Workshops

Executive

Learn the five decision-making styles identified in the popular Miller Heiman sales approach, along with strategies for successful negotiations with executives. Sales consultant Matt Monroe will show you how to spot and sell to the five types of decision makers, plan and carry out successful sales calls, and navigate and win complex sales.

Monroe is a sales consultant with Miller Heiman, a global sales process, consulting, and training company. He has more than 17 years of sales experience in a variety of industries. Since joining Miller Heiman in 2002, he has helped clients build organizations that win more business.

Metric Insights: How Do You Measure Up Against Your Competitors?
Thursday, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

It's like spying on your competitors—legally. C-level executives will get real-world examples of how using information tools from ASA will improve their businesses.

Want to know the staffing business potential in a given market? Staffing GeoMetrics helps you see if you have your fair share of the business or whether a new market you've chosen is a good one to enter.

Want to know how to retain your staff? The ASA compensation survey reveals industry comp and benefit levels for all types of employees based on your market and size of business.

Need to bump up your bottom line? The ASA operations survey shows you how your company compares, line item by line item, with other staffing firms.

Is your sales growth in line with the competition? The ASA quarterly sales survey tells you if you're keeping pace with your competitors.

Is your business following the trends? Make sure you know how to use the valuable tools ASA offers to help you measure your company's success and potential.

Jim Essey, CSP, will moderate this panel of staffing professionals, members of the ASA industry information committee, who capitalize on the industry data collected, analyzed, and disseminated by ASA. Essey is president and CEO of the TemPositions Group of Cos., which has operations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and California. In addition to providing office support personnel, Essey's firm has niche business units that offer services in information technology, desktop publishing, legal and legal support, accounting, human resources, hospitality, light assembly, and health care. He holds a master's in business administration from Harvard University and is a graduate of Trinity College and the London School of Economics. Essey is ASA immediate past chairman.

Executive Best Practices: How Successful CEOs Set Their Priorities
Thursday, 3:15-4:45 p.m.

A busy economy means a busy schedule for successful executives, who must balance business management with business development. Do you want to know how the industry's most successful CEOs budget their time and leverage effectiveness in their companies?

Peek into the minds of CEOs from some of the most profitable companies in the staffing business as top-performing chief executives share their secrets—three essential activities to get results and build success.

Maximize Your Margins: Who's Doing It and How
Friday, 1:30-3 p.m.

Few things are as important to the health of your business, in the long or short term, as gross margins. Poor or undisciplined gross margin management prevents company growth and can ultimately result in the demise of your business.

Every business sector has market makers and market leaders, but they may not be margin leaders. How do you keep others from dragging your margins down to their levels? Find out from business analyst Judith Scott, who will provide an overview of staffing industry margins and margin trends.

And hear how staffing firm CEO Greg Palmer led his company from a gross margin of 16% to one of over 20%. You'll also explore reasons for margin erosion and explore the myths behind margins past and present.

In 2003, following a distinguished 17-year career as an equity research analyst focused on human capital services at Robert W. Baird & Co., Scott joined the firm's investment banking team in the business services sector. Her lively and insightful presentations have made her well-known among staffing industry executives.

Palmer is president and CEO of RemedyTemp Inc. He is a member of the ASA board of directors and has 16 years of experience as a staffing industry executive. He has headed Remedy since 2001. He joined the company in 1998 as executive vice president and chief operating officer after serving Olsten Corp. as senior vice president for North America. Palmer launched Remedy's specialty information technology and finance and accounting divisions and spearheaded growth outside of California, expanding company presence to 37 states.

M&A: How to Buy, How to Sell
Friday, 4-5:30 p.m.

Every company owner at some point faces the decision to embark on an acquisition, consider a merger, or prepare an exit strategy. Today, the staffing industry market is strong and vibrant, giving staffing firm owners more leverage and options for expanding business or exiting the industry.

This workshop—featuring four staffing industry merger and acquisition experts—will teach you how to determine and maximize value and identify actions to take now to ensure a smooth transition later. Review the current market for staffing companies. Learn to evaluate your company, and discover measures that can increase its value. Identify benchmarks beyond sales and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Explore the gamut of M&A issues and practices, from the financial to the practical. And take a look at various types of succession-planning strategies.

Chad Lincoln founded Esprit Capital Advisors in 1997. Using his expertise in strategic planning, divestitures, growth strategies, succession planning, and financing, he helps staffing company owners define and achieve their business objectives. Earlier in his career, Lincoln founded Esprit Staffing Services. He previously co-founded and served as vice president of a successful staffing firm in Dallas. Lincoln has served on the ASA board of directors and was chairman in 1993.

Sam Sacco has in-depth knowledge of the staffing industry and historical understanding of its development. Sacco joined R.A. Cohen Consulting in December 1998 and has been involved with the staffing industry for more than 18 years. He served as executive vice president of the American Staffing Association from 1984 to 1997.

David Garrity is the director of business development for Crusader Investments, where he is responsible for client and investor development, including communication strategies and other corporate initiatives. Crusader is a private investment bank, and Garrity is actively involved in identifying target acquisition candidates and capital partners in connection with capital-raising efforts.

Jack Lyons founded Lyons Hollis Associates in 1984 as an M&A firm to serve sellers. In 1990, he began selling staffing companies. Lyons has sold more than 70 companies, and he and his partner, Brooke Hollis, have completed sales of approximately 40 staffing firms. Lyons seeks to help clients find an optimal transaction through multiple offers.

Leadership: A Special Session for CEOs
Saturday, 2:30-4 p.m.

Effective executives must address the need for better customer service, the demand for higher quality, and the cry for solid, consistent leadership. Internationally known presenter and Staffing World keynote speaker Connie Podesta will share with CEOs how the most successful leaders incorporate people skills, such as dealing with difficult individuals, handling conflict resolution, and balancing home and career, into their business strategies.

Using insight into the psychology behind human behavior, Podesta offers practical techniques to tackle the make-or-break issues that control productivity, inspire accountability, and transform both lives and bottom lines. She helps leaders understand the importance of being proactive, accountable, and honest about themselves and the choices they make to create the most healthy, functional working environment possible.

Podesta is a business, organizational, and human relations expert noted for her bottom-line approach in helping leaders motivate employees, increase productivity, and develop strong, healthy, functional teams. She has written three widely read books: Life Would Be Easy if It Weren't for Other People, Self-Esteem and the Six-Second Secret, and How to Be the Person Successful Companies Fight to Keep: The Insider's Guide to Being Number One in the Workplace.