Inman

Zappos’ Lin speaking at Connect

Zappos.com executive Alfred Lin will share insight into building a brand, culture and company that matters at the Real Estate Connect San Francisco conference in August.

Lin — Zappos’ chairman, chief operating officer and chief financial officer — will share the top 10 lessons learned developing the popular online shoe store, as well as key insights on e-commerce and entrepreneurship (click here to read an Inman News interview with Lin).

Before joining Zappos in 2005, Lin was with Tellme Networks and LinkExchange. He co-founded the venture capital firm Venture Frogs, which has invested in Ask Jeeves, Tellme Networks and Zappos.

Also slated to speak at the conference, to be held Aug. 5-7 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, are Jeff Turner, president of virtual tour provider Real Estate Shows, and Brian Boero, a partner in the real estate consulting firm 1000Watt Consulting.

Following an Aug. 5 welcome address by Inman News founder and publisher Bradley Inman, Boero will explore 20 tools, technologies and ideas for attracting customers and saving money.

Later that afternoon, Craig Newmark — founder of craigslist.org — will engage in a one-on-one discussion with Inman. On Aug. 6, Turner will explore 10 new ways to leverage social media.

The conference will also include workshops and panels on the economy, technology, and marketing geared for real estate professionals and vendors who serve them. …CONTINUED

New this year are "Start Up Alley," where the founders of new companies will be available for face-to-face meetings; and "ConnectTech," an opportunity for chief technology officers, developers, entrepreneurs and product managers to explore innovation in a program tailored to geeks, not marketers (see schedule).

Workshops on blogging and Internet marketing are scheduled for opening day, and on Aug. 6, four "Innovation Tracks" offer opportunities to hear from experts on new products and business models.

Track One, "Market Transformation," will include discussions on foreclosures and the multiple listing service, new tools for due dilligence, and "radical transparency."

Panels in Track Two, "Broker Owner Breakout," will include do-it-yourself marketing and 90-day Web-site makeovers.

Track Three, "The MLS," will offer panels on market analytics, social media, and building MLS sites.

Track Four, "Technology and Media," includes discussions about Amazon’s wireless reading device, Kindle, and connecting with users of "smart" phones and other mobile devices.

–Katie Ramsey

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