A growth opportunity

Success in business is part of a never-ending pursuit. Regardless of the size of a company or its past successes, there is always more to know and room to grow.

Of course, this growth doesn’t just happen through osmosis. It comes from a willingness to seek out the people, knowledge and resources to make it happen.

This is especially important for waste business owners and operators working in the industry today.

The dynamic nature of the North American waste market, where national, regional and local players are constantly jockeying for presence within given markets, seems to favor those with the experience, operational know-how, and professional connections to meet their company’s given goals, whatever those may be.

Whether you’re a business owner looking to buy other companies or expand organically, a seller looking to cash in on the demand for well-run companies, or someone looking just to improve business practices to maintain your presence, the right strategic advice and business relationships are critical.

At Waste Today, we created our Corporate Growth Conference to serve as a marketplace for exchanging ideas, but also, to be a place where operators in the waste management, specialty waste, recycling and cleaning services sectors could meet with their peers as well as with investment bankers, private equity firms, venture capitalists, family offices, banks and other financial market participants that have the resources to help businesses flourish.

Despite the competitive nature of the waste industry, I’m always struck by how forthcoming people are in sharing their insights at this show. And when you get a room full of industry leaders together, this dissemination of best practices fosters an atmosphere where everyone benefits.

At this year’s conference, I have the honor of sitting down with GFL Environmental CEO Patrick Dovigi for a keynote discussion as he’ll share his insights on what has helped propel his company to become the fourth-largest waste and environmental services provider in North America since he founded the company less than 15 years ago. Other sessions will cover the state of M&A markets, an economic update as it pertains to waste operations, best practices for managing risk, understanding the value of private equity partnerships, and more.

At first blush, it might seem difficult to justify the time and expense of attending conference events, but getting off the sidelines and getting involved is often the catalyst that helps take businesses to the next level.