There's a version of this business where you put your head down, work your deals, and never come up for air. A lot of agents operate that way. The best ones don't.
Last week I attended the Compass NorCal Summit at Appellation Healdsburg, a new resort in Sonoma wine country. The gathering brought together top-producing brokers from across Northern California and select markets around the country, including Aspen.
The Room
The group was self-selecting in the best way. These aren't agents content with the status quo. They're the ones still showing up to get better, still curious about what's changing and how to stay ahead of it. What struck me most was how open everyone was. Top producers sharing their playbook freely, comparing notes on what's working, asking real questions. No posturing, regardless of age or tenure. That culture, collaborative and candid in spite of the competitive pressures everyone faces day to day, says something about what Compass has managed to build at scale.
The Bay Area as a Leading Indicator
San Francisco has always been ground zero for technology and innovation, and that plays out directly in real estate. The clients there are among the most sophisticated and data-forward anywhere, and the brokers who have thrived in that environment have had to adapt faster and earlier than most. What's standard practice in that market tends to trickle outward. Spending time with that group offers a genuine look at where the industry is heading, including eventually to Aspen.
I spent a decade as a commercial broker in San Francisco before relocating my family to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2021. That market shaped how I think, and reconnecting with it was a useful reminder of how much is still in motion.
What I'm Bringing Back
Aspen buyers come from somewhere. Building trusted relationships with top brokers across Northern California, including Lake Tahoe, Wine Country, Marin County, San Francisco, the East Bay, and Silicon Valley, means my clients benefit on both ends of a move, whether they're arriving in the valley or moving on from it.
Beyond the relationships, I'm coming back with specific approaches, perspectives, and technology applications I'm already working to incorporate into how I operate. The goal is straightforward: serve clients at a higher level than I did yesterday.
If you're considering a move to Aspen or the Roaring Fork Valley, or you're a broker in another market looking to build a referral relationship, I'd welcome the conversation.
