Conference Recap with Pro Athlete Relocation
In the months leading up the conference, our then acquaintance and eventual friend, Jonathan Miller, explained to us the value of conference like the SFAA 2016 annual conference in Scottsdale. He wasn’t kidding. The conference was everything he promised it to be and more. Financial literacy headlined the majority of the presentations in the days that followed.
Day One
Day one lifted off from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank. We took the 9 a.m. flight on Frontier airlines. We landed to a beautiful backdrop of jagged mountains which surrounded Sky Harbor International Airport in central Phoenix. We headed to our hotel and checked-in at the McCormick in Scottsdale, which was about a mile or two from the venue. After check-in, we hopped in a cab and arrived at Talking Stick Resort. As soon as we walked into the room, we knew we were in the right place. The event kicked off with speakers ranging from retired NFL pros to real estate professionals.
Day Two
Day two was very busy! Day two, the message was clear. The message was to provide a service to the athlete, whether if they were pro or in college, to make sure the epidemic of bankruptcy that has run rampant through the professional sports world could be prevented and cure could be found. Financial literacy was the remedy. Discussions of pensions, job assistance and activities as simple as budgeting was the rhetoric of each panel. Probably the most surprising element of each panel was the transition process. So many of the retired athletes on either panels or who we spoke to stressed the importance of answering one simple question: What do I do next? With that in mind, we moved on to something a bit lighter, golf and some good conversation. We had the honor of hosting a conference networking event at TopGolf, just a few hundred yards from Talking Stick Resort. There, we got to see a less serious side of each of the participants. That’s what makes small conferences that more meaningful: Intimacy. By the end of the night and our bellies full, we knew everyone on a first name basis.
Day Three
Day three of the conference was light. Presentations included athlete psychology and what it means to think like these masters of their trade. The most constructive moment had to have been the near hour long brainstorm from members and sponsors of the conference. Ideas bounced from wall to wall in the small beige colored hall. All we can say is the future is bright for the SFAA and we look forward to what’s coming next year.
Check out our recap of the 2016 SFAA Conference and the event we sponsored at TopGolf:
Are you professional athlete who may be exercising your right at free agency or facing a possible trade in your organization? Lowell & Vanderbilt Inc. is one of the premier luxury real estate firms in Southern California specializing in athlete relocation.
While trades & free agency are more prominent in the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL & MLS, Real Estate Broker Paul Argueta recognizes that the professional athlete is not limited to just those leagues and continues to represent athletes of all sports, including Golf, Tennis, Equestrianism, and the emerging E-Sport athlete.
To contact Paul, reach him on Twitter @TalkToPaulHomes or LinkedIn.
