will leave the event inspired to grow.”
This year, the ELEVATE program committee also brought back the call for proposals process.
“We were thrilled to receive 185 session submissions, giving the ELEVATE committee the challenging task of selecting topics that would truly resonate with our audience,” McCrossen says. “As a result, we’re excited to feature many new speakers who bring fresh perspectives and valuable expertise to the event.”
Wood says one of the ways NALP ensures the education remains original is by bringing on new ELEVATE program committee members.
“The key is, and always has been, for ELEVATE, this is an education program that is designed by members, for members,” Wood says. “It’s not some expert staff, or one person who plans it all year, like many of our competitors. We mix it up, make it different, and I think produce a better product as a result.”
McDuff says the education is developed around the specific challenges landscape and lawn care companies are facing in their organizations.
“Some of the big themes this year are AI, mergers and acquisitions, workforce development, and mental health and wellness,” McDuff says. “However, we certainly focus on the basics such as training, technology, recruiting, sales and marketing, etc.”
The new ‘Grow Your Business’ track is specifically designed to equip ambitious owners and leadership teams with the essential tools, strategic insights, and leadership frameworks to achieve real and lasting success.
Another addition this year is the role-based roundtable discussions. These are focused on specific job roles and connect individuals with similar responsibilities.
“Think of it like the always popular Breakfast with Champions, yet you’ll be working on specific challenges and opportunities with peers who share similar roles in their respective companies,” McDuff says. “I’m really looking forward to the networking and idea sharing at this session.”
Can’t Miss Moments
ELEVATE is packed with a multitude of opportunities to network and have a blast with its signature social events, such as the Welcome Reception and the ELEVATE Bash.
The Welcome Reception will be hosted at The Duce, a Prohibition-era warehouse that specializes in inventive dishes and vintage cocktails.
To close out the event, the ELEVATE Bash will take place at Corona Ranch. Attendees will be treated to a Mexican rodeo.
“Like everything we do at our ELEVATE Bash, there’s going to be a lot of different things to do, and it’ll be a lot of fun,” Wood says.
Other times for networking include the Let’s Talk Shop roundtable discussions, Breakfast with Champions and the ticketed pre-ELEVATE Women’s Forum event.
The Let’s Talk Shop roundtables allows attendees to share experiences, explore challenges, and exchange practical insights from their specific specialty, including lawn care, design/build, commercial landscape maintenance, residential landscape maintenance and irrigation.
Additionally, attendees can purchase a ticket for the ever-popular Breakfast with Champions, where a facilitator leads meaningful discussions on a specific topic in an informal breakfast setting.
The Women’s Forum is a unique opportunity for women in the landscape industry to come together, share experiences, and gain insights that empower both personal and professional growth. This year’s keynote speaker, Erin Stafford, will share strategies on how to sustain peak performance while avoiding burnout. The Women’s Forum will also feature a panel discussion on women breaking barriers and hot topic roundtable discussions.
“It’s about the conversations,” Wood says. “The conversations that are had at ELEVATE are between the best of the best and contractors. If you want to be with the A players, this is where they are, and so you need to come and have the conversations.”
Not only does ELEVATE feature dynamic education sessions and networking, it also features one of the fastest-growing tradeshows in the industry. The ELEVATE Expo facilitates meaningful conversations with suppliers and what innovations they’re bringing to the market.
“Getting out on the floor, you’re going to see new things,” Wood says. “Every year, our suppliers bring their newest stuff. The fact of the matter is that if you don’t open yourself up to new ways of doing things, you’re closing yourself down to growth.”
Also on the tradeshow floor are Campfire Conversations designed to foster open dialogue and storytelling. Participants will have 12 different Campfire Conversations they can join in, including “Mentorship Matters: Giving, Getting, and Growing Together” and “Setting Yourself Apart: Crafting Unforgettable Client Experiences.”
“The education and networking you get by coming to ELEVATE is like no other,” McCrossen says. “It’s a unique space where you can learn, connect, have fun, and talk business all under one roof.”
You won’t want to miss the two powerhouse Main Stage speakers, Kevin Brown and Ben Nemtin.
Brown spent the last 20 years of his corporate career as part of a leadership team that built the family business SERVPRO into the No. 1 franchise in their industry with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion. Brown will blend his business insight, personal experience, and passion for helping people into a message that will help attendees unlock their inner hero at work and in life.
Nemtin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? and The Bucket List Journal. His message will focus on radical possibility. Both of these speakers will leave contractors feeling engaged, motivated and inspired.
ELEVATE also presents the opportunity to go On Tour with the award-winning Creative Environments, based in Tempe, Arizona, on Nov. 5. You can learn more about this 75-year-old business’s keys to success and tour their facility.
Bring an Open Mind
Whether this is your first time attending ELEVATE or if you’ve come every year, to truly maximize your experience, Wood recommends coming with an open mind.
“The people who present at ELEVATE are really some of the best,” Wood says. “How do you get better as an organization? You push yourself to listen to people who may be better than you, learn from them, and hopefully continue your growth so that one day you’re sitting up on the stage advising somebody the next time around. I think it is a combination of really tackling the real-time issues that are critical, but also really pushing the boundaries.”
Approach ELEVATE with a readiness to learn and invest time in by participating. McDuff says last year his goal was to learn more about building branch structures and how to set up their first satellite location. He connected with several business owners and managers who had experience in building out branches, and he says every one of them was willing to help.
“I also built my schedule to attend sessions that were relevant,” McDuff says. “This spring, we successfully opened our first branch thanks to the knowledge and understanding I gained from the education and networking at ELEVATE.”
You can plan ahead and select what sessions you want to attend based on your specialty, revenue, job role, and experience level.
Don’t Fly Solo
With 50+ education sessions, there is no way for you to take everything in by yourself.
“ELEVATE offers such a wide variety of learning opportunities that it’s impossible for one person to experience it all,” McCrossen says. “Bringing your team allows you to divide and conquer, maximizing the value by absorbing more insights and immediately applying them to your business.”
Having additional team members at ELEVATE can provide additional perspectives and provides professional growth for your up-and-coming leaders. Not only does bringing your team allow you to collect more takeaways, but it can also boost your retention rate as you invest in them.
“By bringing those people with you, you’re saying to them, ‘I believe in you. I’m willing to invest in you. I want you to help me grow my business,’” Wood says. “I think that’s a really powerful message, and owners need to be cognizant of that. I think the ability to share with your team the knowledge that’s available from the industry is pretty remarkable.”
NALP offers a discounted registration fee for contractors who bring 10 people or more.
Be Present
It can be tempting to check your email frequently while away from your business, but being present and engaged is the only way to ensure you get the most out of attending ELEVATE.
“I understand you can’t leave the office completely, but as much as you can put the office off to the side, give yourself an opportunity to think, to reflect, to enjoy, and you’ll come back a better leader because of that,” Wood says.
Truly immerse yourself in the education sessions by asking questions and discussing with others what they learned afterwards.
“ELEVATE is about creating forums where you can have fun, but you can also have conversations,” Wood says. “You can make a new friend. You can learn something new. You’d be surprised at the number of times people come up to me and said, ‘I was talking to somebody at happy hour,’ or ‘I was talking to somebody at the Bash,’ or ‘I rode a roller coaster next to this person, and I came up with a new idea.’ Again, everything about ELEVATE is designed to create connections and to create opportunities for conversations. In order to make that opportunity completely available to yourself, you need to participate in everything.”
Wood notes that your ‘aha’ moment can happen at any time, which is why it’s important not to skip anything ELEVATE has to offer.
“We want attendees to leave ELEVATE 2025 feeling inspired, energized, and ready to implement some new ideas into their 2026 plans,” McDuff says. “November is a great time of year for this high-level learning, because most companies are working through their plans for next year and can put their new knowledge right to action.”
This article was published in the September/October issue of the magazine. To read more stories from The Edge magazine, click here to subscribe to the digital edition.
