With 18 seminars, 100+ exhibitors, 2,400+ attendees and two high-impact main stage events –
all in one day – BizExpo is the largest business-to-business conference in Wisconsin. Each year,
thousands of area professionals come together for this must-attend event.

SEMINAR ROOM A

WINNING NEGOTIATION STRATEGIES

Tom Myers, von Briesen & Roper; Tim Nettesheim, von Briesen & Roper

Planning for each part of the negotiation process. Learn how to define and measure success, prepare for negotiation, set the stage and open the conversation, while also developing an understanding of the other side’s interests, objectives and concerns.

A BRAND CALLED YOU

Rob Grede, The Grede Co.

YOU are a brand.

YOU are continually being judged and pigeon-holed based upon your physical characteristics, your personal habits and your resume. YOU are treated like a brand by others. Now YOU need to build that brand.

This seminar will teach you how to identify the key characteristics that make up the brand called YOU, and how to package it, promote it and deliver it.

IS YOUR TEAM PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR JOBS?

Dave Molenda, founder, Positive Polarity

The statistics are staggering…only 12.7% of the working population describe themselves as passionate about their work. The other 87.3% are not contributing their full potential. So how can we really grow our business with almost 9 out of 10 of our team a not giving their all? We will uncover some solid strategies on how to work through this.

THE ROAD TO LEADERSHIP INTELLIGENCE RUNS THROUGH MINDFULNESS!

Christine Hill, executive director, Marquette University Future Milwaukee

More and more studies show that intentionally practicing “mindfulness” through methods such as meditation and reflection has endless benefits including increased emotional and social intelligences, enhanced creativity, and reduced stress. Join Christine as she takes you on a journey through various methods to exercise mindfulness in your everyday life.

DIGITAL MARKETING OPTIONS

Joe Martinez, director, paid media & community, Granular Marketing

When people think of online advertising, the first places marketers go to usually are Google and Facebook. While there is nothing wrong with these channels, businesses have more options than Google and Facebook. Attendees will see they have more options than ever before to find their target audience and drive business whether they are B2B, ecommerce, or a brick & mortar location.

THE TRILOGY OF YES: HOW CONNECTION,COMMUNICATION, AND COOPERATION INSPIRE CUSTOMERS TO SAY YES!

Andy Olen, senior vice president of North America Lab Diagnostics ,Siemens Healthineers

Learn how to immediately use these three powerful life skills to build andextend winning customer relationships.

SEMINAR ROOM B

BUILDING A TRUSTED BRAND: REALLIFE MARKETING TACTICS

Dan Nowak, Tall Guy & a Grill Catering; Kelly Andrew, Filament Communication

Dan Nowak and Kelly Andrew are local entrepreneurs who’ve worked together for nearly five years. Dan owns Tall Guy and a Grill Catering, and was Kelly’s first client when she launched Filament Communication. Together, they’ve built a sustainable marketing strategy that has supported  significant business growth – an increase of more than half-a-million dollars in sales over
five years.

IMPROVING YOUR BUSINESS CULTURE: ESSENTIALS IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SUCCESS

Bruce Kestelman, independent consultant

We know that the direct leaders or supervisors of employees are key to facilitating employee engagement. We also know that the role of immediate supervisor is almost impossible to scale. That’s where a company’s culture comes into play.

FIVE BEST PRACTICES FOR SALES LEADERS

Mike Carroll, founder and managing partner, Intelligent Conversations

After coaching hundreds of sales leaders and thousands of sales people, we know the impact good sales managers can have on building sales momentum. With the right focus and execution, strong sales leadership can amplify the impact your sales people have in your market. Typically this translates to increased revenue, better margins, shorter sales cycles and a sales culture that attracts the best sales people in your market space.

WILL 2018 BE THE YEAR YOUR BUSINESS FALLS VICTIM TO AN IT ATTACK?

Dave Stamm, Stamm Technologies

Last year saw the rise of sophisticated phishing and ransomware attacks. These can compromise your business and employees. Oftentimes small and common sense solutions are the simplest fixes to your network security. This presentation will cover several practices on securing networks, data, applications, as well as business-level decisions that can help reduce risk.

WHEN SIMPLE IS RADICAL

Susan Marshall, founder, The Backbone Institute

There’s no doubt today’s world is more complex and faster moving than ever before. The pressures we face to make good decisions, allocate resources to take advantage of opportunities and grow our people seem to intensify weekly. Taking a simple approach to meeting demands is counter to most of what we have learned in recent years. Here is one power move for 2018 that will set you leagues apart.

FOSTERING A THRIVING COMPANY CULTURE & MANAGING THE NUANCES OF TODAY’S WORKFORCE

Seminar Panelists: Sue Spaight and Kimberly Wacker

The makeup of today’s workforce is a melting pot of generations. As the world’s next generation, Generation Z, begins to enter the business world companies must deal with changes associated with as many as five generations in the workplace. Each generation is different- with different expectations of their employers. On top of those changes, technology is forcing companies to do business differently too.

SEMINAR ROOM C

TRUST, RESPECT & OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR TEAM

Janet Stoer, learning and development manager, MRA

Open Communication is vital in creating a high-performing team. Review the value of trust and respect and the factors (honesty, openness, reliability and objectivity) that impact perceptions. Engage in a lively discussion on tips to manage conflict in a positive way theat increases productivity while maintaining good working relationships.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: FINDING YOUR LEADER WITHIN

Mary Dowell, founder and CEO, MJDowell & Associates

Mary will use concepts from her book “Playing Through The Fence” to show how
perseverance and finding the right support system can cause the leader within each
of us to break through barriers and achieve success.

WAVES OF CHANGE  HOW AI AND OTHER DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE WISCONSIN’S COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Advancing AI Wisconsin

Discussion Leaders: Brent Leland, co-founder, Cimphoni; Kathy Henrich, executive, IBM;
Don Cotey, founder and president, IT Finity Solutions; Oliver Buechse, founder, Strategy
Advisory firm Mystrategysource and co-founder of Advancing AI Wisconsin.

THE LEADER’S ROLE IN TALENT MANAGEMENT FROM STRATEGY TO ACTION

Joe Weitzer, executive director, BizTimes Leadership Academy

In increasingly competitive labor markets, attracting and retaining talent has become a prime concern of organizations. To gain a competitive advantage, employers need a comprehensive strategy that ensures an organization’s e orts optimize long-term gains. While most approaches focus on quick wins, a model will be presented that has been tested and has yielded results that have exceeded expectations. Even these come at a cost, but if they didn’t everyone would be doing them.

TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT: THE IMPACT TO YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS

Joseph Schirger, shareholder, Schenck SC.

The Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 has broad-reaching impact on businesses and their owners starting in 2018. This presentation provides an overview of the provisions most likely to impact closely-held businesses and their owners.

HOW TO CONSISTENTLY MARKET YOUR BRAND IN 2018

Molly Goodearle, Baily Kalscheur & Richie Burke, GoGeddit

Experts from Milwaukee-based GoGeddit will outline tactics and strategies for small businesses to get the most out of their marketing in 2018. Join us for this interactive workshop and takeaway strategies

Interested in sponsoring an event? To reap the benefits of the ultimate in-person marketing opportunity contact Linda Crawford, Director of Sales, to discuss opportunities. Event sponsorships are limited.