Work Order Nation

Episode Summary: In this episode of Work Order Nation, co-hosts Sherrod Hunter and Fred Tomlin Jr. sit down with Phaedra McKibben, CAM, CAPS, Regional Director at Trinity Property Consultants, to explore her 22-year journey in multifamily property management, leadership, team development, and property operations. Phaedra shares how losing her retail management position unexpectedly led her into the apartment industry. She started as a part-time leasing consultant and quickly worked her way through roles in leasing, bookkeeping, assistant management, property management, and district leadership. Her story highlights the importance of saying yes, taking opportunities, and being willing to step outside your comfort zone. Today, Phaedra oversees 17 value-add communities totaling more than 2,700 units across West Texas. She discusses the unique staffing challenges of the Midland and Odessa markets, where the oil and gas industry can attract maintenance professionals with higher wages and bonuses. She also explains how she uses performance numbers, work orders, make-readies, vendor relationships, and team feedback to identify where her properties and people need support. The conversation also explores how Phaedra is using AI tools like Claude and Microsoft Copilot to streamline administrative tasks, organize information, and improve communication. She shares her vision for how AI could eventually help property management teams with maintenance tickets, parts ordering, inventory, and other day-to-day operational needs. Phaedra also shares practical leadership advice for property managers looking to advance their careers: volunteer, make yourself visible, stay humble, listen to onsite teams, and focus on making their jobs easier. Her memorable "Work Order Wow" story involving a unit with 26 dogs reinforces the importance of regular unit walks and staying proactive when it comes to property conditions. Key Takeaways: How Phaedra went from a part-time leasing consultant to Regional Director Why saying yes and volunteering can create new career opportunities How staffing challenges in oil and gas markets impact property management Why leaders need to look beyond the numbers and understand the story behind them How AI tools like Claude and Microsoft Copilot can streamline property management tasks Why listening to onsite teams is essential for effective leadership The importance of regular unit walks and proactive property inspections Golden Nugget: “Say yes, volunteer for things, kind of put yourself out there.” Connect with Phaedra McKibben: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phaedramckibben/ Listen Now & Subscribe: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Listen and subscribe here: https://work-order-nation.captivate.fm/listen Work Order Nation is the podcast for property managers who care, sharing real stories, leadership lessons, and on-the-ground insights from the industry.

Episode Summary: In this episode of Work Order Nation, co-hosts Sherrod Hunter and Fred Tomlin Jr. sit down with Andrew Wilkinson, Executive Director of National Trade Tech, to explore how modern trade education is helping property management companies train, certify, and develop skilled maintenance professionals. Andrew shares his journey from growing up in the Washington, DC area and building a career in Silicon Valley, including time at Microsoft, to launching National Trade Tech. What began as an online HVAC training program expanded into appliance repair and facilities maintenance training after property management companies began turning to National Trade Tech to help develop their maintenance teams. The conversation explores how National Trade Tech combines on-demand online training, industry certifications, mobile learning, and virtual reality simulations to give technicians practical resources they can access when they need them. Andrew explains how the platform can help technicians strengthen skills across plumbing, electrical, HVAC, appliance repair, and general maintenance while supplementing digital training with hands-on experience. Andrew also discusses common challenges property management companies face, including certification requirements, uneven skill levels among technicians, training logistics, and the cost of traditional trade education. He shares how National Trade Tech's per-technician model and flexible, asynchronous training are designed to make professional development more accessible for both employers and individual tradespeople. The episode also features a Work Order Wow involving a property management company that had to replace underperforming maintenance technicians and bring in new team members. After using National Trade Tech to train and certify the new technicians, the company was able to reduce its reliance on expensive outside service providers and save on maintenance costs. Looking ahead, Andrew shares National Trade Tech's goal of expanding into all 50 states and making modern trade education more accessible to property maintenance professionals nationwide. Key Takeaways: How Andrew transitioned from Silicon Valley technology companies to skilled-trades education Why property management companies are turning to modern training solutions for maintenance teams How virtual reality and mobile learning can supplement hands-on maintenance training The importance of certifications and compliance for property maintenance professionals How on-demand training can help technicians build skills without leaving their jobs Why flexible, per-technician training can make workforce development easier for employers How better-trained maintenance teams can reduce reliance on expensive outside contractors National Trade Tech's goal of expanding its training reach across all 50 states Golden Nugget: “Hands-on is never going away.” Connect with Andrew Wilkinson: Website: National Trade Tech Listen Now & Subscribe: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Listen and subscribe here: https://work-order-nation.captivate.fm/listen Work Order Nation is the podcast for property managers who care, sharing real stories, leadership lessons, and on-the-ground insights from the multifamily industry.

Episode Summary: In this episode of Work Order Nation, Fred Tomlin Jr. and Sherrod Hunter sit down with Tawana Brown, Regional Property Manager with Apartment Management Consultants (AMC), to explore her 33-year journey through the multifamily industry and the experiences that shaped her leadership approach. Tawana shares how she entered property management after returning from the military, starting with paperwork and HUD recertifications before moving through roles including assistant manager, property manager, senior property manager, asset manager, internal auditor, regional manager, and district manager. Today, Tawana oversees 11 multifamily and mixed-use communities with more than 1,000 units across Illinois, including market-rate, affordable, HUD, senior, multifamily, and commercial properties. She discusses the unique operational challenges that come with managing different types of communities, from compliance and resident needs to maintenance, budgets, and team performance. Tawana also shares her leadership philosophy, emphasizing the importance of training, supporting your team, setting clear goals, and making sure employees have the tools they need to succeed. She offers advice for property management professionals dealing with burnout and explains why learning to leave work at work is an important part of a long career. The conversation wraps up with a memorable Work Order Wow involving a difficult maintenance situation, highlighting the unexpected challenges property management teams can face and the importance of patience, preparation, and teamwork. Key Takeaways How Tawana built a 33-year career in property management Moving from paperwork and HUD recertifications into leadership Managing more than 1,000 units across 11 communities The challenges of affordable and HUD housing compliance Building, training, and supporting strong property management teams Why clear goals and team accountability matter Managing burnout and maintaining a healthy work-life balance Lessons from a challenging Work Order Wow Golden Nugget “Supervisors like to be a tool for their teams. They like to make sure that they're trained. They like to make sure that they're set up for success.” Connect with Tawana Brown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawana-brown-cpm-candidate-arm-cos-bos-tcs-mor-fhs-60934441/ Listen Now & Subscribe: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Listen and subscribe here: https://work-order-nation.captivate.fm/listen Work Order Nation is the podcast for property managers who care, sharing real stories, leadership lessons, and on-the-ground insights from the industry.

Episode Summary: In this episode of Work Order Nation, co-hosts Sherrod Hunter and Fred Tomlin Jr. sit down with Carol Adams, Property Manager at Ardmore at the Trail, to explore her 32-year journey in multifamily, from starting as a housekeeper to becoming a property manager and regional leader. Carol shares how she worked her way up by setting clear career goals, proving herself as a leasing agent, and learning everything she could from the people around her. She explains why communicating your ambitions to leadership, asking for opportunities, and continuously developing your skills can help create a path toward advancement. Carol also discusses managing Ardmore at the Trail, a 252-unit community in Indian Trail, North Carolina, including the challenges of maintaining occupancy in a competitive market. She explains why her team, strong resident relationships, and well-maintained community are key to creating a successful property. The conversation also highlights the importance of strong maintenance teams, clear goals, cross-training, and human connection in property management. Carol shares why she believes technology and AI should never replace the personal customer service residents expect. Carol closes with a memorable "Work Order Wow" story involving a resident who believed Martians were entering through her air vents, highlighting the patience, creativity, and customer service required to handle even the most unusual maintenance requests. Key Takeaways: How Carol progressed from housekeeping into property management and regional leadership Why setting clear career goals can help create opportunities for advancement The importance of communicating your ambitions to leadership How strong teams and clear goals contribute to property performance Why cross-training employees can help prepare them for future opportunities The importance of maintaining a human connection as AI becomes more common in property management How resident-focused service can strengthen the community experience Why patience and creative problem-solving matter when handling unusual work orders Golden Nugget: “I told everybody I wanted to be a manager in 5 years, and I wanted them to teach me everything that they could teach, so I could get to that.” Connect with Carol Adams: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-adams-b5571924/ Email: [email protected] Listen Now & Subscribe: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Listen and subscribe here: https://work-order-nation.captivate.fm/listen Work Order Nation is the podcast for property managers who care, sharing real stories, leadership lessons, and on-the-ground insights from the industry.

National Apartment Association Trade Show, New Orleans Episode Summary: In this special collection of Work Order Nation, co-hosts Sherrod Hunter and Fred Tomlin Jr. take the podcast on the road to the National Apartment Association trade show in New Orleans for a series of unforgettable Work Order Wows from apartment and property management professionals across the industry. Property managers, maintenance leaders, and industry professionals share some of the wildest, funniest, and most unexpected situations they have encountered on the job. From a resident asking a property team to hold a family member's ashes to a resident accidentally breaking through her own door after getting locked out on a balcony, these stories show just how unpredictable property management can be. The episode features stories from professionals with years of experience in the industry, including Terrell from Cushman & Wakefield, Tanani from Greenville Area Property Managers, Dee Dallas from Daniel Corp., Cassandra Love from Senior Care Network, Benji from Star High Management, Dennis Stevenson from TM Associates, Brittany White from Link Real Estate, Joel Spencer from Perennial Properties, Maribel from Evolve Living, and Celia from Rampart Worth Management. The stories range from unusual maintenance emergencies to situations that required quick thinking and careful decision-making. One property manager recalls discovering a resident's apartment filled with human waste after a plumbing issue went unreported, while another describes finding a car that had crashed directly into a neighbor's kitchen. Other stories include a vacant unit accessed with a 40-foot ladder, a resident who repeatedly dropped her dentures into a garbage disposal, and an apartment containing a casket alongside a serious roach infestation. The episode also highlights the human side of property management. One of the most memorable stories comes from Celia, who received a frantic call from a resident who was about to give birth. After calling an ambulance and rushing to the apartment, Celia ended up helping deliver the baby before emergency responders arrived. Years later, she still keeps in touch with the family. These Work Order Wows are a reminder that property management is about far more than buildings and maintenance requests. Every day brings unexpected challenges, requiring professionals to stay calm, think on their feet, communicate with residents, and get the work order closed. Key Takeaways: The unexpected situations property managers and maintenance teams can face every day Why staying calm and following the proper process matters during unusual emergencies How experienced property professionals handle unpredictable resident situations The importance of responding quickly when maintenance issues become emergencies Why insurance and proper documentation can be critical when major property damage occurs How property management professionals often go far beyond traditional maintenance responsibilities The relationships and memorable moments that can come from working directly with residents Why adaptability and problem-solving are essential skills in the multifamily industry Golden Nugget: “Property managers, don't forget you're only going to be as good as your last order. Get it closed.” Listen Now & Subscribe: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Listen and subscribe here: https://work-order-nation.captivate.fm/listen Work Order Nation is the podcast for property managers who care, sharing real stories, leadership lessons, and on-the-ground insights from the industry.