David Lykken: The importance of attending industry conferences

Industry events provide the opportunity to improve your business, but it's the connections with peers that could prove invaluable

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending and even broadcasting the Lykken on Lending radio show from the MBA's National Secondary Marketing conference. It was an honor to be part of such an amazing event. I learned a great deal from the presenters, and I had an opportunity to have many conversations with people in the industry.
 
Too many people in the industry fail to register for and attend events such as these. When we register, we are showing support for organizations such as the MBA. When we attend, we not only learn how to improve our businesses, but we also make direct connections with people in the business. The connections we make at conferences are well worth the time and money we pay to register and attend.
 
But perhaps an even bigger reason to attend conferences is the signal we send when we are absent. By showing up, we make the statement that we're active in the industry. And by registering, we make the statement that we're major players in the industry. If we want people to think of us when they think of the mortgage business, we've got to attend the conferences--that's where the lasting impressions are formed.
 
David Lykken is 40-year industry veteran who has been an owner operator of three mortgage banking companies and a software company. As co-founder and Managing Partner of Mortgage Banking Solutions, David consults on virtually all aspects of mortgage banking with special emphasis executive leadership development, corporate strategic direction and implementation as well as mergers & acquisitions. A regular contributor on CNBC and Fox Business News, David also hosts a successful weekly radio program called “Lykken On Lending” (www.LykkenOnLending.com) that is heard each Monday at noon (Central Standard Time) by thousands of mortgage professionals. Recently he started producing a 1-minute video called “Today’s Mortgage Minute” that appears on hundreds of television, radio and newspaper websites daily across America.