Agenda
Wednesday, February 11th
High-Performance Service Operations Workshop
2 Day Workshop Starting on Tuesday, February 10
Bellagio, Monet 2
This two-day deep-dive workshop from Contractor University (on Tuesday, February 10 through Wednesday, February 11th) is designed to provide attendees with a turnkey service department playbook. It will deliver a full review of service department operations, goal setting, department profitability planning, service pricing and much more.
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Tee Off for the Trades Charity Golf Benefiting Women in HVACR & EGIA Foundation
Angel Park Golf Club
Kick off your EPIC week with fun, food, beverages and networking at the fourth annual Tee Off for the Trades — a charity golf tournament supporting industry charities Women in HVACR. Hit the links with industry peers in this shotgun-start scramble and play 18 holes at the beautiful Angel Park Golf Course before EPIC2026.
Details Coming Soon
Exclusive Daikin Elite Member Workshop: Stress-Free Inverter System Sales
Bellagio, Gaugin 1-2
In today’s HVAC market, homeowners don’t want pressure, they want clarity and simplicity. Stress-Free Inverter System Sales shows contractors how to present inverter-driven HVAC solutions using clear, bundled options that reduce confusion and build trust. This session delivers practical strategies for creating a more comfortable buying experience that leads to higher closing rates, bigger tickets, and long-term customer satisfaction, without all of the pushy gimmicks or stress.
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Distributor Day at EPIC2026
Bellagio, Monet 3-4
A dedicated session for senior management personnel of HVAC distribution businesses featuring keynote presentations, a live voice of the customer contractor panel, review of all-new industry research findings that are important for distributors, and an exclusive evening party at Bruno Mars’ Pinky Ring Lounge.
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Thursday, February 12th
Check-in & Breakfast
Opportunity to network, visit with exhibitors and enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet.
Kickoff & Welcoming Remarks
Jim Knight kicks things off and reviews important event details for attendees.
Opening Keynote
Leveling Up: Mastering Personal and Professional Growth
Ryan Leak
We all give energy to our careers, but there are different levels to it. Unfortunately, most people find themselves coasting and doing what they have to do to survive, not realizing there’s a life where they get to do everything and can actually thrive. In this opening keynote presentation by bestselling author and renowned strategic advisor Ryan Leak, you will learn how to achieve the life and career you’ve always wanted through the art of asking the right questions.
Based on Ryan’s Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Leveling Up: 12 Questions to Elevate Your Personal and Professional Development, this presentation will take a deep dive into the questions that will help guide your personal development, goal-setting, and keys to success.
Those questions include:
- The Self-Awareness Question: What’s it like to be on the other side of me?
- The Vision Question: What’s my definition of success?
- The Team Player Question: What credit can I give away?
- The Focus Question: What has most of my attention?
Maybe you’re not entirely responsible for the level you are at today. But the level you go to tomorrow is entirely your choice. Choose wisely.
Break
Opportunity to network, enjoy refreshments and visit with exhibitors.
Breakout Sessions
Choose to attend one of the following breakout session options:
Leverage a “WOW” Customer Service Experience to Unlock Growth and Increase Profits
Mary Jean Anderson
Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air is among the top 1% of HVAC and plumbing companies in the US – number one among women-owned companies. But how did it reach that level? How did it go from zero to $60 million in annual revenue? How did it achieve double-digit profitability? Exceptional customer service.
Join Mary Jean Anderson, former owner of Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air, as she pulls back the curtain on exactly what steps she took to build Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air’s service business into what it is today – one of the most successful in the country.
Tailored for HVAC contractors, business owners, and other industry professionals, this breakout will share strategies to drive growth and success by harnessing repeat business and ongoing referrals from your customers by embracing her simple philosophy: “Nobody wows clients like we do.”
In this session you’ll learn:
- The service secrets of one of the industry’s most successful operators, with over 45 years’ experience in customer relations
- A tailored roadmap to success that fits your business needs and challenges
- Enhanced communication skills to build rapport with customers
- Effective problem-solving techniques to handle difficult situations
- How to boost customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Keys to increasing team morale and performance
Scaling Your Business for Wealth Creation
Gary Elekes
Every contracting business hits plateaus — and breaking through them requires more than just hard work. Scaling your company into a true wealth-generating enterprise takes intentional strategy, discipline, and a culture that empowers your team to execute.
Join industry veteran Gary Elekes for a breakout that will walk you through the real-world frameworks, workflows, and priorities that separate growing businesses from those that stall.
Using examples from contractors currently in scaling mode, Gary will explore the roadblocks, wins, and foundational systems that allow companies to operate like a machine and think like a franchise — whether you’re looking to sell or simply build long-term wealth for you and your team.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- Common traps that keep owners stuck at the same level
- How to develop a scalable business model with franchise-level structure
- Cultural practices that foster accountability and trust
- The key priorities that drive sustainable growth
- Real-world lessons from contractors actively scaling right now
The Overlooked Market That Can Transform Your Bottom Line
Matthew Bratsis
Most contractors overlook small commercial work—not because it’s not profitable, but because they don’t have a simple, repeatable way to sell it. And when you’re not offering the right purchase experience, your local small businesses either delay buying or go with someone else who does.
There’s a better way—and it can unlock a whole new revenue stream for your company.
In this session, Matthew Bratsis, VP at EGIA and creator of OPTIMUS, will share how a proven sales process and tailored payment solutions can make small commercial jobs easier to close and more profitable to complete. Whether you’re a contractor looking to grow your business or a distributor aiming to help your dealers do the same, this breakout will show you the power of meeting your market where it’s at.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- How to simplify your sales process for small commercial jobs
- Ways to create an attractive purchase experience for local business owners
- How to leverage EGIA and OPTIMUS’s industry-leading small commercial product to grow revenue
- What it takes to implement a scalable internal process for long-term success
- How distribution can support dealers using this model to drive more sales
Are You Fueling Growth or Burning Cash?
Shawn Byrne
Is your team or agency actually doing the work it takes to grow your business?
In this session Shawn Byrne, founder of My Biz Niche marketing agency, will show you how to spot red flags, ask the right questions, and check key fundamentals to ensure your marketing efforts are getting the attention they deserve. This is not about blame. It’s about taking ownership, creating accountability, and making sure your investment is driving real results.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- Understand how to create accountability without micromanaging — with your internal marketing team or external agency partner
- Spot early warning signs that your advertising efforts are being overlooked
- Discover simple checks to validate the work being done behind the scenes
- Gain tools to confidently assess ROI and take control of your marketing strategy
Lunch
Opportunity to network, visit with exhibitors and enjoy a complimentary lunch buffet.
Breakout Sessions
Choose to attend one of the following breakout session options:
How Video and Training Fueled Barron’s 3x Growth to $45M
Brad Barron, Dave Marrs & Josh Burdick
What does it really take to grow from a single-trade operation to a multi-trade powerhouse—without relying on acquisitions or outside investors?
In this dynamic panel breakout, you’ll hear directly from Brad Barron, fourth-generation CEO of Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing, as he shares the real story behind the company’s journey from a local HVAC shop to a $45 million multi-trade leader.
Joined by HGTV’s Dave Marrs (Fixer to Fabulous) and WholeHome Media’s Josh Burdick, this session will explore how contractors can expand services, train teams from within, and use authentic video storytelling to drive serious growth.
Regardless of the trade(s) you work in, this conversation will give you a roadmap for growing smart—with the right people, systems, and creative content behind you.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- How Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing scaled from one trade to three without acquisitions or outside investment
- How to test and add a new trade the right way
- The training systems that turn green hires into future leaders
- How video marketing builds trust, drives leads, and supports recruiting
- Authentic storytelling that can help homeowners buy into high-performance solutions
- A real-world growth journey—and leave with strategies you can implement now
Shoot to Thrill: Maximize Sales Performance with Menu Pricing
Drew Cameron & Russ Horrocks
Most contractors neutralize their sales process by limiting options to only some of the things, not everything, you offer in a proposal. Lacking choices to get the experiences and outcomes they desire causes customers to commodify and comparison shop “competitive quotes” on the few things you do offer. The result? Your sales performance suffers.
Transparent menu-pricing lets your conversation connect with the customer’s story and their focus to consider your people, processes, problems you resolve, impacts, experiences, and performance to your story – not the equipment.
Join home services sales experts Russ Horrocks and Drew Cameron in this breakout to discover why proposals are the wrong tool for teaching customers how to buy, how to get the most value for their investment, and for guiding them to make an educated affirmative buying decision promptly.
When your homeowner buying experience allows consumers to freely explore all the possibilities, ways to pay, and peace of mind protections in a familiar trusted format, they become motivated customers who buy.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- How using the same CRM/FSM pricing software as other contractors is killing your sales
- Why using proposals that are similar looking to other contractors destroys credibility
- How leading with payment options can increase average ticket and number of people who buy
- Menu pricing that creates collaborative conversations and points of connection
- How to thrill customers with how they buy, so that they buy!
The Hidden Revenue Killer: Stop Quick Fixes With Technology, Coaching, and Teamwide Accountability
Brigham Dickinson
Quick fixes are killing your growth — and they’re happening in every department.
From a CSR who books a call without exploring a maintenance plan, to a dispatcher who misses a cross-service opportunity, to a technician who swaps a part without explaining the “why,” your business is losing revenue, trust, and long-term customers.
When the same problem comes back weeks later, the homeowner isn’t frustrated with the equipment — they’re frustrated with your company. Why? Because no one took ownership of the customer relationship at any stage. No one educated them. No one gave them clear choices.
In this breakout, Brigham Dickinson, founder of Power Selling Pros, reveals how pairing recording technology with twice-a-month, one-on-one coaching creates a culture of accountability across your entire customer journey — CSRs, dispatchers, coordinators, technicians, and comfort advisors.
You’ll learn how to:
- Spot and fix revenue leaks before they cost you thousands
- Empower customers with informed choices instead of “one-and-done” fixes
- Turn every role into a revenue and trust builder
- Create consistent, high-value experiences from the first ring to the final handshake
If you want to increase revenue per call, reduce callbacks, and build lifetime customer loyalty, this is your blueprint.
Building Your Company Value to Sell (or to Keep!)
TBD
With the wave of consolidation ongoing throughout the industry, it’s never been more important to create peak value within your company. It’s the best way to drive success and dominate your market. And it’s the best way to make sure that, if you decide to sell your business, you receive the maximum value possible.
In this session, you’ll hear from an expert in the buying, selling, and private equity space on the most important things driving company value right now.
You’ll learn what acquirers are looking for in a business and how you can create value at your own company in order to maximize sale price – or create so much value that you decide you want to keep it.
Break
Opportunity to network, enjoy refreshments and visit with exhibitors.
Afternoon Keynote
Business Insights and Advice from America’s Favorite Shark
Lori Greiner
ABC’s smash hit, Emmy-winning series Shark Tank features some of the savviest business minds in the world – people who have guided hundreds of companies across dozens of industries to maximum success and peak profitability.
What would they say about the home services industry? What secrets and strategies that lead to elite performance and record profits in other industries would they bring to ours?
Let’s hear it from one of those Sharks!
During this moderated fireside chat keynote with EPIC2026 master of ceremonies Jim Knight, Lori Greiner, the beloved “Shark with Heart,” will share the lessons she’s learned throughout her illustrious career as one of the most successful business professionals of our time.
Lori will provide her expert insights and valuable advice on what she believes home service contractors can do to reach maximum success and become homeowners’ contractor of choice in today’s marketplace.
This thought-provoking discussion will touch on topics such as:
- What separates the best entrepreneurs and business operators from the average ones
- Common blind spots or traps that business owners fall into when scaling up their business
- How can home service contractors stand out and differentiate their business in such a crowded and competitive industry
- Lori’s outlook on the future of the home services industry and what contractors can do to best position their business for their long-term success
- Behind-the-scenes stories from 16+ seasons on the most successful business-focused reality TV show in US history
Product & Service Showcase Happy Hour
Visit the exhibitor tables inside the main ballroom and discover new products and services that can help you solve the challenges your business is facing. Beer, wine and light appetizers will be served.
Evening Party at Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar
Get ready for the famous blowout party that the industry talks about all year! Taking place at Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar on the Las Vegas Strip from 7pm – 10pm, this party will have it all – networking, food, an open bar, and live entertainment throughout the evening! Must be 21 or older to attend.
Friday, February 13th
Breakfast
Opportunity to network, visit with exhibitors and enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet.
Day 2 Kickoff
Culture that Rocks: How to Amp Up Your Business’s Culture and Deliver Sustainable Results
Jim Knight
This high-energy, bite-sized kickoff session will focus on aspiring to create, maintain, or even revolutionize an organization’s culture.
Keynote speaker, bestselling author, and EPIC2026 master of ceremonies Jim Knight will act as a thought-starter for the concept. He will use his signature rock ‘n’ roll style to discuss key strategies to transform any business culture, regardless of the company’s cultural history or status.
Key unique concepts will include:
- Defining company culture (around learned behaviors)
- Understanding heritage (past) vs. culture (present)
- Hiring, developing & retaining rockstars
And for those present … a raffle for some legendary prizes! The fast-paced discussion will deliver relevant takeaways and out-of-the-box thinking, while being dunked in the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.
Break
Opportunity to network, enjoy refreshments and visit with exhibitors.
Breakout Sessions
Choose to attend one of the following breakout session options:
Pay to Play – How “No-Ceiling” Pay Can Lead to “No-Ceiling” Performance
Paul Kelly
Has your business taken the plunge and adopted some form of “pay for performance” – but you haven’t seen the jump in performance you were counting on? Or maybe you’re looking to finally move to pay-for-performance for the first time? Productivity pay does work, and it can be a major catalyst to sending your profitability sky-high – if you have the right framework.
Join Paul Kelly, bestselling author of Tricks of the Trade to Success and one of the true GOATs in the industry, having grown his company in Phoenix, AZ to $250 million in annual revenue! Paul will be pulling back the curtain on performance-based pay – how to design it, roll it out, sell it, and how to use it as a weapon to help propel your business.
“Pay to Play” is not just a sports term; it’s a way for you to reward your team (and you) for being exceptional.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- The advantages of hourly vs. commission vs. pay for performance
- How to convince new prospects and current employees to move to pay for performance
- Three promises that are critical to your success
- Designing compensation programs at every level – from technician up to management, and everyone in between
- Attracting and retaining the best team members – ultimately, your biggest advantage or disadvantage
- How pay programs can help drive near unlimited growth in your business
Bonus: One lucky attendee will get a FREE one-on-one coaching session with Paul, who promises to solve your biggest challenge in your company, department or position. Come learn from the best!
Differentiate or Die: How to Set Your Business Apart from the Sea of Sameness
Jason Walker
Why do some contracting businesses struggle to break even while others seemingly have cracked the code to printing profit? Why do some fail to connect and engage – with their customers and with their employees – while others lead the industry in customer loyalty and employee retention? It all comes down to differentiation.
Jason Walker knows all about it. As the owner of Royalty Heating & Air in California, as well as the HVAC Masters of the Hustle coaching group, he has firsthand experience guiding HVAC organizations with an approach that stands out in the marketplace, driving profits and never struggling to find employees. And he’s done it based on a simple playbook. In this presentation, he’s opening up that playbook for you and sharing proven strategies for differentiation, both internal and external.
In this breakout session, you’ll learn:
- Build an unforgettable brand – the kind prospective customers think of in their moments of need
- Execute creative marketing strategies that will receive more attention from prospective customers compared to your competition
- Deliver a unique customer experience that will turn customers into raving fans who give you a consistent stream of referrals
- Establish an organization culture that ensures your whole team is bought in and aligned toward a successful future
- Become the employer of choice in your area – and a place your employees never want to leave
- And much more!
The Evolving Search Landscape: From Yellow Pages to AI-Driven Discovery
Jack Nagy
Homeowners no longer rely on traditional methods to find local businesses—they now expect instant, precise recommendations driven by AI and conversational search. As the digital landscape shifts rapidly from keywords to conversations, your business must be ready to leverage AI-driven discovery to remain visible and competitive.
Join Jack Nagy, founder of MTA360, as he reveals how AI alongside cutting-edge SEO is reshaping the future of search and creating unprecedented opportunities for home services businesses. You’ll discover how to position your company as a top recommendation when homeowners turn to AI for answers, and how to proactively capture sales through hyper-personalized offers and strategic digital presence.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- How conversational AI is changing the way homeowners find businesses
- Why reputation management and expertise influence AI-driven recommendations
- How marketers can adopt a scientific, SEO and AI-focused approach to ensure business visibility
- Strategies for hyperlocal SEO to optimize multiple locations and Google Business Profiles
- And so much more!
The Data-Driven Roadmap to Attracting and Retaining Top Residential and Commercial Talent
Kelly Presgrave
Leveraging seven years of recruitment data, this session breaks down essential strategies to attract and retain talent across different roles and regions.
Join Kelly Presgrave, president & CEO of Work With Your Handz, an industry recruiting firm, for this breakout session where attendees will leave with actionable insights on benefits, schedules, advancement opportunities, and company culture proven to boost candidate engagement and retention.
In this session, attendees will learn:
- Proven recruitment strategies tailored to home and commercial service businesses
- How to adjust hiring tactics based on company size and stage of growth
- Ways to stand out in a competitive labor market — even without the highest wages or biggest brand
- Practical tips for improving candidate engagement and speeding up time-to-hire
Break
Opportunity to network, enjoy refreshments and visit with exhibitors.
Breakout Sessions
Choose to attend one of the following breakout session options:
Internal Operations: The Key to Driving Sales Performance
Chad Peterman
Your call center is often the first interaction a customer has with your business—and that first impression can make or break the relationship. But it’s more than just answering phones; it’s a powerful tool for driving growth, building loyalty, and uncovering new revenue opportunities.
Join Chad Peterman, President and CEO of Peterman Brothers, in this session where we’ll look beyond the basics to explore how your call center can become a strategic asset. From improving the customer journey to strengthening operational performance, you’ll gain insights and strategies that deliver measurable impact.
As the leader of one of the nation’s most successful heating, cooling & plumbing companies, Chad has first-hand experience in improving his call center to increase revenue.
In this session, Chad will:
- Explore the connection between your call center operations and sales performance —focusing on how customer experience impacts revenue and why first impressions matter
- Highlight opportunities for customer retention and upselling, backed by real-world examples of success
- Dive into strategic dispatching and discuss the key metrics your team should be monitoring to drive performance
- Share practical steps you can take to optimize your call center and boost your bottom line
HVAC Industry Pulse 2026: Insights from EGIA’s Latest Survey of HVAC Business Leaders
David Holt, Julie Trujillo & Felicia Rogers
What do HVAC contractors across North America really think about the year ahead? What are their biggest challenges, priorities, and opportunities? Join marketing research experts Julie Trujillo and Felicia Rogers from Decision Analyst, along with David Holt from Contractor University, for an eye-opening look at the key takeaways and new findings uncovered in EGIA’s 2026 HVAC Contractor Survey Report.
This session will pull back the curtain on what participating contractors reported during EGIA’s latest survey of HVAC business leaders, identifying the most urgent topics, pressing challenges, and biggest opportunities facing home services business right now – including revenue trends, staffing struggles, lead generation, training needs, marketing spend, technology adoption, and much more. You’ll leave with clear insights into how companies like yours are navigating the evolving landscape – and what separates the most successful from the rest.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- The most valuable opportunities contractors are identifying
- The biggest challenges and pitfalls – and how industry-leading businesses are avoiding them
- Need-to-know info on AI, cutting-edge software, automation, and other technology trends
- Actionable data and expert interpretation across countless other topics
- And so much more!
Plus, attendees will have the opportunity to provide their direct feedback and suggestions on what questions they would like us to ask in next year’s survey. Don’t miss this opportunity to be the first to hear the latest findings from the 2026 report and help guide the direction of our future industry-wide surveys.
Artificial Intelligence in the Trades
TBD
Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t just the future of business – it’s already here. Countless companies across the trades are already harnessing AI to cut costs, increase efficiency, grow revenue, and scale their businesses. What do you need to know today? And what should you be prepared for tomorrow?
In this session, you’ll learn from an authority on AI in the home services industry on how automation, generative AI, and other cutting-edge technologies can help you harness productivity and free up time in your business to focus on the things you should be focusing on. The future is here. Will you embrace it?
What’s Coming Next from HVAC’s Major Equipment Manufacturers: A Panel Discussion
TBD
With rapidly changing technology, consumer preferences, rebate & incentive programs, dealer development initiatives, and so much more, HVAC manufacturers have a massive hand in shaping our industry – both its state today and the future we’re looking toward.
In this eye-opening panel, leaders from the HVAC industry’s top equipment manufacturers will pull back the curtain on what the future of their products and programs holds for every contractor in our industry.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- How improved (and improving) technology is affecting equipment
- What incentive programs are coming down the pike – and how they will drive contractor and consumer behaviors
- Game-changing dealer development programs and resources
- And so much more!
Lunch
Opportunity to network, visit with exhibitors and enjoy a complimentary lunch buffet.
Closing Keynote
Atomic Habits: How to Get 1% Better Every Day
James Clear
What does it really take to drive lasting improvement—in your contracting business, your leadership, and your personal life? According to James Clear, it’s not about sweeping changes or one-time bursts of effort. It’s about small, consistent actions that compound over time to produce extraordinary results.
As the #1 bestselling author of the international smash hit Atomic Habits—a book that’s helped millions of entrepreneurs and professionals build better systems—James Clear brings his powerful framework to the EPIC stage. In this engaging and practical closing keynote, he’ll explore how small habit shifts can lead to massive growth in both business operations and everyday life.
In this session, you’ll learn how to:
- Build systems that drive continuous improvement in your contracting business
- Break unproductive patterns and adopt high-impact habits that stick
- Overcome motivation dips and stay consistent—even during the busy season
- Create an environment that naturally supports business success
- Get back on track quickly when your routines or business processes go off course
End of Conference
Conference concludes and attendees receive information about joining the presale list for EPIC2027 on their way out.