In this episode of Boss Talks, host Evan Happel welcomes Twynate Boyd, a passionate Senior Community Manager from Hilltop Residential in Atlanta, Georgia. Twynate shares her journey in property management, her experiences at the Apartmentalize conference, and her love for the industry. She highlights the importance of authenticity, community care, and the role of faith in her professional and personal life. Learn how Twynate uses innovative solutions like PARKING BOSS to improve resident experiences and foster a sense of community. Tune in to discover valuable insights and inspirational stories from a true industry leader.
00:00 Welcome to Boss Talks
00:12 Introducing Twynate Boyd
01:43 Twynate's Experience at Apartmentalize
02:18 The Importance of Authenticity
03:08 Community Boss and Its Impact
05:14 Funny Parking Stories
07:32 Music and Motivation
09:04 Caffeinated Beverage of Choice
10:31 Soft Girl Era and Personal Growth
13:06 Journey in Property Management
25:47 Community Support and Care Initiatives
26:38 Personal Journey into Property Management
26:53 Leadership and Merging with Apartment Life
27:29 Balancing Introversion with People-Facing Roles
28:25 Innovative Ideas for Resident Engagement
32:12 Challenges and Adaptations in Property Management
34:44 Trade Show Experiences and Industry Connections
37:27 The Importance of Genuine Care in Management
42:29 Faith and Personal Motivation
48:45 Wrapping Up and Future Plans
In this episode, we sit down with Twynate Boyd, a senior community manager at Hilltop Residential in Atlanta, Georgia. Join us as we dive into her inspiring journey in property management and learn why she embodies the spirit of a true boss.
Twynate Boyd, based in Atlanta, Georgia, with Hilltop Residential, is no ordinary community manager; she has a unique flair for bringing love and care to the property management industry. She has a passion for fostering community-driven initiatives and her dedication to integrating her faith into her professional life.
Twynate shared her transformational experience attending her first Apartmentalize. Emphasizing the importance of authenticity, she described how both the company, Community Boss, and everyone involved made her feel part of a genuine, welcoming community. At the trade show, she expressed how her transition from initially being apprehensive to absolutely enjoying the experience was a testament to how true connection can thrive under the right conditions.
Central to Twynate's management style is her unwavering commitment to building genuine relationships within her community. With Apartment Life teams, she orchestrates regular events, from paint-and-sip evenings to movie nights on the rooftop. These activities foster a sense of belonging, enabling residents to connect and form meaningful ties right where they live.
She recounts memorable experiences where even in challenging situations, the systems and networks she helped cultivate allowed her to provide superhero-level care to her residents, often resolving issues swiftly with a personal touch. Which is why she is the first "AmBOSSador", an enthusiastic user of PARKING BOSS.
On top of her impressive professional achievements, Twynate embraces personal growth through balance and self-care. She shares her musical tastes, from Atlanta's Lil Jon hype music to softer tunes from artists like Yeba, all curated to fit different facets of her life. Her journey into what she calls "the soft girl era" reflects her transition into a more balanced approach to leadership and life.
Twynate's faith remains a steadfast source of strength and motivation. It acts as a grounding force amid the numerous challenges of community management. Whether she's recharging with gratitude, tackling the complexities of property management, or simply enduring a resident's difficult day, her spirituality helps her maintain perspective and extend compassion to others.
As Twynate reflects on her career, she highlights the impact of working with a supportive company like Hilltop Residential, where individuality is celebrated, and community care is prioritized. She sees no achievable end to where her passions could take her, constantly pushing the industry to new heights.
Twynate Boyd _Boss 107_ Let_s Bring Love And Care Into Property Management
===
Welcome to Boss Talks
---
[00:00:00]
Evan: Hello everybody and welcome to Boss Talks.
Introducing Twynate Boyd
---
Evan: I'm your host Evan Happel and I have a great guest for episode 1 0 7. Twynate Boyd. She's out of Atlanta, Georgia. She's with Hilltop Residential in a senior community manager with them. I had the privilege of spending some time with her at NAA this year. She was actually our first AmBOSSador. She is a user of PARKING BOSS. And she uses it very well. She has some great passions, for mainly her company. She's really enjoyed working for Hilltop and also just passionate about bringing love and care to the property management industry and coming up with ideas and initiatives to really serve the communities that she works at and help [00:01:00] others also foster ideas to serve those other communities around her area as well. So we'll get into all that. And she has a great passion for her faith and how that affects all that she does as well. So super excited to have to Twynate today on the show.
But before we get there, I'm with Community Boss, we have some great solutions for you when it comes to parking, amenities and mapping. We can help generate some revenue and just overall make it a better experience for your residents and take away some of that chaos and more efficiencies for you when you're We like to say manage like a boss. It's time to bring Twynate to the show. Twynate, thanks for joining me today.
Twynate: Always a pleasure.
Twynate's Experience at Apartmentalize
---
Evan: Like I said, you joined me and my team in Philadelphia just a few months ago for Apartmentalize, and I actually, I think that might be a good place to, to start is first of all, that was your first Apartmentalize.
It was. And we were so happy to bring you [00:02:00] along and give you that opportunity. What was that like for you?
Twynate: Oh my gosh. I think it's just one of those things that in my mind, what it was, and then what it was in real life was some completely different. I had the time of my life, first of all, the team.
The Importance of Authenticity
---
Twynate: So people need to understand like when you're with community boss, with you're, when you're with the company, everybody is genuine. I'm big on authenticity and just transparency. Everyone was themselves. Everyone was so kind, so welcoming. We really just had a good time. I think for me, anybody who really knows me, including like my company, I don't like to do much.
Like I, I wanna man my forts and that's about it. So when I was invited, I was like not something in Georgia like, you want me to travel, like on a plane? I'm glad I did it. The energy, the events at Apartmentalize, melanin and multifamily life changing I'm [00:03:00] still fangirling Marcy, everybody it was wild.
I don't think I ever really realized like we stay in our little bubble and it's I'm a man, I'm a property manager.
Community Boss and Its Impact
---
Twynate: But it is, it's a big thing and it's a huge industry being a part of that and being there with you guys and being at the booth and just the energy and the love that your team has and sharing it with people and me actually being a user of the platform just makes it so easy because it's not a sale.
It's like a, this is a real life testimonial and this is something that I use when I started at Platform, it was already in place. And came on, learned the system, amazing. And then when I came here, it was legit. One of the first things I asked for, I was like, I have to have Community Boss.
And I really had a time with you all. I felt like family. I didn't feel uncomfortable at any time. And you guys really did lay out the red carpet for me so it was an amazing
Evan: I [00:04:00] appreciate that. It's very kind of you to say and we're really glad that you could join us and that you did have a good time.
And I just loved the fact that you had outside of our company stuff, opportunities to meet some of the people that I've had the privilege of spending time with, with Melanin and Multifamily. Monica Frazier, Marcy, Ishea, all those ladies are great. And I'm so glad you were able to meet
Twynate: Yeah, true bosses. Like when you talk about boss, like you took me and then I get there and it's one of those things where you feel like oh my gosh, I'm here and I'm doing this. And you get in the presence of them and it's like they all feel the same way about, what you guys do and what you stand for and the ease that you guys really just bring to properties.
I'm a million miles a minute. So just having that one thing that I know is set in stone, it's easy to teach to my team. I'm looking forward to getting with Kimmy and talking about Amenity Boss. Like now we're upgrading amenities here, so [00:05:00] we're doing things, we're doing rooftops.
We got two pools, we got Clubhouse lounge, and so we want everything to go as smoothly as Bar does. Yeah.
Evan: If we can help, we definitely want to, so that's great. You give it a little bit.
Funny Parking Stories
---
Evan: Is there any specific parking stories you have from over the years that maybe are hilarious or anything you wanna share?
Twynate: This is the thing that helps me a lot. When I'm not on site, like I'll have a courtesy officer call me and say, Hey, you have a resident that left the door open, or left the trunk open and they're patrolling the decks.
They see what's going on. Okay. Buy a tag number or a dis or a car. Like I have five, almost 600 units here. I have no idea who it is. And so I'm like, send me a picture of the plate. And they do, and I put it in the system. I know who it is. I have their number, I have their apartment number. I can either send security over there, I can call 'em myself, say, Hey, it's Twynate calling.
You left your door. It's after hours. I don't want my anybody's door to let be left over or trunk to be left open. Just any [00:06:00] situation that has to do with, I've had somebody like, Hey, my guest is trying to park and they're like, we have a system called active building where the residents can communicate with Sure. I'm like, Hey, I don't know my code. And it's Sunday. You know it's Sunday. And it's and it's like I could just, and send it to 'em and it's so minor and it's so small and I have so many stories, but in those moments, I look like a superhero, like legit. I've had people come in and thank you so much I don't wanna get booted. And it's like just having that where it takes me legit less than 10 seconds to become the solution to somebody's problem. And I think that is just a level of, customer service that, that go above and beyond. Yes, I can do this and I have phone numbers and I have your apartment number and it's all a secure system.
I have it, everybody doesn't have it. And I'm able to verify okay, you're the resident, what's the last four of your phone number or what's the make and model of your car? And all that information is in the system. And I think for people that are coming on.
The [00:07:00] self-registration feature needs a hashtag. Me and my team would have to like all day input information, having the ability for the resident to actually go in, upload their license, their registration, all in the system using their code, and I'm able to go in the system and see all of that is amazing. Amazing.
Evan: Thanks for all of that. I do appreciate the kind words regarding our system. For sure. Thank next question I have before we get into your topics, super important.
Music and Motivation
---
Evan: When you're getting ready or you're headed somewhere, what music, what song? Do you listen to, to get you going?
Twynate: Okay, so this is depending on where I'm going.
Evan: Okay. So
Twynate: if I'm going to the gym, right? It is definitely gonna be all Atlanta, Lil John music, hype music. It's gonna be like Ti Jeezy. [00:08:00] Like I gotta get in the mindset 'cause I'm about to go hype.
none: Yeah. So like lately I told you I've been trying to get in my Soft girl era, so I've been listening to more softer music, like Yeba. I'm not sure if you're familiar with her. Dunno, Yeba. Oh my gosh. You have to know Yeba. NAO. Just more soft type vibes, I've learned that. When you go to the gym and you're listening to certain music, it takes you there.
Twynate: So I can't listen to that Coming to work, I want to come to work in a state of Zen as much as possible so that when the day, now they're gonna come at me like Little John, but see, then I'm gonna be on like Yeba, I'm cool. I got this. So yeah, it's a lot of different, I listen to all different types of music, so I'm definitely not a one type.
It's not an easy question for me. I listen to classical, I listen to Aerosmith, I listen to r and b, hip hop country, like I listen to everything. So you know it could be [00:09:00] anything.
Evan: It depends on the situation. That makes sense. Correct. Yeah. Correct. Thanks for answering.
Caffeinated Beverage of Choice
---
Evan: When it comes to next question, caffeinated beverage of choice, what is your go-to?
Twynate: I would typically say coffee. Okay. I've been off coffee for four months now. I'm on matcha right now. I'm addicted to matcha.
I buy my macha latte. Is there a specific way you like it? I do. So Starbucks makes really good macha lattes, and then Starbucks was also taking a lot of my money, so I'm like, I'm gonna figure out how to do this myself because I can't go here every day. Like I can't.
none: Sure.
Twynate: So I found matcha. It has to be matcha, half almond milk, half oat milk, two teaspoons, not tablespoons of matcha and some vanilla torani syrup.
I bought the little Keurig, little frother thingy, and every morning now I make my own matcha and I feel like mines is better than Starbucks. I'm not gonna put that out there, but I'm just gonna tell y'all I make a mean macha latte.
Evan: [00:10:00] Nice. Yeah, if you can get away with making it yourself and not spending, six, $7 on a drink every single day.
A day.
none: A day.
Evan: Yeah, exactly. Thanks for sharing. And that has caffeine in it.
Twynate: It is very yes, it does, but it's not like coffee flow.
Evan: Okay.
Twynate: Yeah,
Evan: because some tea is almost more than
Twynate: You gotta be careful and I don't need anything to. To help me go any up any higher. So macho was a very happy medium for me.
Evan: And speak to that. You were jokingly saying that you're in your soft era.
Soft Girl Era and Personal Growth
---
Evan: I believe you said
Twynate: soft girl era.
Evan: So Soft girl era. So what what's that about?
Twynate: You know me, so I'm always on 10. I live on 10. I passed cloud nine a long time ago, so I stay on 10. And normally I'm just like go.
So I, what I've realized is that I have to start having balance and I feel I've started just doing, I got plants. Like I was like telling you about your plant because I'm into plants now and I was like, [00:11:00] Evan, I love your plant. Like you need to let me have it. Plants, candles, soft music. I want to be here and be.
The general, which is our position and lead, but I'm learning how not to lead in every aspect of my life because it's ebb and flow and it's, yin and yang. And so it's been great. It's been great for me to learn that about myself. Oh, you are really like on 10 and it's nine o'clock at night, and you need to calm down.
Yeah. I'm in my forties now. I gotta relax.
Evan: I feel you. I just turned 40 myself, so trying to, did do. Yes.
Twynate: I didn't know you were Evan. You look amazing.
Evan: Stop. Thank you. Stop.
Wow. Yeah. I'm well into my forties. A few months.
Twynate: Yeah. Welcome. And I'm 41 and I'm definitely, most women like, don't tell. I'm not telling my age. I love it. I don't know where that comes from, but I'm much better at 41 than I was at 21. I'm gonna tell somebody how old I am [00:12:00] every time.
Evan: I love it.
You, this is a great place. You, I feel like you, hopefully, probably not everybody, but you know who you are more. Right? And you
none: absolutely.
Evan: You're paying attention to life. you've lived a life, you've made decisions that you're either happy about or not happy about, or
none: not,
Evan: and you're now you can also do something about it, right?
Twynate: Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. And
Evan: I think what the best part is you stop caring so much about everybody else's like opinion. You're just no, I'm gonna do me.
Twynate: That was big for me that last statement was big for me because I feel like early on I used to always be like a people pleaser.
Like I just want everybody to be happy. And then you realize like everybody else is happy and I'm not happy, so like something ain't right here. So that's definitely true. You do get into a space where it's I'm not gonna stress about it. It, it doesn't matter. And if it matters to me, I can change it.
And if it doesn't, like you have, you get comfortable with people thinking what they want and [00:13:00] just say, Hey, I'm not gonna live my life trying stress about things that I don't really care about.
Journey in Property Management
---
Evan: Alright, so you've been in property management for a little while now. What's your story Yes.
As to how you got into it and you're, how you've developed a passion for what you
Twynate: So actually I had a friend on Facebook this was like 2008 or oh nine that put a post like, Hey, I'm looking for a lease consultant. That's literally all it said. I was like, and at the time, I had my job had sold and I was legit working at a daycare.
Like I was a daycare worker. And I was like, I like, listen, I'll try anything right now. So I messaged her and I was like, I'm interested. She sent me the link to apply. And it just, it took off. Like I had never really worked at a job what I would consider like an office job. So I'm very social and I like to talk to So that's one of [00:14:00] my favorite things about what we do. Like I, we meet new people every day. From every walks of life in different parts of their lives. You have students that are graduating, you have people getting married, you have people getting divorced. You have people who like legit or this is their first time, getting a place and people that are starting over.
And so being a part of that for me it's always just more than, and that's what I think is just, you have to care about what you do. And I care about what, why are you here and how can I help you? And most of the time it turns into a therapy But I think that people knowing that you care about them and not just it's a lease or my occupancy is going up, that care will take you further than a sale all the time.
And I feel like. I know you said you don't wanna talk about child no more, but I feel like it also go hand, goes hand in hand with the relationship that I have with Community Boss. The ease that it was and the attention and the [00:15:00] just dedication to make, making sure I was good when I got here and it was a takeover.
And anybody that works in property management knows that takeovers are rough. And me knowing from the relationship that it was going to, this was going to, they were gonna make this as easy for me as possible. And that's exactly what it was. And I feel like when you, in this industry, the one thing that always will keep me and always makes me wanna stay is because you see everything going, like ai, ai, ai, computer generated, nothing's ever going to replace.
Someone standing and greeting you and shaking or smiling in your face or offering you some candy or refreshments because it's so far removed from our day to day now. So when we're offering that in the heart of Atlanta where everybody's did you set an appointment? Did you set an appointment?
And they'll come in and say, oh, I wanted a tour, but I didn't set an appointment. Come on in, you don't need an appointment. Come see me. Like I really do love what I do and I [00:16:00] feel like it aligned with my personality. I was able to grow from a leasing consultant. And then be promoted to assistant.
I've played every role, I've got, we, I've had move-ins and then have maintenance and went out and stayed to work till 10 o'clock cleaning an apartment and scrubbing toilets and, doing turnkey. I know how to fix a dishwasher. I know how, the basic things that I've learned to do just in this industry have changed my life and been able to help me help other people.
So I really don't know, honestly, like what else I would be doing if I wasn't doing this. Maybe a top show host, Evan, what do you think?
Evan: Why not? Yeah, no, everybody else is jumping
none: out. I job with it.
Evan: Yeah. Yeah. It anybody can. If I can, you can.
none: No, you're amazing.
Evan: No I started this with, if you knew me a few years ago before I did this, you would've been like, this guy's never gonna host a show.
Twynate: Really?
No. You're so personable. Like when we're in Philadelphia, everybody in they mama [00:17:00] knows you. Like it was crazy. And I'm like, Evan is like, everybody knows him.
Evan: I love meeting people. I love learning about people. I love to talk to but I will tell you every year more, a few more people, I'm not like crazy There's more known people than I am. But it is interesting to go to, especially compartmentalize and have that experience. And for me what's interesting about it is I am introverted. I'm middle, middle of the road. So
none: yeah,
Evan: all that attention is like pretty exhausting.
Twynate: Really.
Really. You had it very well because it is just a natural, it's natural.
Evan: What I did was this year, and I, moving forward, gonna do better at this is as soon as we were done on the showroom floor of the, like trade show, I went back to my room, I vegged out for a good hour or more, and then I was like, alright, I got a little rest. Now back out there.
Twynate: I never would've [00:18:00] known had you not told me.
Evan: Yeah, I had to recharge. I had to like, okay, all right, let's get more energy. All right, let's get out there.
Hey, you gotta, and that's just knowing yourself, right? I the first, what, two years ago when I went to Apartment Lies, I, by the end of it, I, when I got home, I literally slept for a whole day because I didn't ball. I didn't get to, those little moments of rest. So I learned my lesson.
But, yeah. Back to you though, back to what you're doing in property management. You've landed at a company that you really appreciate and have you got into Hilltop, what, less than a year ago? Beginning of this year? Or has it been about a year?
Twynate: I got with I've been here since February.
Okay. I was at Hilltop, September 20th. 2020.
2020.
2021. 2021. 2020. Oh, you've been okay. It's been a while. Okay. Way longer than I thought. Yeah.
Yeah, we've been, Hilltop is amazing. I've never worked for a company like this. And you know me, [00:19:00] so I'm Antoinette. Anybody that's watching this, I'm me all the time.
I'm loud. It's not intentional. but I like to have a good time. I like to manage my team with love. I'm here in the morning good morning. How y'all doing? What we got going on today? How was your weekend like? I'm that person that I just live out loud. I don't want to take when I'm gone, I don't, I wanna be empty.
I don't wanna take nothing with me. So I always want to just pass that joy to to my residents to my vendors. Like I love what I do. And Hilltop allows you be yourself. And of course, just accepting of who people are and just polishing you and training you to be the best you can be, but not cookie cutter or just one size fits all.
And I feel like I, I have, in order for me to thrive, I have to be in an element that way. And I feel like it's like that for a lot of different people. A lot of companies recognize that of course you have your policies, procedures, and, dress codes and things [00:20:00] that are mandatory, but other than that, like really just giving people the opportunity.
A lot of the most successful companies you look at somebody like Steve Jobs, or, and it's just a regular, when you see him, it's a regular guy just walking in regular shoes and. Not in a suit. And it's just be yourself and people thrive in those elements. And that's one great thing about this company.
We all just love on each other. We support each other. When I got here, whatever I needed they're going to who you need, I need people, I need help. And we just go hard for each other. And once I feel like once you're passionate about something and I'm, and you have each other's back, like where we can go then is endless.
And it's like just with us, like wherever I go from here on, you guys will be coming because I know that the relationship works. And and I'm just I don't know. I literally just celebrated my anniversary with Hilltop on the 20th and I wrote a LinkedIn post about it last month. And it just, you are working and you're doing it every day, but I sit in [00:21:00] my garage that night and thought about like where I had come from.
What the journey's been like. And and it's just a, it is a beautiful story. I never had heard of Hilltop. I got a call from Lauren six days after I quit my last job and she's you wanna interview? And I'm like, she called me. I put my resume out there and I interviewed AT Platform and I walked in and it was just beautiful.
It was like the most beautiful property. And I was like, oh, we moving on up now sis. Like we are going places now. And it was literally probably one of the most challenging properties that I had so far. And then to see it turn to what it is now is just amazing at what we've done there. And it just comes with, grit and determination and loving what you do and being boots on the ground with your team.
And, I love it. I love what the company stands for. And I love that not only do they have these things written as far as like mission statements, but they live it and we see it every day as employees, that [00:22:00] they really do care about us and what we're dealing with and how we feel and how we can make this a good experience for you as well as for the community.
So I have nothing but great things to say about Hilltop Residential.
Evan: That's great. And I think that really goes straight into one of the things you're passionate about, and that's really bringing a sense of love and care and ideas and ways to care for your community when you have an employer that cares about you and cares about the communities that they, sometimes, not everybody, but like some of these communities it's very.
It's very tight, very transactional. You're,
none: you
Evan: have small budgets, you're not allowed to do much. But I know that you guys have done quite a bit, I know you've had a lot of resident facing events, a lot of things that build community. So what are some things that you've put in place and things that you're passionate about in instilling a sense of community and other things in your [00:23:00] communities that really bring that, of care and love?
Twynate: I think one of the great things that, not just not me in general, but just Hilltop does, is that every property gets a apartment life team. I'm not sure if you're familiar with a CARES team or apartment life team, but
Evan: I used to work for you.
Twynate: Oh, stop. I can see that. I can see that I'm obsessed.
So this is gonna be quick, like story when I moved into my first apartment. They had a care team and they came and met me and like we built this whole relationship and we would go every Wednesday we meet in the clubhouse and they would do we'd sit around and talk and I was young. I moved I got my first apartment when I was like, I think 20, like 19 And, I loved it. I didn't know anybody. I was on my own. And so it was just a great way to meet people. They were people of faith and so that was awesome too. And it was a predominantly African American area and our care teams was Caucasian. So that was great too because it was like, okay, like I didn't, we don't see a lot [00:24:00] of each other, but they were amazing.
And so now with Hilltop, we have our CARES team. And Paola and Tiffany are amazing. I had Greg and Abby at Platform and I thought they were gonna be like, nobody can beat them. And now Paola and Tiffany are equally amazing. And so what they do is we do two resume events each month and we get together and brainstorm on what we wanna do or.
What we do different target audiences. So we'll have one for dogs, like a, something that includes dogs, and then we'll have like paint and sit where you do like the paint and somebody comes out and do that. And we do movies on the roof. We did take and bake pizza where everybody got to come and make their own pizza, put 'em in a box.
And it just really like on properties this big too. We're like, Hey Evan, I live in eight building and you live in three building and we'll never see each other. If we like, we will legit never see each other. So having those events in different areas in the community, our clubhouse, we just completely redone it.
It's beautiful. And then on the rooftops, we have it in all of these [00:25:00] different events are on our Instagram as well. But it's just a great way for us to get with the residents and talk to them and build relationships and see what's important to them. And also just from a property management standpoint.
Because if you've ever worked on a bigger property and you have to plan an event, it's very, it's a lot of work to plan a event for your whole community. So the apartment life team makes that so easy. And we actually just finished planning our last two events for our events for the year from planning a really big the Friendsgiving, which is always great.
And then we're gonna do a big holiday thing too, but yeah, wanting, just going back to the day and age that we're in, everybody's that's what they do. And so creating events where we did a candle making event, it was actually that Thursday of, last Thursday when we had the storm.
And I was like, are you guys gonna cancel?
Community Support and Care Initiatives
---
Twynate: They're like, Nope, we're gonna still have it. The people said they still, they're still coming. And it just, all the reviews and the residents going online and commenting or coming and telling How much, they felt welcome or people that don't have family here that are here for [00:26:00] school.
'cause we're in very close proximity to GSU, so they don't have family here, they don't have anybody here. So being able to get with your neighbors and get to know people and then just, being there for people. Our cares team will go get groceries or they see somebody needs help, they're gonna help, or people have a loss of family and we know about it.
We send them over there with they take up benevolence and go do things like that. So it definitely just goes above you rent here. And this is this is a gen genuine community and it takes a while to build that. And we're still in the early phases of it, but we're making strides.
And I'm excited to say that.
Evan: Yeah, no, it does take time. Yeah.
Personal Journey into Property Management
---
Evan: So I legit worked for them. In fact me and my wife were a team at a community here in Washington State. That's how I, that's how I got into the industry. Was as a team at a community for nearly three years. Wow.
Leadership and Merging with Apartment Life
---
Evan: And then we moved into kind of a leadership role locally, and then eventually I [00:27:00] actually became the executive director, president, CEO, whatever you wanna call it, of the local expression.
It wasn't called Apartment Life. It was called Community Northwest. Okay. And then I led that organization for a few years, and then we actually merged with apartment Life. And I served with Apartment Life there forward for until I left and I got this job. So that is literally the last thing I did.
Twynate: Look at that. Look at that. Evan. You have a lot of secrets.
You're introverted, but.
Balancing Introversion with People-Facing Roles
---
Twynate: You literally pick industries where you have to deal with people. Oh my gosh. So I'm glad that you're facing your fears.
Evan: Yeah. No, talk about. And I think I learned a lot. I think by forcing myself into that require me to be very personable in people facing has helped me push through some of that like awkward feelings of what do I say? I've learned how to talk to people, and to ask questions and to be, in positions and situations where as an introvert they could be [00:28:00] very awkward. So you can learn to push through these things.
It is just something you have to actually
Twynate: Yeah,
Evan: for sure. Yeah. So I guess I'm a poster child to that.
Twynate: You are. You really are.
Evan: So if you wanna be an outgoing introvert, it's possible, but you also to take care of
Twynate: Yeah, definitely. And oxymoron. But you're rocking that thing, Adam.
Evan: Thanks. Yeah. But that's great.
Innovative Ideas for Resident Engagement
---
Evan: Is there anything else you're doing besides resident events? Any ideas that you have implemented and done to really care for your community and bring that into property management? And what kinds of effects do you think that brings to the role?
Twynate: I think that one of the great things that any manager or anybody could implement that's not necessarily a physical 'cause I was gonna say, I've done this before at, when I worked in the industry earlier, years ago, we would have a suggestion box, like in the office, right?
[00:29:00] And then things that the residents would be important to them and care about. They could put in there, they just come to the office dropping in there. And I think that some of the things that you would get, you would like seriously, but I do think that taking the time to really hear what's important to your resident, I think a lot of times when you have larger companies, it's like what they've done at one property, they think.
That it's gonna be like, Ray Crock when he did McDonald's, and it's this worked here and he could just take it and you can put it anywhere. And it's I don't, it's not like that in in property management because so many properties are in different locations with different demographics and there's different things that you have to cater to.
So you can do in Peachtree City somewhere. And then you come to Atlanta and you try to implement a lot of those same strategies and it doesn't work. And so you are, it becomes an inconvenience. You're like, this works. I know it's tried and true. And it's no, it's really not. And then you run into these issues or, residents are not happy with it.
So I [00:30:00] think the main thing is like me. I always tell my property, like my team and my residents, like I have an open door policy. And it's probably one of the hardest things to say as a manager because we're really busy a lot, but I always I had a, I have a resident, I'm like, I'll follow up with you.
I'll schedule an appointment. We can schedule a time to talk. I think letting people know that what you feel, or your opinions do matter. Even if it's not something I can genuinely do, if it's not within my power. I've had so many people to just say thank you just for hearing me out. And it's like when I've been trying to come up here and telling, nobody would ever listen to me like, thank you for hearing me out.
It's not, it may not change anything, but people just gen genuinely wanna know that you care that I'm not paying you thousands of dollars a month to just be a point in your occupancy. And I think that when you manage from that standpoint of I do care. And I do want this to be the best it could be.
And I, [00:31:00] some of the things I can take to my regional and take to Hey, how do you feel about this? And once again, one of the great things about Hilltop is my regional. We have a very good relationship and okay we'll see what we can do about that. We'll see if there's ways that we can implement that.
We have our manager meetings and we all get together and brainstorm and have a meeting of what's working. So I just feel like here, your residents, here, your residents. Hear what's important to them. If you're getting these reoccurring things that need attention, as the manager, like it's not coming out of, it's not our money or our, we can't make everything happen.
But if you have good leadership that really wants their community to thrive, they're gonna hear you. They're gonna hear you, and they're gonna take into consideration. And it may, might not be something that happens immediately. It may be next budget season, you have to budget for this, or we'll see about that.
But I think that's one of the most valuable things that you can bring to your property is a here a ear to here. And a heart to care [00:32:00] and to say listen, I'm just not just sitting here Evan, you're talking to me. And I'm I'm, I really care about what you're saying. So yeah, just care for your people.
Care for your team. And find these different, there's not a one size fits all approach.
Challenges and Adaptations in Property Management
---
Twynate: I've had to learn that when platform was my first property in Atlanta, and it taught me a lot. It taught me a lot. But it's all good, it's all good and it's all life experience and it makes you ready for the next thing.
And now we're here and some things we're bringing with us, like the community boss and some things I didn't bring here because literally we're a mile away, but it's, it is just not the same as what the need was there.
Evan: Yeah. And what was the biggest thing that you, 'cause what types of communities were you in before you hit platform?
Twynate: More like garden style traditional communities. My property before platform probably was the most difficult property that I've been in. It was 35. Four years old, so it needed a lot of TLC. And I was blessed to [00:33:00] have an amazing team, like my maintenance team, my leasing team, even at that property that we were at, where we were lo location wise, what the crime was in those areas.
We maintained 93 to 95% We have great renewal retention. We did resident events we had pool parties and I didn't have a CARES team. We would have, we were there, I was there during Covid. We found a way to do where we would get online and do like raffles and crossword puzzles and just all together, and the residents would win gift cards.
We were gonna drop it on their door and just hang it on the door. And just like at a time where everybody was just locked in, the office was closed and the residents can't come up. We still found a way to make it feel like it was a community and it was a family. And I was very proud of that. That was actually my first property.
I was there for four years. And so I learned a lot there. And it was hard. It was hard, but looking back [00:34:00] now, I wasn't any other way. I'm still close to a lot of my employees that I work with. And that's because I love them. And I tell, I'll tell my team, I'm like, y'all know I love y'all. Because I feel like these are the people that work hard for me every day in and day out.
No matter what they're dealing with, they need to know that you care. And that comes with time, like working together, and I'm working for them too. What do you need to make your job easier? What can I do to be there to support you? Or they leave and they're like, oh, Twynate, I just got a call and I'm almost home.
I'll run a portable over there to the apartment for you and put it in. I'm not above doing anything that I asked my team to do. And they feel that, and they all work very hard for me. And, it's just really an amazing thing, what you can do when you care.
Evan: Oh yeah.
Trade Show Experiences and Industry Connections
---
Evan: And I think, wouldn't you say that when you preemptively care and are genuine, because I've seen you in action when you were on the trade show floor for us, no.
Part of me thought you were pretending. I felt that you were just being yourself. [00:35:00] You were genuinely excited about my software, which, most people aren't super excited about software, so that's always good to be genuine about. But that I think comes through probably in your day-to-day life job that you do every day.
Sharing joy with people. Then when you're faced with things that are challenging, yeah, they may be, emotional things happen. Not everybody's gonna be roses and happy all the time, absolutely. When you're a resident, something happens, but if they've interacted with you and know that you care at the end of the day, I'm sure your experience has been, it's helped to care more and then when those challenges happen, they're easy to, easier
Twynate: For sure. And the trade show was probably, honestly Evan, I know it sounds crazy, but it was literally unlike anything I had ever experienced.
And I really just felt. In my element, because it wasn't like [00:36:00] anything I, it wasn't like, okay, Twynate, we're gonna get out there. It's listen, like I, this is, I use this product. So it's just one of those things where it wasn't even like a sale. I'm literally telling them, I'm showing them on my phone.
I use this. And so I think from the point of view of wanting to share that ease because you can have a good thing, but I can't make, it's a I can just tell you that what you're dealing with, you don't have to deal with. And I have a solution to that because it's worked for me.
And so I think being out there with all those different people, like I made so many connections in Philadelphia, it was crazy. And it was just amazing for me just to know Twynate you're not in this little box. You're in a whole industry of people that are out here really. Feeling the way that you feel like Apartmentalize is full of people who are passionate about multifamily.
And it, and that, that's what I feel like changed me the most. It's like I'm a little hermit crab and I'll just stay to myself. And it's now I'm on the team [00:37:00] like Melanin and multifamily, where, who's in Atlanta? I wanna link up, I wanna get out, I wanna do stuff because these are the people who understand my day to day.
I have friends, but if you're not, if you're not a property you don't know what we're dealing with over here. So having that circle of people that you can really just get together and we can bounce ideas off of each other and share systems that we use that work that we can share.
Like just really take our properties to the next level.
The Importance of Genuine Care in Management
---
Twynate: 'cause anybody that's managing a property wants their property to thrive. If you're genuinely doing it, you're just there to collect a check. You get your check, you don't care. But I want my property to shine. I'm, there's. Hundreds of communities around me.
That ain't my business. I want my property to be somewhere where people feel like they're being catered to. The red carpet is being rolled out for and I feel like eventually over time, your numbers, your your delinquency will reflect that because attracts and so my entire leasing team [00:38:00] amazing.
We have a ball. They bring them flowers, they bring them food. I tell 'em, don't bring no food in here. They, I'm trying to do the right thing. And they got donuts from Sublime Donuts in Atlanta with bacon. Sprinkle on the top. It's bad. It's bad.
Evan: Those are good. I don't know about Sublime, but I have a local donut shop right next to me.
That when it first went in, we were going in there every week. That's a, that's not good. You shouldn't eat donuts every week, especially donuts that are like this big
Twynate: dude, right? Dude, I can't even, I had three or four of 'em, and I know myself well enough to know every time somebody brings those boxes in here, I'm just like, don't even do it because I'm going to eat multiple donuts and I'm gonna regret it tomorrow.
Evan: This is true.
Yeah. Donuts are a problem for me. I'm not like a big sweetss person, but I love a donut. I'm
Twynate: not a big sweetss person either, but I love a donut and I love red velvet cake, and that's just, that's it. If somebody has a red velvet donut, it's really [00:39:00] bad. It's really bad
none: there.
Evan: They're listening. They're gonna make one now.
none: They have one.
Evan: They have one. Oh. Oh no.
You hear that? If you're a vendor supplier out in Atlanta,
Twynate: don't,
don't please, I'm trying to do the right thing over here. It's great. I feel like our industry is amazing and we're thriving and people like y'all to make our life easier. And these systems, I just remember, like when I first got into leasing.
Yeah. Everything was like hand, like files used to be this thick. Yeah. You literally had a whole application, all the documentation you need from the person, the whole lease. And then you would, we would store this stuff in boxes and then every five years the company would come and like shred 'em or you send 'em up to the collection agency.
But we've come so far and oh my gosh I've worked at a property before that uses a spreadsheet to do parking. Are you kidding me? Do you know what my Excel spreadsheet would look like for my property with reserve? Parking, resident parking, [00:40:00] these amenities? It would be a mess. We the what?
We need to have things that are going to I know how this works. Here you go. Boop. And I try to do that for everything. Our leasing process, not just parking, it's just everything. And you create the systems and it works. That's what we do around here, Evan. We get it done.
Evan: Like a boss.
Twynate: Like a boss.
I don't need a new chain
Evan: really. Okay. It's coming for you.
Twynate: I need a new chain. I had it when I had my little delivery box. You were saying it.
Evan: Oh, okay. You'll get a new one. You'll also get a mug and some coffee. I know you just said that you're not drinking any coffee right now, so if you don't want it, you can gift it to somebody else.
The
Twynate: tea will take it. The tea will take it.
Evan: But it's our boss blend. It's our blend of coffee. So you know, they'll enjoy it. You'll have a nice mug to drink your matcha out
Twynate: Yes. My matcha mug.
Evan: Yes, that's right.
Twynate: But if anybody should know that those little drinks we had at our apartment that had boss on the top, did you get one?
Evan: I did. I ended up getting [00:41:00] one. I'm pretty sure it was so good. Yeah, I was very late. I was too busy talking to people at the boss brunch. That I I didn't get a coffee till they were done, like very happy. Oh my God. Yeah.
God.
It was amazing.
Yeah. It's like being at a wedding or something, or your own party and you don't eat the food you paid for.
Twynate: See. Yeah. Because y'all were busy, but y'all hadn't laid out. The boss brunch was like my favorite thing. I felt like it was a more intimate setting. Yep.
And I met a lot of people with programs and AI and like just so many people that were just so I'm like, y'all are like little, like the sources.
Like everybody everywhere I sit, I got a nugget from somebody everywhere I sit. Yeah. And it was just like, this was, that was an amazing, really intimate, the gift, the swag bag, even though my daughter stole mine.
I love that bag. It is like the
Evan: Yes. Yeah. The boss in the form of the block, like [00:42:00] love at Philly.
No.
Twynate: Yes,
It was amazing.
Evan: At least you have a shirt with that on it, right?
Twynate: I do have a shirt.
Evan: Yeah. I
Twynate: do. I do.
Evan: That's that. Nobody else has that shirt, but you in, in, in Atlanta.
Twynate: I can't worry about other people all the time. I will tell y'all that. It is very cute. It is blinged out.
And if I get my bag and it's a whole, it's a lifestyle. Evan, you know this, like I'm an ambassador. I have to be the only person that
Evan: That's right. Antoinette, to wrap things up, tie it with a bow.
Faith and Personal Motivation
---
Evan: What drives you in caring for and loving your community and really motivating you and hopefully even bringing you recharging you because.
Giving of yourself and all those things is tiring and it does suck. It takes from you.
Twynate: does.
Evan: But I know that your faith is a big element. That is something that fuels you.
Twynate: Absolutely. I just cannot be like, just put into words. I feel and, faith and talking about your spirituality in these [00:43:00] days is just one of those things that, is taboo for some people with me, it's just who I am.
I was raised that way and I feel like not only even saying race, but life experience, lead you back to whatever your source of it is. But for me it's always been God. And it is a recharge where I know that I'm not handling these things alone. I know that if I, when I do need strength, I have so many people that depend on me, my community, my leasing team, my maintenance team, my vendors, my regional and it's just it can be overwhelming when you're trying to carry it on your own.
And I've been in that place and I, what I've learned is, and I'm gonna even say even within the last three weeks it's just when I come and I, before my day starts, I always go and I start with gratitude first and foremost. Because no matter how things are going, with everything going on around us in the world in general, I.
Political, [00:44:00] economy you have to just have your faith in something bigger than all of that. So I'm always showing gratitude. I'm thankful for everything that I have. I'm thankful for looking at my life now and realizing that 15 years ago I'm living that prayer. I'm living the prayer of the, 30 year, 30-year-old Twynate, 25-year-old Twynate that didn't know what I was doing or where I was going, and thought I was madly in love with somebody.
And now looking back, it's like this journey has been for me to become a better person. And I do, I pray and I write in my, in I read my devotions, I write in my journal. And it's really, it does help me to decompress at the end of the day and realize that there's something bigger than me that is watching over me and making sure that I.
When things come my way, I'm always aware of that. And it helps you be aware of energy. So when people come to me and they're upset or they're cussing me out or they're threatening me, it's never about me. This person doesn't know me at all like that. [00:45:00] So I know that it's something they're dealing with and that helps me not to take it personal and then I can meet you there 'cause I can't meet you in your anger, but I can definitely empathize with you 'cause I've been there before.
I've been angry and I've been hurt and I've not had the money to pay my rent. And I, I've been in those situations. So just being able to really. Let people know it's okay. This is what it is from a legal standpoint, but from a personal standpoint what do you feel like you can do or, try to work with people where they are?
So yeah, I definitely feel like I know without a shadow of a doubt that my faith in God gets through it every day. And my love, the love that I have for people that even mistreat me or talk crazy to me. And the property management isn't always a pretty industry, but I've learned to take those situations and to just turn 'em around and pour into those people.
And whether it's next day or next week or next month, it'll always come around to where you're able to talk [00:46:00] and they're like, I'm sorry I was having a bad day. I didn't mean to cus you, I'm like, it's, and you were so nice. I'm like, it's okay. I, it's never personal. So that comes from knowing that it is not always about me.
Evan: Thanks for sharing that and I'm glad that you have a way to recenter yourself and have a source of energy and something to fuel you to, to care for others. 'cause giving of yourself is a lot, it can be something that, if you don't, if you don't have a way to recharge and, decompress and be able to work through things, it can be a lot.
Twynate: Absolutely. Absolutely.
Evan: Because, but we're doing well, in jobs like yours. It's always a joke that being a community manager is also being a therapist and being a
Twynate: a punching bag, a therapist, a best friend, a pet sitter, a babysitter. Yeah. Like she sit here for a minute. It's it's so many roles that is wrapped up into this, but it's also one of the things that makes it really fulfilling.
'cause it's never a dull moment. It's never a boring day. I can't remember the last time I've been born at work. Like I've, it's always something to do. [00:47:00] I'm thankful that God led me to something he knew I would be good at. And that I could deal with people and meet wonderful people like you and go to Pennsylvania and have pancakes at the Amish pancake place.
Evan: Yeah. You were saying you need to get head back to Philly just for those.
Twynate: So I don't eat, I don't eat meat, so I wasn't able to get, cheese steak. So you'll have that memory, but I definitely will always remember that
Evan: Oh gosh. It must've been good.
Twynate: It was huge too. It was like, it was huge. It was two of 'em. It was ridiculous.
Evan: And was that in the, was it Redding Market?
Twynate: was in the market. It was in the market. And it was like an Amish breakfast place and it was packed. I waited probably 40 minutes to place my order and then waited, but it was definitely worth the wait.
And it was just a really nice, like we had a whole nice weekend and a whole nice weekend and you guys showed me around and really just laid out the red carpet for me. And we did the tour and I learned a lot about. The city that my, his high school history teacher probably would've been upset [00:48:00] that I didn't know.
But it was definitely a great way to end the trip, just sitting there with something sweet and a lot of memories. So I really appreciate the opportunity to be the ambassador. And I'm appreciative of you guys and look forward to continuing to grow our relationship together and make my communities the better, the best place to live in Atlanta because I don't play like that.
Evan: No, I have nothing else to say. It's beautiful. Spoken like a boss and boss her here on Boss Talks, Twynate. It has been a joy to get to know you even more, and I'm so excited to continue to be able to do that and get to know you better. So thanks for being here today. Thank you for having
Twynate: me, Evan. It's always a pleasure.
Thank you everyone.
Evan: Yes.
Wrapping Up and Future Plans
---
Evan: And just like Twynate jumped in and. Had an episode here on Boss Talks, you too can be a guest on Boss Talks. So if you are the boss, if you are passionate about what you do in the industry of multifamily [00:49:00] or residential housing, I want you on the show, I want you to share with others what makes you tick, what makes you the boss.
So if you have a story to tell, bring it my way. I would love to host you and elevate you to the next level So reach out to me. But until next time, we won't be on the air next week. Although we might do a little fun thing. Because we are headed to California for Boss Fest 2024. The whole crew of Community Boss is headed down to Anaheim, California.
And yes, we are gonna spend some of us some time at Disneyland and have a little fun while we're there, but otherwise it's gonna be business but in a fun way. And we might do a little fun thing on camera recorded, but if you've seen hot ones, we're gonna do our own version of eating hot chicken wings and asking questions.
And I may very well be the host of that and asking the questions while eating those same chicken wings
none: and
Evan: sweating profusely. [00:50:00] So make sure you check that out and tune in when I post it. But otherwise we'll be back to regular schedule the following week. So thanks again for tuning in and supporting Twynate, and we'll see you around.
Thanks guys.
Twynate: Thanks. Bye Evan.