Boss Talks | Elevating ALL the Bosses of the Multifamily Industry

Who is Ty? Ty started her journey as a leasing professional and went up the ranks to become a property manager, and continued to progress to the point of now serving as the Executive Director for the Arkansas Apartment Association.Ty brings over 16 years of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultation, training, education, and coaching in leadership, management, and other positions in the multifamily industry.She has served on the boards of the Greater Memphis Apartment Association, Arkansas Apartment Association, and the National Apartment Association.She is an Executive Real Estate Broker and the founder of a Non-Profit called Tidy & Ty.The road ahead is developing her public speaking and facilitation business, Ty Jackson Enterprise LLC. She has worked on her craft to become a highly-rated NAAEI Facilitator and International speaker.When Ty is not working, she enjoys being a mother and a wife. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Devan?Devan began her student housing career in 2014 while attending the University of Kansas. She started her student housing career with Campus Apartments and PeakMade Real Estate. With them, she took on many roles, from leasing agent to national leasing specialist and new development property manager.Over the course of her career, she has gained experience in more than 30 Student Housing markets across the country. The most memorable ones she has visited are Laramie, Wyoming, and San Marcos, TX.She currently works for the Tailwind Group, as their Director of Leasing. In that capacity, she oversees the corporate leasing team, as well as the leasing success of all student housing properties.She calls Columbus, OH home, along with her husband and Golden Retriever, Cannoli. She is an avid sports fan, rooting for the Cleveland Browns and Kansas basketball. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Libby Hollan?Libby Hollan (she/her) is a Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor at Greystar based in Seattle, WA. Libby facilitates the talent acquisition process for on-site roles in Washington State and Idaho.She has over five years of high-volume recruiting experience in the multifamily, supported living, and LGBTQ+ mental health non-profit industries.Libby is a passionate advocate for entry-level candidates and brings this energy into every talent conversation. She is a Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR), Certified Tech Recruiter, and obtained a DEI in the Workplace Certificate. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Adam Pittenger?Adam Pittenger is the Founder & CEO of Moved, the first automated onboarding and offboarding platform for multifamily real estate. He started Moved because after moving 9 times in 10 years, he felt moving into multifamily communities was incredibly stressful and antiquated - for both residents and property management.Moved delivers easy-to-use software to automate the resident onboarding process, for multifamily operators and their residents. Operators save time for their on-site teams, reduce risk, increase resident satisfaction, and activate ancillary revenue streams to grow NOI at their properties.Before starting the company, Adam spent his career building software products, including one of the first social recruiting platforms at SelectMinds, which Oracle acquired. Adam was named one of Business Insider's Rising Stars of Real Estate. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Charles Thompson? Charles is a father of 4 and has been selling in some shape or form for the last 7 years. He’s been in sales formally for the last 4 years and in the multifamily space for one year.He sees sales as serving and loves the fact that sales enable him to create and build meaningful relationships with a myriad of individuals. Charles broke into sales from a non-traditional path—a path he doesn’t see as a weakness but a competitive advantage because he sees sales differently.In fact, his untraditional path is part of his story. His path informs his personal brand which is how he communicates his story with others so they see him not as an irritating salesperson first but as a person with a family, interests, and passions.Charles’ family is his why, and leaving a legacy that outlives him, motivates him on a daily basis. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Tadros ‘Teddy’ Abdelmalek? Tadros (Teddy) Abdelmalek is the National Director of Business Development for Campus Life and Style (CLS), part of the parent company Vesper Holdings, which is the 6th largest owner of student housing in the United States.As an experienced property management and student affairs professional, Teddy holds a Master of Higher Education with an emphasis in student affairs from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and has 20 years of experience in the industry of student housing, which leads him to have uniquely diverse interactions. He is a dedicated leader with a proven track record of improving operations, fiscal performance, and turning around distressed assets.His education and experience have enabled him to build successful relationships with university leadership and external stakeholders. By focusing on the student-life experience and his hands-on approach to real estate management, Teddy builds immense real-estate value for the student housing assets that he interacts with.Outside of the office, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife Ciera, newborn son Fredrick, and their two dogs in Kansas City. While Teddy is a driving and traveling enthusiast, you can always count on him to grab coffee with you and talk about his recent poker tournaments. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Victoria Cowart?Victoria Cowart, CPM, NAAEI Faculty, is the Director of Education & Outreach for PetScreening. Previously, she was a direct multi-family industry member with extensive experience providing management and oversight for multifamily housing communities (conventional & subsidized), mobile home communities, and HOAs. She is a property management instructor and a proud graduate of the NAAEI Advance Facilitator Training, the NAA Lyceum Program, and now the Trainer Program with NAA for Mental Health First Aid certification.Victoria obtained her degree in the Management of human resources and then her industry CPM designation. She was honored to be commissioned an SC “Palmetto Patriot,” to receive the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Executive “Influential Women In Business,” and the NAA AIMS Grassroots Member Advocate of the Year. She has served the industry as President of both the local and state affiliates as well as having served as a Regional VP for Region IV for NAA. Victoria has chaired four Committees for NAA, most recently as the 2021 Legislative Chair.Victoria is passionate about education, simplification, and creating ease and understanding for industry members. Victoria is a wife, mother, and a proud PetScreening pack member who also leads her own “pride” of three pound-kitties. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Lori Agudo?She started in property management 15 years ago. After stumbling upon the industry while looking for an apartment, she began working as a Leasing Consultant.Lori was very ambitious with her career path. She took multifamily courses through the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando, which sparked her passion for multifamily education. In 2016 she was asked to teach her first class with the association while still working as a property manager.She became the first-ever Regional Trainer for Royal American in January 2017. After being a department of one for several years, Lori was promoted to Director of Training & Talent Development in January 2020. She now has a department of five, supporting close to 800 employees.Through her property management journey, the most fulfilling aspect has been the ability to give back to the community. This spoke to her because of how she was raised. Her parents were the type of people who were always doing good for others.Being in property management has allowed her to be able to support our most vulnerable populations – the homeless and seniors. She serves on the AAGO Foundation Board of Directors and helps support the five charity partners they have. She was recognized for her efforts in 2021 when she received the Volunteer of the Year award from the AAGO Foundation. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

Who is Robert Velez? In August 2001, Robert joined the U.S. Army, serving in Active Duty for 4 and a half years, and was deployed in 2 separate tours to Iraq. In between military tours, he had a security job. Once he finished his contract with the military, he began a journey that has led him to his current position; a result of 10 years of apartment industry experience.In 2009, a great friend and maintenance supervisor gave him the opportunity to work on a property that was built in 1969. He worked there for 2 years and 9 months; first as a Make-Ready Technician and last as a Maintenance Technician. He gained the bulk of his maintenance experience during that time.Early on, the endless workload and lack of work-life balance brought on by the on-call rotation took a tremendous toll on him. This experience drove him to rethink his purpose in life.In the summer of 2012, he left the industry and moved away for 4 years to pursue and obtain a BA in Religious Studies. He earned the degree, but during his last 6 months in school, realized that the calling on his life has always consisted of keeping a strong faith, listening to others, providing hope to the hopeless, and bringing laughter to a world consumed by the daily stresses of life. He understood that the apartment industry was a place where he could fulfill his calling to serve others while employing his God-given talents.In the summer of 2016, with a renewed vision, he returned to the apartment industry, where he continues to serve.Since then, he has been a Make Ready Technician, Maintenance Technician I & 2, and Service Manager, and in recent weeks accepted his biggest challenge yet; becoming Multi-site Assistant Community Manager.No matter the task at hand, he looks for the opportunity to love, listen, learn, and laugh. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:26 - Meet Vanessa Grayson, business manager at Lincoln Property Company in Kansas City, Missouri04:48 - How Vanessa got started in multifamily06:39 - Working hard and living strong with a support system08:38 - Things I’ve learned over my 8 years in leasing and multifamily17:00 - Looking backward to measure personal growth21:01 - Enjoy your work, but stay professional23:33 - More lessons that the multifamily taught Vanessa26:45 - A note about diversity in the multifamily industry29:11 - It’s never too early to start mentoring others32:57 - Our 3 favorite Community Boss questionsAlthough unconventional, Vanessa went from working in a bar to business manager in a matter of a few short years. How’d she do it? (And how can you do it too?) “There is no fast track to this…it all comes down to work ethic, drive, and what motivates you to get up every day and get the job done.”Navigating work in the multifamily industry — “probably one of the toughest industries” — and balancing life behind the scenes takes some skill. Here are 10 nuggets of truth from Vanessa, also known as The Queen of the Hard Route:Life is hard. From single motherhood, no post-secondary education, depression, and anxiety, Vanessa partnered hard work with a strong support system to work her way up in the industry.You have a purpose. “Once you understand the purest and truest form to accept yourself for who you are and to not quit because there is so much light at the end of the tunnel — it is the most invigorating thing I've ever felt in my life.”Don’t glorify the grind. Not everyone will understand your drive for work, yet give yourself permission to rest. “It’s okay to take a step back and take a break and realign yourself with your purpose, just recenter and refocus.”Be grateful. “This industry has just afforded me so much support and love, and has put me in a financial state to have bought my first home and to make sure that my children have whatever it is that they need... multi-family truly changed my life.” Let someone tell you “no.” “Having someone tell me no was the best thing that has ever happened to me. Having someone make me feel like I could do better, or there was more of me to give, or there was more that could be pulled out of me.”No table is designed with your seat pulled out. “You have to be ready and willing to do the work, put the work in, and provide a level of work ethic that you may not have seen from yourself.”Lean on the people around you. “Because when you’re doubting yourself, you've got other people still rooting for you to keep pushing and keep grinding it out.”Don’t be afraid of change. “It can be extremely scary. But if you don’t tap into that, you’re going to become stagnant. If we do things the way that we've always done them, the only thing that we have coming to us is the same thing that's already here.”Embrace diversity. “It’s uncomfortable. It's outside of what you know. But easy doesn’t get you very far, right?”It’s never too early to mentor others. “It’s incredible to see [my mentors] light the path for me so that I can go and light the path for someone else.”And one final piece of advice from Vanessa: “If Evan asks you to be on the Boss Talks podcast, you have to go be on Boss Talks.” #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:14 - Meet Steven Toro, property manager and improv comedian12:02 - The nonlinear path of multifamily and property management13:21 - Employee entrepreneurship20:06 - 3 Community Boss questionsIt’s such a joy to interview Bosses on our Community Boss podcast, and today’s guest is no exception! Meet Steven Toro: former actor, model, and comedian; previous multifamily and student property manager; and a current podcaster and YouTuber in the PropTech real estate investment realm. Aside from an entertaining conversation, he elaborated on what he’s coined as employee entrepreneurship.Employee entrepreneurship is the idea that employees operate as independent contractors, even though they are employed by a company (and even though employees are not categorized as independent contractors for tax reasons).In previous generations, employees often stayed with a good company for as long as possible, hopefully until retirement. The idea was that if you’re a good worker, the business will be good to you and pay you more.However, employee entrepreneurship considers you, the employee, as an asset. You are the commodity that you’re selling back to the company. Obviously, employees bring value to a business. Yet you can work for a company that views you as an asset, and you have the opportunity to work for a company that you truly enjoy. And with the intertwining of technology, the work-life balance has tipped over the years, making this perspective even more important.Steven said, “We’ve all heard it: nobody wants to work anymore. These people have always existed who don’t want to work. But, however, the difference is…not that we’re not working, just that we’re operating differently in the workplace. And that’s where employee entrepreneurship comes in… It encapsulates the new work style that we’ve adopted.”Bosses, how are you an employee entrepreneur? Have you coined a phrase in the multifamily industry that has impacted how you live, lead, and Manage Like A Boss? We’d love to hear more — share it with us on a future episode of the Boss Talks Podcast!Just for fun: Steven Toro’s lessons from improv comedy:You always have something to say.It makes you think on your feet.You have to be aware of multiple people at the same time.It exposes the multiple aspects of conversation and interactions.You quickly come up with creative solutions.It helps you develop a lot of confidence! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:51 - Meet Alicia Holmes, from Edward Rose & Sons05:54 - Multifamily marketing, training, and e-learning08:11 - Shoe rooms and vacation closets12:09 - E-trainings: conflict resolution and face-to-face interactions15:22 - The 2 Pillars of marketing19:30 - Consistency, Connection, Content36:21 - Our 3 favorite Community Boss questionsIn addition to owning 171 pairs of shoes and planning to visit all 7 continents, Alicia Holmes has accrued more than 10 years of experience in the multifamily industry. In particular, she has refined her skills as a master marketer. You won’t want to miss Alicia’s realistic marketing tips for the long game!Marketing Pillar #1: People. “We’re all in the people business, right? It's where someone's going to live. It's where someone might take their first steps, where they might fall in or out of love. Their home is such an intimate part that I think centering on people reminds you that this is really a people business.”Marketing Pillar #2: Joy. “Who doesn't want joy? Marketing should be fun. It's okay if it's not perfect. If you had eight people like your post, don't feel bad. Because if eight people came up to you today and told you that they liked you, you would actually feel really good about it.”3 Ways To Enhance Your Multifamily MarketingConnection. “People don't always understand the words that you use, so you need to say it to them in their words. Because we are here to solve a problem. They need somewhere to live. Everyone has to live somewhere. Shelter is one of our basic needs. So really just being open with that humanity piece and meeting people where they are and asking simple questions.”Consistency. “Your tens and tens of views turn into thousands and thousands. Consistency is the best hack!”Content. “Do they respond to pictures? Do they respond to videos? Do they like long-form words? Really playing with fire with that one. The average attention span is only down to six seconds so you need to have something really attention-grabbing. So figuring out what type of content they actually want, what resonates best with them, and not being afraid to fail.”Whether you’re a shoe fanatic with the travel bug or a Boss in the multifamily industry, we know that Alicia’s marketing hacks are spot on! Thanks, Alicia, for Managing Like A Boss and sharing your top expertise with our Boss Talks listeners! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:56 - Meet Joelis Barandica-Rodriguez, Regional Education Director for Con Am05:18 - Bridging the statistical gap for Latinas in Multifamily07:37 - Barriers and perspectives12:06 - Diversity vs inclusion17:14 - How to get involved with Latinas in Property Management23:04 - How to connect with Joelis this year26:03 - Our 3 Community Boss questions: community, food, and coffeeBefore we jump into diversity and inclusion, meet today’s Boss Talks podcast guest: Joelis Barandica-Rodriguez, Regional Education Director for Con Am, Board of Directors member for the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando, and Founder of Latinas in Property Management.With the fantastic blend of her Colombian roots and American pride, she has the perfect character for property management—although this job fell into her lap, as it does for most of us! “It was really through mentorship that I became well-versed in property management and really fell in love with the field.”Did you know…Only 5% of corporate-level multifamily managers in Florida are Latina.36% of commercial real estate professionals are women…but only 9% of corporate positions in real estate are women.Women earn a base salary of approximately 10% less than menDiversity vs InclusionJoelis is an advocate for Latinas, but really for all people! And her definitions are not only spot-on, but also easy to understand.“Imagine being at a high school dance. Diversity is really making sure that everyone is invited to the event, while inclusion is asking the people who are there to actually dance.Think about a middle school basketball team. If you gave every player the same size seven shoe, it would be equal and they'd all have the same pair of shoes. But of course, not everyone's feet are the same size… Equity is making sure everyone gets a pair of shoes that fit so they can participate on a level playing field.”How To Get Involved with Latinas in Property Management“We are authentically committed to identifying leaders that care and create safe spaces for dialogue and engagement. And we want them to have the courage to have those uncomfortable conversations with their staff, their boards, their partners about issues, so they aren't afraid to raise challenging questions.”Follow on LinkedInFollow on InstagramFollow on Facebook #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

02:23 - Meet Eric Orsbon, Independent Asset Manager04:41 - Why Eric likes student housing (hint: it’s fun and life-changing!)06:32 - Working with your spouse8:40 - 10 tips for a career in the multifamily housing industry09:26 - Tip #1: Keep learning.11:55 - Tip #2: Where do you want to grow?12:28 - Tip #3: What’s your career path?14:57 - Tip #4: Train ‘em up.15:45 - Tip #5: Numbers don’t lie.18:22 - Tip #6: Track your accomplishments.22:22 - Tip #7: Don’t keep secrets.24:04 - Tip #8: Consider changing jobs.26:49 - Tip #9: Wear nice clothes. (No, really!)28:10 - Tip 10: Learn how to answer the right questions.31:09 - What’s next for Eric?32:02 - Viewer question: Is NAA or IRAM better?33:58 - Our 3 favorite Boss questionsFrom real estate and property management to leasing agent and vice president to multifamily and student housing, Eric Orsbon has filled nearly every role in the industry! He’s gathered all of the hats he’s worn and compiled a top 10 list of tips for a career in the multifamily housing industry:Education: “As early as you can, get some of your professional designation certifications … Your employer probably wants you to have that education to do your job better, and that helps you do your job better and helps show your employer (or other future employers) that you're in the industry long term.”Decide what role you want to grow into. “There’s somewhat of a linear role up the traditional chain: leasing, assistant manager, regional manager. But there’s also at most companies a marketing department, internal collection department, administrative, and accounting role. So there are different things you can do.”Know where you want to grow next or what your long-term career is. “If you can already do the duties of the role you want to grow into, or at least have some experience with it, you’re that much easier to promote.”Teach your replacement. “Teach the person that would be most likely to replace you if you were promoted, because that makes you more promotable.”Hit your KPIs. “Hit your KPIs, know what those are for your company, and be sure you hit them because when it comes time to promote, most companies are going to … look at the numbers.”Keep a Brag Book. “I call it a Brag Book. It could just be a digital folder you throw stuff in. You might keep it on paper or both, but just keep your accomplishments … It can help you to go back through that stuff and remember for yourself your accomplishments … When you have imposter syndrome (like most people do), you can never remind yourself, ‘I've done all this.’”Don’t keep your desire to grow a secret. “Don't wait till you see the position you want and then raise your hand. Just let it be known. Because when the opportunity arises, you want to be automatically at the top of people’s heads.”Watch for other job opportunities. “If you love your company, by all means stay with your company … But if there’s just no room to grow … be open to look at opportunities at other companies.”Dress for success. “Dress for the position you want. Be sure you’re dressing in a way that people can just visualize you in that position that you want to be in. Because you will stand out, for sure.”Learn how to interview. “Take the time to learn how to interview. It is an acquired skill … but be humble. Plan ahead for the question that you might be asked during an interview.”Eric, add this Boss Talks interview to your Brag Book! You’re an awesome Boss and we’re grateful to learn from your 10 tips about the multifamily industry!Be a Guest on the Boss Talks PodcastDo you want to share your Boss experience with us? Be the next guest on the Boss Talks podcast hosted by Community Boss! Contact our host, Evan Happel, at [email protected] to schedule a time. Keep Managing Like A Boss, and we will see you again next week! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:36 - Meet Bo Schneider, Tailwind Group (2022 Top Innovator Award)05:50 - From business student to property manager07:43 - Taking risks: is it worth it?10:07 - Property management is property management11:13 - Passion for leadership and mentorship16:32 - The challenges of property management (especially tenant laws)20:56 - Celebrate your people and mark it on your calendar22:04 - 3 Boss QuestionsCheck out Bo’s innovative bits of wisdom:How to be an innovator: “One thing that really led to it was my background in coming from a few different companies, knowing myself, and even being in different regions across the US as well. Piecing together different things that I've liked and finding efficiencies helped me bring that viewpoint to them.”How to be a leader and team player: “There are going to be different levels of leadership and role playing.” We have to understand “when it’s time to be a leader and when it’s time to be a role player and responsible for your certain duties.”How to be social: “One thing I really enjoy about the industry itself is the amount of social interactions that you have, relationships that you build, not only with your peers or coworkers, but even with your resident base, whether that be current or former.”How to be a property manager: “Property management is property management. I think in a broad sense we all do the same thing…Each one definitely cares about their people and their employees. And the end goal is to make sure that their people felt appreciated, felt heard, felt seen, and are supported in their careers.”How to be a mentor: “I really get to know them. I want to figure out what their end goal is. How can we spark an interest, light a fire, get them really invested into it? How can I work alongside them to help them reach their goals or max potential?”How to celebrate your team: “Really celebrate your people. I make note of everybody’s birthday (and work anniversary) and I put it on my calendar. I set myself a reminder at least four days in advance to do a handwritten personal card and a small gift, and I have the entire team sign it.Be a Guest on the Boss Talks PodcastBo jumped in and said “Yes!” to be a guest on the Community Boss Boss Talks Podcast—and you can too! Message our host, Evan Happel, at [email protected] to request your slot on a future episode. Keep Managing Like A Boss, and we will see you again next week! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

00:28 - Meet Irving Lopez Gallarza, Community Manager with Centerspace03:34 - Irving’s biggest piece of advice, plus a few bonus suggestions07:17 - The Great Resignation in the multifamily industry10:33 - Flexibility in the workplace15:56 - Prop tech teamwork, innovation, and accepting change23:00 - The power of a birthday card25:30 - Ask your mentor for help30:29 - Last nugget of wisdom, plus our favorite 3 questionsIrving’s decade of experience plus leadership positions in the multifamily industry has sharpened his Boss skills. That explains why this Boss Talks episode is loaded with nuggets of wisdom!We are family. “Family is in ‘multifamily,’ so at the end of the day, we gotta take care of each other.”People matter. “We are in the people business. People want to feel appreciated. People want to feel like they matter.”Utilize technology. “Hey, technology is our friend…how can we use technology to our favor and remove some of that work burden from our team?”Lend a hand. “I think we all started somewhere and should be giving that lending hand and saying, ‘I'm here, I support you, and I'm listening.’”Always be curious. “How are you innovating? How are you operating differently from your competitors or within your company? How are you structuring your different departments?”Transparency. “When you build that sense of transparency across those fundamentals, it really sets your company up for success. What are you doing to set yourself apart? And what are you building with your company brand?”Just stick with it. “This industry will take care of you if you stick with it. People are always there to have your back.”Like Irving mentioned, multifamily is a family, we’re all in this together. Our Community Boss team couldn’t agree more! Which is why it’s no surprise that he shared a few noteworthy quotes from some of his favorite business leaders:“A company's culture is a foundation for future innovation and an entrepreneur's job is to build that foundation.” –Brian Chesky, the co-founder, and CEO of Airbnb“Teach your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” –Steven T., author of Seven Habits of Highly Effective PeopleIrving, thanks for modeling what it truly means to be a Boss in the multifamily world! If you want to share your Boss experience with us, you could be the next guest on the Boss Talks podcast. Contact our host, Evan Happel, at [email protected] to grab your spot. Until then, share this motivating episode with a friend and keep Managing Like A Boss! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:00 - Meet Bridget Foley, Director of Multifamily Partnerships at Move for Hunger06:35 - How to partner with Move for Hunger07:41 - The reality of food waste in the USA09:01 - Beyond just multifamily: food drives and movers10:31 - Help your multifamily property reduce food waste16:18 - Bridget’s benefits of working in multifamily18:40 - Multifamily industry mentors, conferences, certifications, and training21:17 - Women in business plus imposter syndrome25:40 - Viewer question: What repeat challenges do you face?28:00 - Final 3 questions: community, cooking, and coffeeWhat is Move for Hunger? We work with the multifamily industry to collect food from residents who are moving in or moving out, and then donate that food to local food banks. Our goal is to bring awareness to food insecurity and food waste. What sets Move for Hunger apart from other food donation organizations? Most people want to donate or help others, but the moving process is stressful and hectic. “We are able to really take what’s good and bring it over to multifamily… We’re taking that guilt off by doing this for you.”How much food has Move for Hunger salvaged/donated? From harvest to dinner plate, approximately 35% of food is wasted in America, close to 18 billion tons. We work with more than 3,000 properties across all 50 states and collect an average of 250 pounds per property. As of recording (September 2022) we’ve collected 90,000 pounds of food so far this year! “Imagine if we had every single property in the multifamily industry collecting…times 250—that would be an insane amount of food that would go to the local communities!” Where can I sign up for my multifamily community? Move for Hunger makes it simple for your community to reduce food waste and support local food banks. Here’s how:When you sign up, we kindly request a $250 annual donation.We send free brown recyclable paper collection bags to hold your non-perishable food donations.When you’re ready, call us and ask for a pickup. We’ll work with our team of movers to collect your bags within 30 days and deliver them to a local food bank. Bridget Foley has always had a passion to give back to her community and the multifamily industry has encouraged her to open up her wings and fly! “It’s been really nice to just have some fun and be able to develop my own personal brand in a way.” Her two-pronged approach of learning from the industry and mentors has set Bridget up for success—which ultimately brings awareness to food insecurity and food waste through Move for Hunger!Bridget is definitely a Boss! And at Community Boss, we embrace our Boss brand with Boss necklaces, Boss comics, and the Boss Talks podcast. Contact our host, Evan Happel, at [email protected] to snag a Boss necklace or grab a spot on a future episode of Boss Talks. Until then, keep Managing Like A Boss! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:06 - Meet Amber Smalls, Regional Manager at Redstone Residential Student Housing 04:56 - Comparing and contrasting student housing with multifamily housing 06:10 - Scaling from a Leasing Agent to a property management partnership07:34 - Joining support groups, prioritizing PTO, and training your replacement12:58 - Lessons for success14:46 - The career-changing impact of mentors23:07 - Final 3 questions: building community, cooking dinner, and favorite coffeeAmber’s season in the spotlight began in college when she interned as a journalist at a local CBS station in Mississippi. After graduation, she accepted a full-time position at the same station. “I did it and I loved it, but I made beans.” But once her job description included “motherhood,” the minimal pay and lengthy hours reduced her job satisfaction.That’s when Amber made the switch to the multifamily industry—specifically as a student housing leasing agent. “I loved the fast paces. Every day wasn't the same.” She leases all year with student housing (unlike round-the-clock multifamily leasing), and even enjoys the prep work for Turn.Her willingness to take on new challenges and move throughout the student housing industry has launched Amber into her current partnership as Regional Manager with Residential Student Housing. Why does she call it a partnership? “You work for them. They work for you. It works for everybody. They really respect and understand that outside of property management, I have a life, I have a family. And they're very cognizant and supportive of that.” In this Boss Talks episode, Amber shares her personal recipe for success. Here’s a snippet of that achievement deliciousness:Learn when to say no. “Saying no to a task, a job, or an initiative doesn't mean that you can't be available for the next thing.” By establishing healthy boundaries with her job in student housing and acknowledging the harmony of work-life priorities, Amber has actually catapulted her growth!Hit refresh. Before making a career shift or change in workload, consider: “What are my parameters? What are my non-negotiables? Does it fit my ideals? Do their ideals fit mine?”Be a resource. Acknowledge when your team members need your expertise, experience, or example in order to complete their tasks well. “That’s my job is to help you excel. Because then we all win, right?”Support your team. Sometimes you don't need to ask if someone needs help—just do it. When Amber’s plate was piled with work and urgent matters popped up, her co-worker helped finish small tasks without asking. “He would jump in without my asking and take care of it for me. And I feel like if I didn't have him…I would quit.”Train your replacement. “Don't think of training your replacement as literally the person who takes your job away. They're the person to take your place so that you can continue to grow.”Thank you, Amber, for being a Boss in the student housing industry! If you want to jump out of your comfort zone and be a Boss Talks guest, reach out to us at [email protected]. Watch live every Wednesday at noon PST on the Community Boss LinkedIn or Facebook pages, or follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Until next time, Manage Like A Boss. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

02:08 - Meet Wheeliam Puckeet, multifamily maintenance and service manager09:41 - More than just a maintenance man: awards and recognition11:45 - The life-changing impact of mentorship13:11 - Wheeliam’s rock-solid team philosophies14:05 - His personal missions, values, and philosophies16:40 - How the pandemic upgraded the status of the service team25:07 - Launching his multifamily service team onto bigger and better things28:06 - Final 3 questions: building community, making dinner, and drinking coffeeWheeliam is more than just a multifamily maintenance expert — he’s a true Boss! Our conversation is sprinkled with wise advice, guiding philosophies, and rooted missions. Here’s a snippet of what Wheeliam has to share:Lead by example. “We are only as good as the people that work with us. If I'm going to expect my team to do certain things, I have to be willing to do those things as well.”Prepare your team to move up: “If I haven't gotten you ready for the next step in your career within the next 12 months, I'm not doing my job.”Value multifamily maintenance training. “When certain things are gonna take me away to go do something else, I need to be able to know that my team is gonna be able to handle the property when I'm gone.”Don’t be late for anything. “If you see something needs to be taken care of, take care of it and beat people to the punch.”Closed mouths don’t get fed. “I can't help you if I don't know what the problem is and I can't guess what the problem is.”Pay attention. “In life and every situation that we deal with, we can find a lesson in everything that we do. And not only does that make us better at our job, but that makes us better as people in general”All we have is our word. “If we say we're gonna do something, we have to do it.”Wheeliam, thank you for modeling what it looks like to be a Boss in the apartment and multifamily maintenance field. We want to invite our listeners, like YOU, to share what you’re passionate about and how you lead like a Boss. Contact our host, Evan Happel, to schedule your spot on Boss Talks, a multifamily podcast about how to Manage Like A Boss. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

00:30 - Meet Laura Kitts with Housing Connector and WMFHA01:33 - Learning the basics of sales with Comcast—while being a single mom07:21 - Transitioning to the multifamily industry08:35 - Board member of Washington Multi-Family Housing Association (WMFHA)11:15 - Funny story time: door-to-door sales woman and local commercial13:35 - Moving to Zumper, a prop tech startup16:38 - Being driven by a mission-minded perspective20:22 - Who is Housing Connector?25:02 - The need for Housing Connector27:18 - Take a leap of faith for contentment, fulfillment, and satisfaction‍Whether you’re a single parent, fresh-out-of-college grad, or hungry for a career transition, you’re going to learn a lot from this Boss! So let’s sum this story-driven episode into three points:‍Take a chance for the right opportunity. Laura started her career as a naturally-skilled salesperson at Comcast, but knew she needed more satisfaction and flexibility in her work. Her solution? A horizontal shift within the multifamily industry. “The worst thing that can happen when you take a chance is that you might fail. And if you fail, you still succeed because you learned something.”‍Join a multifamily association. Another way to transition smoothly is to follow Laura’s lead to join a multifamily industry organization. “There’s this whole multifamily industry out there with associations that you can join that will really help elevate your career and help you make beautiful bonds that last a very long time.” She now serves on the Board of Washington Multi-Family Housing Association (WMFHA).‍Buy into the mission. Maybe you’re like Laura and you’ve always felt pulled to do good in the world. Let that passion spark in your personal life and your career! “The reason I made that leap [to Housing Connector is because there was a mission behind it of helping residents living in apartment communities build that sense of community to feel less lonely and less isolated.”‍That’s why this Boss has settled into a position at Housing Connector. This mission-minded nonprofit acts as a bridge between property managers and case workers. The primary goal is to help individuals facing homelessness to find housing and be educated on how to be a good renter. Likewise, this organization assists property managers with benefits like rent payments, damage mitigation funds, vacancy loss, and mediation. As of recording in Autumn 2022, Housing Connector has housed over 3,300 people in the last two years.‍“That's absolutely incredible, and really just a drop in a bucket when it comes to the need for accessible housing. But it is working and if we can make a dent, then that's amazing.”‍ One final piece of advice from Laura Kitts: “Don’t wait…if you're feeling like you're not fully fulfilled and happy, because there actually are so many other opportunities out there to find joy and success.” We don’t know about you, but we ended this episode feeling ultra-inspired about the work happening in the multifamily space! If you have a similar story about working in the multifamily industry, we’d love to feature you on Boss Talks! Contact our host, Evan Happel. Until next time, share this encouraging multifamily podcast with your friends and keep Managing Like A Boss! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:09 - Meet William Butler with Empower PMC04:32 - Practical apartment leasing best practices 05:59 - His Book RELEASING: A Counterintuitive Approach To Apartment Leasing07:05 - Why you need these counterintuitive tactics11:05 - The biggest area where you can fix (and improve!) your multifamily leasing 13:47 - William’s multifamily conversion ratio — it’s high!17:15 - The not-so-secret formula to achieve high conversions20:02 - Unleash the power of creative marketing 22:57 - William’s team and community27:18 - What you’d eat at William’s house for dinner, plus his favorite coffee29:10 - What markets are you in right now?29:44 - What types of properties do you consult for?30:13 - What fundamental apartment leasing principle is underrated?32:33 - Share your story on Boss Talks! “I wanna do something a little bit more. I wanna leave a legacy on the industry.” In this Boss Talks episode, William divulged his multifamily conversion rates and shared how you can take specific actions to experience similar rates in your community. He’s been in the industry since 2009, wrote a practical book about apartment leasing strategies called RELEASING: A Counterintuitive Approach to Apartment Leasing, and owns his own property management consulting company, Empower PMC. “The fundamentals aren’t necessarily always fun, right?” But go back to the basics. Revisit the things that will get you the conversion numbers you need. First, disown your ego. A Boss is humble and knows when to ask for help. It’s okay if you need assistance to boost your leads or conversion rates. Invest in your staff. Train them to be relational, strategic conversion experts who intimately know your property and help leads visualize living their best life there.Magnify your mindset. Don’t settle for average — you’re better than that! Shift your mindset away from collective psychology toward being top-notch. How can you increase your conversion ratio? Convert your leads into apartment tours and then get them to sign an apartment lease. A lead is anyone who expresses interest in your property. A conversion ratio is the number of leads who end up signing a lease. What are Empower PMC’s conversion rates? 50% of leads who inquire about our community show up for an apartment tour75% of the leads who take an apartment tour sign a leaseHow do William and his team achieve these utterly amazing rates? “I stop talking about the property. I start talking about you.” Discover what motivates your buyer’s decision, ask what they desire in a new apartment, learn what they do for fun, and find out what is most important to them. Then use that information to sell the features and benefits of your community, like the best apartment amenities or your apartment community app. “Once you figure out those details and are able to articulate the value proposition of your asset in particular, the recipe’s the same at that point.”Close the deal and sign the lease!If your mind is swirling with must-try tactics or your personal multifamily leasing success stories, we’d love to hear all about it! Be our next guest on Boss Talks by reaching out to our host, Evan Happel. Until then, share this podcast with your multifamily industry friends and keep Managing Like A Boss! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:39 - Meet Marcel Thomas, General Manager & High Priestess of Property Management05:12 - What is The Turn in Student Housing? 10:14 - Time-saving integrations12:17 - Student Housing Professionals Facebook Group14:33 - Celebrating a 60% renewal rate17:47 - Life in Las Vegas vs other schools22:22 - Leadership philosophies27:24 - Final questions: Building community, dinner guests, and a cuppa joeEvery Boss has a sweet story, and here’s Marcel’s. While he was studying pastry in culinary school, he worked part-time in the student housing office. “I don't think anybody ever plans on being in this industry. It just happens…at least that's what happened with me.”Flash forward to today, where Marcel is the General Manager of a Be Home Student Living community in Las Vegas, Nevada—although he prefers the self-proclaimed title of High Priestess of Property Management. During this multifamily podcast episode, Marcel explains the biggest difference between student housing and multifamily: The Turn. (Also aptly named Superbowl, hell on earth, nightmare on Elm Street, etc.) This two-and-a-half week window occurs when all leases turn over from late-July through mid-August. Part I of The Turn is the unit part: inspections, pictures, damages, carpets, appliances, furniture—everything must take place with the help of staff and third party workers. Part II of The Turn is the admin side: moving packets, keys, FMO, bills, charges. In other words, Marcel becomes the manager of “organized chaos for two and a half weeks.”One of the reasons his property has boasted a 60% renewal rate is because of his Boss-style leadership philosophies:Be tough but fair. Marcel calls himself, “a tough coach, but like a cool mom” because he blends attention to detail with constant improvements. By listening to residents, not letting the small things pass by his staff, and maintaining a high standard, his team and properties have thrived.Plan for your legacy. “When I leave here, then this property will still be like my legacy. And so it doesn’t reflect well on me if I leave here and it just tanks.” Marcel prioritizes training his staff to fulfill his shoes to replace him at some point. That increases his value and empowers his team at the same time. Have fun! Daily dance moves, bring-your-dog-to-work days, homemade desserts, and staff dinners are just a few of his fun-filled Boss tactics. (Also, don’t we all agree that Marcel would flourish on TikTok?!)Other factors that have boosted his success include must-have automations, such as Community Boss and the Amazon hub locker system, plus his Student Housing Professionals Facebook community. Do you have a Boss-worthy story, just like Marcel? We’d love to hear it! Reach out to our host, Evan Happel, and share why you’re a Boss in the student housing or multifamily industry. Then send this podcast to your friends to help them Manage Like A Boss! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:00 - Meet Nathan LeMesurier, co-founder of Community Boss03:50 - What Nathan really did fresh out of high school 06:16 - How joining his condo board changed his life—and career09:02 - The early evolution of Parking Boss13:59 - Our value of self-funded growth and vision17:51 - Enter Covid…and our amenity solution23:32 - The missing puzzle piece: mapping27:54 - The future of CB29:15 - Who came up with Parking Boss as a name?30:34 - Meet our talented in-house team 32:44 - Merging the real world with software36:47 - Get to know Nathan: curling on frozen ponds, homemade pasta, and really good coffeeLet’s start with Star Wars. “I owe it all to Phantom Menace.” Nathan built his first website in high school—all about Star Wars. Flash forward to 2001 when he joined the Luminous team (presently known as Community Boss) fresh out of high school. At the time they were making dynamic websites that were “basically online brochures for people who actually wanted to have more interactivity.” Nathan has been building software systems ever since. Next, is that life-changing condo board meeting. When Nathan and his wife bought their first condo, he was elected to the board and experienced a two-sided approach as both a resident and a manager. The biggest problem: parking. “We feel really disempowered. We hear the problems, we experience the problems, but we don't feel like we have any real power to solve them.” (Can you relate?!) Meet Guest Parking Permits, the original form of Parking Boss! The primary thought was that it’s too much work to manually monitor parking lots, so why not make them tell us when they’re going to be there? And it worked! “It went from being something that we had to proactively monitor into something that we could sporadically audit…It became a sort of self reinforcing habit, and it was very effective.” It slowly grew into the product that many of you know and love today.What about that pandemic? 2020 jump-started our Amenity Reservations suite since, well, everyone was literally staying at home! “It was the perfect product for the perfect time.” We also developed multifamily software solutions for payments and mapping, plus we’ve launched multiple integrations for gates and locks. “We’ve only scratched the surface of where these pieces are going.”Beyond just parking. We’ve been so fortunate to build something that businesses want, and that actually helps communities thrive! Although money is often a metric of success, we grounded ourselves in the vision to craft a tight feedback loop of listening and fixing. That process is the driving force of our expansion beyond parking to community-wide solutions.At Community Boss, our mission is to help multifamily and apartment communities manage shared spaces in a smart, automated, modern way. And our Boss Talks podcast is a platform for Bosses like you to have a voice and share your Boss stories. Contact us to be our next guest on the Boss Talks podcast, or share this episode with others to help them Manage Like a Boss! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:03 - Meet Jennifer Carter from Fetch04:25 - Ding dong! The necessity of package management07:26 - How Fetch benefits residents and onsite teams07:47 - Utilizing community maps to aid deliveries09:37 - The benefits of being an onsite team member10:44 - Why you (and I) need a business mentor 12:44 - Managing a team means making mistakes and learning from them16:46 - Navigating the choppy waters of work/life balance 19:47 - Where is our industry headed in 2023?22:18 - How to switch to the vendor sideLike many of you, Jennifer is passionate about the multifamily industry. “As many folks know…once you get in, you never get out!” From property management with Aspen Square Management to marketing with Apartment Guide, from resident retention with SatisFacts to prop tech with Smart Rent, her multifold roles deepened her understanding of the complete onsite experience—which fits perfectly with her current role at Fetch, a package management logistics company.Fetch allows residents to choose when they want their package. They can start ordering right after they sign their lease, or they can have it held for up to 6 months. Obviously this is a huge benefit for onsite teams since no one is hired to move, sort, or store boxes. Even better, a community that also utilizes Community Boss can aid deliveries with our Community Map, which contains a Community Directory and geolocation services.Once you start listening, you’ll quickly notice a theme that Jennifer loves helping people. And that’s one of the many reasons why she has achieved Boss Status. Understanding: Understanding the client and making their experience better is what it’s all about.Connections: Someone called Jennifer the glue that connects people together, and what a good definition! As a Boss, you can be the pivotal piece that acts as a connector between your people.Joy: Technology is never going to replace people, so let’s joyfully serve clients and encourage them to live from their talents instead of their titles.Empathy: Having empathy for the onsite team and what they do on a day-to-day basis is crucial to Managing Like A Boss. Our role should help mitigate all the work the onsite team is doing and make their life a little bit easier.Management: “You can manage people, be a leader, and a mentor, but you have to be able to manage yourself to be a good mentor or to be a good leader or to be a good boss.”Mentorship: In Jennifer’s words, a mentor “helps you with your strengths, but also isn’t afraid to help you polish up the negative and be honest.”Jennifer reminded us that “there's something about this industry, that there's something different every day.” Those are the kind of stories we love hearing about on Boss Talks! We provide a platform to share about your Boss Status so others can learn from your experiences. Contact us to be a Boss Talks guest, or share this episode with others to help them Manage Like A Boss. #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:18 - Meet Dwayne Bryant from Greystone Property Management02:35 - Framework for leadership: 4 D’s and 3 E’s06:30 - A love of leasing and teaching08:10 - The Value of mentorship10:00 - The 3 E’s as a Boss13:22 - Perception and reality16:55 - How do you value yourself? How do you perceive yourself?18:25 - 2 more E’s21:44 - Where is Dwayne headed next?When you first meet Dwayne, chances are high that he’s showing up in a suit and tie. No, it’s not just to impress you (or because he looks good in the mirror). It’s because he has learned the value of perception. People often comment that he is the best-dressed man in the office. One time, someone else asked “Are you the next speaker?” when he was just happy to be in the room at a prestigious conference. In his words, “Understand your own value, then increase your value with education, exposure, and experience.”Those are the 3 E’s, which pair perfectly with the 4 D’s—acronyms that Dwayne first learned from his high school wrestling team but still ring true today in his property management career.“I loved the leasing and I love the salesmanship…but I also learned that I love helping and teaching people.” If you’re a Boss like Dwayne who is passionate about teaching and mentoring, then take a cue from his framework for leadership.The 4 D’s: Desire, Dedication, Determination, and DisciplineThe 3 E’s: Education, Exposure, Experience As an individual, “you gotta keep that desire, determination, and dedication while you’re getting yourself educated, exposing yourself to the industry into your craft, and then also going to find that experience.” Then block out the obstacles with the umbrella of discipline.From a leadership standpoint, “you wanna make sure you educate the people that you have…expose them to things during the course of training, as well as give them the experience.”As a boss, we have the unique opportunity to advance our own career and others at the same time. You can have the education and exposure and opportunities on your own, but then “apply it to other people so they also have those same opportunities to move up in this industry.”Thank you, Dwayne, for sharpening our Boss habits! If you’re eager to hear more advice about management in the multifamily industry, then subscribe to the Boss Talks Podcast, where each episode aims to help you Manage Like a Boss. And if you enjoyed this episode or loved Dwayne’s acronyms, then share this with other bosses in your community! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:35 - Meet Michele Crochetiere with One11 Advisors02:39 - The value of mentorship05:10 - How to find a mentor (hint: just ask!)07:19 - Mentorship is a 2-way street08:22 - Mentor myths10:21 - When life grinds to a stop17:24 - What Michele learned from her health crisis19:55 - The habits (gifts!) of self-care and weekly planning22:07 - Why you need to take PTO23:25 - Caring for your co-workers 26:00 - Final advice on work ethic, priorities, and boundariesAs kids, our favorite actor, singer, or celebrity fulfills the title of role model. As adults, we still need mentors in our personal and professional lives. Michele explains, “I’ve had a lot of really great role models…and from each person I have taken something away. You’re always able to learn from all of your experiences.”If you’re wondering how to find a mentor—or to be a mentor yourself—here are Michelle’s tips:Reach out and ask. Make sure it’s someone who will listen, encourage, and challenge you well. “If I call a mentor, I don’t want them to just tell me what they think. I want them to challenge me.”Share/set expectations. “If you're asking someone to be your mentor, you wanna give them an opportunity to understand what you're asking them to do, as well as be able to say, no.” For example, offer to meet for lunch every month, or ask if they’re willing to be your “phone-a-friend” when you need business advice.2-way street. “We think of mentors as giving advice or giving feedback, but mentors get something out of the relationship too.” Share your next steps, red flags, and grand ideas with each other for encouragement and inspiration.Michele Crochetiere has consistently valued her mentors throughout her 20 years in the property management and multifamily industry. Those relationships were a literal lifeline when she was diagnosed with idiopathic subglottic stenosis, a condition that causes swelling of the windpipe. When she was homebound and on vocal rest, those same irreplaceable mentors stepped up to the plate with work-from-home projects that required minimal talking. “It forced me to stop what I was doing and to think about who I was, what I was doing, and what I was here for. So that made me shift my thinking a lot.” Of course, Michele hopes you never experience an abrupt halt like she did! Instead, she hopes that you “learn from my mistakes and my self-inflicted control freak, workaholic personality.” Here’s how:Self-care. Carve out time to do things that are relaxing. “I do a lot of yoga. And for anybody who’s interested in yoga, I will tell you that it is a game changer.”Pray and meditate. When she was on doctor’s orders to stay home, church was her daily outing. “My faith has helped tremendously.”Read. Michelle had given up reading for a long time, but now she reads lots of books. Pick any genre you like to read purely for enjoyment.Calendar plan. “I always find time to plug in that self-care [into my calendar] so that I can make sure I’m balancing out my life.”PTO. Hold each other accountable for taking time off. “Because if nobody asks, it’s very easy to just let it slide and not do it.”Whether you’re in property management, multifamily leadership, or any other part of the real estate and housing industry, aim to maintain your boundaries, balance, and business relationships for a thriving work-life balance.Thank you, Michele, for sharing your passion about mentorship and self-care with our community of Bosses! If you’re searching for more multifamily tips, then subscribe to the Boss Talks Podcast, where each episode aims to help you Manage Like a Boss. Did you enjoy this episode chock full of practical advice? Share it with other bosses in your community! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

00:40 - Meet Erin Heathers, 2022 NAA award winner for certified apartment portfolio supervisor 02:30 - We are WMFHA03:46 - How Erin fell into the multifamily industry06:00 - Bookkeeper (kinda like a forensic accountant)07:50 - Erin’s personal journey of growth10:15 - Boss status and leadership13:35 - Being a manager during the pandemic14:45 - Friday morning book club17:35 - How to talk to people 22:15 - Erin’s 75 hard challenge28:42 - The value of commitment For “falling” into the industry, Erin’s passion for the multifamily industry is off the charts! While living in her first apartment community, she was recruited by her manager and launched her career as a combo bookkeeper and leasing consultant. That was years ago, and she hasn’t looked back since! Since then, Erin has grown to become a committed member of WMFHA, winning personal awards and chapter awards as well. In other words, Erin is a boss! “I don’t really see myself as a boss…I want to be a leader. I want to be part of a team.”One of her secrets to achieving boss status is focusing on leadership and the harmony of your team. In today’s episode, Erin shares a handful of her best tips on how to manage like a boss:Don’t aim for perfection. Work hard and strive for brighter moments.Invest in your team. She launched Friday morning book club, an optional meeting where they read through leadership books such as Monday Morning Leadership, Multipliers, and Who Moved My Cheese. “Find people’s innate talents and capitalize upon those skills.”Be your best self. “I wanna be a part of the team, but how can I do that when I'm not my best self? Plus, you can’t care for others well if you’re depleted and empty.”Follow your passions. “Keep doing what you're passionate about, and don't second guess your passions.”In our eyes, Erin demonstrates how to manage like a boss! If you’re curious to hear other boss stories like Erin’s, then subscribe to this podcast for more inspiration. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with other bosses in your community too! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:24 - Meet Leah Love Orsbon, Founder of Leasing Leah 03:00 - The Launch of Leasing Leah (it’s all about helping others!)06:49 - An authentic social media presence that doesn’t lead to burnout 08:41 - The Official Apartment Management and Maintenance Support Group on Facebook10:53 - The impact of COVID, skipping lunch breaks, and not taking vacation time14:03 - How to celebrate and encourage your staff15:24 - Are we too quick to ask for prop tech integrations? 19:29 - Why digital property maps are the next big thing21:30 - Up-and-coming tech tools to pay attention toHola! That’s how Leah got started in the apartment industry as a Spanish-speaking leasing agent in Middle Tennessee. She quickly climbed the ladder to assistant manager, then to a property manager, followed by regional leasing specialist—all at the age of twenty! Those priceless experiences were a natural stepping stone to Leasing Leah. “I built it out of necessity.” She works with companies that are too small for large contracts, need consulting for a new construction lease up, or general property management assistance. With nearly twenty years of experience, here are some of her hot-off-the-press tips for any property manager: Treat people the way they deserve to be treated. “I treated them the way I thought they deserved to be treated.” (I know that’s already the Golden Rule, but Leah agrees!)Always be a helpful mentor. “If I'm known for nothing else, it could be how I'm helpful and guiding as a mentor.”Be authentic on social media. “I try to post when it's something that I just can't contain.” This rings true for any property manager or social media manager, plus it also prevents unnecessary burnout!Aim for efficiency. “You don't advance your career by not taking your lunch break or by staying late every day. You do it by learning how to make better use of that time that you are there.”Give words and money, not pizza. “Everybody is tired of celebrating their wins with pizza parties…appreciate people's work by telling them, appreciate it monetarily.” Gift cards and hourly raises speak volumes of encouragement to your team! Test out AI and chatbots. “People are drowning in leads right now, and they don't have enough staff to keep up with them all.” She’s excited about the future of AI, machine learning bots, and automated chatbots—anything that can alleviate some time for leasing agents.Thank you, Leasing Leah, for sharing your Boss advice with us! If you’re hungry for more multifamily inspiration, then subscribe to the Boss Talks Podcast, where each episode aims to help you Manage Like a Boss. Did you enjoy this episode? Share it with other bosses in your community too! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:00 - Meet Marques Oliver, Boss of Enforcement for Parking Boss04:25 - Launching his own private security company05:37 - The hunt for the perfect parking solution (Parking Boss!)06:23 - Joining the Parking Boss team09:20 - Advocating for parking enforcement10:15 - Tech integrations to improve parking management12:40 - Why parking permits are a good thing16:26 - Scanning QR codes on parking stickers17:56 - Parking enforcement best practices20:02 - Is there a difference between your enforcement program and your parking program?23:00 - Marques’ funny parking-related stories24:25 - 4 final parking enforcement tipsMarques’s security career began in 2000 in the United States Army, where he served a tour in Iraq. After that, he was the head of security at an exotic car dealership in Las Vegas. While working there, the owner invited Marques to become the director of his private security company. This is where he really began to learn the ropes of the security industry since more than 70% of their clients were from residential communities.At this point, pen and paper were the standard methods for parking enforcement between the patrolman and a dispatcher. “Was it great? No. But it was functional.” However, shortly after this Marques formed his own private security company. And his first thought was, “I was not using pen and paper.”With enough experience to know he needed parking software, his hunt began. And guess who he discovered? Parking Boss! “I found this really cool company called Parking Boss. It just made things so much easier on everyone’s front, from the residents to the clients to the property managers to the guards to the dispatchers, and even to the tow companies.”Having efficient and accurate parking enforcement is really vital to security, which is why Marques is such a passionate advocate for Parking Boss. In fact, he joined our team in 2018. Here are some of his best pieces of advice:Own your parking system. With Parking Boss, you own your own parking data.Make your rules firm, but fair. “Understand that people are gonna make mistakes.” It often takes 60-90 days to see community behavior start to take shape, so start with a free warning before ticketing or towing.Communicate, communicate, communicate. Tell your residents about your parking program, the repercussions for breaking parking rules, and how to contact the patrol or enforcement team.Let’s chat. Call me, email me—I'm happy to have a conversation to help you build and strategize an enforcement program for your community!We’ll end with one final piece of advice from Marques, “A parking program without enforcement is like a speed limit without fear of a speeding ticket.” Thank you, Marques, for sharing your Boss advice with us! If you’re curious to see how other multifamily leaders Manage Like A Boss, then subscribe to this podcast for more inspiration. And if you liked this episode, then don’t forget to share it with other bosses in your community too! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:43 - Meet Kelly, Director of Marketing and Communications at Washington Multifamily Housing Association (WMFHA)04:02 - It’s all about the people (and their stories)05:59 - Residents: our best influencers07:11 - Networking and building relationships inside and outside of our industry10:50 - What is means to Manage Like A Boss12:43 - Storytelling, testimonials, and awards16:52 - Why video is powerful, what equipment to use, and how to edit20:29 - The humility of accepting feedback22:50 - Sharing information, skills, and encouragement with othersKelly, who is a self-proclaimed people person, reminds us that “it’s all about the people.” While this includes our residents and community members, she expands that even further to include all of the individuals who make up the Washington Multifamily Housing Association (WMFHA). “We wouldn't exist if it weren't for all of the apartment managers out there, all of the suppliers, and our association volunteers.”In her words, “If you can tie your company back to the people who are either helping run the company or the clients you're working for, it bridges those gaps and builds those relationships and makes people want to be more involved.”In addition to volunteering and participating in city-wide events, Kelly intentionally gets to know her people before sharing their stories online (social media, video, and blogs). After all, who can tell the best story for your community? Your residents! “For apartment communities, their residents are their influencers.” Plus, people want to see the authentic behind-the-scenes reality — not just curated or sterile photos.When it comes to video, one of their most popular forms of content, Kelly encourages you to just start with what you have. An iPhone, a cheap mic, and a flashlight are better than nothing. In fact, Kelly has edited most of her videos with the free version of iMovie!“I didn't always consider myself a boss…” In our opinion, Kelly Wakefield has achieved Boss status — and so have you! Here’s a final word of encouragement from Kelly: “Keep reassuring yourself every day that you are a boss.”Thank you, Kelly, for showcasing what it means to Manage Like A Boss! If you’re curious to learn from other multifamily or WMFHA bosses like Kelly, then subscribe to this podcast for more inspiration. And if you liked this episode, then don’t forget to share it with other bosses in your community too! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

00:55 - Meet Veronica, Property Manager at Brandywine Apartments02:07 - Why we started using social media to connect with our residents04:40 - Community involvement beyond our own property06:22 - Don’t give up; stay consistent for your community07:52 - Offering community rewards for residents08:54 - How to showcase the reality and teach the basics10:57 - Keep informing your residents of community-wide events13:11 - Other community reward tools14:24 - Parking problems before Parking Boss17:40 - How Parking Boss solved some major violations21:01 - Veronica’s encouraging superpower23:39 - The many hats of a Property Manager27:02 - Paint a realistic picture of community lifeIt’s obvious that Brandywine Apartments are the real deal. During the pandemic, their management team turned to social media as a community tool, and their TikTok started booming! But it wasn’t necessarily for perfectly curated photos. Veronica explains that “people would rather see what your community does with residents than showcasing your units.” They often get comments saying, “I was drawn to this property because I saw you on social media and you guys do a lot with your residents.” But their social media efforts are just a byproduct of the work they’re actually doing to build relationships and enhance their community. Another element that sets Brandywine apart from other communities: “We don’t just do things for our residents. We’re big on community involvement. You want people to know that you care about where you live.” And thanks to Parking Boss and Amenity Boss, they can easily achieve that reality. Before Parking Boss, “we never had enough spaces for residents to park. Now there's no way to get around manipulating the system!” Beyond organized parking lots, they’ve even been able to help the local authorities locate stolen vehicles or persons of interest on multiple occasions, thanks to Parking Boss. She continued to rave about how we are “constantly keeping it updated and adding different things,” which ultimately makes her job as Property Manager even easier.Aside from being one of our biggest Parking Boss cheerleaders, Veronica is so encouraging to everyone she meets, from residents to staff and even to other properties. “We’re far from perfect, we’re just showing the reality of our community.” And so can you.Thank you Veronica for showcasing what it means to Manage Like A Boss! If you’re curious to learn from other multifamily bosses like Veronica, then subscribe to this podcast for more inspiration. And if you liked this episode, then don’t forget to share it with other bosses in your community too! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

01:00 - Meet Colleen, social media and marketing for Aspire Properties and Northwest Apartments03:16 - Marketing creativity is key04:12 - Coleen’s personal experience with Parking Boss (“It’s really easy to sign up!”)05:22 - Launching Parque, a new, luxury, high-tech community07:28 - How to do social media like a boss (Tip: creativity and trends)09:31 - It’s all about serving our communities11:10 - How does personal branding apply to the real estate world?13:06 - TikTok’s impact on our industry15:10 - Video is taking over. Does that include Pinterest?17:23 - Why FOMO is a social media marketing strategy19:16 - Last piece of advice: don’t be perfect, just show up with more contentIn this Boss Talk, Colleen shares some of her best social media tips, especially in the realm of real estate. She spills the beans on which platforms she prefers, the best-performing types of content, and how to stay relevant with your audience. In her words, “Don’t be perfect. Just show up with more content.”She also explains how sharing authentic content, no matter the platform, gains more engagement. “It's really all about sharing the community and what we have to offer.” For example, create a reel with clips from a community event, snap sunset photos from your stellar rooftop balcony, or showcase behind-the-scenes images of the people who help your community run smoothly.“That's actually one reason why I love your company [Community Boss], because you guys are very community centric as well.” Thanks, Colleen! We are grateful to have spent years partnering with numerous properties to help you guard, enhance, and protect your community.Beyond social media, Colleen mentioned that “the root of good business is your relationships and your ability to build that trust with people.” Whether you manage vintage or high-tech properties like Aspire, or anything in between, incorporating Parking Boss is just one way to build your community.In fact, Colleen utilized Parking Boss before she ever worked for Aspire Properties—and then went on to recommend our products when she joined their team. “It was really easy to sign up. That was my first impression.” She went on to say that it “gives residents that quick, easy kind of tech-friendly experience.”Thank you Colleen for modeling what it means to Manage Like A Boss! If you’re curious to learn from other multifamily bosses, then subscribe to this podcast for more inspiration. And if you liked this episode, then don’t forget to share this episode with other bosses in your community too! #bosstalks*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.