THE PLAYBOOK
HISTORY
The first attempt to establish a group for young professionals began in 2018 with DGSIR’s U40 Group. Unfortunately, due to Covid emerging shortly after, the group failed to gain traction. In March 2022, agent Lowell Ackerman approached Huntington Manager, Melissa Stark and Deirdre O’Connell, CEO with a proposal to rebrand and relaunch the former U40 and a month later Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) was born.
MISSION
The DGSIR YPN is dedicated to embracing the essence of a familial culture and timeless traditions, inspired by the visionary founders of our company. Our mission is to seamlessly carry forward this legacy and bridge the gap between generations.
PHILOSOPHY
The DGSIR YPN is a specialized network that caters to young professionals within the DGSIR family. This network provides a platform for young professionals to connect, collaborate, and learn from each other, as well as from experienced industry leaders. The DGSIR Young Professionals Network offers a range of specialties that make it a valuable resource for individuals looking to advance their careers in real estate
TIMELINE
APRIL 2022
A dedicated Board of Directors is assembled. A Mission Statement is established which outlined a general plan and annual goals. The mission is clear: build relationships, grow business & make a difference. In an effort to expand the Network’s reach, the age is extended from 40 to 47. In the initial months, the Board held weekly meetings to brainstorm ideas, outline possible events and create momentum.
AUGUST 2022
The network’s official launch is a company-sponsored event. Attendees are encouraged to donate to the Daniel Gale Foundation. The logo is unveiled, the Board of Director’s introduced and the mission and goals are presented.
DECEMBER 2022
With the input of each Sales Manager, YPN Office Representatives are appointed. They are expected to attend bi-weekly virtual meetings to establish goals and relay information to their offices to encourage participation.
APRIL 2023
Localized Roundtables are established to bring agents from different offices together and address an array of topics related to the market. These quarterly events allow agents to share experiences, ultimately cultivating excitement about YPN and it’s events.
SEPTEMBER 2023
The BOD conducts an in-person meeting where roles and responsibilities are assigned and clear objectives are established. As an attempt to extend our reach, three new agents from different market areas are added to the Board. This session is pivotal in ensuring the company’s understanding of YPN’s mission and purpose.
OCTOBER 2023
MARCH 2024
The first quarter Round Table of 2024 topic is “The Ninja Effect on Our Lives and the Importance of Networking Events - GNE Edition.” to emphasize the importance of networking with Sotheby’s affilates and show the positive impact that Ninja Selling can have on an agent’s career.
An email campaign begins offering the opportunity to join our network and within just three weeks, we had an impressive 51 opt-ins. Efforts to further increase our visibility included the launch of the YPN website.
EVENTS
JANUARY 2023
The YPN made a significant impact with the 1st Annual Give for Good Event with over 200 attendees. The event was 100% sponsored by attorneys, mortgage brokers and business partners and raised $35,000 for the Daniel Gale Foundation.
MAY 2023
In keeping with the familial culture and traditions of DGSIR, a Company-Wide Bowl-A-Thon was held simultaneously at 4 locations, raising a combined $15,000 for the Daniel Gale Foundation. Each office was encouraged to make t shirts and team names which fostered a sense of unity among the 150+ agents who attendee.
JUNE 2023
The 1st Annual Daniel Gale Foundation Golf, Tennis & Pickleball Outing hosted by YPN was held at The Huntington Country Club. The outing sold out quickly with over 200 attendees and raised over $125,000 for the Daniel Gale Foundation.
AUGUST 2023
In an effort to continue bringing agents together from different areas, YPN hosted a happy hour sponsored by Wells Fargo in our Bay Shore Office featuring Mystery Guest Bartenders Deirdre O’Connell, CEO and Carol Dunning, Chief Legal Counsel.
SEPTEMBER 2023
For Realtor Safety Month, YPN hosted a Self-Defense Workshop led by Jiu Jitsu experts. The event, originally intended for YPN members, was opened up to the entire company.
NOVEMBER 2023
We hosted a Friendsgiving event at our DGNY Commercial office space with over 30 attendees. Each attendee contributed a dish and celebrated the holiday season.
JANUARY 2024
The 2nd Annual Give For Good Event was a bigger success than the first. We had over 200 attendees and raised over $50,000. Vendor Tables were added to highlight local businesses and over 100 items were donated for raffle baskets. The sponsorship levels/amounts were increased to maximize the profitability for the Daniel Gale Foundation and a $5,000 top level sponsorship was added.
ON GOING | MISCELLANEOUS
Bi-weekly Virtual meetings are held with the YPN Office Representatives to discuss upcoming events as well as share ideas on how to increase participation.
In person BOD Meetings are held quarterly to discuss recent successes and goals for the months and year ahead. The President Vice President have weekly meetings to review financial and marketing plans. They also meet semi-annually with Deirdre O’Connell to update her on the happenings of YPN and get her input.
Quarterly Localized Round Tables are planned. On a regular basis, we receive an updated list via our Corporate Office of agents and employees who qualify for the network. A personal warm welcome is extended to them from the YPN President. In addition, we send out quarterly newsletters through Rezora highlighting what YPN is working on and upcoming events. Each newsletter has a link to our website as well as our Instagram.
YPN has been consistently working with our Marketing Department on projects such as a video series for the BOD highlighting themselves and YPN for social media. Future plans include collaborating for a “Marketing Pop-Up,” an open house-style event featuring each member of our Corporate Marketing Team offering personalized assistance in their areas of expertise.
The overall goal of DGSIR YPN is to give back whether that be to the less fortunate through the Daniel Gale Foundation or to our agents by enriching their knowledge and real estate careers.
