How the Work Gets Done

Anthony Bourdain
This is not just another conference. Converge Chicago is a curated annual summit for the doers, fixers, thinkers, and builders who are shaping the future of construction. Whether you're working directly in the construction industry or serving it from the outside, this construction conference is designed for you.
In the words of Anthony Bourdain:
“Chicago is a town, a city that doesn't ever have to measure itself against any other city. Other places have to measure themselves against it. It's big, it's outgoing, it's tough, it's opinionated, and everybody's got a story.”
That’s the energy of Converge Chicago and the people who attend this construction summit. Big. Outgoing. Tough. Opinionated. Everyone’s got a story, and they’re not afraid to tell it like it is. We call them Convergers, and this event was built for them.
Here, titles matter less than intention. We bring together contractors, consultants, creatives, tech founders, advisors, and entrepreneurs who care about one thing: building something meaningful—together.
This is your invitation to:
🟢 Learn through conversations, not just presentations. Whether it’s on stage or around the table, every session is designed to spark honest dialogue and practical takeaways.
🟢 Build real relationships, not just exchange business cards. This isn’t networking. It’s a place to find your people… the ones who challenge you, cheer for you, and collaborate with you.
🟢 Co-create the future of construction across roles, disciplines, and perspectives. Whether you wear boots or build software, you belong here.
🟢 Step into a room where everyone wants to make things better and is willing to show their cards. The ego gets left at the door. The good stuff happens when you show up for real.
This isn't another cattle-call conference. Converge Chicago is built for high-trust conversations, curated sessions, and the kind of collisions that turn into collaborations, no matter how big the room gets.
If you’re ready to trade small talk for big progress, Converge is where it starts.
When Growth Breaks: Fixing the Communication Gaps That Stall Scale
Growth doesn’t usually fail loudly; it stalls quietly through misaligned expectations, blurred ownership, and slow decisions. In this highly interactive workshop, Michelle Rourke shows you how to spot where communication is actually breaking down as you scale and how to fix it before it shows up as cash flow stress, client tension, or team burnout. You’ll leave with practical tools to clarify ownership, speed up decisions, and restore traction—without adding more meetings, systems, or complexity.
How the Work Gets Defended
Most subcontractors don’t lose disputes because the work was bad, they lose because the story of the work was never properly captured. In this focused sponsor spotlight, Joe Siewell shares a practical, field-tested approach to documenting work as it happens so scope, schedule impacts, and communication are defensible long before a dispute ever arises. You’ll see how to protect payment, margin, and schedule position without turning the jobsite into a legal battlefield — just smarter systems running alongside the work.
Design Your Team So Every Decision Doesn’t Run Through You
If it feels like every question, approval, or decision still lands on your desk, this session is for you. In this interactive workshop, Samantha Prestidge helps you see why delegation often fails—not because of people, but because of how roles and ownership are designed. You’ll learn how to intentionally define what truly requires you, redesign support so work stops bottlenecking at the top, and reclaim leadership time without losing control or micromanaging.
ControlFreaks Anonymous: Relapse
If work gets done but you did not do it, did it really get done?
This sequel to last year's highly popular session from ControlQore answers this question.
The Self First Time Mastery Framework
The Self First Time Mastery Framework is a field-tested system built for high-performing professionals who are crushing deadlines but quietly burning out. Created by a former workaholic turned coach, this framework applies construction-grade planning, leadership, and execution tools to the most neglected project of all: you.
It’s not about squeezing more into your calendar, it’s about finally making space for the goals that actually matter to you.
Connection Is a Skill: Say Less. Signal Better. Build Trust Faster.
In construction and service environments, trust is built in moments, not meetings. This interactive session focuses on storytelling, listening, and nonverbal communication as practical tools for stronger connection. Participants will practice through role-playing exercises that reveal common habits that block trust and replace them with behaviors that strengthen relationships and collaboration.
Behind the Work: Protecting the Business and Your Family
Build Legacy: Business Development That Outlasts the Project
Scaling Construction Businesses Through Strategic Partnerships
Growth in construction isn’t about doing more yourself, it’s about knowing when to lead, when to partner, and how to align people so the work actually gets done. In this session, Gloria Marie shares real-world insight into how strategic partnerships can become an execution engine instead of a liability. You’ll learn how confident leadership, clear boundaries, and client education create collaboration across trades without scope creep, margin erosion, or loss of control.
Professionally Invisible
Somewhere between real life and the internet, good people become harder to read, easier to forget, and surprisingly invisible. This interactive workshop reveals how that happens, how others are actually experiencing you, and why alignment matters more than polish if you want to be remembered, trusted, and understood.
Featured Experience: The Collaboration Economy
Collaboration sounds great until pressure hits. In this fast-paced, team-based experience, you’ll see exactly how communication breaks down under stress and learn the lawyer-level skills that keep work moving when it matters most.
This is where Converge stops being theoretical and starts getting real.
STAY AT THE CHICAGO ATHLETIC ASSOC. HOTEL
Converge 2026 is happening in the heart of Chicago, and we’ve secured a very limited room block at the stylish Chicago Athletic Hotel, a boutique stay that pairs comfort with character, minutes from the conference venue and city energy.
Whether you’re coming for connection, conversation, or collaboration, this is where your best Converge experience begins. Rooms in our block are expected to sell out quickly, so we highly recommend reserving your stay now before availability runs out.
This is the sightseeing boat tour to go on in Chicago. Cruise along the Chicago River from Goose Island down to Chinatown while you get the full download on the city's most iconic buildings. Great for first-timers and architecture buffs who want it all.
Reserve your ticket on the 90 minute cruise for Thursday, June 4th, at 7:00 pm and enjoy this spectatular tour with your fellow Convergers.

























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At Converge Chicago, we're creating something special: a conference where real relationships ignite bold ideas and foster unexpected collaborations. If your brand values the power of connection, conversation, and the future of construction, we invite you to join us at our construction summit.
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