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RETSO REFOCUSIf you’ve been following along with us here at RETSO over the last few months.  You might notice that we’ve been talking from time to time about focus, or more importantly, the need to refocus.

If you know us at all, then you should know us well enough to know that we practice what we preach.  Doing so lead us to the launch of RETSO REFOCUS.  Brad set the stage for us with this excellent explanation of what we hope to achieve on April 4-5, 2013 . . .

In the weeks between now and April 4th, we’re going to explore more deeply what we mean and what you can expect from RETSO REFOCUS. Allow me to begin by setting the stage just a bit. . .

How we got here

When I wrote in my last post that I am partially responsible for what I view as a lack of innovation and failure to fulfill promises made by real estate conferences, I was (and still am) dead serious.  That was not hyperbole.  That was not some clever marketing gimmick to get you to pay attention.

When we sat back and looked at RETSO in its entirety, after 5 wonderful iterations, we knew that it still wasn’t where it should, or needed to be.

It was bold; but not bold enough.  It was innovative; but not innovative enough.  It was pretty awesome; but not nearly awesome enough.

In searching for a solution to cure our burning desire to make RETSO into what we truly believed it should be, we decided that we needed to be willing to make hard decisions.  All options were left on the table for innovation.  That meant that there was also the option (however remote a possibility it was) that we shut down RETSO entirely.

We have very high standards and expectations for the experience that we deliver to the RETSO community.  So we knew that we either needed to create an experience worthy of the RETSO community, or create nothing at all.

Lucky for you, we we came up with something that we think you’ll love.

What is RETSO REFOCUS all about?

RETSO REFOCUS is not your run-of-the-mill real estate conference, or any other industry conference, for that matter.  We knew right away that if we were going to transform the real estate conference experience into something meaningful, we weren’t going to find much inspiration within the industry.

We began with a little idea that anyone who has been to more than one conference will tell you, “the best part of the conference takes place in the hallway.”

I, myself, have said this very thing.  This very thing has been said about RETSO (admittedly, that stings a bit, but in a good way).

Well, wait a second.  That’s not very fair, is it?  If we’re going to ask people to lay out hundreds of bucks of hard earned money to come to an event, shouldn’t the best part of the event be the actual event, and not the other stuff?

That’s exactly what we set out to do.

At RETSO REFOCUS, we’re going to bring all of those deep, high-level, face-melting, business-changing conversations inside the conference rooms.

We’re going to stretch your brain in ways that you probably haven’t been stretched before.  

We’re going to ask more of your focus and attention than any conference you’ve ever been to.

We’re going to push you further than you ever thought you would go at a conference.  Hopefully, right out of your comfort zone.

We’re going to send you home at the end of April 5th with a clear strategy to transform your business and the way you think about it, so that you can then go out and transform the industry.  

Does all of this sound ambitious?  Hell yes.  That’s just how we roll.

Thing is, we know that’s how the RETSO community rolls, too.  Together, we’re going to make this happen.

Who’s in?

So there’s this slightly uncomfortable thing I need to talk about–  RETSO REFOCUS isn’t for everyone.  It just isn’t.

If you are looking for a conference that is going to tell you how to use Facebook, or what to do with Pinterest, or how you can get more leads with Instagram, or what new phone, tablet, or laptop to buy– these aren’t the shiny objects your looking for, move along.

At RETSO REFOCUS, we’ll show you how the most powerful tools you own are located above your shoulders and inside your chest.

If you’re looking for a conference that is going to tell you what the “next big thing” in real estate is– this ain’t it.

At RETSO REFOCUS, the “next big thing” in real estate is already attending the conference.

If you’re looking for a conference that is going to help you predict the future of the real estate industry so that you’ll know what to do next– sorry.

At RETSO REFOCUS, we won’t talk about the future of real estate, because everyone will be too busy being the future of real estate.

 

So, if you’re a doer, then RETSO REFOCUS is for you.  This experience will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before at a real estate conference.  I know I keep saying that, but I can’t stress it enough.  I’m dead serious about it.  Quite honestly, we modeled after an experience that very smart people around the world are paying thousands of dollars for.  We’re only asking for a few hundred, and it will be worth every penny.

Are you in?

 

One more thing

I just wanted to close out this introductory post with one more thing–  when I was talking about RETSO REFOCUS to someone, telling them all about it, they made a very astute observation, “if this is truly as different as you say it is, then how will you even know if it was successful?”

Good question.  I’ve been thinking about this for a while (and Brad and Mike might have different opinions), and I’ve come up with my own very simple measure of the success of RETSO REFOCUS:  I want the #RETSO hashtag to be virtually empty on twitter during April 4-5.

“But Daniel!” you say, “That’s crazy!  Why wouldn’t you want people to be tweeting about RETSO during the event?  Isn’t that just more publicity?  Doesn’t that just drive the conversation? Don’t you want RETSO to be a social object?”

Sure.  But you know what I want even more?

I want people to be so engrossed in the experience of RETSO REFOCUS, and so focused on improving themselves and their businesses for those two days, that they won’t have the time or desire to even open Twitter.

That’s my goal.

Now that you know all this, whaddya think?

Are you in?