BizCon 2027 Adds More Ways to Learn, Explore and Do Business
BizCon 2027 Adds More Ways to Learn, Explore and Do Business
BLD Connection’s BizCons return in early 2027 with two regional events built around practical education, an expanded exhibit hall experience and a full schedule designed specifically for the lumber and building materials industry.
BizCon North is January 19-20 at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a new location for the event. BizCon South follows February 1-2 at Prairie Meadows Events and Conference Center in Altoona, Iowa. Both events feature seminars and roundtables, a full exhibit hall, the Membership & Awards Lunch, games and prizes, and several new additions for 2027.
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
Altoona, Iowa
A New Way to Kick Off the Exhibit Hall
One of the biggest changes for 2027 happens as soon as the exhibit hall opens.
The new Booth Crawl Party launches BizCon on Day 1 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Attendees will receive a bag and make their way through the exhibit hall, where exhibitors are encouraged to offer company swag, promotional items, treats, prize drawings and other surprises. Food stations and beverages will be available along the way, giving attendees a fun reason to explore the floor and find the companies and products they want to spend more time with on Day 2.
And the activity does not stop when the Booth Crawl ends.
The 2027 exhibit hall will include four new Interactive Zones: the Refuel Zone with food, Refresh Zone with beverages, Challenge Zone with games and contests, and Solutions Zone focused on ideas from across the industry. Each Zone will also feature its own prize drawing.
There is also a new Crack the Code Sponsor Game. Attendees can visit sponsor booths to collect clues and solve a mystery phrase for a chance at a $1,000 grand prize. Those who visit the required number of sponsor booths can also qualify for a $250 participation prize. Both prizes will be awarded during the Final Happy Hour on Day 2.
Education Built Around Today’s LBM Business
The exhibit hall may have a new look, but practical education remains a major part of BizCon. The 2027 lineup includes nationally recognized speakers along with sessions focused on sales, AI, innovation, leadership and the challenges facing LBM businesses today.
Stefanie Couch
Founder & CEO, Grit Blueprint
Stefanie Couch is a third-generation building industry leader, nationally acclaimed speaker, and the Founder and CEO of Grit Blueprint, the visibility and growth partner for the industry. She helps manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and builders stop being the best kept secret in their market through sharper brand strategy, stronger sales tools, useful media, and practical AI. She hosts The Grit Blueprint Podcast and Behind The Build on YouTube.
At BizCon North, Stefanie will lead two sessions. AI You Can Use Monday is a hands-on working session where attendees will use AI on real business tasks and build a repeatable workflow they can use after BizCon. Her second session, From Invisible to Unmistakable, looks at how building industry companies can better explain what makes them different and make it easier for customers to find, understand and choose them.
Kaiser Yang
CEO & Co-Founder, Platypus Labs
At BizCon South, Kaiser Yang will lead Strategies for Creative Problem Solving and The 5 Core Mindsets of Innovators. His sessions focus on practical ways leaders and teams can challenge assumptions, approach problems differently and turn new ideas into action.
Meridith Elliott Powell
Award-Winning Author & Speaker
Both BizCons will feature Meridith Elliott Powell with two sessions focused on how selling is changing. Sales Redefined: Dominate, Differentiate, Deliver examines how independent dealers and suppliers can compete when customers have more options and price pressure remains strong. Her second session, Sales Redefined: How AI is Changing How We Sell and How Your Customers Buy, looks specifically at how AI is changing the way customers research, compare and buy.
Dena Cordova-Jack
Cordova-Jack Consulting
Owners and managers can also participate in a peer roundtable focused on current LBM business issues such as leadership, workforce, profitability, succession planning, technology, sales and operations. Dena Cordova-Jack returns with Women in LBM Connect & Collaborate, providing another focused education option during both BizCons.
Make the Most of BizCon
BizCon is designed to make good use of time away from the business. Dealers can explore products and services, talk directly with suppliers, compare ideas with industry peers and choose education that fits the needs of their team. The overall program is designed for retail lumber dealers and their employees, Associate Members, contractor customers, students and instructors.
Day 2 also includes the Membership & Awards Lunch, recognizing BLD Connection’s Dealer of the Year and Supporter of the Year, followed later by the Final Happy Hour, prize announcements and the conclusion of the exhibit hall. Students and instructors will have their own Student Career Panel and Team Challenge before exploring the exhibit hall and learning more about careers throughout the LBM industry.
There is a lot packed into two days, but that is the point. BizCon gives dealers and suppliers a concentrated way to step away from their regular routines, find useful ideas, see what is new in the industry and spend time with people who understand the business.