HEADLINE:
Absolutely amazing experience! Well organized. Wonderful location. Great panel discussions. Powerful speakers and panelists. Top tier networking. Exactly what the industry of commercial real estate (CRE) needs.
It’s been over a week since the conference concluded and I am still decompressing. I feel like everyone that asked me, “How was the conference?” was suddenly the object of a passionate dissertation about how valuable this conference is to the minority community in addition to a deep dive recount of how much I personally enjoyed the weekend. In hindsight, I’m sure my family and friends thought I had a bad case of logorrhea as their eyes glazed over.
From the very first encounter at the VIP Dealmakers Event to the farewell brunch, I was impressed and felt right at home. I have been in real estate for almost 10 years and once you go beyond the orbits of residential sales into the world commercial real estate and finance, you start to see very quickly that there is a prominent lack of representation. So it goes without saying, that this experience was refreshing and extremely rewarding. A literal breath of fresh air to me. To be in an environment surrounded by so many black and brown professionals covering all parts of the industry made me feel life I found my tribe. This has been one of the only experiences where I could speak to other seasoned real estate professionals of various backgrounds about my vision for our HBCU Development Fund and actually have an engaging conversation and even find new partners. Not only did I leave recharged and reignited, I left with a wealth of meaningful contacts that I am confident will grow into partnerships.
5 Major Take-aways
I was thoroughly impressed by the host and organizer, Adeola, as well as the amazing work done by the host committee. The hard work and effort that was put into making this a great experience didn’t go without notice. I am grateful I was able to attend and look forward to seeing the conference make it’s way to Atlanta.
If you have interest in CRE or even if you’re new to the industry, this event is a great opportunity. I highly recommend you make the effort to attend. Entrepreneurs, professionals, passive investors of color - this is a space created for you with rich opportunities for career growth and expanding your network and knowledge in all sectors of CRE.
The desire and need for this conference is paramount. And the support is strong. I can’t tell you how many people I met during that experience they hadn’t heard about the conference but only a few days prior to making arrangements to attend. We all knew the value of being in the room and getting the face time with one another.
We need a pipeline - Currently there are no HBCUs with commercial real estate programs. From my research there are some real estate concentrations within the MBA program at NCCU and that was announced just over a year ago. I did learn that Georgia State University graduates more minorities than any HBCU and that made me smile considering I am working to complete my Master of Science in Commercial Real Estate program at Robinson. I learned this fact from HJ Russell while speaking to him at the conference. Which sends me to the next item on the list….
The networking opportunities is a game changer. I don't want to sound pretentious in any way and list off some of the “heavy weights” that attended or spoke at the event. You will have to believe me when I tell you the list was extensive. I commend Adeola on her massive and powerful network as it appears she has cultivated solid relationships with so many professionals and superstars across the space. The fact that I was able to meet and engage with some of the largest black developers in the country in the same room as professionals in the tech space, as well as young professionals that saw the conference as an opportunity to take their passive real estate investing to the next level, was so fulfilling to me. Being open and excited to meet new people allowed me to connect with great people, some even in my own city.
The lack of minority inclusion in the vast range of professions in CRE is partly due to the lack of exposure. Many of us aren’t exposed to real estate beyond what we see and know so sales, even in the CRE space, is where you see most of your diversity. This aligns with a reoccurring message at the conference where it was discussed how titans like, Herman J. Russell created an organization that produced others greats in the CRE and development industry such as T Dallas Smith, CJ Moody, and Egbert Perry (he is still pinned on my vision board as a role model for myself. Also worth noting I have had thee strongest desire to apply to Wharton since this conference).
Whether you are career focused or an entrepreneur with a relentless vision, this is a conference you can’t afford to miss.
Special shoutout to my brother, Cameron: I skipped an evening networking event to catch up with him and he provided a true NY experince. I reached out soon as I arrived in NYC and told him I was there for a commercial real estate conference. I guess he understood my mindset because after dinner, he took me to Hudson Yards. What a great experience for my second time in the city! Thank you Cam. Hope y’all enjoy some of the pics below.
Check out @mr_monopoly_ on Instagram for photo/video recap of the conference.
