I agree with Phil’s remarks regarding the convention. I have never attended any REI conventions prior to the big show in Dallas (actually Arlington), so I don’t have anything to compare it to. However, I now have a benchmark (reference point) that is so high on the scale that any other such convention I attend stands a great chance of being a disappointment.
I also absolutely agree that the networking opportunities are the best part of the convention, ranking right up there with the round table, which is an extension of the networking, in my view.
How often do you get to sit beside someone of the caliber of the CREO convention speakers and get questions answered straight from the source. That alone was worth the time (my most valuable currency) that I spent to attend this convention. The amazing thing to me is that these folks were spending the same currency (in much higher denominations) to be there.
That is the great thing about this convention, the collective ideas of so many people, not only the big guns, but the middle guns and the pea shooters like me, can get spread around, tried on for size and appropriated if they fit (and discarded if the don’t).
The presentations by the speakers were the gravy on this convention. They were some of the thickest, richest sauces I have ever had ladled on my plate. They were energizing, mind opening, and sometimes they pi**ed me off. I can’t tell you how many times I thought, “Why in the heck didn’t I think of that?”
The speakers brought to life the niche or niches of REI in which they worked. And that is the operative word here–WORKED. I got the impression that these folks really had been in the trenches and were speaking from experience. That gave such credibility to the information they presented.
Well it’s over. The convention that is. Just Arrived home to a fresh foot of snow at 4:30 AM.
Some observations for those of you not there.
It was a h*ll of a good time. Speakers were great. I probably picked up thirty new ways to do various deals. I can’t even close my creative real estate tool box. And as many of you know I’ve been in the business for over twenty years. What a place for the newer people to gain this knowledge.
The hotel was exceptionally nice, both the rooms and convention room.
The networking was maybe the best part. I met alot of my chatroom buddies. Sandy, Paris, Steve Cook, Hal ( HR ), David Segars, Mark, Rayrick and a ton of other people. It’ll now be possible to put faces and names together. These are people that I will be having real estate relationships with for the rest of my real estating days.
Opps I forgot Dan Fink. Dan thanks for introducing me to Hooters.
And I got to meet my hero Jim Piper. Jim where were you Sunday morning. LOL.
And karp ain’t that bad.
And lastly, tha Vaughn’s put on a class event. Thanks JP and Terry. And I finally met Ed Garcia, one of my favorites.
Just some ramblings and a taste for you guys that didn’t go. Hopefully there will be another next year.
PS Dirk, thanks for putting up with me. I was Dirk’s neighbor for the three days.
Phil,
It really was a pleasure to finally meet all the wonderful people that help us newbies on this site. The networking was great. The speakers were spectacular!!!
I hope to see all of you again soon.
One thing I was taught a long time ago kept going through my mind… “To be more successful, surround yourself with people more successful than yourself”
The speakers here were “do ers” and not just speakers. What a ton of info ! And there were successful !