REX Night networking event nurtures business in the Slope

CPEX Real Estate’s quarterly REX Night Networking Event on Thursday, November 14, was held at Park Slope’s Union Hall and the popular event space was packed to the brim with hundreds of people from across the borough and New York City. The close quarters fostered conversations not just between real estate agents and banking industry representatives, but also between small businessowners and novelists, and car rental agents and graphic designers.

“It’s gratifying to see the turnout,” said CPEX Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner Tim King. “It proves the point that our business is built on relationships, not salesmanship.

“The goal of REX Night is, for each community we are in, show our appreciation for doing business in the neighborhood,” King added. “Park Slope is clearly one of Brooklyn’s most diverse and family-centric communities. Hopefully, people can make new relationships or deepen existing ones.”

Vincent Lisi, creative director at Two Dogs Design said he heard about the event through the Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) and “wanted to come meet new client prospects. I’m just getting warmed up [but] look at the crowd. It’s a big draw.”

Josh Blackman of Brownstone Management agreed. “My philosophy is if I meet one person and have a meaningful conversation, it is worth it,” Blackman said. “Real estate is a relationship-based business, so events like these are incredibly valuable.”

Knowing that previous REX Night events in Bay Ridge and Bushwick were great successes in bringing their respective larger business community together was part of the reason why Park Slope Civic Council (PSCC) President Michael Cairl thought it would be a great idea to co-sponsor the November event.

“Almost three years ago, [PSCC] did a forum geared at young entrepreneurs to build business in Park Slope, so I thought this is a great follow-up,” said Cairl, who noted that PSCC began life as the South Brooklyn Board of Trade in 1896 and so has “a long history of working with and encouraging businesses in the community.

“Between the forum in 2011, this event, and supporting the growth of BIDs [such as the burgeoning Seventh Avenue BID],” said Cairl, “we want to work with you and hope you’ll work with us to build commerce in this neighborhood.”

The event was co-sponsored by the Park Slope Civic Council, Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID, Park Slope Parents, and Brooklyn Spectator.

Founded in 2008, CPEX provides a full range of services for both real estate and business owners in all five boroughs. They host quarterly events where property owners and people interested in Brooklyn real estate can network with one another. Since the company launched, it has grown 150 percent year over year.