Location: Bayside Hall A

The Bidding and Estimating 101-Level Seminar is a seminar designed for leaders and sales professionals (<5 Years Experience) ready to make the leap from residential and specialty cleaning clients to commercial janitorial customers. This 101-level seminar is for individuals to Learn a step-by-step approach for pricing janitorial services for a commercial building. Highlights of the session include: Strategies for determining the time it takes to perform specific cleaning tasks. Best practices for using this information to determine the labor requirements (Micro & Macro) necessary to perform the work set forth in the janitorial specification. Understanding and computing industry norms of cost factors to determine pricing (Labor Burden, Overhead, Supplies, Equipment & Most importantly, PROFIT) The B&E 101 Seminar is NOT included in full-conference or one-day Contracting Success registration.

The Bidding and Estimating 201-Level Seminar is a seminar designed for anyone looking to level-up their best practices on business and take their skills to the next level. This 201-level seminar is for individuals who are operation managers, branch managers and/or small business owners. This seminar will help you with more complex facilities and projects developing skills including applying production rates, APPA standards, production rates, workloading, job costing, and much more. The B&E 201 Seminar is NOT included in full-conference or one-day Contracting Success registration.

The Plateaus of Growth Seminar is a course designed for anyone looking to grow their business (by $1M or $5M or even $10M) and take it to the next level. This seminar, brought to you by BSC industry professionals, will demonstrate a step-by-step guide to managing your company’s growth. This seminar will go in-depth on your company’s growth and how to expand within the build services industry. The Plateaus of Growth Seminar is NOT included in full-conference or one-day Contracting Success registration.

Location: Bayside Hall A

Exponential Technologies are accelerating faster than anyone could has ever imagined. What happens as AI, robotics, and virtual reality crash into 3D printing, blockchain, and global gigabit networks? How will these convergences transform today’s biggest industries? How will this change the way we raise our kids, govern our nations, and care for our planet? During this gripping and insightful keynote, Diamandis outlines a road map to our near future, describing how wave after wave of exponentially accelerating technologies will impact both our daily lives and every company. Diamandis describes the current status and future direction of key Metatrends, driven by exponential technologies, that are re-inventing our future.

Your registration for CS26 includes access to the ISSA Show Floor.

Gain a rare, executive-level perspective on the forces shaping the global commercial cleaning industry. This dynamic panel brings together leading CEOs and senior executives from North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific to share firsthand insights into the opportunities, challenges, and innovations redefining our sector.

From evolving client expectations and labor pressures to the accelerating impact of technology, sustainability, and global economic shifts, panelists will offer candid perspectives on how their organizations are adapting and where they see the greatest potential for growth.  Congress attendees will benefit from a comparative global lens, uncovering what’s working in different markets and how those strategies can be applied across regions.

Designed for forward-thinking leaders, this session goes beyond theory to deliver practical takeaways, strategic foresight, and actionable ideas you can apply in your business. Whether you’re looking to stay ahead of emerging trends or validate your strategic direction, this is an essential conversation you won’t want to miss.

Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because they care deeply about their people and simultaneously feel the weight of responsibility to deliver results. Somewhere along the way, leadership starts to feel like a choice between being human and holding the line. This session challenges the all too common internal narrative that relationships and results are competing priorities. In reality, they're friends, not enemies. Strong relationships make accountability clearer, not weaker. Clear expectations build trust, not resentment. When leaders show genuine care and maintain a healthy level of accountability, their teams perform better, stick around longer, and take pride in what they do. This session offers practical insight leaders can apply to build deep trust and mutual respect with their teams.

The commercial cleaning industry is entering a new era; one where companies that scale won’t be the ones working harder, but the ones building smarter systems. In this forward-looking session, Lisa Macqueen shares the five strategic shifts that transformed Cleancorp into an 8-figure operation, and how those same principles are evolving with AI and modern technology.  Attendees will learn how to stand out in a commoditized market, automate repetitive work to move faster than competitors, and use AI as a practical tool to increase efficiency, improve decision-making, and reduce operational friction. Lisa will also break down how culture, operational fundamentals, and marketing engines must adapt in an AI-driven future where speed and clarity are competitive advantages.  This session is grounded in real-world implementation, not theory. Owners will leave with actionable systems they can apply immediately to build a modern cleaning company that is efficient, resilient, and future-ready; a business designed not just to grow, but to lead in the next generation of the industry. If a commercial cleaning company from Australia can build an 8-figure operation using these principles, attendees will see exactly how to apply the same framework inside their own businesses.

Part 1: Simple Steps to Sustainable Productivity
We begin by assessing current productivity levels, then introduce proven management principles and industry-tested methods to eliminate inefficiencies. These strategies lead to increased output and improved quality—creating opportunities be awarded more competitive bids and long term operational success.

Part 2: The Role of Supervision and Operational Leadership in Service Delivery and Customer Retention
This segment highlights how effective operational leadership influences every aspect of the customer experience—from pricing and safety to quality and retention. Attendees will gain insights into how strong supervision directly supports service excellence and long-term customer loyalty.

Technology is rapidly redefining how commercial cleaning organizations operate, compete, and deliver value. In this forward-looking panel, IT leaders, CIOs, and technology executives from across the industry will share real-world perspectives on the innovations driving transformation—and the risks leaders can’t afford to ignore.

From AI and automation to data integration, cybersecurity, and smart building technologies, panelists will explore how digital tools are reshaping service delivery, workforce management, and client expectations. The discussion will also tackle emerging threats, including data security vulnerabilities, implementation challenges, and the pace of technological change.

Attendees will gain practical insights into how leading organizations evaluate, adopt, and scale technology to improve efficiency, enhance transparency, and create competitive advantage. With a focus on both opportunity and risk, this session will equip executives with the knowledge needed to make smarter technology investments and lead confidently in an increasingly digital industry.

Location: Bayside Hall A

Your registration for CS26 includes access to the ISSA Show Floor.

Janitorial and facility services companies are being bombarded with marketing advice—but very little of it is grounded in what actually drives leads, contracts, and growth. This session cuts through the noise to focus on digital marketing strategies that deliver real ROI in today’s crowded, competitive environment. We’ll take a practical, results-driven look at where janitorial brands should be investing their time and dollars—and where they should stop wasting both. Topics include the true value of SEO, PPC, and local listings, how to prioritize spend, and what performance benchmarks actually matter. We’ll also break down social media: which platforms make sense for janitorial brands, which don’t, and how to avoid chasing vanity metrics that don’t translate into sales. The session will cover email, video, and content marketing tactics that help build credibility, manage sales cycles, and support business development teams—not just “check the box" marketing. Finally, we’ll explore how AI and marketing automation can help lean teams work smarter, scale faster, and stay competitive without adding headcount. Attendees will leave with clear direction, practical takeaways, and realistic expectations—so they can focus on marketing that works, not trends that don’t.

From Labor-Driven to AI-Operated: How We Built a Robotics-Enabled Janitorial Business  

Many contract cleaning companies have experimented with robotics or digital tools, yet still struggle with labor constraints, inconsistent service, and rising customer expectations. Robotics alone did not solve these challenges for us. The breakthrough came when we paired robotics with AI-driven operational intelligence and rethought how work is monitored, escalated, and managed.  In this session, Steven Harper, CEO of Spectrum Building Services of America, shares a practical, operator-led journey of how his organization transitioned from labor-driven workflows to an AI-operated service model. Attendees will learn how Spectrum embedded AI into real operational processes: timekeeping, scheduling, invoicing, service request response, and robotics performance monitoring to improve reliability, responsiveness, and scalability without removing human oversight.  This presentation focuses on real-world lessons, including what worked, what didn’t, and how to avoid common pitfalls when adopting AI and robotics. Rather than exploring tools or theory, the session provides a clear operating framework that cleaning contractors can apply today to prepare their organizations for the next phase of service delivery.  Attendees will leave with:  A clear understanding of how AI and robotics work together as a single operating model Practical guidance on where AI delivers value now—and where it does not Lessons learned from deploying AI in live janitorial operations A roadmap for starting or refining AI adoption without disrupting existing teams

Attendees will explore how to recognize the early warning signs that their team is overextended, how to evaluate which roles or functions to add first, and how to remain committed to the underlying foundation of the organization during times of growth. The session will also highlight how intentional leadership, culture, and learning & development opportunities can transform growth pressures into opportunities to elevate client experience and associate engagement.  

Takeaways:

•    How to know when it is time to invest in additional management, operations, or frontline support so a lean team does not become a burned-out team

•    How to prioritize investments in people, systems, and technology to support growth while still being mindful of the bottom line

•    Ways to keep teams aligned, engaged, and accountable during rapid change so growth strengthens your brand as well as team and client relationships

In this candid conversation, Claire Williams (former leader of the Williams Formula One team), shares with Bill Warnecki (BSCAI Contracting Success Chair) practical leadership lessons drawn from running a highly complex, people driven operation where precision, reliability, and teamwork were non negotiable. Claire will explore how to motivate large, distributed workforces, build a strong culture under pressure, meet uncompromising deadlines, and drive consistent performance when margins are tight and expectations are high. This session offers actionable insights on workforce engagement, frontline leadership, resilience, and creating pride of ownership; no matter where your teams do their work.

Part 1: Employee Training
Improper training may be costing you more than you think. In part 1 of this seminar, you will learn how poor training is dragging down your company and you will learn some strategies to ensure your new employees get started on the right foot, creating a top-performing workplace.

Part 2: Employee Communications
Most companies believe they do a pretty good job of communicating with their employees; but surveys show that it could be costing you some of your best employees. Learn communication techniques and best practices that will increase motivation and trust in your organization.

Location: Bayside Hall A

Join us for our Annual Networking Roundtables, an open forum for networking and discussion on key industry topics. Choose from pre-selected topics at designated tables, each led by a facilitator to guide conversations and spark insights. This is your chance to delve into emerging trends, share experiences, and build valuable connections.

1. Health Insurance/Employee Benefits
2. Social Media/Marketing for Your Brand Positioning
3. Time Management for Operational Excellence
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
5. Innovative Sales Strategies
6. Succession Planning
7. Negotiating price adjustments
8. Robotics
9. Measuring Quality Assurance
10. Team's Personal Brand
11. Government Affairs/Advocacy

Sustainability is rapidly reshaping the commercial cleaning industry, and expectations are rising from every direction. In this timely panel, industry leaders, suppliers, and customers will share diverse perspectives on the current state of sustainability across global markets, the forces driving change, and what lies ahead. From evolving regulations and ESG demands to innovation in products, processes, and reporting, panelists will explore both the opportunities to create value and the risks of falling behind. Gain a balanced, real-world view of how organizations are advancing sustainability initiatives today, and what it will take to stay relevant tomorrow.