First Annual Fastlane Beer and Pancakes Breakfast Meetup!

[Russ H]

Sonya-

I've organized and run workshops all over the US.

Wasn't living in any of the places that I taught.

Easy to do once you know how.

It's not a problem to have this in Phx. And it makes sense, given that MJ is in Phx, and it's an easier commute for him.

All I need is a location (motel) w/a conference room big enought for us to use.

If no one in PHx picks up the ball, I can fly down for a day to scout out the facility (OAK-PHX flights are about $100, roundtrip).

Driving to LA (Disney) from AZ is doable (we did it this year, it was fun).

So as long as we can line up hotel/motel rooms, and a room to meet, we're fine.

Please believe me when I say if Sharon and I organize this thing, it's going to be a bit different from the RD events. Erin had never done event planning before, and we encouraged her to get her feet wet, but didn't really "help" all that much (we just filled in the gaps when she asked for help).

-Russ H.

 

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[Russ H]

Jason_MI-

I had changed my post just minutes after I wrote it, erasing this part since it was self indulgent and maudlin. Sorry you had to read it before I changed it.

Just so ya know:

-I never got your email. Did you send it through the RD boards? (that was to a dead email addy, since I got so many spams via the RD boards).

-We're in the phone book

-We're also the #1 listing on all web search engines.

-Our email address was in my signature line of every post on RD (had been for years).

I'm truly sorry you couldn't find me. I've been looking forward to meeting you ever since you started posting on the RD forums. As a fellow rehabber, I like your ideas and POV.

-Russ H.

 

[AroundTheWorld]

All I need is a location (motel) w/a conference room big enought for us to use.

I can fly down for a day if no one in PHx picks up the ball (OAK-PHX flights are about $100, roundtrip).

Driving to LA (Disney) from AZ is doable (we did it this year, it was fun).

So as long as we can line up hotel/motel rooms, and a room to meet, we're fine.

Please believe me when I say if Sharon and I organize this thing, it's going to be a bit different from the RD events.

Cool Russ. You are Da Man!

Please let me know what I can do to help!

 

[nomadjanet]

This sounds like it is shaping up. Sorry I won't be able to make it. We are going to be here http://www.doralpalmsprings.com/
Our bi annual group meeting Schedule for March 5-10. If you guys tape it maybe you could sell access?
Janet

 

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[kimberland]

Hhhmmm...
why is it that having so much fresh blood on this board,
only the former rich dad'ers are piping up?

I agree with Russ about having people from each wealth building vehicle.
That's why I like the guest speaker approach.
Ensures up front that we have at least one expert from each area.
If we accomplish that we're more likely to get the non real estate people.

Edited to say: Someday I'll get some interest in my guest speaker idea, just you wait and see!

 

[Jason_MI]

You said it was in Chicago, right?

 

[kimberland]

Oh, Chicago would be nice.
One of my favorite cities
AND driving distance (with good shopping along the way)

 

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[bflbob]

Phoenix is a cheap flight from Colorado Springs, so I'd like to join you guys. Can you make it an all day event though? Would be fun to get some speakers, and play some cashflow in the afternoon / evening, or whatever. Would be nice if someone local would pick up the ball and organize it like a seminar. I don't mind paying a small fee for overhead.

Cheers,

- Hakrjak

Hakr:

Even if unplanned, it ends up being an all-day affair.
Groups normally gather for breakfast (most stay in the same hotel).

We get together for meetings from 8am-4pm'ish.
Then we pick a place to eat dinner -- usually go as a group.
(Russ ALWAYS gets screwed out of a few bucks by being the cashier.)

In the evening, it is Cashflow Games and local bars (where Steve-O ALWAYS buys).
Then we draw names for who is spending the night with...oops...different trip.

Last year, Biophase took us on a tour of local hotspots...
...Paradise Valley, where we looked at $1-5Mil homes...
...the Phoenician, home of the world's finest stargazer...
...Steve-O's house, stark in it's simplicity with no furniture...
...and some infamous alley where Skaterboy stared down Steve-O.

All-in-all a fun time, but a learning time.

 

[Satpoint]

How about Vegas? Cheap flight rates- plenty of rooms and we can see who the big rollers are

 

[Russ H]

Kimber-

It's easy to get guest speakers if you have a budget.

Given the size of our group, and the fact that airfare costsfor some is a decision maker, we've tried to do this on the cheap, and have event costs under $100 (having RD HQ for free saved us as a group at least $1000 each time). Because w/$300 airfare and $500 hotel for 3 nights, things can add up.

Bring in a guest speaker and you typically have 2 choices:

1. You pay them. Thousands of dollars (I know, 'cause that's what I used to do). Say we pay them $5,000 (which is cheap-- it's 1/10th of my typical speaker fees from the old days). $5000/25 people = $200 per attendee, per speaker.

2. You get them for free, b/c they're selling something. I don't favor this approach, since we're not that kind of group. We have very sensitive BS meters.

I was able to talk Tom Wheelright into coming last year as a special favor. It costs us a iot of money (5 figures a year) to have him as one of our advisors. And that doesn't include the additional 5 figures we pay his firm to do our taxes. I'm not sure if the rest of the group really realized that when he spoke on Saturday. What we got for free that day was pretty cool.

I'll be happy to work on brainstorming to get guest speakers. I'd love to have them be a part of this event.

And Kimber, if you have a way with your business moxy and feminine wiles to get speakers for little or no $$, I'm all over that. Talk to me.

As regards the make up of attendees, I don't care if they've been drinking purple koolaid or not. Doers are doers. :banana:

-Russ H.

 

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[Russ H]

(Russ ALWAYS gets screwed out of a few bucks by being the cashier.

Jeeze, Bob, don't tell everyone. I'll get stiffed!

For what it's worth, SteveO has also been most gracious with his tips in years past.

-Russ H.

 

[SteveO]

...Steve-O's house, stark in it's simplicity with no furniture...
...and some infamous alley where Skaterboy stared down Steve-O.

I now have most of my furniture. It took as long as 5 months for some of the trees to be grown...

SteveO stared down Skaterboy. Minor detail.

 

[SteveO]

Perhaps Diane will be able to speak at this event. I have a property management company that is willing to present infomation on apartment operations. I am happy to speak as well if there is any interest.

 

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[JesseO]

I'm sure there are a number of experienced people here who would speak for free, just like at the RDPD events. Also, count me in if you are anywhere near the southwest. I think Phoenix sounds great, but Cali might be workable as well. Perhaps there would be some other apartment managers that could come and share insight. I hope SteveO could invite his property manager for a bit of insight into commercial RE management...I hope he would be available to speak as well. Just let me know when and where, and I'll book our plane tickets =)

 

[bflbob]

Perhaps Diane will be able to speak at this event. I have a property management company that is willing to present infomation on apartment operations. I am happy to speak as well if there is any interest.

Yea to all three!

Maybe you could speak on the new types of financing you've been using...conduits, etc.???

 

[SteveO]

With a little (or lot) of arm twisting, I know a good transactional/contract attorney that has a lot of experience in retail centers and apartment complexes.

 

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[bflbob]

With a little (or lot) of arm twisting, I know a good transactional/contract attorney that has a lot of experience in retail centers and apartment complexes.

I'll get Skaterboy on it right awayissed:

I mean, who do you have to sleep with to come up with those connections???

 

[JesseO]

Depending on who you marry...your wife :smxB:

 

[Russ H]

I mean, who do you have to sleep with to come up with those connections???

Wait. I think SteveO has cornered the market on that activity with this particular atty.

You married her, right SteveO?

If she's interested in speaking, that would be way cool. :banana:

And SteveO, what if you presented something that would be of interest to all attendees, not just the REIs? (Like how to pick out furniture for your home? )

Seriously: What about working with other investors? Or how to select the team members you use (the ones not specific to REI)? I'm sure there are other topics that would have a broader interest. We just need to brainstorm.

Just my opinion (Russ H):
I would never ask Diane to be a guest speaker. That puts her in a really tough spot. She's here b/c she gets a lot out of being around us (ideas, feedback, etc.). She makes part of her living by speaking. To ask her to do it for free (or close to it, given what we could afford) would be insulting, I think. A few minutes spent posting to these forums is different from a full day commitment of time. If she volunteered, that'd be a different story. I'd love that.

We're incredibly lucky to have her on these boards. I just don't want to mess with what we have.

As regards other speakers, I would LOVE to get an asset protection attorney to talk to us. Given they have the potential to pick up clients at this shindig, this may be a win-win for someone. Or we may be able to get someone who works on a national level for less. Let's work on this.

JesseO- Kimber has made the point that having attendees speak vs guest speakers would be a compelling reason for some people to attend (don't ask me who . . just some people).

Guest speakers seem like a good idea, provided we can get enough critical mass to a)pay the speaker(s) and b) Have enough people at this event to make it worthwhile for the speaker.

Great ideas-- let's keep this going!

-Russ H.

 

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[SteveO]

I mean, who do you have to sleep with to come up with those connections???

Good one Bob. Good thing she's a looker!

 

[TNT]

WOW! Sounds like a great line up of speakers. How can people not want to be there?

Talmadge

 

[Jason_MI]

Jason_MI-

I had changed my post just minutes after I wrote it, erasing this part since it was self indulgent and maudlin. Sorry you had to read it before I changed it.

Just so ya know:

-I never got your email. Did you send it through the RD boards? (that was to a dead email addy, since I got so many spams via the RD boards).

-We're in the phone book

-We're also the #1 listing on all web search engines.

-Our email address was in my signature line of every post on RD (had been for years).

I'm truly sorry you couldn't find me. I've been looking forward to meeting you ever since you started posting on the RD forums. As a fellow rehabber, I like your ideas and POV.

-Russ H.

No worries. Just giving you some gas.

 

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[bflbob]

Dang . . . for some reason I also missed the fun.

Just so I get it straight: Kimber, Spidey and BFLbob in a 3-way? :3some:

We could actually make thefastlane site a pay per view, if that happens . . .

(Kimber, I think it was you who taught me to always look for extra income streams )


-Russ H.

OK...just to clear this up before it gets blown WAY out of proportion...

It wasn't really so much of a 3-way, as I was filming (most of the time).:smx3:

Lets just say that it involved:

• 3 car batteries:fastlane:
• 1 concrete vibrator
• 6 black plastic garbage bags:smx9:
• 1 case of Instantwhip Cream Topping:smxG:
• 72 Marachino Cherries:smx1:
• 1 Shetland Pony
• 3 "Pocket Gophers" (Spidey:nonod
• 6 cans of Silly String (Spidey was "webbed out"):smxD:
• 1 Hairless Toy Dachshund:eusa_clap:
• 1 Fifth of Bombay Sapphire (Spidey calls it "Anal Lube"):smxA:
• 6 pages from Kimber's first novel:love2:

I've got the video(s) if you're still looking for presenters:icon_super:

 

[kimberland]

2. You get them for free, b/c they're selling something. I don't favor this approach, since we're not that kind of group. We have very sensitive BS meters.

And Kimber, if you have a way with your business moxy and feminine wiles to get speakers for little or no $$, I'm all over that. Talk to me. .

Okay, first and foremost,
EVERYONE is selling something, some are just not as open as others.
I can guarantee that at least one of our speakers at the get together I attended (2 years ago) was selling and selling hard.

I prefer to attend speakers with books (that they could sell or not - though being a book buyer, I'd prefer that it was available for sale) because they have so much content that giving away a chapter or so is not a big deal.

Or a business person who has made their dollars and doesn't mind giving back. Or feels that maybe there's a future franchisee or business partner in the audience.

Once the level of our attendees is communicated, there will be no hard selling. Hard selling doesn't work at our level of wealth ('cause normally we can see through it). Our contact should communicate that directly to the speaker.

So...
I see that you have a lot of volunteers for rounding up speakers
but yes, if you need me to hook you up with speakers for little or no money (I'd send them a personal thank you anyway),
then let me know.

 

[kimberland]

JesseO- Kimber has made the point that having attendees speak vs guest speakers would be a compelling reason for some people to attend (don't ask me who . . just some people).

The point is that we all talk to each other here,
so why NOT take the opp to get an outside speaker?

Are we gonna try for some local press for Fastlane with this gig?
Just an idea...
Synergies, baby, gotta make hard work stretch.

 

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[azzuri]

Sounds like a good reason to plan a trip to the West Coast or PHX. Count me in. Sounds like we also have a number of tri-state based folks (NJ/NY). How about something local in addition to?

 

[reipro]

Hey all,

We would love to attend/participate in the event. We were one of the orginal speakers at the Richdad Vegas event about 4 years ago. We are starting to network again so please keep us in the loop!

 

[Charmed Angel]

Wow!! You can really miss a lot in a few months.

Russ I would be happy to help organize this, as I live in Tucson and it's only 1.5 hour drive up to Phx. Although I will be out of town for the next two weeks, I'm in Hawaii :banana::banana: So I won't be doing much while I'm here.

Let me know if you still would like a local to scope out things.

Lisa

 

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[Russ H]

Lisa-

Wow-- welcome to the fastlane! :banana::banana::banana:

Great to have you here.

Yes, by all means-- if you're willing to do some scouting for locations, that would be fantastico!

(For those that don't know, Lisa (Charmed Angel) was the person who scouted and found the great hotel for this year's 2007 RD get together).

Woo Hoo!




-Russ H.

 

[andviv]

Lisa, great to have you here. You'll have to update us in your rehabbing deals... but don't worry, we can wait until you get back from Hawaii.

I think we need to start getting an official count of participants so whoever is looking for the location has an idea of how big the space needs to be. Count me and my cashflow 101 board in. I don't know what would be my topic this time, but hey, I have time to come up with something interesting for y'all