Property Management Success

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We celebrate our 100th episode and welcome Mark Brower as a new coach on the ONYX Property Management Coaching team while digging into what actually creates lasting growth. We share why small improvements compound, why most owners get trapped inside the business they built, and how a clear operating system can buy back time, profit, and purpose. 

• Mark joining ONYX and what that means for Season Two 
• The first hundred reps as practice and iteration 
• Marginal gains as a practical growth strategy for property management companies 
• Identity shifts that raise your standards and change behavior 
• Breaking through business plateaus and the “valley of death” 
• Why guidance and accountability reduce chaos during growth 
• Who the ONYX system fits, including operators over and under 1,000 doors 
• Entrepreneur extraction and building a business that supports real freedom 
• The Championship Formula framework: game plan, rule book, playbook, positions, players, equipment, scoreboard 
• Revenue per door and aligning pricing with delivered value 
• Policies before processes and getting the team to help build documentation 
• Scoreboards that separate trending KPIs from actionable KPIs 
• Why information is cheap and implementation is the real differentiator 

For information about the retreat visit https://pmsuccess.com/retreat 

and you'll be able to see the the pictures of the where we're staying, testimonials from past attendees and event dates and information. 

If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, and don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics. 

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We share how a brutal health breakdown turns into a two decade-long lesson in habits, tracking, and grit that translates directly to building a stronger property management business. We connect marathons, DNFs, and a 240-mile finish line to practical leadership tools like KPIs, continuous improvement, and solving problems without blame. 
• starting where we are and taking the first small action 
• building habits that compound over time 
• tracking progress with metrics and KPIs 
• changing identity through goals and follow-through 
• using community to normalize bigger outcomes 
• practicing with intention rather than just showing up 
• reframing failure as required feedback 
• doing an autopsy on what went wrong instead of blaming 
• committing to relentless forward progress when plans break 
• fixing small issues before they grow into crises 
• visualizing success when discomfort spikes 
• helping others succeed even when it costs us 
• asking what our “impossible” is and naming our fears 
If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague. 
And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics. 

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We catch up with Clay Lehman on how he scaled a property management company to hundreds of doors, sold it, and rebuilt his focus around practical AI that gives real estate pros real time back. We dig into tech stack discipline, eliminate-automate-delegate thinking, and where AI voice agents and agentic workflows can improve service without eroding trust. 

• how Clay stumbled into property management during the 2009 fallout and chose to scale intentionally 
• the difference between growing and scaling and why door count alone does not create profit 
• a “zero hype” approach to AI focused on saving minutes that stack into hours 
• why fundamentals matter more than tools as the AI ecosystem changes 
• tech stack audits and why adding logins increases training cost and cognitive load 
• “keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler” as an ops principle 
• eliminate before you automate and examples like outdated reports and misfit clients 
• Google Workspace AI with Gemini and NotebookLM for SOPs, transcripts, and HOA documents 
• recording conversations with disclosure to build a searchable client memory 
• agentic AI workflows and where to be cautious 
• voice agents for repetitive tenant questions, maintenance troubleshooting, lead screening, and language support 
• using AI to role-play pricing objections and refine messaging while staying authentic 

If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague. And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics. 

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We talk with Lacey Hendricks and Alex Zweydoff from ClearLead Digital about turning a property management website into a measurable owner lead engine. We break down what it takes to stand out, track real ROI, and stay findable as discovery shifts from Google to AI. 
• how Lacey and Alex built their SEO skill set inside real property management businesses 
• why tracking matters first, including CRM setup and lead-to-contract measurement 
• what drives low acquisition cost when inbound leads are built on strong fundamentals 
• taking control of website messaging so it sounds like you, not a template 
• narrowing to an ideal owner client profile and mapping the buyer journey 
• the core SEO stack: on-page, local SEO, technical fixes, and backlinks 
• E-E-A-T signals and why bad backlinks can damage performance 
• writing for AI and LLMs while keeping SEO basics intact 
• practical visibility tips, including consistent listings and platform citations 
If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague. And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics.

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We talk about why leadership feels lonely and how honesty, humility, and clear goals create the fastest path to real growth. We connect endurance training lessons to property management leadership so you can build better habits, stronger systems, and more freedom over time. 
• leadership as a journey that can feel isolating 
• honesty with yourself and others as a lever 
• humility to admit the gap and ask for help 
• getting clear on what you actually want 
• changing your environment to change results 
• identity and systems as the real habit engine 
• small groups and accountability that make action easier 
• Ulysses pacts as a tool for commitment 
• freedom as the flywheel behind better leadership 
• thinking bigger than “achievable” goals 
If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague. And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics. 

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We sit down with Andrew Smallwood of Second Nature to unpack how culture becomes destiny, why win-win isn’t enough in property management, and how to turn today’s “triple squeeze” into durable growth with resident-first design and values that live in practice. We share real frameworks, memorable stories, and practical steps to remove friction, create new value, and price it fairly.

• defining culture as habits and standards, not slogans
• values framework: table stakes, differentiators, aspirational
• weekly rituals to operationalize values across a remote team
• be a moment maker: designing memorable experiences
• courage in change: compensation, roles, and new programs
• the evolution from FilterEasy to Second Nature
• triple win lens across residents, investors, and managers
• convenience as strategy: make success easier than failure
• removing friction in filters, insurance, utilities, and payments
• navigating the triple squeeze: flat rents, rising costs, expectations
• turning old costs into new revenue through real value
• experiences people pay for and stay for

If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague. And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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What if your growth bottleneck isn’t the market, but your operating system? We sit down with Jared Kott of Marblestone Property Group to unpack how a Chicago South Side firm turned C-class complexity into a durable advantage by rewriting the rules, clarifying roles, and trusting the team to take the shot.

Jared walks us through the model that works in a highly regulated, high-wear environment: skip security deposits to reduce legal exposure, use transparent move-in fees, keep the portfolio dense within a six-by-six-mile radius, and bring maintenance in-house to capture margin where regulation is lighter. Then we go deeper, beyond fees and doors, into the decisions that actually scale a business: codifying policies before processes, implementing EOS rhythms and Level 10 meetings, and measuring what matters with clear scorecards.

You’ll hear how an 84-page policy “rule book” aligned founders and leaders, killed ambiguity, and gave pods of ~200 units real authority. The team shifted from asking for permission to solving higher-level problems: shorter turn times, faster decisions, stronger collections, and better resident care. We spotlight how roles evolved: long-time leader Tina moving from daily triage to relationship-driven business development, offshore teammates building tools and analytics, and a culture that blends fitness challenges, a company gym, and regular one-on-ones to elevate people as they elevate the business.

Threaded through the story is a frank look at leadership growth: escaping visionary whiplash, delegating fully, and redefining the owner’s value as $1,000-an-hour work: vision, hiring, culture, partnerships instead of micromanaging $10-an-hour tasks giving Jared and Erika something rare in property management: real freedom to be present for life without the business fraying. Fair but firm, human yet disciplined, their approach shows how to win in markets most avoid.

If this playbook helps you see a new path to profit and peace of mind, tap follow, share this with a fellow operator, and leave a quick review.

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We trade war stories and strategies with PMI co-founder Steve Hart on building a premier, data-driven franchise platform that helps property managers scale with five distinct pillars and community support. We explore AI’s impact, acquisitions, fee transparency, and where regulation is heading.

• how recurring revenue changes risk
• why property management fragmented and how to fix it
• five pillars that diversify and scale operations
• data advantages from 475+ locations
• acquisitions to grow beyond one door at a time
• local nuance versus national systems
• AI as table stakes for service and speed
• managing churn and raising transparency on fees
• consolidation trends and what comes next
• community, summits, and peer mentorship

If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague
And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We trade the myth of looking like a finisher for the reality of becoming one, moving from fixed labels to growth identities that can bear discomfort and multiply value. We get honest about fear, faith, and the choice to be content yet unsatisfied while keeping systems simple.

• aid station metaphor for grit and endurance
• you can’t predict finishers by appearances
• stubbornness, iteration and learning in public
• fixed identity traps vs growth identity shifts
• fears of wasted potential and fading peak
• parable of the talents as abundance lens
• run toward fear and reframe as excitement
• radical honesty removes shame and speeds growth
• content but not satisfied as a daily mantra
• simplicity principle for systems and decisions

If you've got something valuable out of today's episode, please share it with a friend or colleague
And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.

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We dig into how to scale a property management company through acquisitions without burning trust, culture, or cash. Stacey shares a field-tested framework for sourcing sellers, negotiating fair terms, and leading clean transitions that protect revenue and people.

• mapping two-list outreach to owners and connectors
• seller psychology across boomer and asset-minded profiles
• defining your buyer “buy box” and leadership bandwidth
• evaluating A-level firms versus turnarounds
• negotiating churn protection and clawbacks
• handling staff, roles, and post-close transitions
• pricing, terms, and integration timelines
• Stacy’s 12-month advisory program and A-team access

If you’ve got something valuable out of today’s episode, please share it with a friend or colleague and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss out on future insights and strategies and tactics

visit pmsuccess.com for more value packed property management related information or to hire Tony as your property management coach.