RainCamp DC - Make New Friends, But Keep The Old

RainCamp DC was different... it was BETTER...  Much better than your usual real estate gathering...

300+ people in real estate and related fields voluntarily gathered together to learn and network at RainCamp DC - NO continuing ed credits, no peer pressure from others in our office, and certainly not convenient (even for the locals). We wanted to be there, even paid to be there.

Learn and network we did, and I can't imagine anyone going home without a very long to-do list - and excited about it!  When was the last time you were actually excited about your to-do list.  The difference is this:  we know that doing the things on this list will help us generate more sales for our buyer and seller clients; in fact, we'll have MORE clients.  This was a day that could change our business forever, if we put into practice the many things we learned.

"What did we learn?", you ask.   Well, I would tell you but then you might think you don't need to go to RainCamp in your area, and that's not true.  You do!  Suffice it to say that Ben Kinney shared his own business success secrets - LOTS of them... we learned some Activerain history from Bob Stewart (a great story!)... and we discovered that Brad Andersohn is the same fun guy in person that you know online (he didn't bring his guitar and sing for us - maybe next time).  Meeting these online friends in person was the highlight of the day for me.

Which brings me to MY favorite part of RainCamp DC... THE PEOPLE!

For many campers, it was the first opportunity to meet Activerainers face to face that they knew and loved online.  For some of us who have been playing in the rain for a couple of years, it was also an opportunity to see again some old friends we've met at ReBar Camps and small Activerain gatherings.  That old song from elementary school kept ringing through my head...

Make new friends, but keep the old,

One is silver and the other is gold.

There just weren't enough hours in the day to both learn and network, so I went home without meeting many people I know attended RainCamp DC.

June Piper-Brandon and I work in the same county, for example, but not exactly the same market - and she was there... I didn't even know it 'til the next day when she commented on my Facebook wall.  Jonathan Benya sent me "raincamp love" on Facebook - I saw where he was sitting at RainCamp DC but never made it over to that corner of the room. I saw Stacey Ann Baugh, too, but she was always busy talking with someone else.  So many people to meet, and so little time for networking...

I was thrilled to meet Ed Silva, who I often exchange comments with on Activerain, and (pictured above) is new acquaintance Dan Quinn, checking out a photo on the screen of his digital camera with my old friend Margaret Rome.

I first met Cindy Jones, Brian Block, and Pat Kennedy for lunch two years ago in Arlington, Virginia, and we've crossed paths many times since then - I've learned so much from all of them.  And Lenn Harley sold one of my listings back in the days when most agents didn't use email, but we both did.  It's always great to see or talk with Lenn.

My daughter Susan recently returned to Maryland from Texas, and she went to RainCamp DC with me.  Even though she's in higher ed, not real estate, she still learned a lot about the use of social media and the Internet that she can use in her field.  She had an opportunity to meet many of the people she's been hearing about for the past three years, and we (the Activerain Community) have her official "thumb's up". 

Thanks, Activerain, for bringing RainCamp to DC!  I learned a lot and treasured the opportunity to see my many "old" and "new" Activerain friends. 

Whether you go to learn or network or both, don't miss the opportunity to attend RainCamp if it's ever offered in your area.

P.S.  Lots of people have lots of photos from RainCamp DC on Facebook, and Cindy Jones put together a neat little video for her blog.  Take a look!