Yael Shemer sits down with Courtney Mulligan, SVP of Marketing and Communications at Russo Development, for a conversation about what it takes to build a multifamily brand that residents genuinely love. Courtney came up through editorial and luxury PR at Condé Nast before making her way through Equity Residential and the Durst Organization, bringing a storyteller's instinct to an industry that doesn't always think that way. At Russo, she's been the driving force behind the Vermella brand for nearly seven years, growing the portfolio from 7 to 20-plus communities while ensuring that each property tells its own story, from Print House in Hackensack to Rev by Vermella in Belleville to Vermella Broad Street in Newark, which houses a 501(c)(3) woman-owned art gallery featuring local New Jersey artists. She shares how the Vermella Social Club, a branded program of fitness classes, resident events, and community programming, is driving retention in a market delivering over 10,000 new units, and how Russo's owner-operated model gives them an edge when things go wrong. The conversation also touches on economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behavior, and Vermella's latest milestone: becoming the official apartment brand of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

What happens when you blend hotel-grade hospitality with next-gen student housing?

In this episode of Vertical Futures, host Yael Shemer (Co-Founder of TULU) sits down with Guillaume Deri of Greystar France to unpack the playbook behind one of Paris’s most talked-about student residences in La Défense.

We cover:

How a hospitality mindset creates “the wow effect” in PBSA (from scent and sound to social spaces)

Translating Greystar’s innovation DNA to the French market—and why 644 units can feel like a boutique hotel

* Hitting near-100% occupancy: Gen Z marketing, TikTok/IG, and university partnerships that actually convert

* Tech that matters now (resident apps, events, ops visibility) and what’s next (smarter, data-driven buildings)* Sustainability beyond slogans: nudging real behaviors and building the right on-site infrastructure

* Leadership & culture: motivating on-site teams in a brand-new market

* The future: office-to-residential conversions, flexible leasing, and creating places where people **belong**—not just live

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Intro & why hospitality belongs in housing

02:10 Bringing the model to Paris & La Défense

05:15 Occupancy, retention & Gen Z demand channels

09:25 Tech: from resident apps to smarter operations13:15 Sustainability that residents actually adopt

15:20 Partnering with TULU for “access over ownership”

17:05 Team culture, hiring, and new roles in PBSA20:25

What’s next: conversions, leases, and community

23:40 Designing the “wow effect” (five senses)

26:20 One-sentence vision for urban living

🔗 If you enjoyed this, subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping how we live next.

Tags / Keywords

Greystar, Greystar France, student housing, PBSA, Paris La Défense, multifamily, hospitality, property management, Gen Z marketing, TikTok leasing, smart buildings, sustainable living, office to residential, TULU, Vertical Futures, real estate innovation, community building, resident experience, NOI, France real estate

From On-Site Reality to Portfolio Strategy: John O’Donnell on Resident Experience & the Future of Multifamily

Episode Description:

John O’Donnell, Director of Portfolio Operations at Woodmont Properties, joins Vertical Futures to share a candid, ground-level view of what it really takes to deliver exceptional resident experience at scale. Drawing on more than a decade of on-site leadership and portfolio oversight, John unpacks the operational realities shaping modern multifamily - and where the industry is headed next.

In this conversation, we cover:

✔️ Bridging the “ground truth gap” between leadership strategy and on-site reality

✔️ How resident expectations are evolving in Class A multifamily

✔️ Using AI to eliminate high-volume, low-value work without losing the human touch

✔️ Why renewals, feedback loops, and sentiment data matter more than ever

✔️ Self-guided tours, VR, and what the next 3-5 years could unlock

✔️ Leadership lessons from growing teams, delegating effectively, and building trust

Tune in to hear how operators can balance technology, empathy, and operational excellence to create communities residents actually want to stay in.

What does it take to make big buildings feel like home?In this episode of Vertical Futures, Yael Shemer, Co-Founder & CCO of TULU, sits down with Jared Whitaker, SVP of Residential Operations at RXR, to explore how one of the nation’s leading real estate firms is reimagining life in multifamily communities.Together, they dive into:RXR’s $22.6B portfolio and the “trifecta” of design, hospitality, and technologyWhy residents today expect five-star service in their homesHow partnerships like TULU are redefining convenience and access in urban livingThe rise of buildings as micro-cities, where people live, work, and connect without leaving homeWhat’s next: affordability, innovation, and building community at scaleVertical Futures captures the bold conversations shaping how we live, work, and build community in the 21st century.📺 Watch the full conversation on YouTube🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more

From Humanoids to Housing: Whitney Kidd on AI, Robotics & the Future of Resident Experience

Episode Description
Whitney Kidd, Senior VP of Innovation & Technology at The Preiss Company, joins Vertical Futures to share how student housing is becoming a testbed for the future of multifamily. From managing 40,000 beds during the “turn season” to piloting the industry’s first humanoid robot, Whitney reveals how AI, automation, and infrastructure upgrades are converging to reshape resident experience.

In this conversation, we cover:
✔️ Why capital cycles make or break tech adoption in real estate
✔️ How self-service is changing Gen Z’s expectations for housing
✔️ Donna, the humanoid robot, and what it means for property management
✔️ The balance between automation, human touch, and brand loyalty
✔️ Why Whitney believes 50–75% of admin tasks will soon be automated

👉 Tune in to hear what’s next for multifamily innovation—and how leaders can prepare today.

Welcome to Vertical Futures, where we explore the future of living through bold conversations with industry leaders.

Join host Yael Shemer, co-founder of TULU - a company elevating the way we live by giving residents on-demand access to the products they need, right in their building.

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What's the secret to growing from 11 properties to 42 in just over a year? According to Amanda Kitts, VP of Operations at RPM Living, it starts with a simple philosophy: "Never want to be the smartest person in the room."

In this episode of Vertical Futures, Amanda shares how her people-first leadership approach has driven success across 27 years in multifamily. From her first "little tax credit deal" where she thought she'd "made it," to now overseeing RPM's rapid Southeast expansion, Amanda reveals why the best leaders focus on creating more leaders.

You'll discover:

• Why Amanda implements "hard conversations" as a tool for growth, not punishment
• How RPM's boutique management style scales personal touch across dozens of properties
• The mindset shift that treats every property like your own $40 million investment
• What keeps her hopeful about the future of multifamily after nearly three decades

Whether you're managing your first property or your fiftieth, Amanda's authentic approach to leadership development will change how you think about building teams that thrive.

Guest: Amanda Kitts, VP of Operations, RPM Living
Host: Yael Shemer, Co-Founder & CCO, TULU

Episode Description

What does it take to transform struggling properties into award-winning communities? Selam Egzeabher, General Manager at Greystar and winner of Excellence and Profitability Awards, shares her formula for success.

From Ethiopian hospitality roots to managing Philadelphia's most complex mixed-use development, Selam reveals the people-first philosophy driving exceptional leasing and retention. Discover how she stabilized three properties during the pandemic, installed beehives in Center City, and turns resident feedback into innovative amenities.

Key Highlights:

• Managing four entities as one: Greystar, CBRE, union labor, and corporate housing
• Why transparency and sharing budgets with your team drives results
• From unused kids' room to thriving coworking space
• Installing beehives in Center City (yes, really!)
• The future of multifamily: mixed-use properties and AI

About Selam: General Manager at Greystar overseeing East Market, Philadelphia's premier mixed-use development. Nearly 20 years spanning hospitality and multifamily, recognized for innovative property operations and resident experience.

Hosted by: Yael Shemer, Co-Founder & CCO at TULU

Future Verticals captures the conversations shaping tomorrow's resident experience.

How One Property Manager Is Revolutionizing Resident Experience | Episode with Aimée Duplessie

What happens when a former college athlete brings a team-first mindset to property management?

Meet Aimée Duplessie, Senior Regional Manager at Grand Peaks, who has spent 21+ years transforming multifamily living across three states.

In this episode, Aimée shares how she’s using PropTech, emotional intelligence, and hands-on leadership to reimagine what resident experience can be, while supporting on-site teams and scaling innovation across portfolios.

What You’ll Learn:

How COVID reshaped resident expectations—and how to stay ahead

The power of taking risks on unproven technologies

How to balance tech with human connection

What it really takes to lead through change in multifamily

Tips to empower site teams while elevating service

About Aimée:21+ years in multifamily real estate

Former athlete turned regional leader

Led award-winning renovations and Skyline high-rise launch in Denver

Early PropTech adopter and champion of AI-powered tools and TULU integration

Her approach is grounded, practical, and people-first. Aimée doesn’t chase trends; she leads with purpose.

“We truly care about our residents. Our job is to make their experience the best it can be.”