The restoration industry is no stranger to passionate debates—whether about TPAs, insurance battles, or workforce challenges. Amid these discussions, industry shows and events stand out as invaluable opportunities to connect, learn, and grow professionally. Options on where to spend your time interacting, networking, and learning with industry peers have never been more abundant.
The first question is, should you attend events in person? The simple answer is yes. While Facebook and LinkedIn groups are important and provide convenience, nothing beats face-to-face when it comes to building meaningful relationships.
Currently, many restoration businesses are working twice as hard to make the same amount in sales and profits. Key positions in companies are unfilled, and owners are wearing too many hats, either consciously or subconsciously. While it may be tempting to stay home and grind, stepping away from the business for a few days can help you “sharpen the saw,” as Stephen R. Covey would say. Doing so allows you to identify new trends in the industry, search for opportunities, explore technological advances, and, most importantly, meet great people.
Since time and money are limited, here are some tips on how to build meaningful relationships at industry events in 2025 so you get the most bang for your buck.
- Formulate your goals. Each event has specific topics and takeaways. Clarify your reason for attending and what strengths or opportunities you are trying to better understand while there. Don’t go to a show blind, hoping something happens. Be proactive and arrive on a mission.
- Be picky. With so many events to choose from, be selective. Factor in the size and focus of each event. Large shows offer opportunities to meet a lot of people, while smaller, more focused events can provide deeper interactions. I highly recommend the Restoration Industry Association’s Convention April 28-30 in West Palm Beach, as it provides a fantastic blend of education, awareness, and networking.
- Use event apps and social media. Many events offer free apps with schedules, details, and, most importantly, attendee lists. You can reach out to people prior to the event to invite them for coffee or an adult beverage. Most also have promotional social media pages dedicated to the event. Search hashtags with the event name to see what people are saying.
Pro tip: Consider getting a digital business card through an app like Popl or HiHello. Your information is downloaded directly into the other person’s contacts, so your name pops up if you call them, improving the chances they will answer when you do.
- Go beyond job titles. When you introduce yourself, tell people what you do. Job titles build ego, but discussing job responsibilities builds knowledge. I can speak to 10 different companies and get 10 different responses to the question, “What do your PMs do?” Be curious about others’ roles. Find out how they spend their days. This approach opens the door to meaningful insights and shared experiences.
- Avoid elevator pitches. We all have mastered the 90-second song and dance of what we do. And while elevator pitches are great for limited time interactions, they are terrible for fostering meaningful conversations. When networking, you are interacting with a fellow human, and each interaction should be unique. Casual conversation and intently asking thought-provoking questions goes further than polished and cold interactions.
- Ask the right questions. By nature, we are a society that excels in asking closed-ended questions that affirm our own preconceived thoughts. But great networkers are curious. Many of the most accomplished thought leaders and professionals in our industry are the ones who continually ask the best questions, even when they think they already know the answers. Here are a few questions that work for me when talking to someone new at an event.
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- Besides the money, what motivates you the most about the future of the restoration industry and your business?
- In what part of your job are you most confident in your abilities, and how does that affect your company?
- Who are the key vendors or most remarkable new products/services at this show?
- What is the best conversation you have had with someone at this show?
- What is an app or business tool you can’t go a day without using?
- What is the one part of your business you are looking for the most help with?
- What new technology is going to have the biggest impact on your business and the industry?
- What lesson in business do you wish you would have learned earlier in your career?
- What new opportunities for training or education are you most excited about?
- Be open about yourself. Business is competitive and everyone is trying to gain an advantage. There are parts of you and your business that you are justified in feeling leverage about. At the same time, there are areas you struggle with that you may not like to admit. But here’s the thing: there are very few unique-to-you competitive advantages and everyone is struggling with something. You are not alone. The more you are willing to drop the walls and share the good and the bad, the more you can learn and positively impact someone else. Your real advantage comes when you are hungry to learn and hungry to share. The industry needs more conduits when it comes to conducting great conversations.
In 2025, don’t just attend industry events, make it a priority to serve in an organization or association. Notice I said serve, not just join. Joining is easy; serving is where the real challenges and rewards lie. Aim to be actively involved in one industry organization and one local community group. Your role should be that of a servant leader, working hard to elevate both yourself and those around you.
By participating in groups locally and across the industry, you’ll gain a broader perspective on challenges and opportunities, enabling you to make a greater impact. Personally, I’ve served as a committee chairperson in the RIA and as a board member for my local youth baseball/softball federation. These experiences have allowed me to build relationships with incredibly talented and intelligent individuals, helping me grow into a better person.
Make 2025 the year you commit to growing your network and yourself through personal interactions and professional relationships. Start by choosing one or two events that align with your goals, prepare intentionally, and focus on meaningful conversations. By serving, sharing, and learning, you’ll not only avoid burnout but also gain fresh ideas, energy, and resources to face the challenges ahead.
Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Violand Management Associates. With a broad range of experience in professional sales and marketing involving all levels of decision makers, Jeff works with companies to find the right mix of programs and services to help them develop their people and achieve their goals. Since joining Violand in 2012, he has been tasked with overseeing and executing strategies for the company that include services and market expansion. To reach him, visit violand.com or call (330) 966-0700.
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