Connecting the global roofing community through conversation

By Emma Peterson. 

Attendees of IFD’s first Connection Forum will gain insights from international roofing experts, including RoofersCoffeeShop® CEO Heidi J. Ellsworth, while engaging in discussions about the technologies and strategies shaping the industry's future. 

This October 14 and 15, the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) will be hosting their first Connection Forum in Vienna, Austria. This event is in addition to IFD’s traditional conference and aims to create an interactive environment with networking at its heart. As Sabine Rothschuh, IFD’s secretary, told The Coffee Shops®, “It is not a traditional conference with presentations and speakers. It's more designed as an interactive meeting where participants can actively exchange ideas, discuss current developments and the most important thing is to develop relationships.” 

As part of the forum, IFD has invited presenters from around the world to share insights and expertise with attendees. This creates a great opportunity for industry partners, national associations and roofing professionals to exchange ideas and problem solve together. And one of these presentations will be coming from The Coffee Shops® own Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

Heidi will be presenting about artificial intelligence (AI) and the global roofing community. This presentation comes at a crucial point with more than one billion people using Google AI overviews and with 60% of U.S. adults use AI to search for information. Specifically, her presentation will cover a variety of topics including the difference between search engine optimization and AI engine optimization; how to position yourself as an expert in a saturated market; and the tools RoofersCoffeeShop® has used to build a base of 695,000+ unique annual website visitors and 75,000+ active social followers over the last 25 years online.  

Reflecting on the opportunity to present, Heidi J. Ellsworth wrote of the Forum, “This is a valuable opportunity for us all. Instead of only receiving information [or presenting it,] participants [and presenters] are in conversation, helping shape ideas in real time while strengthening the connections that have always been central to IFD.” 

Learn more about IFD’s Connection Forum.