jonwashburn: What is ActiveRain?

Active Rain is a living breathing organism made of of hundreds of thousands of beating hearts which, in turn, reach out to millions upon millions of people in small ways to life changing ways. Fortunes have been lost and made, lives lost and honored, friendships forged and marriages created, careers enlightened and strengthened and literally thousands upon thousands of people touched to their very core. Active Rain is so much more than a business for it's owners as well as members that the business aspect seems a far second place to the real and deep personal connections made. I am a LIFETIME Active Rain Member! (just posted on Facebook)

Ditto what Janie said.

Bravo!

Jon, love your passion; it just sings in the way you write, let alone how you act.  What you're saying reminds me in a way of something another entrepreneur told me about what motivates founders.  It's not exactly what you are saying here, but it's close; it's something other than the monetary prize or the "exit."  I summarized that in a blog post: http://bit.ly/gfPaK

Glad you are blogging again by the way!

 

--Bill

Jon: Active Rain is as I have said many times reaching across state lines to share, to love, and to laugh. AR has increased our business, but most of all the friends we have made are most important.

 Active Rain comes into our living room every evening, it's part of life for us. We have our circle of friends that are not only co-business (if there is such a word) but friends to send jokes to, to ask questions, and this week a prayer list was offered by one of our members, Dale Baker for my brother. AR's responded that I didn't even know. Now you ask, what is Active Rain, its business, its friendship and our thanks to you and your vision.

I don't participate as much as a lot of people but I always stop in and if I had to say there was one thing that has made the biggest difference in my business as a Realtor - it is NO DOUBT Activerain.  The generosity of so many people in sharing what they know is not only inspiring but has taught me to be generous.  I wouldn't be on page 1 of Google if not for what I have learned here, I would not be making videos if not for what I have learned here, I would not have some of the friends I have made here, I would not be thinking "local" if not for Brad Andersohn and the vision he created with me of what being a Local Expert and mean - I would definitely not be as successful as I am.  Thank you for your post and the continued glimpse into what is at the heart of Activerain.  There is nothing like it.  It would be a BIG missing if it were not here.

Jonathan - Active Rain is something I look forward to everyday. Real Estate is still my passion eventhough I have been doing it for 23 plus years! With Active Rain I am able to do so many things from networking to  bettering myself as a Realtor to conquering the search engines. In short Active Rain has positively impacted my business like nothing else since I joined a few years ago. Honestly the daily grind would not be as fun without it.

Active Rain is an addiction! I am humbled by how much I have learned here just since Oct. '08. I've learned so much about technology, how to improve the way I do business, how to attract new business, how to present things on the internet, seo, the list is endless. I love the people I "talk" to on AR and I learn something new every day. I haven't been here as much as I would like because I am selling and listing so much. Thanks AR!

Jonathan,

In business, as you well know, the basis of success lies in relationships.  Solid, caring, reciprocal relationships.

For the real estate industry ActiveRain is the catalyst that allows all of us to build those relationships, expand our spheres of influence, generate and receive referrals, and continue to build - one personality at a time - the most diverse assortment of professional and personal relationships one could imagine.

I have been blessed time and again with the opportunity to meet and get to know some of the most wonderful folks imaginable ... all because of ActiveRain.  If not for this platform ... I may never have known they existed.

I truly thank you and all the creators, developers, staff workers and ancillary folks that keep this platform on course.  I'm certain it's no small task, and definitely has days where the give and take theory sure seems more like give and give.  But know this ... everyone of us appreciates all that you and the others do.

Looking forward to many more new relationships, experiences and surprises - daily.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Jon, I joined in July 2006 and have logged in EVERY day since. Active Rain has changed the way I conduct business. It has blessed me with friendships from around the country. It has enriched my life in so many ways I couldn't even begin to list them here.

I LOVE this place and the people in my computer :)

Wow, I love Jane's comment and words. How can you add to that? I got a call today from someone who used to blog here all the time. She asked me, "Should I come back?"

I told her absolutely.

For the reasons Jane mentioned, there is no other place like it for Real Estate Industry professionals.

Thanks so much for your vision and your integrity and always seeking to improve this site.

I love all the comments..To me ActiveRain is all that Plus..I have been in the business 25+ years and learn here everyday,make new friends,and have  fallen head over heels in love..Thank you everyone!

HELPFULHANNAH

We have become family here.  We do support each other and help each other become better professionals.

Well Jonathan I'm not a rah rah person, the biggest point holder, or the best member at reciprocity, but here are my thoughts...

What AR means to me?

ActiveRain is exactly what you want it to be.  Nothing more, nothing less.  If you want it to be your daily motivation, then there are bloggers to give you a daily dose.  If you want it to be a good chat with friends, there are bloggers to make friends with.  If you want it to be a business tool, then there is an enormous amount of information on here that can only better you as an agent.

People use ActiveRain differently and that is the essence of the network.  Agents that get caught up in the drama (yes...there is plenty of drama), or don't understand how to use AR, haven't figured out what they want from the network. You can't use something effectively, if you don't know what it is you want from it.

So what is AR to me?  An incredible business tool, that I use pretty much daily.  If I want to know exactly how to integrate my blog into FB, I search it on AR.  If I want to see if someone reviewed a real estate product, I search it on AR. 

AR is a collection of valuable thoughts and opinions.  The only thing members have to decide is if they are willing to listen to these thoughts and opinions.  Me, I take some and leave others: and that is the beauty of it.  I'm looking for inspiration for my business.  There is no lack of that on AR.

Ahh, What is Active Rain to me?

Well,  It has been a place that I have been able to grow and learn from some of the best of the best in real estate, mortgage brokers, lenders, appraisers, staggers, inspectors...and people in general who have the fortitude to be able to grasp an intelligent community and to use it to their advantage in today's market.  To have the ability to tap the best for their advise and their wisdom.  To recognize a company who is first and foremost here for the purpose of facilitating the needs of people needing advice in the real estate arena.  To fear not what real estate can do for them, but to be fearless in their pursuit of buying or selling a home, for asking or giving advice, and for knowing and understanding that Active Rain is bar none in real estate advice and relieving the questions in a real estate transaction. 

Active Rain is the antithesis of the knowledge and skills provided by the members to make an educated decision in buying or selling a home.

We are a huge family of many astute individuals who have become friends.  We help each other.  We advise each other.  If we don't know...we ask.  We are a very intelligent group of individuals with a passion to help others.

We care about each other.  And, many of us...even miles apart care about each other. MHO.

We are here to help, and we will.

If someone needs something, you can count on the AR members to step forward and step up to the plate...That's what Jon has created here with Active Rain.  Thank you To Bob and Brad also who I know quite well...they are two of the many that make AR a place you want to come back to, learn from (Brad and his tutorials are awesome)(Bob and his advice and direction are great)...can't get better than this.

The best thing in the world is that those that run this place take this personally.  They want us and AR to succeed as much as we do.  KUDO'S to all!

Best regards Jon,

Karen Monsour

I also love Janie's comments up top ! And like so many, ActiveRain has become a staple of my daily activities that I truly look fwd to :o) And in those rare cases where a tricky closing, or packed day with showings prohibits me from signing in, I start to get all anxious and my heart rate rises from withdrawals !!! Lol :o) But in all seriousness, I have never found a seminar, mentor, or coaching course that was able to give as much value to my real estate career as ActiveRain does! EVERY day I learn something new :o) And I have now spoken to or met with dozens of AR peeps, and just feel a kindred with every one of them. Did I mention I love everything about this place !!! Cheers ActiveRain - you have at least one British 'lifer' :o)

Active Rain is a wealth of information and opportunity. I look forward to visiting AR each day.

 I joined in March of 2007 and haven't looked back since. I log in every day to see what's going on. My life has changed since I started on AR, I have found a place to socialize with professionals. I've learned, educated, told my own stories and show the consumer who I am through my writing. It's definitely is the people behind the words Jon...and I thank you for all you have given me and the community .... with a generous heart.

ActiveRain gave me the knowledge and the know how to utilize everything I've learned to create an internet presence. I've had some transactions close and a few referrals with one that actually closed earlier this year (William Johnson, my buddy...my friend...my peer)  Through ActiveRain I have made a lot of real friends and I have continuously met many members who travel to Hawaii and give me a buzz. 

I've tried joining many other social networks.... but this is one network that is magnetic and hypnotic and draws me back to create more...to give back more...

Thanks to all who I "grew up" with :) :)

And....you guys 'show face' once in awhle....shows the involvement I believe...:)

Hi Johnathan. It serves many purposes, but to me the greatest value is that it's my extended "staff room". There is always someone here to bounce ideas off, always something new to learn.

I don't even know what to add, having read all these great comments.  Jon, you have the one of the best jobs in the world.  We are all here everyday.  Think of the audience, loyal and trusting...a great brand name.  And, we help make this the best it can be.  We love it here.  As someone once said, if you build, they will come.  And, we have, this is one of the best real estate information bases on the net, and it grows daily.  Thank you for your dedication. 

Jonathan, I am coming up on my third anniversary here in the rain.  ActiveRain was the site that introduced me to blogging, and has been the source of new friendships.

ActiveRain has had a major impact on my business through the blogs that I have written.  Yes these blogs have lead new clients to me, but that is not the impact that I am talking about.  The impact that I am referring to is that it has forced me to focus on my business and how I conduct it through the blogs that I have written.

I have also been able to improve on what I do through the wealth of information that I have gleamed form blogs that other members have written.

So many great comments so far.  It's hard to top them.  Active Rain is addictive, period.  I love Active Rain because of the friendships I have gained.  When I can't get on for a few days or weeks, I truly miss my friends.  We become a part of each others daily lives.   

Active Rain has brought me business, no doubt about it.  I have gained more knowledge and created more tools for my "business tool box" than I ever dreamed was possible.  All from the knowledge and sharing of one AR member or another.  If I ever have a question, I know an AR member can answer it for me, or give me a much needed opinion. 

Active Rain is a sharing community.  I feel we do care about each other, as individuals and as professionals.  I now have friends from one end of the US to the other and all points in between.  Friends, not just acquaintances.  Many of us have laughed together, and cried together.  We have celebrated victories and grieved for one another.  We are here for each other, always. 

I'm so very grateful for Active Rain and all that it has brought to my life professionally, but more importantly, personally.  I appreciate AR and all it offers its members.

Jonathan,

 

Activerain is like Thanksgiving. When you look at what's in front of you, you become overwhelmed. Everything looks so interesting, appealing and full of flavor. We all bring a dish, enjoy, share, laugh and spend time with a lot of people that care. Only here, there's endless turkey legs to share.

That's what AR is like to me - Turkey Day, a feast amongst friends.

 

for me it's been a Padora's box, only unexpected GOD things have come out.  I came here to get business, but I stay here, because I have found I love to write.  About my life, about what I've learned, about the things I know about real estate, TO other people,... I love reading the insights into other peoples lives and businesses. and I've gained such a braoder understanding of how selling real estate is accomplished all across the US.

And I have met friends.  Now what I came here for, but it's I found.  I'm proud of the contribution I have made, and impressed with the contribution others have made to me.  It's all good.

This comment box isn't big enough for my comment Jon, but you know exactly how I feel! 

ActiveRain to me (like many others here) is MY HOME! 

Thanks for taking me in and allowing me to hang my hat here these past few years,

they've been the best years of my life!  :-))

It is different for everyone. nearly 2 years ago I stared posing information on Active Rain to try out this Blogging stuff. Today we work at it everyday and Active Rain is a big part of the on line presence we have in the area. with out it we would be doing what we have been doing for the past 30 years and complaining about the market instead of having one of our best years in Real Estate. Thanks for allowing us to participate.

Jon...

It isn't hard to explain at all. It's the PEOPLE that make ActiveRain special. The members are great and the staff is fantastic. There are plenty of other places on the Internet, but only AR feels like home.

Thanks for all of the hard work. I really appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart!

Oh yeah, I learn a lot of good stuff too!

Jon - Active Rain is community.  Didn't I answer this before?  It is teamwork and support.  It is victory and consolation...  Active Rain is community. 

Active Rain is for many of us, part of our daily routine.  A place to "tune in" to read the latest and greatest, share tips, ask for and receive advice, and to be inspired.  I've met some great new friends across the country here on AR that I never would have known without this community.  I've read incredibly sad stories of members who struggled with personal challenges and happy ones as well.  I've also seen my business increase at a rate that was never expected.  The learning here is better -- and more fun -- than anywhere else I've been!  Oh yeah -- it also helped me get a gig with HGTV!  Thanks for making it possible.

I only wish all that posted read the comments, and eluded to the inspiration from others...

I think I'm with Brad on this one, Jon.  Working here at the Rain has been a huge pleasure for me - it's become my second home, my second family, and probably my eighth or ninth addiction (don't tell my other blogs that I blog here - they might revolt!). 

As good at words as I may be, I often find it difficult to express precisely how the members, the staffers, and the presence on AR has benefitted me as a person, but when I joined up with you guys...I was an absolute basketcase.  AR has helped me mature both in the in the professional sense and in the personal sense by giving me a healthy dose of self-esteem and a place where I can just honestly be...me :) Happy little hard-working redheaded me.

AR is home.  I'm unsure that I'll ever find another place like it.

Jon - there is so much I could say about how AR have changed my life as a REALTOR but in so many other ways personally. There are so many wonderful friendships, amazing learning opportunities, adn the knowledge that this is a fabulous support group if you need it. It has been an incredible journey since I joined in early September 2006, and despite the changes, the occasional problems, and the griping and complaining, ActiveRain remains a wonderful community of people. I can't imagine not being here.

Jeff

Ok, this should probably be a blog post all by itself,  but I'll try to keep it brief.

AR is a resource for learning, for sending clients who need to be referred to agents I know and trust elsewhere, for gaining business, for making friends, for developing an SEO strategy for my business.

I'm not sure where my business would be without AR and what it's given me and what I've learned here or even if I would still be doing this.

It's been all of this and more.

Thank you for what you have created for all of us.

Jonathan, I run an internet based business. I don't door-knock. I don't mail postcards. I currently have SEVEN open escrows all attributed to BLOGGING on Active Rain/my outside blog and posted also to my WordPress blog. 'Nuff said!

It's a great place to talk with each other about whatever is on our minds at the moment.  It is really a great gathering place.

What is Active Rain?  In addition to everything else, it's a powerful tool.

It takes you to the top of Google in just hours, regardless of the competition.

 http://activerain.com/blogsview/1167810/what-advantages-does-blogging-on-active-rain-offer-to-my-clients-and-to-me-

Jon - Thank you for your tireless efforts to give us the very best place on the internet to grow and improve our business!  I thank my lucky stars every single day that I kept stumbling into this thing called Active Rain back in October 2007 while searching for things on Google.  I so appreciate you:) 

AR is a library, a lounge, a playground...a reunion...a place to meet new friends, a referral source for agent to agent...a place consumers can analyze agents, areas and all things real estate...a great place to turn your umbrella upside down and take it all in....and for that...we are all grateful...

I agree you have created a community of caring and loving people where friends have been made with people we would have never met had it not been for your network. 

I just started and I now have somewhere to go for info, help, encouragement...need I say more!

Active Rain is my morning friend while I"m enjoying my first cup of coffee.  I read and learn and blog and share friendships with many other good people across the nation.  It's like the real estate world's biggest internet coffee shop.  You can talk about almost anything and come back the next day and talk about something else with all the same people!  I love it!

Active Rain Empowers:

The small independent brokerage to have their own relocation departments. (Easy to learn about individual agents and match referrals with the agents)

The individual agent to learn about internet marketing.  (Knew quite a bit back in 2006 when I joined and continue to learn to this day with the constant evolution of net advertising!)

Real estate professionals to connect with power partners.  (Met my lender here in 2007 and wouldn't be in business today if it weren't for him.)

Consumers and businesses to be in touch with markets around the country.  (Who is reporting extreme sellers markets right now? - not the media - it's individuals working in the trenches!)

All of us to have our own complaint departments. (We used to feel alone out in the trenches but now we know we are not when we are able to complain about issues and learn many around the country are experiencing the same issues.)

I understand profitability and that is why I spend money buying localism communities.  You need to have a sustainable business model and I appreciate what you provide for us!  The leads I generate from this site (through either referrals or blind consumer contact) are INCREDIBLE leads who know me through my writing - very few objections heard.   I want to thank each person who makes this network tick and helps our business grow to volumes we never imagined!

I have always been "learning based". AR fills my need to always be learning on a daily basis. Other practicioners around the country(by sharing on AR) are saving me numerous hours wasted on trial and error by telling me exactly how they succeeded with the same concept or where the best place to find something is ! It's become a daily discipline !

Wow what more to say - Since I got serious about blogging and understanding the value of Active Rain - there hasn't been a day I haven't checked in and gotten great information, make a couple of new friends, learned outrageous amounts of new stuff, laughed at silly jokes, admired the photos of amazing artists, picked up clients (and I'm amazed how fast that happened), gave referals to agents around the country - I could go on and on......

ActiveRain truly has been the best thing I've done for my real estate company and me personally.  Thanks to all of you who work there and all the members - I feel very blessed to have been on this journey with each of you. 

That is a really tough question that is not easily answered.

I don't think you can define AR without using the word "community".  That is what I think of before anything else.

The next question of course is being able to define what type of community it is.  That is the more difficult question.

Learning, sharing, marketing, branding, communicating, all of those words help to describe this community.

Ahh...not so sure I would say Active Rain has impacted my life, caused a major event that forever impacted the road of life I am on. Not a planet all lined up once in a millenium experience or lightning bolt enlightenment. But the forces do help shape, guide the daily process of real estate listing, marketing,selling. What AR University is stellar for is simple. Education on a slew of topics from A-Z. Connection to others in this creative process that is ever changing, evolving. And with new and old real estate practioners alike gathered in here, it is like a library of knowledge, experiences, perceptions. A library where each member helps stock the shelves and add to the contributions of colleagues eight states away that this platform creates a shopping cart to add to, draw from.

We glean from other blogs on topics that interest us, that we are struggling with. And in turn we post and give back what we have learned. Shortcuts from triumphs and lessons learned from mistakes. AR helps create the connection to plug in, tin can and string back and forth with, to smoke signal collectively for all to see that are members. It is an industry iv to be better than we would be without it.  We are all on the same real estate river, sharing and caring about the course all of us are on, helping others by reaching out with a stream of electrons. (Boy was that coffee good this morning, reaching for one more cup)

Active Rain is more than a network -- it's becoming family to me. Although I dilligently work to develop professional and reciprocal relationships within my local real estate community, it doesn't come close to the mentoring, support, encouragement and advice that I receive here. Members of this community want me to be successfull, and I feel that!

Jon,

Active Rain has:

• Given me top notch colleagues who have advised me in some tough decisions. Most notably, Missy and Bryant were both instrumental in pointing out both the good and bad when I considered switching to a new office in May of 2008 (I did make the switch). 
• Has kept me on top of technology, at least to the extent that I am willing to institute all the new and amazing things I learn here.
• Given me trusted business associates that I rely on from referring, to looking for someone to assist me with SEO (Marti Garaughty).
• Given me an outlet for writing.
• Made me into a great agent who is well informed on homeowners issues and technology that furthers the goals of my clients and so much more.
• Has established me as a local expert in my market. I have been quoted several times by our local paper because of my market posts on AR.  I also learned early on the importance of a monthly market report, which has forced me, every month, to know the stats for my market. Consequently, I can spout out relevant data and speak intelligently on my local real estate market at any moment. 

AR has done the above for me and more.  I am confident, well informed, have experts in my field who want nothing more than to share their expertise with me and in turn, given me the opportunity to assist others who have reached out to me for assistance.

I think of you, Jon, and the rest of your top flight staff in the highest regard. 

Bless you for all your efforts.  They have impacted me greatly and I am very thankful.

Hey thanks for the great post today. I've been a Rain Maker for 2+ years. I have enjoyed the knowledge and humor that goes with it eacy and every day.It's fun and informative.

Patricia Aulson

Activerain has introduced me to a whole new world by answering questions I didn't know I had, teaching me things I didn't realize I needed to know, introducing me to friends and colleagues who "make my day" through their friendship and sharing.  Activerain provides me a soapbox to share my experience with other real estate professionals and a bullhorn for reaching consumers in my market. It is the single best source of ready-to-buy/sell leads I've ever experienced in my 40-year career, and made me excited again to be in real estate.

I'm awed by the brilliant entrepreneurship of Jonathan and his entire team in creating and implementing this business known as Activerain, and I can't imagine all the potential they have yet to unleash through future expansion and generating revenue.  I just know I want to be along for the ride!

Active Rain is a great example of Wikinomics. Collaboration with the speed of technology.

I've been on Active Rain since Sept. '08. I learn so much here about all aspects of working in real estate. It's better than any continuing ed class I could attend. In fact it is like continuing ed, except I don't get CE credits. That's OK, I get more. There's a real sense of community here. I love it! Plus, it has helped my business tremendously!

I have been here 2 years now and I think AR is a 24/7 free university. I cannot believe how much collective knowledge is on this site.

I have been here since early 2008 and I turn to AR either at the beginning or end of every day.  The friendships I have made here surpass some of my face to face friendships.  I love the support and comraderie and whenever I need Real Estate info I know right where to turn.  How can you put a price on that?

   

Jonathan...

It's so very hard to put into words. But, I'm certainly going to try.

When I first noticed BB fooling around on AR I thought the whole thing was just a passing phase. There were times when I was convinced AR would turn into just another 'icky' real estate site. Little did I know that BB and I would become so involved, learn so much and create meaningful relationships with our peers in this industry. AR is not just an addiction or a G-juice machine. It's a lifestyle. It has opened doors for us, inspired us and shown us a whole new way to move ourselves forward. We have both discovered talents we didn't even know we had.

Now I would like to discuss those relationships. As you know I went down last year and spent the better part of the year hospitalized, having surgery or recuperating from it. During this time The Members of AR stood by BB and I. They sent flowers, candy, cookies, gifts, cards and wrote heart warming Blog posts that even now bring tears to my eyes. They called us, emailed us and prayed for us. To this very day I don't think I could have gotten through the hardship without them. At several points, The Members became my only link to the outside world. Having The Members stand by us the way they did was one of the most amazing things I've ever been a part of. How do you even begin to describe the emotions that accompany such a thing?

Obviously my feelings for AR and its Members are not easily communicated. The mushy stuff is hard for me. However, I do hope I was able to share just a small portion of the bigger picture. AR is so many different things to so many people. I don't think there is just one answer to what AR is. I could be wrong though, that happened to me once. But,  don't mention that to BB. I have him convinced I was right :)

TLW...ROAR!

Jonathan, AR to me is my encyclopedia.  If I need info on technology,  real estate listings, transactions, etc. I can search and find some great information.  Since joining in 2008, it has been a great experience and look forward to logging on everyday to see what is new and happening. 

Jonathan, Active Rain is sharing among many categories of real estate industry professionals on ALL sorts of topics that affect their lives. Simple as that. I liked your thought on enrichment of all of us.

Other than it being created in the Seattle area (Bellevue/Kirkland) which is one of the best areas that I have ever lived in LOL  ActiveRain is a great tool and epitomizes what the author of "The Digital Economy" points out about the three C's of the new economy: Computing, communications, and content. Computing has slowly become a commodity so there isn't much value in that. However ActiveRain offers communication and content which adds some value for and/or to us.

While I did not log in much when I started my account here, ActiveRain offers an opportunity to communicate with other real estate agents as well as real estate related companies and customers. I have met some cool people through ActiveRain. I have also learned a few things from others here. 

As far as content some ActiveRain members post valuable content whether directed to customers, clients, and/or to each other which helps to increase the content of your company and its exposure.

It also helps with my Wordpress blog placings so for that I really really like Active Rain :-)

Active Rain is my business partner. Active Rain has had such a huge impact in my business that I would say that it has also impacted my life. All for the positive. If I wouldn't have found AR back in 2006 I don't think I would still be in the real estate business today! It has changed my business and my life. I want to Thank EVERYONE!

ActiveRain is:

A beautifully managed business with caring employees.

A living.breathing organism made up of Realtors, Home Stagers, Mortgage industry experts, Appraisers, Inspectors, Marketing experts and others in any way associated with the Real Estate field who inform, educate, critique, support and nourish each other.

The first site I check in the morning and the last site I'm on before I turn in.

My source for on-going education.

My "cyber" home.

The place where I've "met" many new and valued friends.

ActiveRain is my window to the world of real estate. 

ActivtRain is the glue that binds all of my Internet efforts together.

ActiveRain is the matchmaker that introduces me to perfect partners.

ActiveRain is my hobby.

 

Well said Lenn!

Yep, it's like family to me. There are so many eloquent words above me, but I feel just like them. I started by accident several years ago after being introduced by Tony Marriot in AZ. I did not touch it for months and one day I started reading. I became hooked and developed some instant friends, one of the first was Brad, back when he worked for a living. ; ) I consider him a friend and a mentor and we have never met or even talked on the phone, how cool is that. Same goes for too many to mention these past years.

As one of the first in my area, I was always featured in my city and county. As AR has grown, I have to work to keep my early honors. BTW, the people that passed me were encouraged by me to do more on AR! Like most have stated, it is an integral part of my daily life and business. BOTH! It is my home page and the first thing I check in on the web, after email. 

Your business side will not like this, but most of us don't consider it a business, but an invaluable resource that you bestowed upon us and we made it ours! From your posts and everything you have done for AR, we know that is how you feel also. Kind of a double edged blade for you, eh?

Much love and respect.

PS. This post and comments will make a great tool for us Ambassadors to share locally.

Jon - Words cannot express our feelings towards the A/R community. It has become part of our lives. I look forward to logging on everyday. I have met so many wonderful and intelligent people here...and learned so much. I continue to learn everyday.  As I said words cannot express my gratitude to you guys/girls.... Glad to see your facing in here as well. Keep it up Jon and we'll keep coming back...

Bob and Lisa

Jon- Where do I begin? Janie's #1 comment really says it all.
Active Rain is the first thing I go to when I wake up after saying my prayers, writing in my journal and doing my scripture study. Active Rain is the last thing I do each night, or should I say early morning since I am usually on AR at 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., before I say my prayers.

It may be an addiction but I would also have to say that if this addiction makes us money than addicted I shall be. Our entire business model changed when the phone started ringing because of my blogging on Active Rain. That was all she wrote....

Active Rain saved my real estate career and has saved lives. If I never made a penny from AR blogging but knew that I saved one girl's life- it was all worth it- for how much is a human life worth? That was the most valuable experience I ever had on AR or anywhere else actually- one blog about overcoming domestic violence and a girl who was about to kill herself when something nudged her online. She has not clue what she typed in but because of the google juice that AR has, my post was there for her. She printed it out, hung it on her baby's crib and reads it every day and then realized she was important enough to live. Google juice can bring us money, can bring buyers and sellers to us, but when it brings Brad's lost brother to him, parents found and lives saved- this is priceless. Katerina

It feels like home. And talk about humbling!?  I am in awe of the breadth and depth of the bloggers and their topics.  I aspire to be able to "flow" like that.  Thanks for being here.

Words cannot express it. If I could, I'd write a blog post about it. Maybe I will. But to answer your question briefly, ActiveRain is the opportunity for me to develop and learn new things to help me and help my clients. And as Katerina said, this is an addiction that I can afford to not stop.

Active Rain has been instrumental in providing me some of the best support and education available in the internet community. The relationships and outreach which occur on Active Rain go far beyond the scope of professional. We are a community.

To me, Activerain means MONEY!!  I've been on the internet for years, but the amount of calls and emails I get because people find me on this platform, it's amazing!  Even using a Google-based blog from Blogger, my blogs weren't showing up anywhere but they do on AR with Google.

Jonathan - you and I have not always seen eye to eye - but I tip my hat to you and Matt and the excellent staff that created and nurtured this community at its inception and to the current owners and maintainers of the professional Vahalla that ActiveRain has become.  

I tend to think of blogging as publication.  But more than any other site I have participated in, ActiveRain has been interaction.  True, it helps my business and brings referrals - but the people of ActiveRain, the participants, have truly created a community of interests that has taken on a life of its own.  I look to ActiveRain for information, education and sometimes inspiration on real estate, technical, and philosophic issues.  I have found professional relationships and friends and a place where everybody knows your name (Cheers).  

I keep coming back not just for business but because the people here are interesting and fun.  

Jon, it feels like family.

Besides the incredible learning opportunities and friendships in this network of real people, I have progressed from looking for a job to looking for an assistant - and it is time to show others how and pay it forward.

Thank you.

ActiveRain is....quite simply the Single Most Important Thing we have done to benefit our real estate careers. We started in real estate just two years ago and had almost no support from the small brokerages we worked for. Fortunately, we found ActiveRain almost immediately.

Through ActiveRain we have developed friendships with others in the industry, gotten clients and sales from our blog, referrals from other agents, and have learned about what works and what doesn't from the best in the business.

We have been able to differentiate ourselves in our local market with our early adoption of social media, our creative marketing ideas, and from traffic to our Blog. Many of our ideas came from others at ActiveRain who are willing to share what they know, things that would have taken us years to figure out on our own.

We're often told that "we see you guys everywhere" although we do very little advertising outside of our internet marketing, our ActiveRain blog and the websites we maintain.

You have created an amazing environment that promotes learning, sharing, and growing for the agents that participate. ActiveRain has raised the bar for the real estate profession and continues to support all of us to be better at what we do.

Now, two years after finding ActiveRain, we own our own real estate brokerage with more than $6.5 million dollars in active listings, a large number of sales, and we are able teach others in our community on how to use social media for their business. We have put in many long hours but give a lot of credit to the ActiveRain community for our success and are very thankful! :)

If I may add a link?  I think this continues the conversation....  I did a post about it.  ActiveRain is a pipe.  A good pipe but a pipe.

Jonathan: Active Rain has always been a place I can learn. That's what I was looking for initially and it has helped me become a more knowledgeable loan officer. Thank you for starting Active Rain. your customer service is also fantastic!

Janie's comment nails it. I couldn't say anything more other then I love ActiveRain, and I will be here as long as A|R is still going. All I can say is thanks to everyone who makes A|R waht it is. :)

-Lisa

I love your quote, "Intermixed with the daily struggle of running a company that is grasping for revenues, in what seems like a never ending attempt to bridge that last little gap to profitability"

It sounds a lot like "Boutique Real Estate company soul searching for new business model"

You are one of a kind and I am proud to call yself your friend.

Gustavo F Blachman

I love ActiveRain! There's nothing else like it. I'm a member for life!

Great post!  I do love Active Rain!  I think I have learned more here than I have learned out of many books.   I have made numerous friends here.  It is a wealth of knowledge!!  I hope Active Rain is around for a very long time!!!  I also look forward to logging on, anytime I can.

Active Rain is my go-to source for any questions that I have...or answers that I don't know that I need.  It is the latest and greatest way to improve our position on the Web and up to the minute source for such.  I love reading the blogs and comments here and there aren't many days that I don't stop by to see what is happening in other parts of the country.

I am encouraged when I am down and take the challenge presented by others most of the time.  If I am searching for a topic or agent for a referral, I go here first and tell others to do the same.  This site is so far above anything else out there, I continue to be amazed at the generosity of others.

Thank you for creating this, Jon!

 

Active Rain has been a gift...a gift that keeps on giving & out giving what I've given to it.  Regardless of whether the measure used is business, knowledge, contacts, leads or relationships...the positive results have provided a benefit for which I am truly grateful.  It is said that money is only one measure of success, albeit an important one.  But there are so many things like health, friendship, love and meaning which have a value beyond cash.  When a business is able to weigh it's assets in such a fashion in addition to the traditional measures...it is truly blessed.  That can be rightly said of Active Rain.  Thank you guys. :)

I have been here since February of this year, and what a difference it has made in my professional and personal life. So many above have put down what I feel about Activerain, it has done so much for me.

I have collegues that I can ask questions of and get honest, real, helpful answers.

I have a forum to put me ahead of the hundreds of other local realtors on the internet

I have more information at my fingertips on selling real estate from start to finish than I could have ever gotten my hands on without AR.

I have made friends from my own home state of Connecticut to Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, and all in between.

I have found my voice, I have always loved to write and never had the courage or reason to do so

Activerain has become so important in my business and personal life, I can not imagine not being a part of Activerain. Today Bob Stewart called me, and at the end of the conversation I told him he was the luckiest guy on earth to work at AR, you guys all rock! I wrote a post about that recently, and I meant every word of it. And it was not my first post about how wonderful AR is, and it won't be my last! (let me just violate every AR rule and put a link to it here for you, LOL... Activerain rocks the house)

Thank you, all of you, for having such vision and providing us with a safe place to learn, to grow, to gain clients, to forge awesome friendships and to have fun!

Jon....are you going to come back and tell us all how wonderful WE are too?   lol!

Sally, 

I read every comment over the last couple of days as it was posted, and I was deeply moved by the outpouring of support and inspiration from our members. In fact I spent about an hour tonight reading the comments to my dad over the phone; it was a very proud moment for me. 

I didn't comment earlier because I didn't want to influence the flow of comments, I wanted to leave an open forum for our members to define what ActiveRain means to them.

I couldn't ever imagine a group of members that was even 1/10 as wonderful as they are on AR.

I love to blog and if I go through a day without Active Rain it is a bad day.

You could write a book (I bet you are :) and I came back to tell you how proud I am....to be a member. :)

You know I love you guys!

Even when I was on NY1 News in NYC for social media and real estate the fist place I mentioned was Active Rain. I'm going to be on channel 4 for this soon.

Think I'm going to mention you guys again?

You bet your ass!

Next time you guys come to NYC, Luke needs to show you "The Dark Side"

Call me anytime, you and Kaleb!

WOW! What can you say that has not been said already?

I too found Active Rain in 2007. I have absoutely no idea how...but I found it. Unlike Andrew Moore that said it was not life altering or planet aligning....I'll beg to differ...at least for me.

And I'll mention the exact words I heard my Managing Director (NOT my broker) say when he mentioned Active Rain and I said I knew about it..."Oh that's just some website with a bunch of agents gabbing with each other!"  Can you believe it? I just walked away grinning from ear to ear. My mother use to say, "What you don't know can't hurt you!" Let him run the company his way...and we'll see who lasts longer!

I've truly made friends here, that like TLW said, if I really needed help, I honestly think they would offer it, in some form or fashion.

I've learned more here about SEO, Twitter, Facebook, and on and on than I could have ever learned anywhere else.

Have I acheived business success from AR? No I have not. But, I know it's coming. As the farmer said, you have to plant the seeds to grow the crop. I'm hoping my seeds grow soon! And I know they will.

Thanks, Active Rain (meaning everyone in the big office) for what you have done for our business, our families, our friendships, for us.

Jonathan...

As I've answered the question already, might I offer you a video? :)

TLW...ROAR!

Hi Jon, This might be the golden opportunity for one of us to win a grand prize of 50,000 points for the chosen best description of what ActiveRain is. Contest should run for 30 day period  , one entry per member and it must be limited to x number of words so that it may be reproduced easily for marketing. The definition shall become the property of ActiveRain and will be copyrighted to the benefit of ActiveRain, thus the large number of points. There need not be  a 2nd or 3rd place winner. You are looking for the marketing definition of "What is ActiveRain". Actually it surprised we haven't already had this contest but the difficulty of explaining what Activerain is complex and varied because we members are. I think the decision should be juried ( selected members) along with you and your staff as you designate. You would have overriding control over whatever decision would be reached.

Jon,

You and your staff have worked far more miracles than you'll likely ever be aware of through starting Active Rain...

Active Rain has given me more knowledge in two years than I learned in 13 years of being in real estate...

Active Rain has given me two of my very best friends in the entire world, whom I love dearly...that alone makes it absolutely priceless in my eyes

Active Rain has shown me that there are better and less expensive ways to market that are continuous and continuously surprise me with referrals and emails

Active Rain has given me so many encouragers and supporters...people who have stood by me through thick and thin and held up a mirror to help show me who I am

Active Rain is like a Christmas morning of unending gifts that never cease to inspire and warm my heart..

You can't put a price on it, because I'm fairly certain that my comment and all of the others apply to thousands of members here in the Rain...a miracle indeed!

~Jo

Now don't get me wrong, I like the cash...But I'd still like to trade my points for ammo. Why? Because it would amuse me :)

TLW...ROAR!

Johnathan,

If you've ever read Doug Adams, the answer is 42. But then again, maybe Active Rain is still just a big experiment and none of us have the answer yet.

Hell of an experiment though. Thanks for guiding us through and letting us hitch a ride.

Rich

Jonathan, AR is to me a way to beat the competition who is either too lazy, too uninformed or just too far behind technology to keep up. It is a place where I learn, grow and share. It is a place where I have made friends whom I never would have met elsewhere. It amazes me that this place actually works, but it does. This is a place I spend an hour a day and an hour I won't miss.

Jon...

I checked my original comment, and it still stand. AR is about the people. A lot has changed since I first read this post. ActiveRain is getting more SEO than ever, and the new group of Ambassadors is helping with the new members.

Just let us know what we can do to help!

Jon - Since I like to talk too much, I wrote a post instead of a comment - "What is ActiveRain? My rambling answer to Jonathan Washburn."

The best thing about AR is the people sharing with the people.  Where else can you go to obtain the motivation that drives you, the information that eludes you, or the competition that pushes you to be your very best. 

Thanks for the plug. We do have so many good people here on the rain, so sharing.

Hi Jon ! I

 think Fran summed it all up the way I would in her comment #50.

But in addition to those benefits, it has allowed me to connect and develop some real friendships with literally dozens of members throughout the country and Canada, who I actually speak to and email pretty consistently ! These are great people I would never have had the good fortune to have crossed paths with if it werent for A|R !!!

... have I mentioned I love this place ???

Cheers Jon to you and your crew !

Sheldon

I joined AR after relocating to a new state a year ago. I was starting my business over from scratch in a new place where I had no relationships. I had left my home, business, friends, 4 of my 5 kids and two grandkids behind, for my hubby's job relocation. It was traumatic for me, I was lonely. I had time on my hands so decided to figure out the blogging thing I had never had time to do before. On AR I found 3 friends locally (whom I have passed in points to become #1 in my city and county!) and a network of amazing people. It is a wonderful community that is there for me 24/7. The stuff I have learned! The Google Juice! My business and I are so much better for the time I have spent here.

Where do you have an instant introduction to some of the most impressive practitioners in the real estate business - Active Rain

 Where can you find a learning opportunity equivalent to a full spectrum of CE courses - Active Rain

Where can you publish information for your potential clients and get instant Google juice - Active Rain

Where can you find support, when you're down, a laugh, when you need it, a place to blow off steam, when your clients make you crazy - Active Rain

Where do find a place that challenges you to be better, then helps you achieve that goal - Active Rain

Where do you find a business that's run like a family - Active Rain

Thanks Jon - You've created a very special place!

Wow! This is great!  I think Active Rain is one of the reasons why I am blogging to this day.  I wrote my very first blog here in 2007 and has brought me business!  BTW - I was interviewed for a blog today on socail media for my business...and I said Active Rain!  :)

I missed this post way back when. AR means a lot to me.  It's grown my business 10 fold.  It gives me an outlet to voice my opinion(s) on things.  It's put tens of thousands of dollars into my pockets... it does it all!

Jonathan, It is rather interesting that I recently met with a representative of a large British Company, who was seeking a real estate agent in Canada. They found me on Active Rain. So, all those blogs and posts eventually paid off. Brian

Active Rain is a place where you are able to learn and grow with so many of your peers, and there are no state line boundaries. You are able to learn from all over. It is also a place to share perspectives from our experiences.

Jon,

The past few weeks have the most difficult in my life.  I'm loosing someone I love, someone I love has also be diagnosised with a horible disease... ActiveRain has been a source of strength for me.  Thank you for making it possible

Jon,

You created the virtual world, and we polulated it, and made it a virtually real world.

I wrote abot it before, and I will write about it again. We were the witnesses and participants in the phenomenon

I was first intrigued back in 2007 in that I thought blogging was a novel idea and being a tech guy, I said to myself that this is cool, I will learn how this works and give it a chance.  I got side tracked and came back to it late last year and I have learned so incredibly much, consumers have found me online via this platform, I am much more aware of what is happening in our industry, and have forged some good friendships.  There aren't many places (in fact, I can't think of one) online that provides all this and more!

This is a collaborative effort between AR and it members.. a unique experience which enrichesthe life of each member who fully participates.. education, sharing, friendship, business, referrals and priceless relationship!

I don't post too often, but I have to tell you that if nothing else, Active Rain is a great reference tool...like the world's biggest encyclopedia for real estate professionals!

I do business in a small town, in a very rural area.  Active Rain allows me to connect to other real estate people everywhere.  Sometimes I read a post and feel that someone needs cheering up. I pick up the phone and call them. Sometimes I have a question and do the same or shoot an email to them. Sometimes I receive a phone call or an email from someone doing the same for me.

If I need to know about something, search active rain for a blog on it..  If I've learned something that's worth sharing, post it..

Businesswise?  It has brought me sellers and buyers both.. and sometimes just a question from a consumer.

What is Active Rain?  I don't think it would be an adequate description it even if you put everyone's comments together.

When I joined, I had never blogged,, did not know what one was, did not know what in the world I was doing.  Still don't by many measurements. BUT I'm a member of the greatest place to learn what I need to know about it if I'll just spend the time and be motivated to do so.

Thanks !

Jonathan, Active Rain has some great Members, some dedicated writers and what I think are some tremendous spirits among us. The learning alone is well worth its existence. I'm still looking to trade in some of these accumulated points for a new toaster LOL.

AR offers some brilliant connections daily. There is no possible way that we could have "foreseen" the train headed our way (in NY) absent some of the experiences shared by contributing members, high profile or not. Did it keep us in business? Yup. Would we be functioning without it? Depends on whether operating with a foundation of confusion qualifies- for type "A"s, the AR resource is the best real estate guidebook in existance- punch it in, and among the many blogs are those that hit the nail in question on the head. Whatever AR started out to be, it has morphed into a progressively forward thinking tool, absent which we would be relying on "hearsay", not REAL experiences. Lenn and BB, hobby notwithstanding, your contributions (and those of many others) have provided a lifeline without which many participants would be in the dark on many levels. AR gives participants an "edge"- and we all need that in good and bad markets, regardless of the markets in which we operate. Thank you for such an amazing resource.

Jon:  I'm an old warrior in the banking/real estate industry, having been in it in one form or another since I was 18 years old. As I'm now 52, that's alot of years!  AR has renewed me.  Each and every day, it teaches me something new, broadens my perspective, tweaks my sensibilties, opens new doors of opportunity, and widens my circle of friends and contacts (both business & customer).  I feel like an adventurer or explorer finding new land with unlimited treasures!  Thank you to you ... and all the other "Rainers" that so generously share themselves, their time, their thoughts, and talents! Your contributions are greatly appreciated.

Now ... how do I find out about that toaster Gary mentioned????  

Jon - ActiveRain has become an integral part of my life.  My "virtual" friends have become real-life friends.  For me, it's just just about the Google juice, or the referrals, or contacts from clients.  It's about the friendships and the support.  This is a magical community.

 

AR is the best mentor I have ever had. Willing to share the gut-wrenching truth...share in my joy...lift me up in my darkest hours...inspire me to try new things...introduce me to realms unknown...give me wings of hope...remind me to give back to others...laugh with me till I cry...cause me to face my weaknesses...allow me to shine for who I am...given me a voice that is heard in this massive world.

I love ActiveRain, and I'm really grateful for it. Thank you!

As a new AR member thanks for the information.

As I am very new to AR it is hard to say what it really means to me. I am enjoying reading others thoughts, problems and solution and think that this can only help me in my own work and life.

Active rain has the ability to allow the new agent or the experienced professional a way to speak to the public so they can attract clients and build an online business.

I've been pondering this since I first read your post. When I originally joined AR back in July of 2006 it was a small town with just one lane of traffic. First suggested by a colleague in my group (the CyberStars(r)), it sounded interesting, if a little odd. Blogging for points? What a concept? But the guys at AR understood us and what would motivate us to populate this little corner of the blogosphere.

I met fascinating people along the way and they became cyber friends. This place became a downright addiction for me back then. I had to pry myself away from the computer to function in the real world and to get the occasional night's sleep. Ultimately I wound up taking a sabbatical, albeit a longer one than originally planned, and when I came back, the place was unrecognizable. My old buddies seemed to be among the missing and a whole new generation of rainers were leading the pack. It's been fun playing catch-up, even though I no longer know all the rules and certainly have no handle on all the players.

So, back to the question at hand. What is ActiveRain? To me it's a place where the hierarchy has an innate ability to tap into what its constituency wants and deliver it in full measure. It started out as the little engine that thought it could, and it's become a force to be reckoned with. It delivers the currency of the kingdom by way of staggering numbers of points, it delivers Google juice and easy access to our consumers, and friendships . . . and education, and old fashioned caring. And just when we think we know what it is, it metamorphizes into something else, all the while carrying its citizenry along on a happy tidal wave.

Jon,

Activerain is all the people up above who contribute so much to our industry. Thank-you for the insight to allow this to happen!

Active Rain is a place that I can go to share ideas with some of the best minds in Real Estate.  The sharing of ideas is unbelievable.

Jon, AR had afforded me over $1M in sales this year. Without contacts here, I wouldn't have had the referral network that you afford. This is through conversation.. The "referral network" here though needs work.... I think the issue is that members don't know how to use the referral network. This could be a great mechanism...however, it is very confusing..No one understands this...and no one that goes to that site knows whether they want a buyer or a seller, or if the person posting has a buyer or a seller...JMHO...it is not being utilized or understood as well as it could be.

Dude....let's not forget the 47 referrals that I've received since joining AR.  That is testimony enough as to it's power!