After 25 years, Inman Connect is coming to you. Get ready for the top industry leaders plotting the path forward, new business ideas and opportunities, networking like you’ve never imagined it and tons of exciting new magic, all straight to you. It’s all part of an epic new Inman experience, Inman Connect Now, June 2-4, 2020. Click here to save your seat.
In advance of Connect Now, we’ve asked many well-known members of the Inman community for their insights on how they are working and keeping their businesses moving forward in this time — in other words, How They Connect Now. Here are three responses.
Nicole Lopez
Nicole Lopez
Team Lead and Founder, True Houston – A Side Partner
What’s the biggest change in the way you’re managing your business now?
The biggest change is managing the different expectations of buyers, sellers and agents in this new frontier. Adapting to tech comes easy to us, but it’s the fear factor in our industry that keeps me up.
How do you find new business in a time like this?
You get creative. You pivot. You get deep in a niche and hold on.
How do you keep morale up, for you personally, and for your team?
It is incredibly important to find time as an individual. I feel that dedicating time to yourself alone is the best way to maintain morale and sanity. In terms of team morale, I have been consistent in finding new ways for them to market their businesses, as well as raising money through fundraisers to keep them afloat.
Who in the community has impressed you or helped you most during this time?
Mike Wong with KW Southwest in Houston. He has spent tens of thousands of his own money amid decimation of the commercial market in Houston to purchase PPE for our hospitals.
What’s your outlook for the rest of this year?
We remain hopeful. However, I am not adjusting goals until end of quarter two. I want to see what the result will be not only of COVID-19, but the impact of the oil industry, which is the heart of Houston.
Can you share a few words about how Inman has helped you grow your business, in bull or bear times?
First and foremost, Inman is a community. A place where individuals across the country and globe come together to share their best practices, technology tools and struggles as we go through this change in our marketplace together. It provides me a sense of sanity and knowing that I am not alone.
Ed Carey
Ed Carey
Founder/CEO, Audience Town
What’s the biggest change in the way you’re managing your business now?
We were already flexible and had a daily team call cadence. But we have become looser and more personal when we gather on a Zoom meeting. We share about our lives and families, exercise habits and about how we cope. This means we don’t get too strict about immediate KPIs. We use the time to relax and have some fun human social connection instead of measuring quantitative results.
How do you find new business in a time like this?
Following market trends and opinions, then publishing our unique content spin on them to educate clients about how to think, instead of asking them to buy. We are also offering free services and deep discounts on advertising rates, which we are able to do because our costs have declined also, so we are promoting the drop in market rates to get clients to advertise.
How do you keep morale up, for you personally, and for your team?
Exercise more than usual, and on our daily team call, we talk about our fitness goals of the day, and we have all started new routines or started running more as a result.
Who in the community has impressed you or helped you most during this time?
I watch Compass CEO Robert Reffkin’s daily videos he and his wife record from their country house. They are short bursts of insight, or even major announcements about new board members, or sometimes he laughs about how his small children are going wild. They are fun and upbeat.
What’s your outlook for the rest of this year?
Things will be slow and unsure, then will pop back. And when they do pop back, things will be different. The only question is: Can you make it through until then?
Can you share a few words about how Inman has helped you grow your business, in bull or bear times?
In no small way, Inman was my primary resource after deciding to start a real estate tech company a few years ago. The journalism voice is able to report while also challenging long-held industry values and dogma. This is not an easy way to run a media business, but Inman manages to do it. And I’m eager to see how Inman evolves their voice to include more coverage from other sectors of the real estate industry at large, like proptech.
Robyn Yates
Robyn Yates
CEO, Windermere Prestige Properties
What’s the biggest change in the way you’re managing your business now?
Meeting with agents and other leadership in meeting platforms online.
How do you find new business in a time like this?
Connect through current contacts (sphere of influence), social media and networking online.
How do you keep morale up, for you personally, and for your team?
Practicing mindfulness. Not immediately reacting to the current environment, but carefully navigating.
Who in the community has impressed you or helped you most during this time?
Matthew Ferrara — philosopher, speaker, writer, etc. Created a Zoom meeting to inspire and give hope to our family of agents. Amazing, giving human.
What’s your outlook for the rest of this year?
There are low interest rates and low inventory in our market. I think we will end the year at least as positive as 2019.
Can you share a few words about how Inman has helped you grow your business, in bull or bear times?
Keeping me in the loop on the latest in the real estate industry.
Inman Connect Now connects virtually June 2-4, 2020. The digital event offers standout speakers, incredible networking opportunities, and the chance to forge business breakthroughs and build new relationships to last a lifetime. Don’t miss out — register today.
