This year, I attended Inman Connect New York for the first time. Here are my impressions.
Who goes?
Connect is a little quirky and a very geeky.
My peeps are the highly oxygenated types who live for freely sharing, smiling and percolating information with just about anyone that will talk with them.
Also at Connect, you’ll find the “leveled up” industry makers, builders, shakers. (They are a remarkably friendly group.)
What happens?
Inman Connect is not a slow cooker of concepts. It is the hot wok of collective ideas — an accelerated series of rapid-fire sessions and events condensed into several intense days.
The first session kicked off with a jolt. I was prepared, with my note pad, pocket full of business cards and enough caffeine to fight jet lag.
Navigating the agenda was remarkably easy — the Inman Connect app became indispensable: I could quickly rate sessions, view the agenda, message attendees, view vendors and even make dinner plans.
Top takeaways
- “Break out of the sea of sameness.” – Nobu Hata, “Busting the millennial real estate myth” session
- Practice the art of selfless hospitality — it will help your business thrive. – Kala Laos, “How to create a contagious real estate brand” session
- “Be the knowledge broker” — it’s an un-disruptable skill set. – Charles Williams, “Data whiz kids who don’t want to disrupt you” session
- Our world is changing; however, there are some things that never change. – multiple sessions
- Our business is service, and service is our business. – multiple sessions
- Eliminate, automate, delegate. The world is only getting busier. This is how you manage your time. – multiple sessions
- The future is now — don’t wait for it to come to you. – multiple sessions
Tips for new attendees
Here were some things I learned as a first-timer at Connect.
- Engage. Be the big thinker. That’s why you came, right?
- Use your voice. Speak your opinion. Don’t wait for an invitation!
- Say yes! Network. Get outside of yourself. This is a perfect opportunity to meet the next big thing.
- Be open; be in the moment. Some of the best connections happen spontaneously.
- Immerse yourself in the Connect app — it has everything you need.
- Engage with the Ambassadors; they are warm, friendly and helpful.
- Wear comfortable shoes! You will be on your feet from sunrise to sunset (and beyond).
I found attending Inman Connect fundamental to keeping relevant; I strive to continuously learn, re-tool and sharpen my real estate skill set.
I’ll be shedding a few pounds of conference bloat on my calendar in the coming year — because attending Connect has become the new priority.
Erinn Nobel is Brand Evangelist and Broker with eXp Realty. Follow Erinn on Facebook and her website.
