Property Leaders Podcast

What does a tractor-trailer accident on the 401, a janitorial background, and a love of magic have in common? They all shaped one of Ontario's most respected property management leaders. 🎩✨ In this episode of CTRL, Miryam Scanga sits down with Ari Soroka, VP of Nadlan-Harris Property Management — managing 15,000+ doors across Toronto, Ottawa, and Niagara — for a raw, insightful, and genuinely fun conversation about what it really takes to thrive in condo management. 💡 What you'll learn: Why Ari says his company isn't a team — they're a family The manager shortage crisis and a bold long-term fix How AI is already changing condo communications The secret communication technique Ari teaches all his managers Why 97.5% of communication is non-verbal (and how to use it) The one piece of advice every growing PM firm needs to hear ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Intro & Ari's background 0:48 – Expanding beyond the GTA to Ottawa & Niagara 1:37 – How Ari got into property management (the tractor-trailer story) 2:35 – Rising from condo manager to VP 3:44 – What the VP role actually looks like day-to-day 4:45 – Creating a fun, happy workplace (yes, Spider-Man is involved) 5:30 – Ari the professional magician 🎩 6:10 – Knowing your staff as individuals — the secret sauce 7:35 – Manager shortage: the door-to-manager ratio problem 8:48 – The two-pronged formula to attract & retain managers 9:08 – Why unit count matters more than corporation count 12:53 – Hand-holding residents vs. managing 400-unit buildings 16:47 – Why young boards are changing the game 18:22 – AI in property management — ChatGPT for AGM notices 20:23 – The 3 classic condo complaints (pets, noise, parking) 22:15 – Communication as a competitive advantage 23:02 – "Ignoring someone says: you don't exist" 25:00 – 97.5% of communication is non-verbal — here's what that means 26:38 – The power of the pause technique (live demo!) 32:39 – Resident & owner expectations — and how to manage them 36:00 – Visual notices in elevators: a smarter approach 39:10 – Revenue streams & Condo Control 40:00 – Chairing 100 AGMs a year (for free) 41:08 – Word-of-mouth growth: from 60 to 115 corporations 44:28 – Advice for growing property management firms 46:55 – Exit interviews: how to learn from losing a client 50:56 – Rapid Fire: coffee, meetings, blood/fire/flood & more 53:36 – The most heartwarming answer to "what do you wish you'd done earlier" 📌 Subscribe for weekly conversations with leaders reshaping condo & community management.

What does selling funeral hearses have to do with multifamily marketing? More than you'd think! 🤔 In this episode of CTRL, Miryam sits down with Kim Boland, SVP of Marketing at AION Management, who oversees marketing across 19,000+ apartment units in 7 states. Kim shares her wild career journey — from auto malls to funeral cars to leading digital marketing at one of the East Coast's most active property management firms. Whether you're in multifamily, PropTech, or just obsessed with where AI is taking real estate, this one's packed with gold. 💡 What we cover: ⏱️ 00:00 – Meet Kim Boland, SVP of Marketing at AION Management ⏱️ 01:30 – From auto malls & funeral hearses to multifamily marketing ⏱️ 05:00 – Launching Facebook pages for 120 properties & riding the early ILS wave ⏱️ 09:30 – How the prospect experience has evolved: 360 tours, online booking & more ⏱️ 12:00 – Virtual reality in apartments — are we there yet? ⏱️ 14:00 – AI & the new "level playing field" — will Claude or ChatGPT find your apartments? ⏱️ 17:00 – Turning headaches into wins: getting buy-in for new marketing tech ⏱️ 19:30 – Nimble startups vs. turning the Titanic: company culture & scale ⏱️ 22:00 – Kim's #1 advice: get involved, find a mentor, get on LinkedIn ⏱️ 23:00 – Rapid fire round 🔥 🎙️ Property Leaders Podcast is the podcast for multifamily marketing and property management leaders navigating a fast-changing industry. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Drop your biggest PropTech question in the comments #multifamily #propertymanagement #proptech #apartmentmarketing #AIinrealestate #multifamilymarketing #realestate #CTRL #podcast

Val Khomenko, Director of Condominium Management at TSE Management Services Inc., joins Property Leaders Podcast host Miryam for a candid conversation about where condo management is headed — and why the industry needs a serious shake-up. Val doesn't hold back: from why the flat-rate management contract is unsustainable, to how emergency charges could change everything, to the creative retention strategies keeping managers from jumping ship. Plus — field trips to fan coil factories and pulling fire alarms. Yes, really. Whether you're a property manager, board member, or just curious about the condo industry, this one's packed with real talk and practical insight. 📌 TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Intro & Meet Val Khomenko 0:23 – How Val got into condo management (the law school backstory) 2:17 – Working in the same industry as his dad — without working together 2:16 – What changed pre vs. post-COVID in management 4:53 – Do you miss getting phone calls? 😄 6:06 – What's the growth ceiling: people, process, or tech? 6:23 – Keeping it personal in a digital-first world 10:11 – How client/resident expectations have skyrocketed 11:35 – Response times, service requests & the digital shift 12:40 – Residents working from home = more eyes, more requests (and why that's a good thing) 16:40 – "I didn't want to bother you" — the phrase that changed everything 17:51 – How to turn headaches into revenue: extras & emergency charges 19:22 – Why the condo management agreement is broken 20:23 – The case for charging emergency response fees 24:21 – Transparency in bidding & the TSE approach to service add-ons 27:04 – The future of condo management: a la carte services 29:34 – Menu-style contracts — pick your services like a restaurant 31:06 – What new vs. established communities actually need 34:26 – How to grow your portfolio — strategically 37:09 – Education, field trips & hands-on training (fan coils, fire alarms & sprinklers 🚿) 40:55 – Retention strategies: wellness days, profit sharing & referral fees 46:01 – The era of the 40-year building manager is OVER 48:15 – What TSE does differently to retain staff 51:11 – One piece of advice for growing your portfolio 56:22 – 5-year vision & how to get into the industry 58:33 – ⚡ Rapid Fire: Trade shows, blood/fire/flood, and the hardest condo pillar 🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations about condo management, leadership & the future of property management in Canada. 🎙️ Guest: Val Khomenko | Director of Condominium Management, TSE Management Services Inc. 🎤 Host: Miryam | Property Leaders Podcast #CondoManagement #PropertyManagement #RealEstate #TorontoRealEstate #CTRLPodcast #CondoLiving #PropertyManager #LeadershipTips #PropTech #HousingInCanada

How do you grow a property management business without competing on price, burning out your team, or losing your culture? In this episode, Miryam Scanga sits down with Kurt Andrae, District Manager at Guest Services Condominium Division, to break down how his team has grown a luxury condominium portfolio serving 4,000+ doors across 38 communities—while protecting service quality, staff retention, and long-term client relationships. If you're a property management leader, community association executive, or operator trying to scale without becoming “just another big firm,” this conversation is packed with practical insight. Kurt shares his unconventional path from banking and real estate development into luxury condo management, why relationship-first leadership beats price-driven sales, and how Guest Services turned industry consolidation into a growth advantage. He also explains why self-managed communities are increasingly making the switch, what today’s boards really want, and why the biggest bottleneck in scaling isn’t tech—it’s people. This episode is especially useful for leaders navigating: growth without sacrificing service board relationships and owner expectations manager burnout and retention hurricane season, project season, and operational stress recruiting the next generation into property management Key Insights from This Episode: Why selling on price is a losing strategy Kurt explains why the best operators win with relationships, reputation, and a clear value story—not by being the cheapest option. How Guest Services doubled growth without cold outreach Instead of chasing every lead, they built a differentiated brand strong enough that communities come to them. The real growth ceiling is people, not process Why hiring, supporting, and retaining the right managers is the single biggest factor in sustainable expansion. How culture becomes a competitive advantage Kurt shares how empathy, listening, and manager support create stronger teams, longer client retention, and better service. Why self-managed communities are finally switching A new generation of board members is less interested in running day-to-day operations—and more open to bringing in professionals. What AI can and can’t replace in property management AI can help with minutes, summaries, and comparisons—but it can’t replace trust, empathy, or human relationships. If this episode gave you a new idea for growing your portfolio, improving manager retention, or strengthening community relationships, like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on property management, operations, leadership, and growth.

🏢 Want to Scale Property Management Without Overworking Your Team? Verna Penner, Director of Property Management at Simco Management, shares how she's built a thriving property management operation managing 27,000+ doors across multifamily, single-family, and commercial properties—all while maintaining exceptional workplace culture and preventing employee burnout. In this episode, Verna reveals the exact strategies she's using to grow her portfolio during an industry-wide shortage of licensed property managers. From implementing AI to handle routine tasks to creating "Popcorn Fridays" that actually improve retention, she's cracked the code on sustainable growth in property management. If you're a property management leader struggling with staff retention, portfolio growth, or operational efficiency, this conversation will give you a playbook for building a company that scales without sacrificing culture. 🔑 Key Insights from This Episode: The People Problem in Property Management Why the industry faces a massive shortage of licensed managers—and how Verna's retention strategy keeps her team intact while competitors struggle to hire. Growing Doors Without Growing Burnout The philosophy behind right-sizing portfolios so managers can maintain work-life balance while still earning strong salaries and delivering excellent service. AI as Your Extra Set of Hands Practical ways Simcoe is implementing AI to handle routine tasks and free up staff time—without replacing the human touch clients need. Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast How wellness programs, extended benefits, team-building activities, and unconventional perks create a workplace where people actually want to stay. Client Retention Through Education Why hosting quarterly educational sessions with lawyers and industry experts keeps boards engaged and reduces churn. The Cross-Training Advantage How experiencing every position in a management company creates stronger leaders who understand the full operational picture. 👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on scaling property management, building high-performing teams, and leveraging technology to work smarter! 🚀