In July, we’re not just celebrating America’s 250th, but also the 26th Annual Cultivate!
We look forward to seeing you July 11-14th at Cultivate’26 in Columbus, Ohio: the Green Industry event offering countless opportunities to grow your business and enhance your career. We will be there with FOUR in-person educational sessions on extremely timely industry topics such as talent acquisition, human resources, building value in your business, succession and exit planning, and more that you will not want to miss. Get educated and up to speed in these sessions.
SUNDAY, JULY 12th
Beyond Sweat Equity: Compounding Growth in Your Business
9:45 AM ET • Room A110
Speakers: Chris Cimaglio & Ken Lane
Your business is likely your family’s greatest asset and wealth builder. With 75% of owners planning to exit within the next 10 years and buyers becoming increasingly selective, only 20-30% of businesses will successfully transfer ownership. Will there be a return on all of your years of blood, sweat, and tears?
Now is the time for you to work ON your business, not just IN it. This session reveals the critical drivers for compounded growth and how to prioritize them in your business. You’ll discover proven strategies to enhance value today while preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.
You’ll take away leading practices and strategies for consistent growth, as well as the 8 drivers of company value most important to potential buyers.
These value-building techniques strengthen your business now and position it to successfully transition, ensuring you capture maximum value when the time comes.
MONDAY, JULY 13th
Costly People Risks Most Business Leaders Miss: And Could Shutter Your Business
9:00 AM ET • Union Station Ballroom C
Speaker: Michael Maggiotto, Jr. SHRM-SCP
Business leaders in horticulture are amazing at growing and caring for their crops, possess exceptional product knowledge, and generally do a terrific job leading operations. Unfortunately, there are many people risks to their business, regardless of size, that leaders are just unaware of or don’t know the impact they have on their business. Many of them can shutter your business if left unresolved and uncovered in a government audit. This session will reveal:
- Some of the very significant and costly errors that happen right in our own industry
- The do’s and don’ts in key areas of human capital management that can lead to some of the highest costs
- Some of the hefty price tags are associated with the errors.
What can you do to protect your business from these costly errors? Come to the session and find out!
Rooted In Health & Wellness (Panel Discussion)
4:00 PM ET • Room A113
Moderated by Todd Downing with Panelists Broch Martindale and Jake Scott
Employee health and wellness at work requires more than fitness perks and free snacks. From emotional resilience to financial security, learn how the various aspects of wellness shape how employees show up at work and how their well-being connects to the bottom line. It takes companies and employees working in unison to promote an overall mental and physical health atmosphere. Wellness is a retention, professional development a company’s growth strategy. When the right programs and coping skills are put into action, it will lead to comforting magic words we all want to hear and say – I love my job!
TUESDAY, JULY 14th
Before the Storm: Common Sense Business Continuity Planning for Horticulture Business Owners [Extended Session]
10:30 AM ET • Room A113
Speakers: Chris Cimaglio & Ken Lane
Disaster planning for weather events and infrastructure failure is just common sense. What many business continuity plans lack is practical recommendations for when the owner isn’t available to lead. An owner’s death or disability can lead to business failure, with repercussions for family, employees, and customers. If something happened tomorrow, would your team know how to keep operations running? Would your family know who to call and what decisions to make?
This high-impact, extended session offers a framework for “keeping the lights on during a storm.” You’ll learn why smart continuity planning is essential not just for natural disasters, but for the 5Ds: Death, Disability, Divorce, Disagreement, and Distress that can derail your life’s work.
You’ll walk away with:
- A ready-to-use Business Continuity Instructions Worksheet
- Strategies for both short-term crisis response and long-term business stability
- Immediate steps to safeguard your business and employees and protect your family’s future.
A “plus” reason to attend— Connect with The BEST Team in person at Cultivate’26!
Their focus will be on making themselves available to meet with leaders who want to discuss their company’s executive hiring, succession planning, and restructuring and turnaround needs. With decades of experience in corporate management, sales, marketing, human resources, exit planning, and business advisory, BEST specializes in talent acquisition and management consulting for the horticulture industry.
If you represent a company that needs executive hiring, restructuring, or succession planning, please schedule a meeting with us anytime during the show.
Contact us today, and may you have a great Cultivate’26!
View or Download Our Best Overview to learn more about the BEST Human Capital & Advisory Group and why there is a better way!
We look forward to seeing you in Columbus at Cultivate’26!
