All,

I just returned from the JLC Live Show in Minneapolis, 1 of 4 JLC Live trade shows that take place every year. If you live in or near Providence, Minneapolis, LA, or Seattle, make your plans now to attend one of these good shows. If you live in the northwest, the next JLC Live show is in Seattle from October 30th to November 1st. No matter what kind of work you do, there is something here for everyone.

In the most recent show in Minneapolis, there were pre-conference, certified graduate remodeler (CGR) courses on green building, accounting, computer-aided design, and construction law. Attendees got CGR credits for attending these sessions. That was followed by additional all-day courses on accurate estimating, finish carpentry, management skills, marketing, advertising and sales.

For anyone who couldn't give up a full day, there were over 30 ninety-minute training sessions on almost every topic you can imagine. I hosted 3 sessions myself on "Dealing with Difficult Clients", "Letting Go of the Day-to-Day", and "5 Steps to Getting Organized". If you just want to visit the show floor, the show has educational demonstration clinics right on the show floor. These are hosted by skilled tradespeople showing the audience how to do specific projects correctly. Here is a list of the clinics offered in Minneapolis:

• Exterior trim and millwork
• Traditional Cedar Sidewall Shingling
• Mastering drywall
• Trim and finish carpentry
• Roof framing
• Leak-proof shower and tile
• Staircase construction
• Window installation; Best practices
• Component framing

Look, the JLC Live trade show is a great hands-on show for anyone who works in the field. There were over 100 exhibitors on the show floor, and I think the Bosch booth was my favorite. They actually pull a semi-truck into the exhibit area, and host a number of demos that show how good their tools are. My favorite is when they let contractors climb to the top of a 10-ft step ladder, and drop their cordless screwdriver. If it doesn't work after dropping it, the contractor gets a new one. I watched this for several minutes, and no one got a new screwdriver.

These shows can be a great business builder. If you have not attended one yet, think about putting some time aside to do so. It will be time well spent.

Dave Lupberger
ServiceMagic Home Expert

Read below for trade show details.

The Journal of Light Construction will host its annual Midwest residential construction show in Minneapolis, MN, just like last year.

Dates and Location: September 11-14, 2007 at the Minneapolis Convention Center

Don't miss your chance to attend what has become one of largest, and best, tradeshows in the nation. JLC Live Midwest offers a staggering lineup of workshops, seminars, tutorials, clinics, and networking opportunities. Whether you're looking to polish up on new technology and techniques, improve your business practices, or just meet and greet other contractors, JLC Live has you covered.

JLC Live Midwest Offerings
The Journal of Light Construction Live Midwest tradeshow is one of the most comprehensive in the country. While other tradeshows offer limited line-ups and few choices for attendees, JLC Live has a full schedule that lets you customize your conference to meet your needs. Here's a list of the standard Journal of Light Construction Live Midwest offerings to give you an idea of what you'll have to choose from when you register.

Full Day Intensives: These day-long sessions focus on everything from training in cutting edge construction technologies to bookkeeping and computer tutorials. Best of all, they give you the opportunity to get some hands on experience under your belt. They are held "pre-conference," on the first day of the event, so you won't miss any of the exhibits or shorter workshops that come later in the week.

Expert Tutorials: Multiple series of these informal, two hour sessions run simultaneously throughout the JLC Live Midwest conference. They focus on specific technologies and job skills to help you streamline your performance on site and in the office.

Conference Seminars: These hour to hour and a half long seminars cover a full range of trade and business topics. Again, with multiple series running simultaneously throughout the conference, you're sure to find anything and everything you're looking for. Seminar tracks include multiple sessions on each of the following: