Inman Connect is LIVE Aug. 8-10! Join us for impactful interviews, cutting-edge conversations and networking with thousands of real estate pros. Get valuable takeaways to thrive in a rapidly shifting market. Can’t come to Vegas? Register now for a virtual ticket.
Well, well, well: Look who’s decided to join us again after a dynamic Inman Connect New York in January.
Hopefully, you remembered to bring your business cards this time, but if you didn’t, no worries. We’re sure you’ll be too busy dashing from room to room to catch dynamic speakers, such as Robert Reffkin, Sherry Chris and Inman’s very own Brad Inman, Dani Vanderboegh and Jim Dalrymple II to stop and pull them out anyway.
Plus, there’ll be plenty of time to make new friends at Cocktails at Connect, catch up with colleagues over dinner at one of Aria’s 20 top-notch restaurants (Carbone and Din Tai Fung are editorial team favorites), or get into some good trouble with your crew while exploring the sights and sounds of the Las Vegas Strip.
There’s plenty to see, learn and do during your time in Las Vegas, and we’re back with another guide to make sure your bet on ICLV yields a jackpot you can cash in on all year long. Use the guide below to expertly navigate conference sessions, learning labs and vendor areas and get back home in one piece — we’re not responsible for any mysterious rendezvous with Mike Tyson that ends with regrettable face tattoos or tigers you might run into along the way.
Tuesday, Aug. 8
Welcome to ICLV! You resisted the temptation to drain your conference budget on the slot machines in Harry Reid International Airport and expertly dodged the street vendors offering free Cirque du Soleil tickets in exchange for a “brief presentation” on timeshares. After settling into the Aria and dining at the world-renowned Taco Bell Cantina on Harmon Corner the night before, we’re sure you’re more than ready for the first day of the conference.
Get started: If you’re an early riser, head down to Bristlecone Ballroom (West Convention Center, Level One) at 8 a.m. to meet one of the many vendors sharing cutting-edge tech tools and platforms that make listing, marketing, transaction management and closings a breeze.
While you’re there, pick up a complimentary grab-and-go breakfast next to the Networking Zone.
General session: The conference officially kicks off at 9 a.m. with two hours of dynamic speakers gracing the Pinyon 4 stage. Although we hope you’ll stick around for both hours, we understand the pull of carefully planned brunch-business meetings or other networking opportunities.
With that in mind, here are 3 general session segments you can’t afford to miss:
- Brad Inman will open ICLV with a dynamic and insightful keynote about artificial intelligence and how the industry can move from fearing the AI revolution to embracing it. Before the session, take some time to read Inman’s latest opinion piece, “The AI race is on in real estate,” and his witty LinkedIn post “73 Things People Will be Doing at Connect Vegas.”
- As much as the real estate industry has evolved over the past three years, two bombshell buyer-broker commission lawsuits are poised to bring a wave of change that will eclipse anything we’ve seen before. The Kendall Bonner Team brokered by eXp Realty founder Kendall Bonner will explain the ramifications of the Sitzer/Burnett and Moehrl cases and the potential rise of a new brokerage model.
- Between a failed acquisition and the departure of its former CEO, it’s no secret that Realtor.com has had a rough 2023. However, Realtor.com’s new leader Damian Eales is ready to push the portal back to the top. Come to his sitdown with Inman founder Brad Inman for a sneak peek into Realtor.com’s future.
Take a break: If you’re a Lunch & Lounge ticket holder, head over to the Cypress Lounge (East Convention Center, Level Two) at 11 a.m. to enjoy two delicious buffet options. Although the lunch portion ends at 1 p.m., you have all-day access to the room to recharge between sessions or host an impromptu meeting with a new acquaintance.
If you don’t have access to Lunch & Lounge, don’t worry. You can hobnob with the best and brightest agents at the Agent Networking Meetup in Bristlecone Ballroom 2 and 3 from 11:15 a.m. to noon. Before the conference ramps up again at 1 p.m., go across the street to Cosmopolitan Las Vegas’ Block 16 Urban Food Hall for high-quality quick eats.
A fan favorite is famed chef David Chang’s Bāng Bar, which serves Asian-inspired griddled flatbread sandwiches and rice bowls. If you love what Bāng Bar is serving, go back to Chang’s flagship restaurant Momofuku for a one-of-a-kind dinner experience.
Get to the nitty-gritty with team, agent and broker tracks
You’ve spent the morning learning about the overarching trends ruling the industry. Now it’s time to learn how those trends specifically impact your role with a series of insightful sessions in the Pinyon 2 (Teams), Pinyon 4 (Agent) and Bristlecone 5 (Broker) ballrooms.
- Agent Connect: Volatile mortgage rate fluctuations and other market headwinds have pushed buyers and sellers to the sideline. Lifestyle International Realty Partner and Mastery Trainer Dana Cadena, The Ask Sarita Team Principal Broker Sarita Dua and star SERHANT. salesperson Talia McKinney will share strategies for successfully prospecting and skillfully answering common buyer and seller objections.
- Broker Connect: The 2020 social uprisings sparked needed conversations about racism and sexism in real estate. Some of the industry’s biggest companies responded to the moment by establishing diversity initiatives, hiring diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leaders and making pledges toward countering the impact of redlining and other discriminatory policies. Keller Williams Papasan Properties Founder Wendy Papasan and Keller Williams Head of Inclusion and Belonging Julia Lashay Isreal will share strategies for keeping the social justice fire burning bright and explain how investments in DEI make a big impact on your bottom dollar.
- Team Connect: Not only has 2023 been challenging for consumers, but it’s also been challenging for agents who are struggling to find a place to grow and thrive through market headwinds. Side co-founder and Chief Business Officer Hilary Saunders, Doora Properties founder Troy Palmquist and Hustle & Heart Homes founder Emily Corning explain how to recruit a rock-solid team and retain them with stellar support and systems.
Although we only highlighted these three, there are more than 20 sessions throughout the afternoon with engaging speakers, such as CMLS CEO Denee Evans, Anywhere Franchise Brands President and CEO Liz Gehringer, Katie Lance Consulting founder Katie Lance, Social Agent Academy founder Mike Sherrard and The Real Brokerage President Sharran Srivatsaa.
Use our flagship ICLV and ICNY iOS and Android mobile app, Inman Events, to keep track of the sessions and speakers at the top of your list.
Closing time: You made it through the first day! Unwind in the Expo Hall with Cocktails at Connect from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The cocktails are even better in Las Vegas, so take it easy!
The after-party: Las Vegas is your oyster — take advantage of it! If you’d like to tickle your gastronomic delights, head over to Park MGM’s Best Friend for family-style Korean fare with a luxurious twist. Or if you’d like something more casual, catch up with friends over a round of brews and pasties at the Cornish Pasty Company on Charleston Boulevard.
After dinner, head to a Cirque du Soleil show (Michael Jackson ONE is a personal favorite), take a spin on the High Roller ferris wheel, test out your dancing shoes at Aria’s JEWEL nightclub, or simply saunter down the Strip for some interesting people watching.
Wednesday, Aug. 9
Get started: How was that after-party on Tuesday? Rough? After taking a couple of Tylenol and regaining your energy with a quick workout, begin your day with us once again in the Bristlecone Ballroom with a complimentary grab-and-go breakfast. If you’re a latte aficionado or need something stronger than a basic brew, there are two Starbucks within the hotel.
Don’t forget to swing by our registration desk in Bristlecone 10 to pick up a replacement badge, chat with attendees and meet some of our event’s team (they’re the best!).
General session: You know what time it is. Get to Pinyon 4 bright and early to grab a seat and prepare for another day of dynamic speakers. As with yesterday, it’s best to stick around for the two hours — after all, you might miss out on a speaker doing a killer crane kick or spilling the beans on a new project.
However, if that’s not possible, here are a few sessions you must see:
- Best-selling author and AMPLIFII founder René Rodriguez is kicking off the day with a stirring keynote about how to amplify your influence and become the trusted source and authority to your clients and your peers.
- The past 12 months have been filled with mounting losses and challenges for the industry’s best and brightest companies and leaders. Compass co-founder and CEO Robert Reffkin hasn’t been immune to those challenges; however, remained bullish as ever thanks to his unlikely story to the top of real estate. In a heartfelt Q&A with Brad Inman, Reffkin will share the grit and tenacity it takes to thrive through difficult moments.
- In times of distress, humans and animals have one of two responses: Fight or flight. Anywhere Franchise Brands President and CEO Liz Gehringer, Redfin Senior Vice President of Real Estate Operations Jason Aleem and HomeLight CEO Drew Uher will share their best tips for fighting against market headwinds with thoughtfulness and strategy.
Take a break: If you’re a Lunch & Lounge ticket holder, head back to the Cypress Lounge (East Convention Center, Level Two) at 11 a.m. to eat and unwind until the conference schedule speeds back up at 1 p.m. However, if you want to squeeze all you can out of the last full day in Las Vegas, go to Side and Cinc’s lively sponsored sessions (11:15 to noon in Pinyon 2 and 3) explaining how to dominate your market and effectively leverage artificial intelligence.
Get to the nitty-gritty with team, agent and broker tracks
If you thought the first was good, the second day of Agent (Pinyon 3 and 4) and Broker Connect (Bristlecone 5) is even better. Plus, we’re helping you traverse the ins and outs of the mortgage industry with Mortgage Connect (Bristlecone Ballrooms 4 and 6) and parse the data in Data Connect (Pinyon 4).
- Agent Connect: A topsy-turvy market has agents and brokers rethinking whether bigger is indeed better. Inman Special Projects Editor Jim Dalrymple II and Side co-founder and CEO Guy Gal will attempt to answer that question through an engaging conversation about the role of boutique brokerages in a market shift.
- Broker Connect: We live in a content-saturated world, meaning it’s harder than ever for brokers and their teams to cut through the noise and reach the markets they serve. PLACE Head of Industry Vija Williams, Joe Taylor Group at Real Broker co-founder and broker Joe Herrera and Figueroa Team founder Veronica Figueroa share how to generate, repurpose and reshare relevant content that converts.
- Mortgage Connect: Mortgage rates have been the main villain in 2023’s sales slump, despite rates still being near historical lows (Remember the 80s?!). Guaranteed Rate, loanDepot and Maxwell executives Shant Banosian, John Bianchi and John Paasonen will explain current mortgage trends, give context behind upcoming rate hikes and provide forecasts on what may come.
- Data Connect: Are we headed for a recession? Have we hit the bottom on sales? Is 2024 the horizon we’ve been waiting for? Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner will break down the latest housing market indicators and what they say about what’s coming ahead.
This is only a small sliver of what Inman has planned for the second day of ICLV. There are dynamic sessions covering the future of MLSs, discussing the next step of the AI revolution and providing tips on how to get involved in the world of proptech. The women are also having their say during WomanUP’s highly-popular transformational leadership session in Pinyon 2 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
We know it’s impossible to catch everything ICLV has to offer. Luckily, your ticket includes access to playbacks of both general sessions and the handful of sessions and specialized tracks that will also be live-streamed for our virtual ticket holders.
Closing time: Come back for another round at Cocktails at Connect from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. before enjoying your final night in Las Vegas.
The after-party: Leave the glitz and glamour of the Strip for a spin around Fremont, the original epicenter of Las Vegas nightlife. If you really want to be transported into the past, visit the Neon Museum where you can wander through a carefully curated “boneyard” of Las Vegas’ most iconic hotel and casino signs.
Thursday, Aug. 10
It’s never easy to say goodbye, but it’s time to make your final bets and head home. Like the previous days, you can grab a quick complimentary breakfast in Pinyon 5 and chat with vendors before the Expo Hall closes at noon.
General session: Today is all about the general session, so there’s no excuse to leave early unless you’re with the group of dynamic Aussies that routinely come to ICLV — You can tell we love them, right?
But if you have to go, at least stick around for these 3 sessions:
- Zillow and Keller Williams tech leaders Curt Beardsley and David Voorhees will talk about the neverending quest to build the best end-to-end platform and the main barriers that stand in brokerages’ way to build the holy grail of platforms.
- GLOBL Redfounder Kofi Nartey will discuss how maintaining a healthy and robust mindset is the key to success in any market.
- Celebrate the winners of the Innovator Awards with moderators Katie Kossev and Laura Monroe.
You’ve made it — Take the afternoon to do some networking, sightseeing, or prepare for your flight home. Although Inman Connect Las Vegas is over, you can continue the journey by watching replays of conference sessions and making Inman part of your daily reading routine. You’re reading Inman, right? Right? Good.
Until next time!