THE DIGIBLE DUDE

Brothers Redevelopment is a non-profit organization based in Colorado where low-income, elderly and disabled residents get affordable, accessible housing solutions. In today’s episode, we are having a conversation with Chad Nibbelink, Director, Volunteer Department at Brothers Redevelopment, Inc, and Abby Glaessner, Senior Paid Media Strategist in Digible. Throughout the episode, we dive into how Brothers Redevelopment started back in 1971, what are the challenges they faced in COVID-19 pandemic, why Colorado has become a housing destination, the transportation, challenges in the field, and building relationships with residents, and more.

Starting the conversation, Chad shares his experience in Brothers for the last 15 years. According to him, they started their work to provide affordable houses back in the day, but now they are trying to build a community where the residents have access to food, healthcare, education, etc.

Abby enters the conversation by sharing her experience with Metro Paint-A-Thon, an organization that volunteers to paint and repairs houses in the seven metro county area for those who are not able to do the maintenance themselves and cannot afford to hire a contractor. Chad shares his experience with the foreclosure crisis back in 2007 and what kinds of solutions they bought up to prevent that from happening again.

In the next phase, Both Chad and Abby talk about the importance of having a proper transportation system where the residents can travel to get to work, food, healthcare, etc. Wrapping up the conversation, Chad talks about the biggest challenges that they have to overcome as a non-profit organization and how they consider their job as a very part of who they are; they want to help people to be happy, safe, comfortable in their own house because it’s people, it’s human beings that matter when you look at the bigger picture.

[01.2] Brothers Redevelopment- Chad starts to share the background information of Brothers Redevelopment back in 1971 which had only four members from the start.

[04.03] Affordable housing and COVID- How COVID affects affordable housing.

[07.02] Different initiatives- Chad dives deep into the two organizations in Brothers; property management and property development and how they have evolved in the last 15 years.

[17.35] Metro Paint-A-Thon - Abby shares her experience with Metro Paint-A-Thon and how they try, not just to make a home for their customers but to keep them happy.

[24.11] Foreclosure Crisis- The foreclosure crisis is a period between 2007 and 2010 when property seizures in the U.S. housing market were drastically elevated.

[32.37] Why Colorado- The reasons why Colorado became a housing destination and what they do to make more improvements in the existing houses.

[37.17] Transportation- How important transportation is when it comes to living in a housing complex?

[42.02] The Biggest Challenges- The biggest challenge for Brothers is being competitive as a non-profit because funding is a huge challenge when it comes to non-profit organizations.

[44.01] Single Family VS Multifamily - The actions and resources that they need to take to maintain both the single and multifamily residents living happily in their houses.

[52.48] Building Relationships- How Brothers consider affordable housing as a part of them, part of their lives, not just a place to live because it’s all about people in the end.

Resources:

Connect with Brothers Development

Website: brothersredevelopment.org

Phone:

Brothers Redevelopment Volunteer Department 720-339-5864

The Colorado Housing connects helpline- 1-844-926-6632

A few weeks ago, Digible attended National Apartment Association, we’re taking a look at some of the key takeaways from the event. Joining us are Nate Brandt, Client Services Manager at Digible, and Aly Koehler, Sr. Account Manager at Digible, along with David Staley and Reid Wicoff. Throughout the episode, we dive into first impressions about the event, what had changed from the previous year, key takeaways, and hot takes.

[01:35] First-time Impressions – Both Nate and Aly were at NAA for the first time. They share their thoughts about NAA.

[08:27] Takeaways – We talk about how Digible’s brand recognition has improved compared to prior years.

[11:40] ROI – Aly and Nate talk about the return on investment and opportunities Digible gained from attending NAA.

[16:08] Economic Challenges – How the current economic conditions make it harder for startups to raise money and some ways for overcoming these challenges.

[20:42] Growth – David & Reid share their takes on the future direction of Digible in terms of growth.

[26:00] Partnerships – The new partnership opportunities at NAA this year.

[32:11] Hot Takes – Nate and Aly share their hot takes from the event.

As technology gets more advanced, it's crucial to stay up to date with the industry, trends, challenges, and the new opportunities that pop up along with them. This week on the Digible Dudes, we have a conversation with another leader of innovation in the marketing technology space; Mike Whaling, the president and founder of 30 Lines.

30 Lines focuses on the premise that most internet search users don’t have much patience and they give up after roughly 30 headlines. 30 Lines helps their clients to optimize their marketing strategies, allowing them to show up within the first 30 headlines to increase their chances of being discovered by potential leads. Throughout the episode, we dive into the value proposition of 30 Lines, tactics for better marketing, things to watch out for, the future of marketing, and more.

[15:11] 30 Lines – Mark shares with us what his company, 30 Lines offers to the multi-family real estate sector.

[20:10] Human Resources – Mike shares with us some of the guidelines they follow at 30 lines to ensure they have the right people in the team to create the best value possible for their customers.

[23:22] Evolution – How 30 Lines got started 15 years ago and how it evolved into the successful venture it is today and what success would look like for Mike in the next decade.

[33:05] Brand – Mike shares his thoughts on brand loyalty in the real estate space and how to become less reliant on ILS platforms.

[39:53] New Trends – Some of the new trends and behaviors Mike has been observing from his clients could change the way businesses operate.

[45:06] Future of Marketing – Mike shares his take on the marketing channels that would continue to thrive in the next couple of decades.

[52:15] Getting Interconnected – We asked Mike why he’s very positive about centralization and building interconnected services over the next few decades.

[57:27] Risks – Mike talks about some of the things he sees as existential risks that could impact the real estate marketing space.

[1:02:45] Lead Generation – Tactics for better lead generation and better results in paid media marketing.

[1:08:24] Multi-touch Attribution – Mike talks about their multi-touch attribution.

30 Lines  

RentPress.io

This week on the Digible Dudes podcast, we bring you a special episode from the National Apartment Association. Our special guest for this episode is Trevor Park, Vice President of Marketing at Rent Dynamics. Rent Dynamics is a company that improves the rental journey through technology and services that create an intuitive and seamless customer experience. Throughout this episode, we dive into how Rent Dynamics evolved over the years, the value it provides to customers, building partnerships, growth, and more.

[08:44] Rent Dynamics – We start the conversation with the story of how Rent Dynamics started and the services they provide.

[14:06] Advanced Features – Some of the advanced features Rent Dynamics offers.

[16:49] Target Market – Trevor explains the market segments and target user groups Rent Dynamics is focusing on.

[18:46] The Vision – Trevor shares with us their ultimate vision for the platform and how it integrates with other systems.

[26:57] Growth – Trevor shares some of the cool things they’re planning and how they hope to grow the business in the near future.

[29:55] Unique Value – Trevor shares his take on the unique value proposition Rent Dynamics is providing and what they’re doing to stand out from the competition.

[34:11] Partnering – How Rent Dynamics approaches creating partnerships and plans for building an ecosystem.

Connect with Trevor

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevorcpark

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are some of the most important issues in modern society and the workplace. At Digible, we’re always dedicated to exploring and learning more about ways to contribute to improving DE&I. In today’s episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Jon Olafson, Partner at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, a national law firm with a strong focus on diversity. Throughout the episode, we dive into what diversity means, how businesses can improve their response to marginalization, and what professionals can do be more than just being allies.

[05:03] Diversity – Jon shares his thoughts on what diversity means and some of the issues related to diversity that we should take a deeper look at.

[09:03] Marginalization & Discrimination – How marginalization and discrimination differ and Jon’s approach to dealing with situations where marginalization plays a key role.

[15:39] Dominant Culture – Jon explains the idea of a dominant culture and how it influences marginalization.

[22:14] Cancel Culture – Jon’s perspective on cancel culture and its influence on business and legal matters.

[26:10] Sensitive Conversations – How to have sensitive and difficult conversations with people from different backgrounds.

[34:53] Advice for Small Businesses – How small businesses can build awareness within the organization about critical issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

[44:48] Beyond Allies – Jon talks about being an ally plus and how leaders can do more than just being an ally.

[51:29] Cultural Appropriation – Jon’s take on how businesses should approach dealing with cultural appropriation.

[56:27] Pronouns – Jon shares his thoughts on the usage of pronouns and how it empowers people.

This week on the Digible Dudes podcast, we’re diving into some of the metrics, strategies, and trends in social media marketing for the multi-family housing industry. Joining us on the show are Eddie Fitzgerald, Social Media Analyst at Digible, and Erica Hanger, Senior Content Strategist at Digible.

[03:18] Organic Social – Eddie starts the conversation with a brief review of his work in organic social and the benefits of having a consistent social media presence.

[06:12] ROI – Means of measuring the impact of organic social and estimating return on investment.

[11:26] Engagement – Trends and ways residents engage with properties on social media and how that engagement can be used to improve marketing efforts.

[16:37] Engagement During COVID – How the engagement rates changed due to the pandemic and its ripple effects.

[22:23] New Developments – Some of the new developments in social media platforms and how emerging new platforms may change the definition of social media.

[35:18] Future of Social Media – The direction social media is headed and some emerging trends and features that could be further expanded in the future.

[46:26] Eddie’s Best Memories – Eddie is leaving Digible and will be moving back east to be with his family in a couple of weeks. Eddie shares some of his best memories with Digible and his future plans.

Welcome back to the Digible Dudes podcast. This week on the show, we sit down with Adam Lowy, Founder & Executive Director of Move for Hunger, and Bridget Foley, Director of Multi-Family Partnerships for Move for Hunger. Move For Hunger is a national non-profit organization that has created a sustainable way to reduce food waste and fight hunger. Move for Hunger works across the nation and has provided over 22 million meals in their fight against hunger. In today’s episode, we dive into the work of Move for Hunger, how they connect and integrate with stakeholders in the real estate industry, the creative initiatives they utilize to encourage people to donate food, and their vision for the future.

[01:02] Getting to Know the Guests – We learn about our guest's backgrounds, the story of Move for Hunger, and how it supports the community.

[06:28] Connecting with Real Estate Partners – Adam & Bridget dive into how Move for Hunger connects with different stakeholders in the real estate sector to ensure that donations are distributed to the correct places.

[12:00] Creative Food Drives – Some of the creative events and other campaigns Move for Hunger organized in order to inspire more people to donate food.

[18:55] Process of Donation – Adam dives into the logistics aspect of how residents donate food for the program.

[24:00] The Vision – The overall strategic vision of Move for Hunger for the next couple of decades and some of the goals they’re planning to achieve.

[28:34] Other Market Segments – We dive into what Move for Hunger has planned for market segments other than multi-family, such as student housing, senior living, and military housing.

[32:04] Challenges – We dive into some of the challenges Move for Hunger faces in their work and how the industry could help with those challenges.

[39:02] Tools & Tech – Adam shares with us what tools and technologies they’re using to make things happen.

[47:25] Integrations – How the work and processes of Move for Hunger can be integrated with the processes of property management companies and residents.

[52:59] Hot Takes – Adam and Bridget share their two cents on some of the trends and prevalent opinions in the industry.

In today's world, when consumers seek a product or service, they visit the company's website. Hence, it is essential for any business to have a cohesive and user-friendly website. Although the primary needs may vary depending on the type of business, the customer should always be left with a positive impression after landing on the website. Ultimately, having a well-designed website will help you stand out from the crowd.

This episode of the Digible Dudes podcast focuses on essential components of multifamily website design and development. Today we are joined by Chelsea Schonhaut, Website Product Manager at Digible. Before joining Digible, she spent the previous nine years of her career in a high-volume marketing agency.

Beginning with a recounting of her journey thus far, Chelsea discusses a number of features that would make a website exceptional. Then, she delves further into the characteristics that would produce an outstanding multi-housing website. Moreover, we cover Chelsea's experience, recommendations, and thoughts about the renting process she had to go through. Lastly, we conclude the episode by discussing the future of website design and development concerning the new features and pricing structure.

[04:53] Chelsea's Background - What Chelsea's career has consisted of thus far and what drew her here.

[12:22] Great Website – Chelsea discusses what makes an excellent website.

[18:21] Multifamily Website – Chelsea highlights the need for photographs and higher accessibility when developing a website for a multifamily business.

[26:25] The Gap – How to approach the gap between designing and actual technical development.

[28:14] Major Pain Points – What are the critical aspects of a website for a multifamily business?

[31:09] Virtual Tours - Chelsea discusses her previous encounters with virtual tours and offers her perspectives on virtual leasing bots.

[45:50] Notion of Content – Chelsea's take on bringing more information or aspirational thinking that people might intercept to provide value outside the website, relating to neighborhood studies.

[52:50] Increase Efficiency – What optimizations may be made to the website or client journey to improve efficiency?

[56:09] Single Family – Chelsea expresses her views on single-family housing.

[59:54] The Future - Where are websites headed in the future?

[01:03:09] Cost Structure - What is the predicted cost model for website development in the coming years?

Resources:

Connect with Chelsea:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/chelsea-schonhaut/

As a digital marketing and technology company that's adapting to the ever-changing market conditions, Digible is always on the lookout for opportunities for growth. One of the avenues we’re considering is the market segment of single-family rentals. In today’s episode of the Digible Dudes, Reid Wicoff and David Staley share their takes on Digible’s approach to single-family rentals. Throughout the episode, we cover several aspects of this process, including the recent trends in the market, what it takes to diversify into a new market segment, business goals, maintaining the momentum, and more.

[06:50] Focus – David and Reid share their thoughts on how going into some of the subcategories, including single-family rentals, will shape the focus of the company.

[11:04] Commitment – Reid talks about the commitments Digible can make in terms of risk, capital, and effort.

[21:05] SMaC Recipe – How a specific, methodical, and consistent recipe for business can help a company grow sustainably.

[24:33] The Flywheel – Considerations when determining whether single-family rentals will help increase momentum for the business.

[29:10] Diversification and Goals – How the level of diversification a company may want to do related to the business goals.

[35:19] Marketing – How the marketing and advertising aspect for single-family is going to be different from multi-family, student housing, and other market segments.

[45:00] Fighting the Boredom – David and Reid talk about the concept of fighting boredom and how it helps individuals and businesses maintain consistency in their work.

[51:12] Surviving the Century – David and Reid share their takes on which of the tech giants we have today might survive until the year 2100.

Resources

Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All

The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Special events and ad campaigns can open up numerous opportunities for multifamily marketers and apartment communities. In this episode of the Digible Dudes podcast, Kayde Pierce, an Account Manager at Digible, joins us to share her wisdom about special event campaigns. Throughout the episode, Kayde shares her expertise on the different types of special event campaigns, the benefits of partnering with other businesses, planning for budgets, and the strategy involved.

[00:42] Background – Kayde kicks off the conversation with a review of the work she did around special event campaigns and their performance.

[04:32] Geofencing and Boosted Posts – How geofencing strategies and boosted posts on Facebook performed in special event campaigns.

[10:53] The Value of Events – The opportunities that emerge from events that marketers and property management companies could benefit from.

[16:32] Partnerships – Reid and Kayde reflect on a conversation they had earlier about partnering with other businesses for special events.

[23:10] Events That Worked – Kayde shares her thoughts on types of events that seem to work well and the types of events that don’t.

[28:31] Budgeting – How to create budgets for online promotions on various platforms.

[30:31] Organic Social – Kayde shares her thoughts on how to build organic social reach and engagement for events.

[37:22] Hot Takes – Kayde shares some of the uncommon and fascinating things she has seen in her work.

What to learn more about special event campaign strategies? Check out our blog.