In 2005, my broker encouraged me to attend my first Texas REALTORS® conference since it would be in nearby Corpus Christi. (Yes, a two-hour drive is “nearby” when you live in Harlingen.) I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sure, I knew there would be education sessions and business events and social gatherings, but I had no idea what my actual experience would feel like or whether it would be worth my time.
Some of the details of that conference blur together with the many others I’ve attended in the years since, but I can tell you this: I came away energized with new information, enthusiasm, and a greater appreciation of our association and industry. I had spent time among some of the brightest people in real estate. I learned new ideas for how to do business and what trends to prepare for in the future. Most important of all, I met people who have become some of my closest business contacts and friends.
If you’ve never been to a Texas REALTORS® conference, I’ll share what it’s like and why you should come to the Shaping Texas Conference being held in San Antonio September 7-10. There’s an excitement to the events—a feeling that you’re getting information and an experience you just won’t find anywhere else. You’ll hear stories from elected officials and political insiders about what’s really going on. You’ll earn CE credit, but the real value is the knowledge you’ll gain in education sessions on technology, marketing, sales, risk reduction, or another topic of your choosing.
You will laugh. Whether from a speaker’s anecdote, a colleague’s story from the real estate trenches, or an instructor describing a real transaction that went awry (probably all three and more), you will find lots of opportunities to smile. And you will get inspired. I’m really looking forward to hearing this year’s keynote speaker, retired U.S. Navy Four-Star Admiral William H. McRaven.
All this and I haven’t even mentioned the social events yet. There will be receptions, a gala, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners—and countless informal opportunities to network with other REALTORS® between sessions or while strolling on the River Walk during off times.
I know a top reason members come to a Texas REALTORS® conference for the first time is that a colleague or broker asks them. If that hasn’t happened to you yet, consider this my personal invitation. And while you’re at the conference, please say hi to me and other association officers and let us know it’s your first time attending. See you in San Antonio!