9 Things You Need To Know About This Retreat For Young Real Estate Leaders
At the 1 Hotel in South Beach, Florida, real estate’s most promising leaders gather annually for Ascent, a two-day retreat of networking, professional development and wellness talks. Beginning as a networking event to build bonds and do deals within CRE, Ascent has become the premier event for top owners, developers and investors looking to take their careers to the next level.
The retreat gets leaders out of the office to not only forge long-lasting capital partnerships, but also share valuable advice on topics like navigating work-life balance and building a professional brand. It is Bisnow's 45-and-under retreat and focuses on personal and professional growth, dealmaking and developing a company culture.
Here are nine things you need to know about one of the most career-defining retreats in the industry.
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Ascent is designed for the young, rising leaders of real estate development and investment firms throughout the U.S. who are in charge of closing deals for their firms. Attendees are between 30 and 45 years old and are eager to learn from and engage with their peers as they grow their businesses to new heights.
Attendees are building their legacies, they are establishing a company culture or being groomed to take over their respective companies, and, perhaps most importantly, they are learning on the go.
During Ascent, attendees have access to a network of some of the most influential owners, developers and investors in the industry. The proximity to these leaders and the casual atmosphere of the retreat encourages dealmaking.
Attendees can find off-market deals, forge new capital relationships and form potential joint ventures.
Ascent attendees, many of whom have just started a family, are still learning how to balance work and their personal lives. Beyond providing a chance to connect with like-minded individuals with similar growing pains, Ascent curates a collection of activities and conversations oriented around better wellness practices and stress management.
At this year’s retreat, attendees can look forward to intimate opportunities to not only network with peers, but also share advice on building a reputation and corporate culture.
Mindfulness discussions and yoga classes are just some activities that appeal to Ascent attendees’ willingness to embrace new ideas. As leaders of commercial real estate, attendees have a finger on the pulse of the latest technology, investment and development trends. Ascent offers them an opportunity to not only learn from each other but also attend TED Talk-style lectures.
Curators invite speakers on the cutting edge of business, technology and personal development to share their best practices beyond the scope of CRE. This year’s retreat features Black Swan Group CEO and former head of the FBI's international hostage and negotiation team Chris Voss, among other speakers.
At Ascent, attendees focus on how they can build their future real estate empires and form long-lasting relationships that will stay with them throughout their careers. With founding members, managing partners or CEOs making up 50% of attendees, building a brand is an essential strategy for taking their careers to the next level.
Reputation management is a common concern for all professionals. In an era where news travels at the speed of swipe, learning how to respond to current events and react appropriately to cultural movements can make or break a business. Ascent provides attendees a space to gather to share those concerns, and discuss tips for how to build a brand that lasts.
Ascent curators handpick attendees and carefully program events to create an environment that encourages innovative thinking and new investment ideologies. At daily “tribe sessions,” attendees are broken up into curated, closed-door groups of 10 to 12 people based on similar interests and potential business synergies.
From conversations on the changing retail landscape to balancing board meetings with family outings, Ascent attendees can share their concerns and solicit advice in a confidential, low-pressure environment.
During the “Future Of Real Estate” lecture series, attendees have the opportunity to listen to a selection of urban planners, tech evangelists and innovative developers that go beyond the typical real estate conversation about what inning the industry is in. Commercial real estate can redefine how people live, and the lectures and conversations at Ascent reflect the industry's multidisciplinary reach.
From conversations on walkable urban design to the rise of the Internet of Things, Ascent takes the current events reshaping the world and applies them to commercial real estate.
One of the key aspects of the retreat is that 90% of our attendees are on the principal side of the business. Only 10% of the attendees are third-party service providers, and they are best-in-class for their industry niche. During activities like speed dealmaking, attendees have the opportunity to meet with their colleagues without awkward icebreakers.
Ascent will take place Nov. 5 and 6 at the 1 Hotel South Beach in Miami. Through several excursions and activities during the retreat, Ascent attendees have the opportunity to go beyond the walls of the hotel and explore what Miami has to offer.
