Rob Hahn

Managing Partner of 7DS Associates, and the grand poobah of this here blog. Once called "a revolutionary in a really nice suit", people often wonder what I do for a living because I have the temerity to not talk about my clients and my work for clients. Suffice to say that I do strategy work for some of the largest organizations and companies in real estate, as well as some of the smallest startups and agent teams, but usually only on projects that interest me with big implications for reforming this wonderful, crazy, lovable yet frustrating real estate industry of ours.

So What’s Your Blog About?

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Courtesy of Jonathan Miller, I learned about Wordle.  The funnest thing you can do with this is to answer the question: “So what’s your blog about anyway?” Here’s what, according to Wordle, this blog is about: Who knew? Here are some other popular RE.net blogs, and “What They’re About” Sellsius: 1000Watt: FOREM: BloodhoundBlog: All images … Read more

The Fundamental Misconception of Social Media

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Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve heard of this “social media” thing. But if pressed to define it, you — like the rest of us — would stammer out a few words about Twitter, Facebook, and blogs and then… realize that the term is more or less undefined. Well, here’s the Wikipedia … Read more

Lessons from Counterinsurgency #3: Petraeus on Unity

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(Part 1, Part 2) Petraeus on Unity Another major lesson from counterinsurgency is the importance of coordination and synchronization: It is also essential that we achieve unity of effort, that we coordinate and synchronize the actions of all ISAF and Afghan forces — and those of our Pakistani partners across the border — and that … Read more

It Would Be Nice to Have a Central Clearinghouse for RE Bar Camps

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[Because Teri Lussier hath commanded me to do this post, and her wish is my command.] RE Bar Camps are one of the fastest growing events in the real estate industry.  What the hell is a RE Bar Camp? Well, start here.  The first one was put together by Andy Kaufman, Brad Coy, Mike Price, … Read more

Be the Virus, Todd (Three Thoughts on NAR Social Media Manager)

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“Forward, the Light Brigade!” Was there a man dismay’d? Not tho’ the soldier knew Someone had blunder’d: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. – Alfred Lord Tennyson, Charge of the Light Brigade Todd Carpenter (@tcar on … Read more

Lessons from Counterinsurgency, Part 2: Petraeus on Local

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In part 1 of this series, we discussed Information Operations and the importance of integrity in counterinsurgency strategy.  I took lessons from the U.S. Military, and the author of those doctrines Gen. David Petraeus, and applied them to the real estate industry.  In this installment, I’d like to take a look at another key principle … Read more

Lessons from Counterinsurgency Pt. 1: Petraeus on Integrity

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It may be completely inappropriate to compare the life-and-death work of our military in Afghanistan to the buying and selling of real estate ensconced in our safety… but I could not help but read this with interest: We also must strive to be first with the truth. We need to beat the insurgents and extremists … Read more