'This Generation Is Ready To Chat': How Young Professionals Can Leverage Bisnow’s Networking Opportunities

For commercial real estate professionals starting their careers, networking is everything. It allows them to build the connections they need to learn the ropes, close deals and advance professionally. Finding those networking opportunities, however, isn't always easy. 

This is where Bisnow comes in. 

Bisnow created its Young Professionals Network to provide young CRE professionals with opportunities to connect and build professional relationships with peers. The unique nature of Bisnow's network is that the majority of the people in it are CRE principals — owners, operators, developers, and debt and equity capital investors — from across the U.S., Bisnow Director of Executive Retreats Sam Tiffany said.

Bisnow Director of Executive Retreats Jessica Brucker said that in many cases, young people attending networking events encounter a variety of people at different points in their careers, from new professionals to experienced veterans. While it can be beneficial to meet people at all stages, they may not be as committed to expanding their network as those who are just starting out. Through the Young Professionals Network, however, they can meet people at the same stage. 

“A lot of young people going to conferences and events on behalf of their company end up mingling with CRE professionals who have decades of experience and may not be as inclined to reach out if an opportunity presents itself,” she said. “As this group of young people moves forward in their careers along the same trajectory, they’re more likely to pick up the phone and create opportunities for one another.”

On April 28-29, the Young Professionals Network will gather in Nashville for Bisnow's third annual Elevate conference to participate in networking and dealmaking and attend keynotes and educational workshops. This year’s conference will welcome approximately 300 attendees.

This invitation-only conference lays the groundwork for attendees’ career success. They will leave with new contacts and the knowledge and insight to help them in their future endeavors, Brucker said. 

“This generation is ready to chat about what’s going on in the industry,” Brucker said. “Through networking, they can get a better understanding of where opportunities lie and what their peers have to say about the state of CRE.”

While Bisnow reaches out to top talent who would be a good fit for Elevate, employees can also apply or be nominated by their employer to attend.

Tiffany said networking isn’t limited to the two days spent at Elevate and that joining the Young Professionals Network is a “long-term investment” for attendees and the companies they represent.

“The Young Professionals Network provides touchpoints for relationship-building and an opportunity to engage in conversations throughout the year,” he said.

Elevate attendees can reach out to their peers before, during and after the conference using Bisnow's Elevate app, Brucker said. The app enables them to build a profile and contact other participants to initiate conversations and set up meetings.

This year’s conference will include a keynote with Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman and CA South CEO Meg Epstein, as well as workshops led by Urban Atlantic Managing Partner Vicki Davis, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services CEO Kyle Matthews, Time Equities Senior Managing Director David Becker, JLL Head of Capital Markets Research Lauro Ferroni and more.

At Ackman-Ziff President Simon Ziff’s Coffee and Capital session, attendees can exchange insight into their company’s capital and connect through the Elevate app to talk further and make deals happen.

Brucker said the conference enables attendees to create their own itineraries based on their goals, whether that be to get to the next level in their careers or meet other investment and development professionals in the same asset class.

“Everything we do is very intentional,” Brucker said. “We all work closely together to make sure we get a diverse group and we’re stepping outside the box to create opportunities for young professionals that haven't existed in CRE. There’s nothing of this caliber on a national front that creates direct deal-generation opportunities combined with professional growth on an invite-only basis.”

While at Elevate, attendees will participate in structured activities intended to foster long-term connections. Speed networking pairs owners and developers with capital providers for a series of three-minute conversations. Attendees will also be split into smaller groups for tribe sessions, an open forum to discuss industry trends and experiences and exchange advice and best practices. 

“With speed networking and tribe sessions, we curate groups that pair people in similar businesses and have similar business synergies and who have similar investment criteria,” Brucker said.

She said the tribe sessions provide the greatest return on investment.

“A lot of attendees plan to stay in touch with one another throughout the year, creating group chats and having golf meetings,” she said. “It’s awesome to hear because it means we’re doing something right, bringing quality people together.”

She said that each Elevate attendee also gets complimentary access to Bisnow's regional morning events, which they can attend on behalf of their companies. There, they can reunite with members from the Young Professionals Network, meet new people and learn more about their particular market. 

Bisnow does its part to stay in the loop with attendees, helping them continue to build relationships, checking in periodically and supporting them in their career achievements. The team intends to keep the Young Professionals Network informed about any planned events or gatherings, Brucker said. 

“We don’t just give you a sales pitch about the Young Professionals Network, invite you to Elevate and then leave you out in the cold,” she said. “We’re always having conversations about how you can expand your vision about what you’re trying to build and work to make it happen.”

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.