I just wrapped up my second Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) conference, and I felt compelled to share a few takeaways—especially for fellow bootstrapping vendors navigating the proptech space.

First things first: the Council of Multiple Listing Service (CMLS) CMLS community is relatively small, but incredibly tight-knit. These are professionals with deep, long-standing relationships, and commitments to the industry, and when you’re the new kid at the table, your best move is simple: tell them what you do, ask for advice, and then—this is key—zip it and listen.

They’re generous with feedback, but don’t expect it to be sugar coated. You’re not here for flattery—you’re here to learn. One particular moment that stuck with me was a lobby bar conversation with the CEO of a large MLS. I was talking (maybe a bit too enthusiastically) about how our product was scaling, and how agents were loving the platform. His response?

“It’s great that you think your tech is ready to scale, but if your customer service doesn’t scale with it, word will spread—and you’ll be toast.”

That’s one of many that landed.

Personally, I’m not shy about asking for opinions, but if that’s not your natural instinct, I highly recommend stepping out of your comfort zone. Actionable feedback isn’t always wrapped in a bow, but it’s gold if you’re open to it.

And don’t miss the chance to connect with other vendors. As one industry titan wisely put it, “You can be tough competitors on the street—and friends in the lobby bar.” You’ll learn a lot, forge some great relationships, and who knows—you might even stumble into an integration opportunity that just makes sense.

Second takeaway: RESO exists for one reason—to make the transport of real estate data more efficient. Help them help you. If you’ve got an idea that could improve the industry, don’t keep it to yourself. I attended a pain points session and shared a challenge we were having with a specific field name that was throwing off our Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) algorithm. 

I kept it brief, didn’t expect much… but the next morning at the data transport session? There it was on the screen: the proposed field name change. I was floored. They listened. And they acted.

The moral of the story: RESO is a place where voices matter and good ideas get traction. If you’re building something that can help the real estate ecosystem, show up, speak up, and stay curious. You might be surprised by how far a simple conversation can go.

As CEO and founder of CMAsnap®, a tool to streamline agent’s workflows, it was great being in a room full of professionals with a common goal. This conference was excellent!

For my fellow innovators out there—get involved. There’s nothing but upside.