Stephanie Graves: The Multifamily CEO Who Ran Her Company from a Preschool Teacher's Lounge

Shiv Gettu sits down with Stephanie Graves, CEO of Q10 Property Advisors, who shares her remarkable journey from growing up with a single mom in El Paso to building multiple successful businesses, including a multifamily management company that now oversees nearly 10,000 units.As an only child raised by a mother who instilled in her that college was non-negotiable, Stephanie learned early that hard work could open any door. After working in banking and development, she made her unexpected entry into property management through the developer side – a background that gives her a unique owner-oriented perspective rarely found in third-party managers.Stephanie reveals how she simultaneously ran her property management company and a Montessori preschool she built from scratch (relocating a natural gas pipeline in the process), applying apartment management techniques to childcare and running Q10's operations out of the teacher's lounge. Throughout the conversation, she explains why she's never afraid of failure, how she does free upfront work for potential clients to ensure deals actually work, and why she hopes her team members feel guilty when they leave.When asked about the cost of her ambition, Stephanie reflects thoughtfully on what her family and personal joy might have sacrificed for her success – yet her energy and enthusiasm for creating new opportunities make it clear why she's become one of Houston's most respected multifamily leaders.Humans of Multifamily is presented by Zuma, the AI assistant for your full-resident lifecycle. Visit getzuma.com and follow Shiv on LinkedIn00:00 Growing Up in El Paso with a Single Mom05:00 Moving Away and Finding Her Path in College13:00 The Power of Being Approachable at Any Level20:00 Facing Imposter Syndrome While Leading an Industry26:00 Building a Montessori School from Scratch35:00 Running Multiple Businesses Simultaneously44:00 The Replace All Philosophy of Entrepreneurship51:00 Creating a Culture Where People Feel Guilty to Leave58:00 How Post-COVID Challenges Changed Property Management01:03 The Cost of Constant Ambition