Wednesday, I wrote about my spontaneous decision to come to Inman NY & am sure glad I did.  I wasn't even sure I'd get in because my ticket wasn't in my name.  (I got a free ticket thanks to my fantastic Twitter friend (and Cleveland Realtor) @CleveCarole who couldn't go.  (Yet another reason I love Twitter. Carole -- I owe you big! Thanks so much for the ticket!) I'm now awaiting to board my plane back home & thought I'd send a shout-out to some of the fantastic folks I met up with at Inman Connect.

No, the picture of Jay, Jeff, Heather & Andy was not staged!  I couldn't resist taking a picture of my fellow Twitterers tweeting away in the middle of a crowded NYC bar.

I learned a lot at the conference, but rarely had my camera with me. However, I did have it with me at the various parties put on by Active Rain, and Altos Research.  Besides it's the after-hours networking that make for fun connections, as well as fantastic networking opportunities!  Let's just say I hung out with some really good "networkers" & some good negotiators.  I was even able to witness a certain someone practice his "negotiating" with the bartender to sell him an open bottle of wine, and then negotiated with New York's finest about his open container in Times Square.

If there is one thing I've learned from this conference (and other real estate conferences I've gone to in the past), it's how amazingly powerful relationships with other Realtors & professionals around the country can be.  I got my real estate license in 1994, and hardly ever went to conferences figuring I'd be better off spending the time marketing, or doing something more directly in my control.  However, you never know what you're not learning that could be that next big breakthrough for your business.  Even more important are the connections and referral opportunities that open up because of the amazing connections you will make with amazing people from around the country who also attend these events.

I can't wait to see everyone again at the next event I go to which I think is going to be REtechSouth. (I'm hoping to do it with a little more planning this time.) 

That's all for now, folks.  I'm about to board my plane & head home to see my wonderful wife & kids.