Time for Sealcoaters to Level Up
by Marvin Joles
Every January, the asphalt world wakes up with the same signal: conference season is officially here. For contractors, especially the men and women focused on the sealcoating side of the industry, this stretch of the year is one of the most important opportunities you’ll get to sharpen your skills, upgrade your equipment, and make connections that shape your entire season.
UFC veteran and asphalt business owner, Scott Holtzman, and I recently spoke about this on an episode of the In The Mix Podcast. He attended his first conference in our industry last year.
Like most industries, our industry is leaping forward…finally. There are new tools, new techniques, new materials, and new expectations from customers. If you’re not actively improving, you’re falling behind; and conferences are the one place where you can accelerate your growth in a single week.
See the Equipment Before You Invest
Sealcoating equipment is a serious investment, and nothing beats being able to stand next to the machines, grab the handles, inspect the welds, and talk directly with the people who build or distribute them.
Whether it’s:
• New agitation or spray systems
• More efficient crack-sealant melters
• Precision digital measuring tools
• Upgrades in crack sealant technology
• Rig setups designed to increase your production
• Robot line stripers (yes, that’s reality now)
Our conferences let you compare equipment side-by-side, ask your real questions, and see brands prove themselves in person, not in a brochure and not a picture or video online.
A contractor may save thousands (or make tens of thousands more) by choosing the right machine after a 10-minute conversation with a rep who knows what you’re actually up against in the field or what outdated ways you are still implementing.
Tap Into Real Education From People Doing It Every Day
Many sealcoating contractors fall into the trap of doing things “the way they’ve always been done.” Conferences break that cycle. The speakers, panels, and workshops give you proven techniques and updated best practices from people who spend their lives on this work.
You’ll learn:
• Smarter approaches to prep, edging, and application
• How to price sealcoating profitably in today’s market
• Crew efficiency tricks that cut wasted labor time
• Ways to package your services so customers say “yes” more often
• Marketing strategies that get more residential and commercial leads
Most of us learned by trial and error, but conferences help you skip the error. A thing I wish I could have done in my first decade at this.
Network With Industry Leaders (and Future Partners)
The best part of conference season isn’t the equipment or the sessions for me, it’s the people. Sealcoating draws a community of problem-solvers, grinders, innovators and people who just become real good friends. These rooms are filled with the exact people who can help you grow:
• Manufacturers
• Distributors
• Mentors
• Large-scale contractors
• Newer contractors hungry to learn
• Media voices and educators (yes, including In The Mix)
It’s where deals happen. It’s where partnerships form. It’s where ideas turn into next-year revenue.
Make 2026 Your Best Season Yet
As we head into conference season, show up with a clear intention: What do you want to improve this year?
Whether it’s equipment, technique, business strategy, or simply being part of this evolving industry, the time you invest in these few early months of 2026, will directly impact your potential success when spring hits.
Sealcoating has never had more opportunity, more innovation, or more community behind it. Go “all-in” this season. The contractor group at “In The Mix Collective” is definitely going “all-in”. There’s never been a better time to level up.
As always, if you have any questions, insight or criticisms about this article or anything in it, please feel free to email me at marvinjoles@gmail.com and of course, reach out to me using any form of social media (@inthemixmj). Listen to the “In The Mix with Marvin Joles” Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Watch on YouTube. Visit www.inthemixmj.com to learn more.
Asphalt is Opportunity. – Marvin
Marvin Joles is the owner of Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance. Visit his website at https://marvinjoles.com
