ElevateAEC 2025 Preview: Growth, Innovation, and Networking Opportunities in San Antonio“Proximity is a place of power. If you are a design firm leader or design firm owner and you’re trying to take your firm to the next level, sometimes it means you need to get around other people that have actually already done it.”

• Randy Wilburn

Episode Summary:

Randy Wilburn and Luke Carothers deliver an exclusive preview of the 2025 Elevate AEC Conference, September 9–11 in San Antonio, Texas. Drawing on extensive industry experience and insights from previous events, they explore what makes Elevate Conference a critical growth catalyst for AEC firm owners, emerging leaders, and rising talent.

The conversation covers the conference's complete experience—from industry award celebrations to transformative workshops and strategic peer networking opportunities. Randy and Luke examine how Elevate AEC drives firm growth, fosters innovation, and strengthens organizational culture across all career levels. They dive into this year's theme, "The Speed of Business," and discuss the enhanced opportunities created by Zweig Group's recent integration with Stambaugh Ness.

For AEC professionals celebrating recent successes or navigating strategies in today's fast-evolving marketplace, this episode demonstrates why Elevate AEC stands as the industry's premier annual gathering.

Key Takeaways:

• Power of Proximity: Connecting in person with successful peers and industry leaders at Elevate AEC provides real-world insights, mentorship, and examples to follow—no matter your firm size or discipline.
• Holistic Recognition: The conference celebrates the full spectrum of AEC professionals—from designers to marketing and operations—reinforcing the idea that everyone contributes to a firm’s success.
• The Speed of Business: 2025’s theme focuses on innovation and acceleration in the AEC industry, challenging the notion that the sector is slow to change and spotlighting transformative technologies and practices, including AI.
• Action-Oriented Learning: Participants can expect workshops, roundtables, and panels covering recruitment/retention, ownership transition, diversity, marketing, and AI—ensuring actionable insights for every attendee.
• Unmatched Networking & Culture: The camaraderie, energy, and actionable conversations foster business deals and lifelong professional relationships—plus, the celebration is second to none, from the Black Tie Awards Gala to “next-level snacks.”
• Firm Growth Stories: Alumni share firsthand accounts of executing major business improvements inspired by past Elevate conferences, underscoring the event’s tangible ROI.

All this and more on this episode of the Zweig Letter podcast.

Links referenced in this episode:

Reserve Your Spot at ElevateAEC 2025 in San Antonio, TX

Luke Carothers on LinkedIn

Randy Wilburn on LInkedIn

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