Brent Davidson built a 500-person trade show for HVAC contractors from scratch — and in this episode, he breaks down the business model behind it: how exhibitors and sponsors pay the bills, how to design attendee flow, and why in-person marketplaces are more durable than anything algorithm-dependent. Matt and Kolby dig into the operational side of running a trade show — from booth pricing and venue logistics to speaker strategy and influencer relationships. If you're thinking about events as a media business model, this is the blueprint.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & What Is the US Heat Pump Summit

02:12 Why Build a Trade Show

05:15 Trade Shows vs. Conferences

07:03 Ticket Pricing, Booth Costs & Revenue Model

09:39 Balancing Attendee Tickets With Exhibitor Value

11:29 Vendor Tickets

13:13 The Role of Media & Content in Growing the Event

17:41 How Brent Sells Tickets

19:26 Post-Purchase Surveys

21:27 HVAC Influencers

24:28 Should Influencers Attend the Event to Drive Tickets?

26:34 Promo Codes, Measurability & Implied Endorsement

28:35 Audience-Event Fit

30:29 Getting Your First Sponsors & Exhibitors

32:35 Proving ROI to Sponsors

35:02 What Other Trade Show Opportunities Exist Right Now

37:35 Hosted Buyer Programs & The Hidden Revenue Model

38:16 How Big Can the Heat Pump Summit Get?

41:24 Exit Strategies & Building an Event Conglomerate

43:52 Private Equity in the Trades & the Blue Parachute Idea

44:10 Mike Rowe & the Role of Celebrity at Trade Events

47:23 Final Advice

🔗 Connect with Brent Davidson:

LinkedIn
US Heat Pump Summit

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