Transforming Cities

On this episode of Real Wins, Chris and Mike chat about what you should consider when choosing between a specialty marketing agency and a property management team for marketing.

Later, they shift their focus to sub-50-unit buildings and answer the question: At that size, do you even need a brand?

On this episode, I’m speaking with John Pugh, Owner at Pugh Management.

John is a seasoned real estate executive who has found success during a career spanning two-plus decades in the design, construction, and development arenas. He leads teams to thriving project outcomes, identifies new acquisition opportunities, and is responsible for creative deal structuring.

Today, Pugh Management focuses on creating value for investors and partners through placemaking, risk management, and creative problem-solving.

Two fun facts about John: he played professional basketball in Australia, and his artwork was exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum in New York and internationally.

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On this episode, I’m speaking with Sydney Webber, Marketing Lead at Updater, where she focuses on B2B marketing to multifamily operators.

Sydney has a decade of multifamily experience, with the majority being in marketing on both the operator and vendor sides. She is passionate about telling customer stories and building scalable, repeatable playbooks that empower scrappy teams to do less with more.

In 2022, her podcast, Renter Obsessed, won the Platinum DotComm award and was the first official podcast of the Multifamily Social Media Summit. Sydney’s shared marketing strategies as a mainstage speaker at multiple AIM conferences and has been featured in Globe Street, Multifamily Insiders, and Multihousing News.

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On this live episode of Transforming Cities, I was joined by John Drachman of Waterford Property Company.

During our live event, we chatted about John's rise to being an "accidental influencer," which came about after originally cutting his teeth with a daily real estate blog.

We also had the opportunity to discuss his knack for seeking truth in the market, what makes for good networking in 2023, and how he curates his own news feed to gain the most insight.

On this episode, I’m speaking with Tony Sousa, VP of Marketing Relations at RPM Living.

Tony has led experienced teams across the country, working on a range of asset types from value-add to luxury Class-A assets.

With a background as a TV journalist prior to his experience in multifamily, Tony is passionate about people, operations, technology, culture, and family. He's become a respected industry thought leader, providing nuanced and experienced perspectives on today’s most relevant topics.

Tony is currently on the Board of Directors for the San Antonio Apartment Association (SAAA) and a committee member on the TAA Education Foundation.

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On this episode, I’m speaking with Bobbi Steward, Founder, and CEO at Revyse. 

One part tech-nerd, one part storyteller, Bobbi has led both technical and marketing teams as the Head of Marketing at BH, and VP of Digital Strategy + Director of Product at G5. 

Her previous experience heading up B2C and B2B performance marketing at Realtor.com®, coupled with over a dozen professional certifications from organizations like OMCP® and Pragmatic Institute give her the unique perspective needed to move the needle in the industry today.

Bobbi says that her favorite thing about her work is that it’s the perfect mashup of science and heart.

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On this episode, I'm speaking with Charles Thompson, Account Executive at Experian.

Charles has been selling in some form for the last seven years and has found himself in the multifamily space for the last year. He sees sales as serving and loves that it can enable him to create and build meaningful and educational relationships.

His difficult early life experiences now inform his personal brand, enabling him to communicate his story with others so they see him first as a person with a family, interests, and passions and as a salesperson second.

Charles is a father of four and resides with his wife and family in San Diego, CA.

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On this episode, I’m speaking with Barbara Savona, CEO of Sprout Marketing

Sprout is a multifamily platform that simplifies personalized marketing touchpoints and focuses on small, consistent changes that deliver significant results.

Barbara is a seasoned entrepreneur with a passion for property management, marketing, and wellness. You can also catch her hosting her weekly podcast Marketing Home, Marketing You.

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On this episode I’m speaking with Thomas Hertzog, Principal of Good Neighbor Homes.

Thomas leads the company through each of its multifamily developments, oversees property management, and interfaces directly with each of their advisory clients. He's served in multiple development and real estate consulting roles, while also overseeing over $250M in real estate asset optimization.

He believes leading with honesty, integrity, and earnestness are the key to helping change the way people think about real estate development and property management.

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On this episode, I'm speaking with Jim Heid, Founder of Craft DnA, the Small Scale Development Forum, the Building Small community, and author of the 2021 book by the same name - Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders, and Great Communities.

Beyond educating and training, Jim developed a twelve-unit infill Cottage Court, and also developed - and now runs - an awarded coworking space in a refurbished bank in his hometown called CraftWork.

Trained as a landscape architect, Jim received a Masters in Real Estate Development from MIT as way to more effectively integrate economics, development, and design thinking.

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On this episode, I'm speaking with Mike Brewer, COO at RADCO.

Mike has received numerous industry honors, including seven "Property Management Company of the Year" awards under his leadership, and he's a frequent contributor to industry-related publications.

At RADCO, his investment in technological advances and education improves the team member experience and elevates customer engagement.

His vlog, The Multifamily Collective, reaches industry professionals across the globe who tune in daily for Mike's reflections on everything from consumer trends to employee relations, professional growth, and beyond.

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On this live episode of Transforming Cities, I was joined by Tyler Harris, CPA at Gursey | Schneider.

During our live event, we covered real estate tax tips, strategies, investment opportunities, and best practices for a tax perspective in a rapid-fire format.

On this episode, I’m speaking with Thibault Manekin, Partner at Seawall.

Growing up in Baltimore City, Thibault wrestled to understand why we, as human beings, seemed so divided. He continued to ask himself what causes the divides that separate races, cultures, and communities and what can be done to bridge them.

Since 2007, Seawall has been an impact-driven company made up of passionate social entrepreneurs who believe in re-imagining the real estate industry, believing that all facets of the built environment should be used to empower communities, unite our cities, and help launch powerful ideas that create important movements.

Thibault is also the author of Larger Than Yourself, released in 2021, and as he would say - most importantly - a passionate husband and father.

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On this live episode of Transforming Cities, I was joined by Clayton Garrett and Scott Snodgrass of Meristem Communities.

During our live event, we chatted about ecosystems, residential development, the concept of town centers, and much more. We also gained insight into Indigo, the latest project by Meristem in Richmond, TX, and what it's all about.

On this episode I’m speaking with Brandon Reed, Founder of Loft Six Four, his creative design firm for immersive rooftop amenities and outdoor living experiences.

Brandon is an entrepreneur, visionary, and closet Halo gamer enthusiast known for his charisma, witty optimism, and creativity. 

Over the last decade, he and his team have worked on some of the most prestigious projects in Salt Lake City, including 4th West and, more recently, The Post District.

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On this live episode of Transforming Cities, I was joined by Michael Procopio, CEO at The Procopio Companies.

During our live event, we discussed his family's first generation roots, how he's worked through scaling a family enterprise, and his own experience transitioning into a 4th generation leadership role. We also dove into the future of Procopio and the impact thoughtful design, brand, and experience has on renters.

On this episode I'm speaking with Martha Bader, Director of Marketing and Programming at Arden 55+ Living.

A Southerner by birth but not by accent, her career in Marketing is as varied as the colors in the largest box of crayons that one can find.

Her roles have included store openings and logistics with Old Navy, events and public relations for The Park Hyatt Hotel, and business development for a woman-owned training company.

Fueled by innovation and a passion for healthy living, she started on a "start-up" road with Privia Health and K4Connect, which landed her in the sector she now calls home, Active Adult.

Working locally and nationally with Greystar's Active Adult marketing team ignited combined her love of hospitality, real estate, events, and marketing into one.

Today, at Arden 55+ Living, she works to engage her teams as well as future "55 and better" residents. Her main focus is to discover new ways to market to residents accurately, make the renter journey enjoyable, simplify our onsite teams' responsibilities, and understand trends to continue innovating.

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On this episode I welcome back my second-ever guest, Anna Mackay. After departing from Guerrilla Development in 2020, she's taken a dive into community-first placemaking as the Founder of Sister City.

Co-developed projects like Rocket Empire Machine and Chiles House kicked off this new phase in her career, as well as the Shortstack Housing project, co-led by Jessy Ledesma of HomeWork Development, which takes up much of her time today.

Join me in welcoming Anna back to Transforming Cities!

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On this episode I’m speaking with Cody Dietrich, Partner at Hayes Dietrich. Cody runs the development side of the company after spending his career specializing in multi-family residential development, including affordable, mixed-income, and luxury housing in the Twin Cities and Nashville markets.

Overall, Cody has been involved in the development or substantial rehabilitation of over 2,000 multifamily units totaling in excess of $500M in total development costs. Currently, he is working on 700+ units entitled for his new company in Southern California and Minnesota.

He started his career with Dominium working on new construction and acquisitions with substantial rehabilitations in the Twin Cities and Nashville markets. During his time at Dominium, the firm was one of the top 10 affordable housing developers and owners each year, according to Affordable Housing Finance. In 2016, Cody received the Dominium Executive Committee Award.

Cody joined Doran Companies in 2017 and has helped lead several large developments, including a $140M 369 apartment unit development, Expo, which was completed in 2020. While at Doran, the company has consistently been recognized as one of the top developers by multiple local publications, including Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Finance & Commerce, and Twin Cities Business Magazine.

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On this episode I’m speaking with Andrew Katz, Founder of Katz Development.

Since 2015, Andrew has participated in the development of approximately $350M of multifamily, office, retail, and hospitality projects totaling roughly 1M square feet in Colorado and Ohio. Since moving to Denver, Andrew has focused on infill development in and around the urban core with local developer, Westfield Company. Notable projects include: 

• The Mission Ballroom, a 4,000-capacity new-build music venue operated by AEG
• North Wynkoop, a 14-acre mixed-use master development comprised of new-build office, multifamily, and hospitality; anchored by the Mission Ballroom 
• Sustainability Park: a 100-unit condo and retail project anchored by renowned Japanese restaurant Uchi
• The 150,000 square foot adaptive re-use Stanley Marketplace

Andrew grew up in Cincinnati, OH where he graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in Real Estate. Shortly after, he moved to Denver, Colorado to pursue a career in real estate development. 

He founded Katz Development alongside his father, Scott Katz, who has owned and managed Cincinnati-based development and brokerage firm Midland Retail for 30 years, and his younger brother, Adam Katz.

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On this episode I’m speaking with John Gonzalez, VP of Marketing at ITEX. 

Drawing from a wealth of experience in the multifamily industry and with a focus on customer experience and branding, he’s played a key role in driving growth and success for companies such as Camden Property Trust and Leedo. 

His current position at ITEX allows him to continue his passion for learning about AI and the content creator economy while driving marketing strategies that drive results.

In addition to his professional career, John also excels as a part-time content creator, having grown a following of over 300,000 people on TikTok. 

He’s worked with major brands such as Proctor and Gamble, Franks Red Hot, Johnson & Johnson, Glad, and Febreze, showcasing his ability to create engaging and effective content for a wide range of audiences.

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On this episode I’m speaking with Michael DiMella, Managing Partner of CHARLESGATE. CHARLESGATE is an integrated real estate services firm that empowers thousands of clients throughout Massachusetts and New England. 

Their mission is to help people live better and invest better by delivering a comprehensive array of forward-thinking real estate solutions that inspire and empower their team, clients, and communities. Collectively, the team works together to redefine housing for today's market.

Mike's led the Boston-based team to strong growth, including multiple recognitions on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. He’s also currently executing Lease-Ups & Condo Sales on 17 new development projects.

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On this episode I’m speaking with Mike Whaling, founder and operator of 30 Lines, and creator of the RentPress Apartment Marketing Platform. 

30 Lines is a marketing technology studio dedicated to helping companies deliver easy, remarkable customer experiences, and has been recognized multiple times as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company.

RentPress is a powerful apartment marketing platform used by thousands of communities nationwide and many other marketing agencies to power the seamless, integrated shopping experiences that today’s apartment shoppers expect.

Mike is an advocate for housing that elevates lives and was named a Tech Titan and Top Promoter of Technology for the multifamily industry.

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On this episode, I’m speaking with Sara Graham, SVP of Marketing at Beacon Communities.

With more than two decades of experience in the real estate industry, Sara sits at the intersection of marketing, operations, and technology, working to foster innovation and drive occupancy and rent growth. Her areas of expertise include marketing strategy, brand management, and evaluating and implementing new technologies impacting leasing, operations, and the customer experience.

A frequent speaker and moderator at national industry conferences, Sara has served on a number of committees and advisory boards during her career; currently, she serves as Vice Chair of the National Multifamily Housing Council’s Marketing & Resident Experience Committee and also sits on Zillow's Multifamily Rental Advisory Board and the Multifamily Social Media Summit Advisory Board.

On this episode I’m speaking with Katie Kane, Customer Experience & Training Manager for HILLS Properties - a family-owned company that develops, builds, owns and manages multifamily communities throughout the midwest.

The title and subsequent role of Customer Experience & Training Manager was originally curated to fill a gap and utilize one of Katie’s core passions of building brand recognition with associates and customers.

A self-proclaimed extreme brand loyalist, Katie advocated for creating customized experiences that are so memorable that they have to be shared.

She can often be recognized by her signature lightning bolt necklace signifying her motto of “Live Like Lightning”.

On this episode I’m speaking with Jacob Carter, founder of Nurture Boss, an automation platform for multifamily that brings AI and automation to prospect follow-up and resident communication.

Jacob’s background is in marketing technology and software development, and it was through his own pains as a renter that the idea for Nurture Boss was born.

He is passionate about bringing technology to marketing to help shape consumers' behavior, solve problems in the customer journey, and drive customers toward the best products by allowing for informed decision-making.

He firmly believes that a customer who has a great purchasing experience stays a customer for life.

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On this episode I’m speaking with Eric Cress, Principal at Urban Development + Partners, where he concentrates on acquisition, development, and finance.

An engineer and designer by training, Eric is drawn to innovative new ideas that make our communities better places to live. As such, he oversees budgets and the acquisition-to-construction phase of new projects.

Before UD+P, Eric was a project manager at Pacific Bay Investments in Berkeley, California. Prior to that, Eric managed engineering projects for Cypress Semiconductor, Maple Optical Systems, Leapfrog Toys, and the National Science Foundation.

Eric holds eight patents and has published several papers related to this work. He earned an MBA with a focus in real estate finance from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, as well as BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University.

On this episode I’m speaking with Katie McCamant, President at CoHousing Solutions. Katie brings the depth and diversity of her 35 years of experience as a developer, architect, and cohousing resident to benefit her clients.

She’s the co-author of Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves, the book that introduced cohousing to North America, and more recently, Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities. She co-founded McCamant & Durrett Architects and The CoHousing Company with Charles Durrett.

More recently, she started CoHousing Solutions as a development consulting firm to share best practices and systems for successful collaborative development. She works with urban, suburban and rural communities all across North America, helping them define and implement their development strategy and build the professional team they need.

She also founded the 500 Communities Program to train other professionals to work in this realm.

Katie lived for 12 years at Doyle Street Cohousing in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now lives at Nevada City Cohousing in the Sierra Foothills.

On this episode I’m speaking with Mike Wolber, Chief Revenue Officer at Rent Dynamics.

Mike leads the Go-To-Market teams of Sales, Account Management, and Marketing. He's the founder and host of the Modern Multifamily Podcast, a board member of the Silicon Slopes Northern Utah Chapter, and a technology and multifamily enthusiast.

Work aside, Mike is a passionate family man - a proud husband and father of 2. When not working or hanging with the fam, you can find him on the running and cycling trails, or working out in the home gym.

On this episode I am speaking with Bryant Hughes, Co-Founder of Authentic Form & Function, a full-service brand and marketing studio specializing in real estate development and lease-ups.

After growing up in the midwest, Bryant graduated from Colorado State University in 2008 with a degree in Business and Computer Information systems. He started his career in software development and web design, working for a variety of startups and digital agencies between Denver, Chicago, and Minneapolis.

He co-founded Authentic as the technology lead, and in 2017 helped spearhead the company’s transition to the commercial real estate industry. Today, Bryant oversees account management, strategy, and the technical side of the business. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife Brianna, daughter Winnie, and dog Tula.

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On this episode I’m speaking with Arun Paul, Founder of Priya Living, where he and his team create places where hearts sing and spirits soar.

Arun started his place-making career at The Irvine Company, where he helped create best-in-class residential communities throughout coastal California. He then spent many of his formative years in the resort industry, where he co-founded two companies, both of which created several of the world’s most acclaimed resort communities.

Arun brings his unique experience with placemaking to his most personal project yet, Priya Living, a company he founded so that his own parents, and other immigrant families like his, would have a place to call home.

On this episode I’m speaking with Michael Pink, CEO and Managing Partner of Left Lane Ventures, which develops boutique multifamily urban infill projects ranging in size from 12 to 75 units.

Michael began his career as an attorney serving in the roles of Associate, Partner, and then Of Counsel at Best & Flanagan where he practiced commercial and construction litigation for a decade.

In 2000, Michael became co-owner, CFO and COO for Mosquito, a designer and manufacturer of private-label consumer goods for nationally known brands. Later he started West Emory, which sells home decor, stationary, yard games, and pet products through national retailers.

Michael earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a JD from the University of Minnesota Law School. He lives in Minneapolis and is an avid backpacker, water sports enthusiast, and explorer of roads less traveled.

On this episode I’m speaking with Brian Murray, the CEO and Founder of Shift Capital, a Certified B-Corp impact real estate group headquartered in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia and focused on aligning capital and philanthropy with underserved communities.

Brian is a seasoned entrepreneur who strives to be a catalyst for positive change. Through his work at Shift, Brian is focused on finding better solutions at the intersection of society’s most difficult urban challenges - intergenerational poverty, urban revitalization, access to opportunity, and community displacement.

Shift Capital is a national leader in creating more inclusive neighborhoods. Shift’s first fund, Shift Neighborhood Fund, takes a place-based approach to neighborhoods in North Philadelphia that have suffered decades of neglect.  Through inclusive economic strategies, mission-aligned capital, and a community focus, Shift has sought to change the narrative around how communities can benefit from positive change.

Brian is a Peace Corps alumnus and an MBA graduate of Yale School of Management.

On this episode I’m speaking with Jamie Giellis, founder and principal of Centro, a consulting firm which works to support cities and neighborhoods through community-led renewal and reinvestment by exploring their underlying opportunities and challenges. Jamie has been practicing in the community development space for more than 20 years, working in communities of varied sizes – all facing unique challenges.

Under her leadership and expertise, Centro has become an internationally sought-after resource for best practices and proven processes in developing thoughtful spaces and enhancing the quality of life across communities.

Jamie also recently served as the president of the River North Art District in Denver, tackling the management of a rapidly changing industrial area through advocacy, policy, programs, and projects. Her work in particular on projects to advance affordability, mobility, and green infrastructure as well as investments to support and house the homeless community left a positive impact and shaped citywide policy.

In 2018, driven by a passion to see her adopted hometown of Denver thrive, Jamie left her role in River North to run for mayor of Denver, CO, taking a two-term incumbent to a runoff election, which we learn more about later in the episode.