Landscape Management and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) will partner for the fourth consecutive year to deliver high-quality educational sessions at Equip Exposition, set for Oct. 21-24 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.
Equip Expo 2025 attendees will have access to 12 educational sessions, covering key topics such as business management, staff development, employee retention and landscape industry innovations. Whether you’re seeking solutions to improve team performance, streamline operations or implement cutting-edge technology, these sessions offer invaluable learning opportunities.
“We are in an uncertain and quick-changing business climate. There are extreme challenges associated with uncertainty related to tariffs, taxes and labor shortages. This year, landscapers can’t afford to not come to Equip, where you learn how other contractors around the country and around the world are adapting to business challenges,” said Kris Kiser, president of OPEI and Equip Exposition. “Equip and Landscape Management are planning education to address these very challenges. This is the year to learn, this is the year to share, and this is the year to come to Equip. With so many opportunities to learn, we recommend contractors bring their team so they can bring back as much knowledge as possible to their company.”
Bill Roddy, the publisher of LM, said, “We’re grateful to continue our partnership with OPEI at Equip Exposition, delivering comprehensive educational sessions for landscape professionals and their teams. In 2025, we’ll offer sessions on industry trends, labor solutions and business strategies designed to help attendees grow their landscape businesses and overcome challenges.”
Only registered attendees for the show are eligible to take part in Equip Expo education. You can register here and receive a 50-percent discount by using the code LM50. During the registration process, you will be prompted to add educational sessions.
Here’s more information on the classes that will be offered at Equip Expo 2025.
2025 Educational Sessions
Wednesday, Oct. 22
A Fireside Chat with Larry Ryan, noon-1 p.m.: In February, Larry Ryan, founder of Ryan Lawn and Tree, announced he was stepping down as the company’s CEO. The former pizza chain store owner built a behemoth of a lawn care company in the Midwest over the last 37 years, coming in at No. 49 on the 2024 LM150 list with $69 million in annual revenue. In this fireside chat with Landscape Management magazine’s Seth Jones, Ryan will discuss his career, his beliefs on company culture and how he foresees the future of the industry.
Become A Destination Company, 1-2:30 p.m.: Presented by Jeffrey Scott, who literally wrote the book on the topic! For the first time in seven years (and with updated content), Scott will present his philosophies on how to attract, retain and develop the very best employees so your business can overcome labor challenges and become a true “destination company.”
“Lean” in the Landscape, 2:30-3:30 p.m.: Manufacturing production principles have led to an endless cascade of high-quality, safe, effective and affordable products and millions of dollars in profits for organizations worldwide. Can these same principles be applied to landscaping? Yes! This session, presented by Ben Thomas and Ken Gandy, Envisor Consulting, outlines basic “Lean” principles and discusses applications for our industry. Learn about delivering what your customers want without the steps and activities that provide no value in this Lean introduction.
Your Company, Your Culture, 3:30-4:30 p.m.: Back by popular demand! Now in its fourth year, a panel of industry veterans and experts will discuss everything they’ve seen and experienced that creates a positive culture. Part panel discussion, part question-and-answer session with the audience, these experts will offer tips and suggestions that can make an immediate impact on your workplace culture.
Thursday, Oct. 23
Lead from the Middle — Yes, You!, 9:30-10:30 a.m.: Are you a second-in-command, production manager or a foreman? Then this class is meant for you. Sam Gembel, president of Atlas Outdoor, has been motivating his middle management to feel empowered and “lead from the middle” for years, and the results speak for themselves. In this session, you’ll learn why middle management is so vital to the success of every landscape operation and ways you can best make your mark on your company.
Labor Hour Management: The Most Important KPI in Your Business, 10:30-11:30 a.m.: In this high-energy session led Justin White, CEO, K&D Landscaping (and the newest LM columnist), attendees will learn how to effectively track, analyze and optimize labor hours to boost productivity, reduce costs and enhance overall business efficiency. Through practical strategies and real-world examples, participants will gain insights into leveraging labor hour management as a key performance indicator to drive profitability and sustainable growth in their operations.
Get on the Bus: Effective Onboarding for New Team Members, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: First impressions really do matter. If you want to stand out, grow your team and reduce turnover, you need an onboarding program. In this session led by Barrett Chow, McFarlin Stanford, you’ll learn the key points and actions needed for a successful onboarding program.
Sales Management for Dummies (and High-Flying Entrepreneurs), 12:30-2 p.m.: OK, so you’re not a dummy … you’re a high-flying entrepreneur. But what are the most effective ways to manage your sales team — and yourself — so the company is on the right trajectory? Industry consultant Jeffrey Scott will share his methods for launching sales growth.
Strategic Planning 101, 2:30-3:30 p.m.: The word ‘strategic’ has become painfully overused, yet organizations routinely fail to develop effective strategic plans. Strategic planning should outline, prioritize and sequence the steps, activities and initiatives that will take your business to the next level. Join Ben Thomas and Ken Gandy from Envisor Consulting for a dive into developing strategic plans that drive transformation and lead to success.
Every Day I’m Hustlin’: How to be Proactive on Relationship Building and Sales, 3:30-5 p.m.: The “order taking” of 2021-2023 is over. We have to go make sales, and that is a daily activity. This session, led by Chris Psencik, McFarlin Stanford, will show you the daily tasks you or your sales team needs to do to hit your goals and then some.
Friday, Oct. 24
Retiring in Place, 10-11:30 a.m.: You’ve put in the hours, the days, the years … is it time for the business to run without you? For business owners who are asking themselves this question, our panel of entrepreneurs who have successfully stepped away from their business discuss the biggest challenges they faced, the right time and why they ended up stepping away from the company they started. Jeffrey Scott will serve as the moderator.
A One-Stop Shop versus Doing One Thing Well, noon-1 p.m.: The phone rings, and on the other end, someone asks if your company can help them accomplish this one goal. On the one hand, it’s revenue. On the other, it isn’t necessarily what your company is good at. In this presentation, Justin White, CEO, K&D Landscaping, discusses the value of being a specialist over a generalist.
