Community Association Car Chat

Introducing Karel Costa-Armas, LCAM, CMCA®,AMS®,PCAM®, Florida's own maestro of property management. Karel is giving us the lowdown on his industry.

In 2023, it's all about making friends with vendors, he says – and he's got the inside scoop.

Facing the unique challenges of Florida's coastal properties? Karel's your guy, dishing out tips like a pro.

Discover why compassion, professionalism and ongoing learning top his management survival kit for 2024.

Tune in for this property management masterclass with a twist of Florida sunshine!

Episode Highlights:

✅ Meet Karel Costa Armas and what he does down in Florida as that Director at Resource Property Management. (0:44)

✅ Karel shares his 2023 takeaways and highlights the critical role of vendor engagement. (1:41)

✅ Steve Roderick asks Karel how he tackles the issues when it comes to managing Florida coastal properties. (2:44)

✅ David Velasco asks Karel to share his advice for his peers on addressing the challenges, especially when it comes to managing the problems that are impacting their insurance. (5:29)
✅ Karel emphasizes the importance of compassion, professionalism and professional development for property managers in 2024 (7:58)

Key Quotes:

💡 "2024 is going to require a much better manager, a more articulate, more professional manager, and that's where personal development comes in, going to CAI, networking with good vendors, sharing ideas, because that homeowner that is paying much more money in 24 than they did in 23, requires better service." - Karel Costa-Armas

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Fasten your seatbelts and get ready to think divergently with Kelly Zibell, Owner of Divergent Consulting Group.

You'll hear about her intriguing entry into the industry, the support system an HOA consulting firm provides, and the story behind her brand's unique name.

Kelly shares knowledge on complex topics like mergers, acquisitions, and the integral process of team-building in a company.

Understand the intricate dynamics of working with an HOA and better ascertain cost implications for improvements.

Above all, witness Kelly's admirable commitment as she juggles numerous roles within the community association industry.

#CarChatLive #InsuranceIsntBoring

Episode Highlights:

✅ Steve Roderick welcomes Kelly Zibell to the show. Kelly shares more about her history in the industry and why she started Divergent Consulting. (0:40)

✅ Steve asks Kelly to explain how an HOA consulting firm would support an HOA. (1:54)

✅ David Velasco asks Kelly how she came up with the name Divergent Consulting. (2:46)

✅ David asks Kelly to share her expertise on mergers and acquisitions. (3:28)

✅ Steve asks Kelly if Divergent assists HOAs with team building and culture (4:27)

✅ David asks Kelly to share her thoughts on the top three weaknesses when it comes to team building in the industry. (6:25)

✅ Kelly shares more about the process of understanding and working with an HOA or management company (8:34)

✅ David asks Kelly about the costs involved in putting a specific improvement in place. (9:51)

✅ Steve asks Kelly to share the many different activities she is involved with within the community association industry. (11:55)

💡 “With a management company it depends on what I need to be involved in. So the scope really depends on what they're bringing me in to do. If it's some kind of general training or just general leadership training, that can be very surface level and I don't need to know a lot about their operations, but if they're really wanting me to help develop specific, certain people. Then I need to get a little bit more information about their operation and what they do and how they do it.” Kelly Zibell

💡 “I think the other challenge is, is that people are in a remote or hybrid remote kind of environment now. So how do we balance the need for employees to have that flexibility still in their life, but also the need for us to be able to provide them some development team dynamics, just bringing people together. What's the right cadence for people to kind of come together and connect with each other?” Kelly Zibell

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

Bill Overton shares his rich experiences and insights into the community association world, reflecting on his extensive career and his continuous contributions as a writer for CAI. 

He brings to light the prevalent issues of anxiety and depression in the workplace, emphasizing that this is a global concern, not just confined to association management. 

Bill identifies key triggers for stress and overwork among employees and highlights the significant impact of mental health challenges in the community association industry. 

He offers guidance to managers grappling with these issues, advocating for awareness and strategies to cope with mental health struggles in their professional roles.

#CarChatLive #InsuranceIsntBoring

Episode Highlights:

✅ Steve Roderick welcomes Bill Overton to the show and asks him to share more about his career in community associations. (0:21)

✅ David Velasco asks Bill if he is still writing for CAI. (1:28)

✅ Steve asks Bill to share what he has learned from a mental health perspective for individuals in the industry. (2:22)

✅ Bill shares how anxiety and depression due to overwork is a global issue, and not limited to association management. (4:36)

✅ Steve asks Bill for his opinion on triggers that are a recurring theme for stressed or overworked employees. (5:35)

✅ David asks Bill to share his thoughts on how big of an issue mental health is in the Community Association industry. (7:54)

✅ Steve asks Bill to share his advice for the managers who may be struggling in their position. (10:14)

Key Quotes:

💡 “I think what we're realizing now, especially after the slowness that people went back to work after the pandemic, is we're in an all-out war for talent. We have young people coming out of college and high school that we need to recruit to our industry, and we need to make our workplaces, wellness-focused to lower that stress.” Bill Overton

💡 “And what I would just say is that one of my favorite lines is every dead body on Mount Everest was once a highly motivated individual. So if you're the guy that has always been the fixer, you’re probably already primed for burnout and mental health issues.” Bill Overton

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

Meet Damian Esparza whose company, SmartProperty is making big changes in the HOA world. 

He's excited about how AI is starting to mix with data analytics to make better predictions for maintenance and saving money. 

Damian talks about a real-life example where his company used AI to help clients plan their big spending better. 

He also gives a peek into the future, where reserve studies are going to get a lot smarter with AI, making things easier for property managers.

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Episode Highlights:

✅ Damian Esparza, founder of Smart Property explains his company's role in the HOA industry. (0:21)

✅ David Velasco asks Damian his thoughts on AI and how that will influence what's coming next relating to data analytics and reserve studies. (1:59)

✅ Damian reveals how Smart Property harnesses the capability of AI to bring accuracy when it comes to preventative maintenance. (5:00)

✅ Hear a case study of how Damian is able to help his clients build an optimized CapEx plan. (7:03)

✅ Damian predicts the future of reserve studies and what the experience will look like and how it will benefit the property manager. (8:27)

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

Meet Gail Windisch, who is the Senior Director of Operations at Tidewater Property Management, talks about how she got started in the property management world. 

She proudly explains Tidewater's 30 years in the business and the different areas they work in. She gives some smart tips on how to move up the ranks in community management. 

 Gail dives into how her company has helped her keep learning and growing professionally. To wrap it up, she offers a key piece of advice for those just starting as community managers, something that's sure to help them as they begin their own careers.

#CarChatLive #InsuranceIsntBoring

David Velasco asks Gail Windisch, Senior Director of Operations at Tidewater Property Management how she started in the industry (0:55)

Gail highlights Tidewater’s 30 year history and explains the various business segments (1:30)

David asks Gail to share the keys to success in climbing the community management ladder (2:13)

Steve Roderick asks Gail to share her experience with employer support and continuing education (5:02)

Gail shares her piece of advice for new community managers (7:05)

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

Meet Tavarious Butts, EBP, Chair of the Community Associations Institute • Keystone Chapter Executive Leadership Committee. He explains the intricacies of the recent CAI Keystone Executive Retreat and highlights the significance of recruitment, the leaps in technology, and the importance of risk management strategies.

Addressing the role of a CAI committee chair, Tavarious provides insights into the challenges faced and offers guidance on steering things in a positive direction.

For those looking to maximize the value of their CAI membership, he shares indispensable tips and emphasizes the continuous journey of learning and growth.

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Tavarious Butts talks about the recent CAI Keystone Executive Retreat and explains the topics covered such as recruitment, technology advances, risk management strategies. (1:58)

Steve Roderick asks Tavarious to outline the challenges of a CAI committee chair and how to keep things moving in the right direction. (5:43)

Tavarious explains how to get the most our of your CAI membership (7:46)

David Velasco asks Tavarious to share a piece of wisdom he has picked up along the day (9:14)

"CAI creates a platform by which you are always able to learn information, strategies to make you a better professional and a better advisor for your clients. It's ever reinforcing from the networking events to the education events. So it's it's an arrow that hits a wide variety of targets in a way that I never experienced prior to my time coming into the industry" - Tavarious Butts

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

Meet Julie Carter, General Manager of Lake Forest Community in Southern California. She gives an insightful talk about her role and the community she oversees. 

Julie offers invaluable advice on safeguarding communities during fire season. Furthermore, she delves into the art of maintaining harmony between the Board of Directors and residents. 

What is the key to being a successful community manager? Julie emphasizes the importance of keeping residents calm and underscoring the significance of mental health in the industry. 

#CarChatLive #InsuranceIsntBoring

Episode Highlights:

✅ David Velasco introduces Julie Carter, General Manager of Lake Forest Community in Southern California, and asks her to tell us more about her and the community she manages. (0:34)

✅ David and Julie discuss fire season and Julie shares tips on how a community can best position itself for safety. (2:06)

✅ David asks Julie to share how she maintains harmony between the Board of Directors and the residents. (3:34)

✅ Julie gives tips on being a successful community manager, how she keeps her residents cool-headed and the importance of mental health in the industry. (6:00)

Key Quote:

💡 "I just wrote an article in our most recent newsletter and I nicknamed it sense and sensibility and I pointed out to our members that this year in particular, we've seen it. a lot more conflict and homeowners are frustrated and the way that they're communicating with us and our staff is unacceptable. So I try to educate them on, you know, we appreciate when you're frustrated, but there are ways there are avenues on how to, how to express that." - Julie Carter

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

Meet Melanie Donnoli, Customer Service Specialist at National Contractors. In this episode we discuss the state of the roofing industry, trends and challenges like rising material costs and labor market dynamics. 

We also explore how communities can proactively manage large-scale projects. 

A key takeaway is the importance of work-life balance, which is emphasized as a standout benefit of working with National Contractors and Melanie shares a heartfelt shout-out to her team!

#CarChatLive #InsuranceIsntBoring

Episode Highlights:

✅ Steve Roderick introduces Melanie Donnoli with National Contractors (0:36)

✅ Melanie tells us about National Contractors and what she's seeing in the roofing industry today (0:57)

✅ David Velasco asks Melanie how we can help communities be proactive and stay ahead of large projects (2:32)

✅ Melanie talks about the service labor marketing and the cost of materials (4:00)

✅ Melanie highlights a benefit of National Contractors: their work-life balance. And she gives a shout-out to her coworkers (6:12)

Key Quotes:

💡 "Prioritizing projects. That's a big one making a list and then once you have that list together reach out to the people that you normally work with that would do maintenance or landscaping or anything like that. And just try to see if they're planning on increasing prices or see if you can maybe lock in a rate with them." - Melanie Donnoli

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

Meet Kevin Mahoney from DoodyCalls, we get the scoop on why pet waste management is a game-changer for community associations. 

Kevin breaks down the involved logistics, from routine clean-ups to specialized services, showing that it's not just about aesthetics—it's about community well-being.

 DoodyCalls also offers pet waste stations and deodorizing services that really elevate the community experience.

A must-watch for anyone involved in property management!

#CarChatLive #InsuranceIsntBoring

Episode Highlights:

✅ Steve Roderick welcomes Kevin Mahoney on the shows and asks him to share more about Duty Calls. (0:49)

✅ David Velasco asks Kevin why pet waste management is so important in community associations. (1:32)

✅ Steve asks Kevin to explain what is really involved in pet waste management. (2:46)

✅ Steve asks Kevin how association boards typically react to the concept.

✅ Kevin shares other examples of services Duty Calls can provide for a community association. (5:12)

✅ Steve asks Kevin to share some of the challenges his organization faces in the industry. (6:01)

✅ Steve asks Kevin to share advice on how property managers can respond to a board if there is pushback on pet waste management services. (6:32)

Key Quotes:

💡 “Even if 60 percent of it goes away, there's still 40 percent that's going to be in the ground. And that 60 percent just went into the groundwater. And you know, you get 100 dogs in a large community enough with a basin that's actually used for or a lake or a pond that's used for swimming. That'll close it down with the bacteria level.” Kevin Mahoney

💡 “At CAI, we go in, and we actually can teach a class about what we do and how we do it, and why it's important to do it. And I think once the majority of your homeowners are on board, then they can follow suit. You only need one good leader in the homeowner to really take it and move it forward.” Kevin Mahoney

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat

We're car chatting with Brian Weaver, Vice President of Wilkin Management Group to discuss the intricacies of budget season, a topic that's challenging for many this year. 

Brian not only outlines the difficulties community associations face but also provides actionable advice on common pitfalls to avoid during the budget-setting process. 

For community associations grappling with underfunded but essential projects, he offers practical solutions to improve funding. 

Brian also highlights an example that showcases how Wilkin Management Group can assist community associations in getting back on a financially secure path. 

Don't miss out on these nuggets of wisdom that can transform how you approach budgeting and financial planning for community associations!

#CarChatLive #InsuranceIsntBoring

Episode Highlights:

✅ Steve Roderick welcomes Brian Weaver on the show and asks him to share a bit about himself and Wilkin Management Group. (00:57)

✅ David Velasco asks Brian to share the challenges of this year’s budget season. (2:11)

✅ Steve asks Brian to share his advice on some of the pitfalls managers might be able to avoid when setting a budget. (3:11)

✅ Steve asks Brian to share his thoughts on reserve studies. (4:01)

✅ David asks Brian to explain the best way to budget for reserve projects. (4:42)

✅ Brian shares the important of being a financially sound community association. (5:48)

✅ David asks Brian what a community association should do if they have a project that must be completed but they are struggling to fund it. (6:43)

✅ Brian shares his top three ways to solve or improve funding issues for a community association. (7:52)

✅ Steve asks Brian to share an example of how his organization can support an community association get back on the right path. (8:33)

Key Quotes:

💡 “The biggest issue. Is the rise in costs and insurance this year. That's going to be a big conversation. My real concern though is the next two years because if laws are passed that are going to mandate reserve funding, that is going to be a, a serious conversation with boards because reserve contributions could be 25 percent of a budget.” Brian Weaver

💡 “The biggest mistake I see that boards and managers do is they back into the budget. So we'll hear all the time…we don't want to raise dues this year, or we only want to raise dues by 3%. Unfortunately, when you do that, all your contracts are your contracts. So the two line items that end up getting trimmed our reserve contributions and your maintenance budget. And those are the two, in my opinion, two of the most important line items.” Brian Weaver

Thanks for listening! Follow us on LinkedIn and watch us LIVE every Monday at 9am EST! http://www.linkedin.com/company/community-association-car-chat