RASM YPN Leaders Gain Fresh Insight at Florida REALTORS® YPN Advance

On December 3, leaders from the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s Young Professionals Network joined YPN Chairs, Vice Chairs and Liaisons from across the state at Florida REALTORS® Headquarters in Orlando for the annual YPN Advance—a no-cost, one-day leadership summit designed to inspire, connect and empower the next generation of REALTOR® leaders.

With a full day of keynote speakers, hands-on roundtables, and peer-to-peer learning, the event gave RASM’s 2026 YPN leadership a valuable opportunity to gain new perspectives, strengthen relationships, and bring home actionable strategies to elevate the network in the year ahead.

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A Day Built for Collaboration, Growth and Leadership

Florida REALTORS® welcomed attendees with a morning networking breakfast, setting the tone for a day focused on shared ideas and professional development. Throughout the event, YPN leaders from across the state were encouraged to exchange experiences, identify common challenges, and workshop creative solutions together.

The agenda featured:

• Engaging roundtable discussions on branding, leadership, and member engagement

• Interactive networking activities designed to expand statewide connections

• Dynamic presentations from national and local YPN leaders

• A keynote address from bestselling author and communication expert Debra Fine

Thanks to Florida REALTORS®, attendees also enjoyed complimentary breakfast, lunch, and a hosted hotel stay, ensuring accessibility for young leaders representing their associations.

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Key Insights from National YPN Voices

Two members of the NAR YPN Advisory Board, Andrew Hersey and Kyle Paris, delivered high-impact sessions focused on skills that resonate with today’s emerging REALTOR® leaders.

Elevate Your Brand, Expand Your Network

Andrew Hersey kicked off the morning with strategies for building a powerful personal brand, showing leaders how visibility and authenticity help strengthen both their businesses and their local networks.

Strategize, Organize, Energize

Kyle Paris followed with a high-energy session on operational leadership, encouraging YPN boards to embrace structure, clarify goals and create momentum within their local communities.

Attendees then split into small groups for roundtable takeaways, diving deeper into how these lessons could be applied at the local level in 2026.

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Keynote Highlight: Debra Fine on the Art of Connection

The afternoon’s keynote session featured Debra Fine—acclaimed speaker, trainer, and author of The Fine Art of Small Talk. With humor, warmth and a conversational style that immediately resonated with the room, Fine shared practical communication techniques to help leaders:

• Build stronger relationships

• Gain visibility within their organizations

• Increase influence and confidence

• Navigate conversations with purpose and impact

Her message reinforced the foundation of YPN itself: relationships, communication, and leadership through connection.

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Looking Ahead to 2026: Statewide Updates and Local Inspiration

The final portion of the day provided a look at what’s ahead for Florida REALTORS® YPN in 2026, followed by a panel of local YPN leaders discussing marketing, leadership and influence in a rapidly evolving industry.

A closing session invited attendees to share their biggest takeaways—ranging from new branding ideas, to improved event strategies, to renewed confidence in leading their networks at home.

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RASM YPN Is Ready for What’s Next

YPN Advance once again proved why Florida REALTORS® continues to be a leader in cultivating future industry talent. For RASM’s incoming YPN leadership, the experience was energizing, enlightening and deeply motivating.

They return to Sarasota and Manatee ready to:

• Strengthen member engagement

• Bring innovative program ideas to the local network

• Foster deeper collaboration among young REALTORS®

• Support the development of future leaders across our association

RASM is proud to invest in YPN leaders who embody professionalism, creativity and service. Their participation in YPN Advance ensures that our local network continues to grow—and that young professionals throughout our two counties have the resources, mentorship and community they need to thrive.