By Phil Harwood

“Hate” is a strong word. And yet, I often hear people tell me how much they hate snow. Of course, if you know me at all, you would know that I don’t share their sentiments. In fact, I love snow. I love snow so much that I’m part-owner of the Snowfighters Institute, where we train up the industry on best practices for running a snow business.  

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So what’s behind all of the negativity? Why do people hate snow? When pressed, they don’t mind the white stuff itself. What they don’t like is the burden that comes along with a snow operation. I get that. But I also have learned over the years that there is a better way to run a snow operation that has been proven to flip haters into raving fans. 

The thing about snow operations is that with proper planning, organization, and management, snow can be your most profitable business. And the burdens of running a snow operation may be greatly distributed so that there isn’t a huge weight placed on any one person’s shoulders. This is why I’ve seen haters become raving fans. 

So where do you start? How can a company get organized with the proper processes in place to make this a reality? My best recommendation is to attend our two-day in-person OPS Management event, sponsored by Caterpillar, and being held this September 6-7 just north of Philadelphia. Registration is still open for this event.

Once you have your process dialed in, running a snow operation is all about decision-making, execution, and communication. We cover this in great detail. We bring in top industry vendors with unique solutions for snow pros. We discuss best practices, tips, and insights from other attendees. 

If you haven’t attended a Snowfighters Institute event in the last two years, I highly recommend checking out what we have to offer. Give us the chance to flip you from a skeptic to a raving fan. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Below are some highlights. 

Topics covered:

• Event planning and management of pre-storm, during storm, and post-storm
• Mock storm training simulation led by Levi Jett
• Operational metrics to drive accountability and profit
• Equipment management and selection
• Weather impacts presented by Weatherworks
• Recruiting and retention of seasonal employees
• Special operations 
• Tour of Foley CAT's internal operations 
• Hot topics

Who should attend:

• Anyone involved in operations, especially in a supervisory capacity
• Newer operations managers
• Seasoned operations managers (never too old to learn)
• Owners

Why attend:

• Highest value educational experience in our industry
• Outstanding networking with attendees, sponsors, and presenters
• Great food 
• Handsome wall plaque to commemorate your involvement
• Automatic enrollment in SFI Alumni Club for future event discounts

Where to stay:

• Courtyard by Marriott Bensalem, PA (our meetings will be here also)