Inman events are the best way to connect. Gain insights and build your network this October at the virtual Inman Connect where we’ll explore the Industry’s Playbook for the Fall Market. Then, join us in January for Inman Connect New York, in person or virtually. Reserve your tickets now, prices will go up! The following post is presented to Select subscribers exclusively.
I guess you could say tech innovation runs in the family for Melissa McSherry.
Melissa McSherry, right, COO of Anywhere, speaks with Clelia Peters on stage at Inman Connect Las Vegas Aug. 3. Credit: AJ Canaria of MoxiWorks.
When the COO of Anywhere sat on the Inman Connect Las Vegas stage for a discussion with moderator Clelia Peters, she talked about her childhood memories of going to work with her mother, an early tech entrepreneur in the field of healthcare technology.
“I’m dating myself here,” said McSherry, “but [my mother] used to write programs on computer punch cards. One day a colleague brought her some punch cards that were done up with one of my little pink plastic barrettes.”
McSherry said that those early experiences laid the groundwork for her conviction that technology is designed for improving peoples’ lives.
McSherry initially pursued a degree in social studies, then later studied business at Stanford. During her first homework assignment in a computer science class there she found she could tackle even the most intimidating tech tasks as long as she stayed open to the process and willing to reach out for help.
Although McSherry has been with Anywhere for less than six months, she has already gleaned insights from her past experiences at Capital One and Visa and applied them to the real estate industry. She sees places for improvement that can make transactions more “frictionless” — not just for clients but for agents, brokers and affiliated service providers as well.
“I remain incredibly optimistic about the opportunity of technology to fundamentally improve the lives of anyone who touches one of these transactions,” said McSherry.
Watch McSherry’s entire session via the video at the top of this post.
Christy Murdock is a Realtor, freelance writer, coach and consultant and the owner of Writing Real Estate. She is also the creator of the online course Crafting the Property Description: The Step-by-Step Formula for Reluctant Real Estate Writers. Follow Writing Real Estate on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
