The value of MOM meetings has been and still is self-evident. We can always learn from others, especially during the unusually challenging times. The efforts to host such an event, as well as the costs involved, have been established. Would a form of tele
I had mentioned this in a private email in response to the concerns over the cost of travel.
I don’t know if it would work out or not but it seems like a topic worth consideration.
Here is my reasoning.
In times past, real estate investing was a local game. In recent times the macro economic issues and credit crisis have changed our national and local playing fields.
I believe that it is through MOM type of discussion we are likely to begin to find opportunities and solutions. The idea of a teleconference, or as my non-techno self put it… “one of the Jetson TV’s,” may well be a way for groups to gather together locally, brainstorm solutions to macro concerns and discover local applications that can then be shared to the national group via the “Jetson TV/teleconference.”
If this idea were to take on life it might be worth considering doing so in stages so that brainstorms of local focus can be considered by all groups before discussing them via the “Jetson TV/teleconference.”
Don’t get me wrong, there is NO substitute for face to face interaction. Before the MOM events came to life I called these get together’s “Hallway Capitalist Meetings.”
The nights spent sitting side by side with folks from this site and others, hanging out on hotel patios or collecting in different rooms for after hour discussions were among the most pivital and educational moments of my business life.
I do not wish for the lack of travel funds to prolong our recovery and discovery. I am more than happy to put together a local get together in my area and if some wish to travel (Dr. B for example has offered to do so) then even better. From there we can decide how to use all the new technical advances to put something together on the national stage for all to learn from.
I could easily forsee small, YouTube style videos being collected on different topics, different speakers and at different locations that could be viewed by all at little or no cost to both viewer and maker.
This seems to me to be the next generation of educational format but that’s just my opinion.
Tony Colella
Post Edited (04-14-11 20:51)
That is why I have never been a fan of local Real estate investing associations. I will admit to be very baised here after meeting some of their local guru’s/newbie predators as I have seen it.
I realize there are good groups with good intent but even in the best I see sharks in the water. Send me the sour emails all you like but my mind has been made up.
Like you Dale, the face to face is where my money is placed but in lieu of the money for folks to make such a trip we have to think outside the box. With that said, I think you mistook my emphasis on the local group meeting to mean your local REIA. I assure you was not.
I meant people from this forum and CRE getting together with local Lonnie dealers, land/home investors, park owners, hard money lenders/mobile home investors to strategize for their local area and then voice this on the net for a larger audience to hopefully unveil some nugget that triggers the other local group to consider an alternative previously overlooked.
Hey, if you want to drive to North Carolina for some future get together we do, consider yourself invited.
Tony
Post Edited (04-14-11 20:50)
The person who may be the best at putting an online gathering together would be our very own Alexander Hanak. You know…Greg’s IT guy. Alex could you look into this and give us some options please.
I have participated in a gotomeeting.com type event before and I believe that or as Tony suggests a youtube would be great for presenting a topic or strategy, but not much for interaction. I guess I wonder if we still have newbies, the MOM this fall in Indiana was comprised of all experienced MH & MHP investors.
Meeting face to face for dinner or drinks or whatever is the most informative to me. I have a focus issue with online formats. Just another 2 cents
I will be at MOM unless it conflicts with my quest to catch big Yellow Fin Tuna in remote parts of the world.
I agree meeting face to face or drinks can be most informative. However it would cost me close to $1000 to have that drink. That’s one expensive meeting.
I would rather spend $20-40 and listen to and interact w/ people on a webinar.
I would imagine I would get much more value out of the webinar. Is a face-to-face meeting really worth 50 to 100x more in value not to mention the lost time in travel which is measured in days?
Bill,
While I have proposed the webinar type approach during these hard economic times I can assure you, nothing is more worth it than meeting folks face to face. The spontinaity of conversation from investing to life experiences and different deals and business ventures keeps the mind in overdrive.
I learned that I could sit and talk with Bernd about things I had barely scratched the surface watching on the history channel. I can talk the difference in comfort level for smaller deals vs. larger deals with Rick Ewens while also learning why he and I differ in some investment and yet are quite similar in other areas of interest.
The frienships I have made at these events have lasted for over a decade in many cases and these are the folks you call on for advice, help or a kick in the pants. I would not give them up for anything.
Most of my good friends are a direct result of the face to face meetings. Lonnie and Joanne Scruggs have become family to me. Karl Kleiner and John Hyre have been like family over the years. Don NY, Lyal, Ryan, Lin, Dr. B, Tye, Daphne, Greg and so many more are not faces in the crowd but folks I have come to respect and know. We have laughed and in some cases darn near cried together through good times and not so good.
I spent more than a grand each time I went to an event over the last 12 years or more. The results, frienships and experiences were priceless.
While times are tough we have to make do with what we can all afford and not doing something is just not going to get us out of it. If the webinar approach is a step in the right direction I am all for it but I believe the local get togethers with folks from this site and CRE will make the greatest contributions to each investor. Being shy or lazy and not attending those is a huge loss for the investors both new and seasoned.
Tony
You don’t respect me, Tony? Don’t know me?
Ya got me right here, Shrek.
;-(3
no offense intended Steve, just hadn’t known you to be one who attended many events is all.
Tony
Please let me know if yall put together a webinar, I would like to learn more.Or if yall put together something on u tube.Thanks