Host: Maegen Woytek, Director of Community Engagement at Vantaca

Guest: Adoni Kokkinos, CEO of Newell Property Management, Naples, FL

Episode Overview:

In this episode of Guilty by Association, Maegen Woytek chats with Adoni Kokkinos, CEO of Newell Property Management, about one of the toughest challenges facing community management companies today: finding—and keeping—great people.

Adoni shares how his team recruits new talent directly from universities across the country, and how they use location, culture, and career pathing to sell not just the job, but the lifestyle of community management. From training programs inspired by Disney to long-format interviews on the beach, this episode is packed with creative, actionable recruiting strategies.

• Why community management has a recruiting problem—and how to fix it
• How Newell uses Naples itself as a recruiting tool
• What “career pathing” really looks like for new grads
• Tips for turning community management into a lifestyle choice
• How structured onboarding (like Newell Academy) impacts performance and retention
• What other firms can learn—no matter their location

Want to turn recruiting into a competitive advantage?

Learn how Vantaca’s Community Management Performance Software supports hiring, onboarding, and retention.

👉 Visit vantaca.com

In this episode of Guilty by Association, Maegan Woytek sits down with Catie Marks, President at May Management, to talk about the real-world side of running a high-performing HOA management team.

With over a decade of experience in community management, Catie shares her journey from portfolio manager to president—and the lessons she’s learned along the way about building trust, optimizing workflows, and keeping people at the heart of every decision.

🔍 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How Catie structures processes to improve team performance
• Why communication, consistency, and documentation are make-or-break
• The power of listening before leading—and why small improvements add up
• How Vantaca’s tasking and dashboards help eliminate chaos
• Why leadership in CAM is about empathy just as much as efficiency

Whether you’re a community manager, team lead, or CAM executive, this conversation offers practical insights you can apply today.

🔗 Want to learn how Vantaca supports operational excellence

Visit www.vantaca.com to explore workflows, automation, and performance tools that power scalable community management.

🎧 Subscribe to Guilty by Association and leave us a review if you enjoyed the show!

In this episode of Guilty By Association, we sit down with Haoyu Zha, the founder of HOAi, to explore the inspiring origin story of how a frustrated HOA board member turned his pain points into purpose—and ultimately, innovation.

From a hands-on journey managing communities to launching an AI-driven assistant designed to streamline operations, Hao reveals how HOAi went from a bold idea to a transformational technology now embedded within Vantaca.

Learn how this next-gen AI agent is not just automating processes, but enabling management companies to shift from reactive task-handling to proactive, relationship-focused service delivery. We also dive into real-world success stories—from major gains in accounting department efficiency to smaller firms elevating homeowner response times—and discuss why now is the time to adopt AI before evolving expectations leave others behind.

What You'll Learn:

• The real problem HOAi was built to solve
• Why traditional software alone wasn't enough
• How HOAi and Vantaca form a powerful performance ecosystem
• The future of community management through the lens of scalable AI

Whether you're an industry veteran or just starting to explore what's next, this episode is packed with strategic insights you can’t afford to miss.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Guilty by Association, Eddie Key sits down with Peter Greaves, Founder and CEO of EJF Real Estate Services, to explore how one of the most respected names in community management is scaling operations, transforming culture, and leading the charge into the AI-driven future of the industry.

From humble beginnings answering phones during college to building a multi-market, culture-first company, Peter shares the story behind EJF’s growth, leadership philosophy, and intentional approach to acquisitions. He offers an unfiltered look at how to scale with purpose, preserve values through expansion, and equip teams with the right tech to elevate both client service and operational efficiency.

They also dive into EJF’s early adoption of HOAi, the impact of AI on accounts payable and service response times, and why Peter believes the next five years will bring the most dramatic shift the industry has seen in decades.

What You’ll Learn:

• How EJF scaled from a family-run rental division into a regional powerhouse
• The role of leadership development and cultural alignment in successful acquisitions
• Why intentional growth matters more than fast growth
• How Vantaca and HOAi are transforming operations—from AP to real-time customer support
• What the future of the property manager role looks like in an AI-enabled world
• Peter’s blueprint for breaking through the growth ceiling without burning out

In this episode of Guilty by Association, host Eddie Key sits down with seasoned recruiting expert Sam Morton to explore what it really takes to attract and retain top-tier talent in the community management industry.

From overcoming burnout and boosting candidate engagement to refining your interview process and understanding what today's job seekers really want—this episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone building or scaling a team. Whether you're an owner/operator, HR leader, or community management professional, you’ll walk away with real-world strategies to strengthen your recruiting game and elevate your team’s performance.

🛠 What You’ll Learn:

• How to stand out in a competitive hiring market
• What candidates value most (spoiler: it's not just salary)
• Tips for improving onboarding and long-term retention
• How recruiting directly impacts your company culture and growth

It’s honest, practical, and perfect for anyone in the community management space looking to build a team that performs.

🔗 Subscribe, share, and let us know what you think!

The AI Revolution in Community Association Management

In this episode of 'Guilty by Association,' Eddie Key and Ben Currin, CEO of Vantaca, delve into the impact of AI on community association management. The discussion covers the historical evolution of community management technology, from basic general ledgers to today's advanced AI solutions. They explore how AI can transform workflows, enhance human capabilities, and redefine community management. Key topics include the role of AI agents, the potential for job transformation rather than loss, and practical examples of AI in use. Ben emphasizes a future of greater productivity and human connection, driven by AI's rapid advancements.

00:00 Introduction to Guilty by Association

00:26 The AI Revolution in Community Management

01:05 Evolution of Community Management Technology

04:04 The Three Eras of Community Management Technology

06:55 Embracing AI in Daily Life

14:34 The Future of AI in Industry

23:11 Vantaca's AI Innovations

26:02 Conclusion and Call to Action

After experiencing the difficulties of hiring and retaining qualified staff while running a community association management organization, Rob Buffington of Gordian Staffing became his own first customer when he deciding to scale his business using remote team members. Now, five years and 300 employees later his company is focused on helping other community association management companies address their staffing needs with remote team members. Guilty By Association cohosts Shelly DeAntonio and BD Snow pick Rob’s brain on all things staffing, how to get the most out of a remote team member, and the best ways to set new employees up for success. 

In a change of trajectory, Vantaca CEO Ben Currin went from serving as a nuclear engineer on an attack sub in the U.S. Navy to piloting the rocket ship to the moon that is Vantaca. Guilty By Association Co-Hosts Shelly DeAntonio and B.D. Snow spend time with Currin chatting about his time in the military, the transition to civilian life, and what attracted him to Vantaca and the community association management industry. Currin also discusses where he sees certain trends in the industry going and Vantaca’s vision, along with some great book and podcast recommendations.

Balancing the Old with the New

How do you balance processes that have worked in the past with new emerging technologies that help a community run more efficiently? Ricky Zilem, VP of Business Development with PS Property Management in Austin, Texas, stops by the Guilty By Association studio to chat about the questions community management associations are asking themselves, and new tech solutions emerging in the CAM industry. Cohosts Shelly DeAntonio and BD Snow also become the interviewees when answering Zilem's questions about how Vantaca approaches our relationship with community association management companies.

Vantaca Customer Success Manager Stacey Kruse joins Guilty by Association: The Vantaca Podcast to chat with co hosts Shelly DeAntonio and BD Snow about her experience with Vantaca both as a customer and an employee. Having personally experienced the implementation process for Vantaca while working at a community association management company, Kruse talks about how understanding where our clients are coming from has helped her in her role as a customer success manager. The Vantaca team also dives into change management, working through the different laws in each state, working remotely, and the best HOA violation she's seen.