Still Learning After 29 Years

As I write this, I’m sitting in Anaheim attending Tom Ferry’s Success Summit 2026.

People often imagine conferences as exciting, and they certainly have their moments, but the reality is they’re also exhausting.

Long days spent indoors. Endless walks between the hotel and convention center. Thousands of people. Hotel food. Air-conditioned meeting rooms. A hotel room where the windows don’t even open. By the end of the day, all you want is fresh air, a quiet place to recharge, healthy food, and in my case…a martini.

So why do I keep coming back?

Because real estate isn’t the same business it was even two years ago.

Technology continues to evolve. Artificial intelligence is changing how consumers search for homes and how agents market properties. Interest rates shift, buyer behavior changes, and marketing strategies that worked yesterday may not work tomorrow.

After 29 years in this business, I’ve learned that experience alone isn’t enough. The best agents never stop learning.

I don’t attend conferences because I have to.

I attend because I refuse to get left behind.

Every keynote, breakout session, and conversation with top agents from around the country gives me ideas that I can bring home to Sonoma County. Whether it’s better negotiation strategies, more effective marketing, new technology, or simply a fresh perspective, my goal is always the same:

To serve my clients better than I did yesterday.

While I’m here, I’m still working. Between sessions I’m answering texts, returning calls, negotiating contracts, and checking in with clients. Real estate doesn’t stop simply because I’m away, and neither do I.

It’s an investment of both time and energy, but one that ultimately benefits the people who trust me with one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

So if you happen to text or call this week and I respond from a hallway at the convention center or between presentations, you’ll know why.

I’m here because I believe my clients deserve someone who is continually growing, adapting, and committed to being the very best resource possible.

After nearly three decades in real estate, I’m still a student of the business.

And honestly, I hope I always will be.

— Kellie Larson