Event Details
The DIRTT Project® Live!
Attendee Information
Date: December 10-12, 2025
Event Location
The Shop DSM
901 Cherry Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
The Shop DSM Event Center is proudly owned and operated by firefighters of IAFF4 Local 4 and their families. Transforming the space from its original use for over 77 years as the Des Moines Fire Department maintenance and repair shop, this event space serves as an exciting hub for community engagement and collaboration in Downtown Des Moines.

Agenda
Start | End | Session |
6:30 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | Registration |
6:30 a.m. | 7:30 a.m. | BREAKFAST |
7:30 a.m. | 8:15 a.m. | Welcome. What to expect in the next three days. Introduction of speakers. |
The DIRTT Project Course 1: The Components | ||
8:15 a.m. | 8:45 a.m. | The 5 components of a comprehensive continuity and succession plan. |
8:45 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | EXERCISE: Self-Assessment – Where are you starting from? |
9:00 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | How to maintain a positive and healthy mindset when getting ready to lead your team/family through transition. |
The DIRTT Project Course 2: Setting the Stage | ||
9:30 a.m. | 10:00 a.m. | Clearly define your goals, concerns, outcomes, and the rules BEFORE you start planning. |
10:00 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | BREAK |
10:30 a.m. | 10:45 a.m. | EXERCISE: Defining Your Goals |
10:45 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | EXERCISE: Successor GAP Analysis |
11:00 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. | Planning Your Family Kick-Off Meeting. |
11:30 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | Communication: Talking vs. Listening |
12:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. | LUNCH |
The DIRTT Project Course 3: Discovery | ||
1:00 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | The importance of discovering your famiy members goals, concerns, and what they desire for outcomes. |
1:30 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | Best Practices: How to conduct discovery interviews. |
2:00 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | Off-farm Heir Expectations: Inclusion, Setting Boundries, and Communication. |
2:30 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | EXERCISE: Interview SWOT |
3:00 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | BREAK |
3:30 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | The importance of reviewing foundational documents BEFORE you start making decisions. |
Stories From The Field | ||
4:00 p.m. | 4:15 p.m. | Keeping an eye on your goal. |
4:15 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. | Establishing a meeting tempo for management transition. |
4:30 p.m. | 4:45 p.m. | Managing your progress through coaching and feedback. |
4:45 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | Including your off-farm heirs in the conversation. |
5:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Happy Hour and Networking |
7:00 p.m. | Dinner on Your Own (complete your homework) |
Start | End | Session |
6:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | Bring Your Questions for an open forum Q & A session Bwith the professionals. |
6:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | BREAKFAST |
8:00 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. | BREAK |
8:30 a.m. | 8:45 a.m. | Welcome and Agenda for the Day. |
The DIRTT Project Course 4: Strategy | ||
8:45 a.m. | 9:15 a.m. | Putting Your Professioal Team Together |
9:15 a.m. | 9:45 a.m. | Setting Your Professional Team Up For Success |
9:45 a.m. | 10:15 a.m. | How to run a collaborative professional team meeting. |
10:15 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | BREAK |
10:30 a.m. | 10:55 a.m. | Top Tips for bringing your kids into ownership. |
10:55 a.m. | 11:20 a.m. | Leveling up your professional team. |
11:20 a.m. | 11:45 a.m. | Lessons learned from experience: Bad Documents |
11:45 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | EXERCISE: Professional Team Analysis |
12:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. | LUNCH with Speaker: TBD |
The DIRTT Project Course 5: Implementation | ||
1:00 p.m. | 1:20 p.m. | Business Planning: The framework for your succession plan. |
1:20 p.m. | 1:40 p.m. | EXERCISE: Is your team ready to lead? |
1:40 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | The Weekly Leadership Team Meeting |
2:00 p.m. | 2;30 p.m. | Setting clear expectations with family who work for your operation. |
2:30 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | BREAK |
3:00 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | Sweat equity – what is its true value? |
3:30 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Determining who can be an owner in your operation and why is it important to clarify, document, and communicate it. |
4:00 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. | Preparing for the enexpected. |
4:30 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | The importance of documenting AFTER the handshake. |
5:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Happy Hour and Networking |
7:00 p.m. | Dinner on Your Own (complete your homework) |
Start | End | Session |
6:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | Bring your questions for an open forum Q & A Session with the professionals. |
6:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | BREAKFAST |
8:00 a.m. | 8:15 a.m. | Welcome and Agenda for the Day. |
8:15 a.m. | 8:45 a.m. | Foundational Documents: What Should Be Included In Your Estate Plan. |
8:45 a.m. | 9:15 a.m. | Fair vs. Equal: Making a decision that is right for you, your family, and your operation. |
9:15 a.m. | 9:45 a.m. | Ensuring Your Succession Plan Meets Your Cash Flow Needs. |
9:45 a.m. | 10:15 a.m. | BREAK |
10:15 a.m. | 10:45 a.m. | Tax Planning and Succession – To Pay or Not to Pay. |
10:45 a.m. | 11:15 a.m. | Implementation and Maintenance of your Succession Plan. |
11:15 a.m. | 11:45 a.m. | Pulling Your Action Plan Together. |
11:45 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | Next Steps and Adjourn |