2025 Shred School Curriculum

Earn your Shreducation this year in Charlotte, NC, USA! Discover our variety of sessions for this year, perfect for those new to the industry and seasoned veterans alike!


Pre-Shred School – Tuesday, November 4

2:00 pm: CSDS Exam

We will offer the CSDS exam on Tuesday, November 4th at 2:00 pm ET. Please contact our team to schedule your exam.

Location: Monarch Room

Day 1 – Wednesday, November 5

8:30 - 9:00 am: Check-In and Registration

Check-in with i-SIGMA at The Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark Hotel to get settled in for two great days of Shred School! Find a spot, grab your notebook, and be ready to learn!

Location: Queen’s Court

9:00 - 9:30 am: Welcome to Shred School 2025

Welcome to Shred School 2025! Hear from i-SIGMA CEO, Nate Campbell, as he covers what you can expect from the next two days.

Location: Queen’s Court

9:35 - 10:15 am: Drafting the Crew: Recruiting for Skill & Fit

Presented by: TBA

Just like a championship racing team, success starts with having the right crew in place. This session dives into the art and science of recruiting—beginning with how to define and articulate your culture so you attract candidates who align with your values. Participants will learn practical behavioral interview techniques to uncover true motivations and past performance, while balancing skill assessment (aptitude) with attitude and growth potential. Finally, we’ll explore building a virtual bench of ready talent, ensuring you’re always prepared to fill key roles without losing momentum.

Location: Queen’s Court

10:15 - 10:30 am: Break

10:35 - 11:15 am: Turbocharged Prospecting: Using AI to Work Smarter, Not Harder

Presented by: Ray Barry, Shred America

Prospecting doesn’t have to be a grind. With AI tools, you can cut through noise, target smarter, and personalize outreach at scale. This session provides a roadmap to turbocharge your prospecting with AI—including an industry-specific worksheet for practical application.

Location: Queen’s Court

11:20 - 11:55 am: Your AI Crew Chief: Smarter Marketing on the Speedway

Presented by: Nick Adams, WebVitality

In racing, the crew chief calls the shots with data, timing, and strategy. In marketing, AI can play the same role—optimizing campaigns, refining messaging, and spotting opportunities faster than ever before. Discover how AI tools can serve as your marketing crew chief, giving you a competitive edge.

Location: Queen’s Court

12:00 - 1:00 pm: Lunch: Provided

Take a break from learning to enjoy lunch, provided to attendees.

Location: Cotillion Ballroom

1:05 - 1:45 pm: NAID AAA: Your Competitive Edge in the Marketing Race

Presented by: TBA

Compliance and certification aren’t just checkboxes—they’re marketing differentiators. With NAID AAA certification, your business can turn trust, credibility, and compliance into a true competitive advantage. This session explores how to leverage certification as a key driver in your sales and marketing engine.

Location: Queen’s Court

1:50 - 2:30 pm: Taking the Lead Lap: Mastering the First Impression

Presented by: Ray Barry, Shred America

The opening lap often determines the race’s momentum. The same is true in sales—your first impression sets the tone. This session will help you master the art of making an immediate connection, whether it’s in the first 15 seconds, 30-second pitch, or the opening 5 minutes of a call.

Location: Queen’s Court

2:35 - 2:45 pm: Break

2:50 - 3:15 pm: Pit Stop Protection: Legal & Contractual Readiness

Presented by: Greg Bullard, Corodata

In racing, pit stops are where risks are minimized, and safety checks keep the crew in the game. The same applies to business contracts. This session equips participants with the essentials of legal and contractual frameworks—covering indemnity, insurance, and risk allocation—so teams can negotiate confidently and protect their organization from costly mistakes.

Location: Queen’s Court

3:20 - 4:00 pm: Smart Moves: Tapping Into ITAD and End-of-Life Data Security for Business Growth

Presented by: Renee Schafer, Data Security, Inc.

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” – William Pollard

As the ITAD industry evolves, staying ahead means embracing both innovation and responsibility. This session will explore strategic opportunities to expand into end-of-life data security and position your company as a key player in the circular economy. Learn how to differentiate your services, deliver greater value to clients, and drive business growth all while being part of the solution in today’s data-driven world.

Location: Queen’s Court

4:05 - 4:45 pm: Fleet at Full Speed: Health & Safety Excellence

Presented By: Industry Panel

Just as a race team depends on the safety of its trucks and crew, your business depends on the safety and health of your fleet and staff. This session dives into best practices for building a culture of safety that protects people, vehicles, and performance.

Location: Queen’s Court

5:00 - 6:30 pm: Networking

Moderated by: i-SIGMA
Sponsored by: All Shred School Sponsors

Amplify Your Connections in a Fun, Fast-Paced Environment : Get ready to rock your networking game in our Speed Networking session, This event is designed to maximize your connections and help you build meaningful relationships with peers and industry leaders in a lively, engaging setting.

Location: Cotillion Ballroom

6:30: Dinner: Provided

End the day with dinner, provided to all attendees

Location: Cotillion Ballroom

Day 2 – Thursday, November 6

9:00 - 9:30 am: Morning Recap and Day 1 Reflections

Start the second day with renewed energy and a clear focus on the day’s objectives. This session will include reflections, an overview of day two agenda, and housekeeping items.

Location: Queen’s Court

9:35 - 10:15 am: Reading the Track: The Question Behind the Question

Presented by: Ray Barry, Shred America

Winning drivers know how to “read the track.” Winning sales professionals know how to read their customers—especially the real question hiding behind the words. This session will sharpen your questioning and listening skills to uncover true needs and motivations.

Location: Queen’s Court

10:15 - 10:30 am: Break

10:35 - 11:15 am: Staying in Compliance Lane: Living Certification

Presented by: Price Brannon, i-SIGMA

Certification isn’t just about passing an inspection—it’s about embedding compliance into your daily operations. This session shows how to live certification every day so your business runs smoothly, consistently, and always stays in the compliance lane.

Location: Queen’s Court

11:20 am - 12:00 pm: Taking the Inside Lane: Accelerating Growth in Secure Shredding & Destruction

Moderated By: Scott Reis, CSR/uRISQ
Panelists:
Daryl Woytowicz, NetGain
Jason Springthorpe, Wingmate
Jeff Green, Annex

Buckle up for a fast-paced look at growth trends in secure paper shredding, media shredding, and product destruction. Just like fine-tuning a race car for peak performance, today’s shredding businesses need to balance horsepower (equipment and vehicle trends), drafting strategy (sales & marketing approaches), and pit-crew precision (best-in-class operating software) to stay ahead of the competition. This session will explore how providers can rev their engines, take the inside lane on efficiency, and accelerate toward long-term growth in a high-speed, ever-changing market.

Location: Queen’s Court

12:00 - 1:00 pm: Lunch: Provided

Take a break from learning to enjoy lunch provided to attendees.

Location: Cotillion Ballroom

1:05 - 1:45 pm: Efficiency Masterclass: Finding the Fastest Line through i-SIGMA Corporate Partners

Moderated by: Steve Innerfield, ShredMetrics

Just like a driver searches for the fastest racing line, businesses must optimize processes for efficiency, cost savings, and service excellence. This masterclass explores advanced route optimization strategies to maximize time, reduce expenses, and keep customers happy.

Location: Queen’s Court

1:50 - 2:30 pm: Full Throttle Value: Negotiating Without Discounting

Presented by: Ray Barry, Shred America

Dropping prices is like letting off the gas—it slows your momentum. Instead, this session will equip you with strategies to negotiate on value, not discounts. Learn how to confidently handle objections and position your solutions as worth every penny.

Location: Queen’s Court

2:35 - 3:00 pm: Finish Line: Closing Remarks, Wrap-Up and Thank You's

Presented by Nate Campbell, i-SIGMA

Reflect on lessons learned the past two days and create an action plan to implement these ideas in your everyday business.

Location: Queen’s Court