The Agency marked its incredible success and growth over the past eight years by hosting its inaugural Global Forum. The two-day conference brought together hundreds of agents from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as leading industry specialists and paradigm-shifting innovators at the 1 Hotel West Hollywood. The conference gave agents an opportunity to learn and network, and brought together some of the best and brightest minds in real estate today.
Day two kicked off with a 30-minute meditation session led by mindfulness coach, Sherly Sulaiman, who got attendees mentally prepped for the busy day ahead as they sipped kombucha from Health-Ade.
The Agency’s Co-Founders, CEO Mauricio Umansky and President Billy Rose, gave a rousing company address in which they reflected on the past eight years and looked to the future.
“I see the love and the bond between all of you. And that, to me, is our competitive advantage,” said Billy. “You don’t get happiness from success, you get success from happiness.”
“This company was built for agents, by agents,” Mauricio said. “It’s so important to surround yourself with great people—people with passion and grit—who will lift you up. We are meant to be the few. And what makes us special is how we all come together.”
In his remarks, Mauricio pointed to the numbers, reminding the crowd that while The Agency represents less than 1% of agents in L.A., the firm’s market share is an astounding 22%. Plus, Mauricio noted, The Agency has sold 50% of L.A. properties priced over $100 million and is credited with selling 6 out of 10 of L.A.’s biggest real estate transactions.
Agents took part in a range of specialized training sessions and workshops led by Clara Capano of Ninja Selling, digital marketing expert James Rembert, and The Agency’s Managing Partner and #7 ranked agent in the nation Santiago Arana.
Panel discussions were led by The Agency Development Group and The Agency Creates, both of which shared updates on some of the world’s most prestigious new developments—including Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco, Mandarina in Riviera Nayarit and Estancia in Santa Barbara. The Agency’s Public Relations division invited prominent journalists from Architectural Digest, Robb Report and CSQ Magazine to discuss the best tactics for garnering properties media coverage across print and digital platforms. Attendees also learned key insights on current real estate contracts and agreements from on-staff general counsel Brandon Braga, game-changing sales technology tips from Chief Operating Officer Shane Farkas, and insider strategies from social media manager Luke Mulvey and top agents Tracy McLaughlin, Lindsay Guttman, Paul Lester, David Parnes and James Harris.
After a spirit-lifting performance from L.A. gospel-pop choir, RAISE, the Forum concluded with an inspiring and heartfelt closing keynote address from bestselling author, entrepreneur, and ESPY award-winning mixed martial arts athlete, Kyle Maynard.
The celebration continued the following afternoon at The Agency’s eighth annual anniversary party, which took place at a historic home in Encino.