The Global Networking Event, held at The Wynn in Las Vegas from April 24 to 26, 2023, is an extraordinary luxury real estate conference where attendees hear from brand leaders and keynote speakers, see the unveiling of SIR latest marketing and technology tools, and network with colleagues from across the globe. Nearly 3,000 agents and staff from 44 states and 40 countries attended, making it Sotheby’s International Realty’s largest brand event to date. “The GNE highlights the strength of the Sotheby’s International Realty brand and the vast amount of knowledge, experience, and professionalism of our amazing network of agents,” says Andy Lynch, the Chief Financial Officer of Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, who was a panelist on a breakout session about financial metrics and reporting for real estate brokerages. “It is a one-of-kind opportunity to learn from industry leaders and share ideas amongst the world’s top real estate professionals.” “Understanding what other brokerages are doing and experiencing provides us with perspective to help give our clients get a leg up,” adds Lynch. “We continue to leverage Sotheby’s International Realty’s powerful network to stay ahead of industry trends and technological innovations to ensure we provide exceptional service.” We had 5 agents and 2 staff attend this year’s conference: Linda MacDonald, Agent Heather Shields, Agent Sandra Wendland, Agent Stephanie Branch, Agent Laura Farr, Agent Andy Lynch, Chief Financial Officer Dana Whittaker, Brokerage Services For many, the highlights of the event were the inspiring speeches from extraordinary guest speakers, including: Keynote Speaker Indra Nooyi, former chairman and chief executive officer, PepsiCo Restaurateur Will Guidara, former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and author of “Unreasonable Hospitality: Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect” Sarah Lee, COO, New Story Philip White, President and CEO, Sotheby’s International Realty Charles Stewart, President and CEO, Sotheby’s Ryan Schneider, President and CEO, Anywhere Real Estate “From the world-class keynote speakers to all of the panelists, one thing was clear—especially after three years of being apart—people always have been and always will be our primary focus,” says Dana Whittaker, Brokerage Services. “Former PepsiCo CEO, Indra Nooyi, was a brilliant communicator and highlighted servant leadership while challenging the status quo. Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality, emphasized the importance of taking care of each other, and how that idea turned his New York brasserie into one of the best restaurants in the world.” “GNE is an absolute whirlwind of impressive events and networking,” says agent Heather Shields. “The impact of the Sotheby’s International Realty brand is profound and the quality of the agents is second to none. I was able to get in a dinner with people who I love from affiliate offices all over the country, and a few smaller networking events, which was amazing. The Keynote Speaker, Indra Nooyi, blew me away because her approach to leadership is all about being humble and caring about your people and impacting them in a positive way. That was totally inspiring for me. Her speech was my favorite part… and when I saw Tom Brady at a restaurant! Anything can happen in Vegas.” “Sotheby’s International Realty treated us like royalty, with two over-the-top Las Vegas-style receptions with gourmet selections, desserts, and plenty of libations,” adds Dana Whittaker. “It was awesome to connect with lots of old friends and make about 1,000 new ones!”   Special Feature: The GNE App “The GNE app made everything and everyone accessible—bringing the best of the best in our network even closer. We had the opportunity to enter our bio, then message and connect with other attendees. The Networking Lounge was broken up into lifestyles like waterfront, equestrian, golf properties, and so on. If I wanted to meet other waterfront agents, for example, you could coordinate to meet up for ‘sphere networking’ using the GNE app,” add Dana Whittaker. “While lots of new technology is at the forefront of our ever-changing industry, the constant theme of the entire event was that the most important aspect of our business is relationships.” “Using the app, we could “Star” the classes and meetings we wanted to attend and get details on the speakers and locations. FAQ’s included WiFi and dress code information, which was very helpful,” Whittaker adds. “I learned a lot from the ‘Negotiation’ class with Kwame Christian, and ‘Ninja Selling’ with author, Larry Kendall. ”   New Marketing Initiative: What’s Next Brad Nelson, the Chief Marketing Officer of Sotheby’s International Realty, announced a new marketing initiative, “What’s Next”: I’m excited to introduce our new advertising campaign for Sotheby’s International Realty: Nothing Compares to What’s Next…  This campaign expands on our successful 2021 Nothing Compares campaign and emphasizes the unique value of partnering with our global real estate advisors. Our clients always imagine themselves in that next place, that next stage of their lives. And by working with you, the industry’s best agents who curate with incomparable attention to style and detail, their what’s next can be realized. Nothing Compares to What’s Next is designed for social media and will be featured across video, digital, and print media. We’re investing millions of dollars into this campaign, and it will be promoted on a global portfolio of media partners, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Nikkei, Google, Facebook, and Instagram. We’re also introducing a major partnership with YouTube Connected TV to bring our brand to the largest screen in clients’ homes, capitalizing on today’s trends and how consumers consume media.