We Want To See You… At Diesel Connect!

Hear ye, hear ye! Friends, followers, exalted ones—lend me your ears!

via GIPHY

Er…not like that.

In case you haven’t seen our announcements plastering social media and arriving in your inbox, here’s the scoop: In June, Fullbay is hosting the first-ever Diesel Connect, a pretty awesome conference where you can meet other diesel repair professionals, watch some industry-specific presentations, and, yes, schmooze with the Fullbay crew.

Just call it Dieselpalooza.

(Editor’s note: Suz, STOP trying to make Dieselpalooza happen. IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.)

Okay, fine. It’s not Dieselpalooza.

But it is going to be a spectacular couple of days for those in the diesel industry—here’s what you can expect.

WHERE IS DIESEL CONNECT?

Diesel Connect will be held June 8 & June 9 in the Galvanize building in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. This is coincidentally where the Fullbay offices are located. And yes, you will be able to see the Fullbay offices and judge our coffee and snack choices.

Our offices and the conference itself are both within the same historic warehouse building—that means you won’t have to break a sweat while checking out our digs, eating lunch, and attending sessions.

(That wasn’t a joke, because again, Phoenix in June.)

DIESEL CONNECT SPEAKERS

We’ve got a lot of people scheduled—and some of them we can’t even talk about yet. But so far, you can count on these keynote speakers:

• Colonel Gregory D. Gadson, who will talk about leadership—a critical aspect of running a repair shop.
• Eric Starks, the Chairman & CEO of FTR, who will talk about the direction the industry is taking.
• Patrick McKittrick, Fullbay’s Chief Executive Officer, will talk about the industry and Fullbay’s role in it.
• Chris O’Brien, Fullbay’s COO (and frequent guest star on this blog!) will talk about the ins and outs of operating a commercial repair shop.
• Nick Adams, Founder and Managing Director of Dieselmatic, will talk about the importance of digital marketing in the diesel field.

You can also count on seeing Jacob Findlay, Fullbay’s Co-Founder and Executive Chairman. Oh, and the Fullbay marketing team (in case you were curious to see if we really are this zany in person…we are).
Additional speakers will be announced over the next few months, along with the topics they’ll be presenting. We’ll also have several breakout sessions that will be headed up by repair shop owners!

WHY GO, THOUGH?

I mean…why not?

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our articles and webinars (and their accompanying chat rooms), it’s that folks in the commercial repair industry love to learn from each other. They’re always ready to answer questions, trade ideas, and help their fellow professionals do some troubleshooting.

We were struck by the generosity of spirit that permeates the industry, and wondered—What if we could get all these awesome folks in one place? Well, more specifically, we saw a gap in the industry—diesel professionals from around the country were ready and willing to chat and share ideas, but they had no real place to do it.

In his article about the event, Nick Adams compares Diesel Connect to “a high school reunion for diesel enthusiasts, but with less awkwardness and more conversation about torque ratios.” We think that’s about right. You’ll be in town for two reasons: to talk about trucks and eat snacks.

No vendors, no one trying to sell you anything—just a cool space in an air conditioned building (it’s June in Phoenix—that detail is important!) where you can share knowledge. Oh, and no automotive people! Cars, we (mostly) love ya, but this is strictly a heavy-duty event.

Really—that’s it. Trucks and snacks.

We won’t share what kind of snacks yet, but we have it on good authority that they are delicious.

HOW MUCH DOES DIESEL CONNECT COST?

Here’s a rundown of the pricing:

General Admission: $450

This covers admission for the event, all the speaking sessions, conference activities, and social events…AND two nights in a three-star hotel in downtown Phoenix, along with breakfast and lunch on both days.

Guest Admission: $100

You can bring a friend and get them access to the speaking sessions and conference activities—but this pricing doesn’t include a hotel room. They can bunk with you, or find their own lodging.

Spouse Admission: $50

Hate leaving your SO behind? Bring them! They can attend the social events in the evening, but they’ll have to find another way to amuse themselves during the day, as they can’t attend the sessions. (But yes, they can stay with you in your room!)
Now, what do these conference activities entail? Team Fullbay has all kinds of goodies planned for you, none of which we can share just yet…so stay tuned. 🙂

KEEPING UP WITH THE INDUSTRY

The industry is undoubtedly facing big changes in the coming years, from alternative fuel to automated trucks to new regulations. These things will impact how we drive, how we build, and how we maintain and repair. Rather than tackle these issues on our own, we want to bring the brains together—to get ahead of these changes, or at least prepare for them as much as we can.

Okay, we also just really want to hang out and talk shop. Yes, there will be some fantastic presentations and insightful speakers, but there’s also going to be time to swap stories, share ideas, and make friends with diesel repair professionals from across the country.
As we go to press on this, there are still a few tickets available. Head over here to reserve yours and kick off the diesel adventure of a lifetime!