Host Evan Happel interviews Liz Newkirk, Digital Media Manager at Loebsack & Brownlee, an eviction-only law firm serving multifamily, single-family, and built-to-rent clients across NC, SC, GA, VA, with expansion planned. Liz shares her career path from retail visual merchandising to leasing, regional marketing, manufacturing, and ultimately brand/social/partnership management at the firm, emphasizing relationships and personal branding. She discusses the firm’s education efforts (Lunch and Learns, updates on changing laws, fair debt collection) and involvement in apartment association advocacy. Liz critiques “supplier vs. owner/operator” division in associations, calls for more inclusive education and leadership opportunities for suppliers, and highlights pay-to-play concerns. She explains the “de-influencer” trend and the need for authenticity in marketing, including TikTok’s impact on apartment reputation. Finally, she outlines the hemline and lipstick indices as informal signals of economic sentiment through fashion and cosmetics.
00:00 Welcome to Boss Talks
00:15 Meet Liz Newkirk
01:26 Community Boss Intro
01:51 Uptown Charlotte Chat
02:38 Setting the Agenda
03:02 Stumbling into Multifamily
03:34 LinkedIn DM Breakthrough
05:19 Career Climb and Pivot
06:12 Joining Loebsack Brownlee
06:54 Where the Firm Operates
## Key Talking Points
1. **Career Transition from Retail to PropTech Legal**: Liz Newkirk's journey from visual merchandising in retail (Saravsky, Victoria's Secret, Fossil) to digital media management at a multifamily-focused law firm (Lobac and Brownley) represents an unconventional career path in the industry.
2. **Digital Media's Role in Legal Services**: The intersection of digital media strategy and legal services for the multifamily industry, demonstrating how traditional professional services are evolving to incorporate modern marketing and communication approaches.
3. **Local Association Leadership**: Active involvement in the Apartment Association of Greater Charlotte, particularly serving as president (or former president) of the supplier committee, highlighting the importance of industry advocacy and networking.
4. **Fashion as Business Intelligence - "Lipstick and Hemlines"**: The episode promises to explore fashion trends as economic and cultural indicators, suggesting a unique analytical framework for understanding broader business conditions.
5. **Geographic Branding and Community Identity**: Discussion of Charlotte's unique terminology ("uptown" vs "downtown," NoDa, LoSo, Sodo comparisons) as it relates to community building, place-making, and how neighborhoods develop identity.
## Notable Quotes
> "When I first came to Charlotte, they were like, 'No, it's uptown.' What's that mean? Why?" — *Liz Newkirk*
> "I use a GPS to get everywhere because I have no idea where I'm going ever." — *Liz Newkirk*
> "What drives me bananas is when people go, 'No Duh.' And I'm like, 'No, it's not like tar, right? It's just NoDa.' Just leave it alone." — *Liz Newkirk*
## Actionable Takeaways
1. **Leverage Non-Traditional Backgrounds**: Visual merchandising and fashion experience can translate into valuable skills for digital media and marketing roles in multifamily, particularly in understanding consumer behavior and visual communication.
2. **Prioritize Local Association Involvement**: Active participation in local apartment associations, especially in supplier committees, creates networking opportunities and establishes industry credibility beyond your primary role.
3. **Connect Physical Space Management to Online Reputation**: As Evan notes, poor parking and amenity management leads to negative online reviews—address physical space issues proactively to protect digital reputation.
4. **Embrace Cross-Industry Insights**: The "lipstick and hemlines" concept suggests value in drawing business intelligence from unexpected sources and industries outside traditional multifamily metrics.
## Topics
- Leadership & Career Development
- Marketing & Branding
- Networking & Industry Advocacy
- Personal Growth & Resilience
- Social Media & Content Creation
- Community Building & Engagement
- Parking & Amenities
- Customer Experience & Reviews
- Innovation & Culture
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