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Ok, so maybe this post is not very well timed, given that the whole Southeast Michigan region is sweltering under high temperatures and high humidity. But it is worth pointing out that Professional One is yet again going to be attending and presenting at the Inman Connect Conference in San Francisco.

Last year, Michael McClure (CEO and President of Professional One) was asked to be a panelist at Inman Connect. We both took off for San Francisco not knowing just what to expect. Instead of me trying to recreate our experience last year, here are Michael’s words via his Inman Connect San Francisco (ICSF) wrap up post.  Also of note, Professional One, last year, was chosen as a Better Homes & Gardens “Brokerage of the Future.”

I met a number of people face-to-face for the first time who I’ve been communicating with via Twitter for a while. And in every case, the feeling was the same: it was like meeting an old, good friend…for the first time. When I expected handshakes, I got hugs.

Suffice it to say, Michael and I thoroughly enjoyed our time at Connect last year in San Francisco.

Going Back to Cali’

This year, Michael has been asked to speak on the use of social media in market and mind share, first thing on Wednesday, July 27th.

Me? Well, I am looking forward to meeting some old friends for the very first time, as well as reacquainting with folks met in real life before. These connections and re-connections are the icing on the cake for attending the real estate industry’s premier conference.

Inman Connect San Francisco is a treasure trove of great information, verdant ideas and phenomenal conversation! All within the picturesque city of San Francisco.

The Benefit of ICSF

The professional benefit of attending Inman Connect San Francisco goes beyond the networking aspects. Inman routinely brings in thought leaders from other industries and technologies that can be applied to the real estate vertical. This year, there will be speakers from Google, Facebook, Honestly.com, Hootsuite, Virgin America, a venture capitalist, airbnb.com and the San Francisco Federal Reserve.

With the exception of airbnb.com, a site that helps folks find rooms or sublets for short stays, none of the speakers are directly tied into the real estate industry. Yet their business practice, service or philosophy is something that the real estate industry can learn from and adapt to our own practice.

One thing that my time within the real estate industry has taught me, is the importance of learning from and co-opting business practices from other industries. Simply talking to and “learning” from folks within our own industry simply allows us to live within a vacuum and echo-chamber; meaning, we echo each other’s ‘wisdom’ but never learn from outside our own sphere.

Where do you go to learn different business practices that you can adapt into your own business?