By: Guillermo Salazar • 27 December 2024

Getting to Hell Yes with Steven Rea Transforming Multifamily Property Management

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In the multifamily real estate industry, saying "yes" to new solutions isn't always easy. But for leaders like Steven Rea, founder of Chasing Tomorrow AI, the goal is to create "Hell Yes" moments—those instances whose alignment between decision-makers, teams, and technology leads to clear, undeniable value. Drawing from his extensive career in property management and innovation, Steven shares insights into overcoming the barriers to technology adoption and why training is the key to success.

The Multifamily Dilemma: Complex Challenges in Tech Adoption

The multifamily property management landscape is evolving rapidly, with new technologies promising to simplify operations and improve outcomes. As Steven notes, these solutions often fall short—not because they lack innovation, but due to the complexity of implementation. With over a decade of experience, including pivotal roles at RPM Living and ResProp, Steven understands the stakes: "We’re not just managing properties; we’re building communities and empowering teams," he says​(Steven Rea).But empowering teams isn't straightforward. High employee turnover, outdated training practices, and fragmented tech stacks create a ripple effect. For example, when frontline workers struggle to use tools effectively, it impacts everything from operational efficiency to resident satisfaction. As Steven puts it, "Technology is only as valuable as the hand that wields it."

The Role of Training in Unlocking Potential

At the heart of the multifamily tech adoption issue lies a fundamental problem: inadequate training. According to Steven, the traditional methods of training—manuals, sporadic workshops, and inconsistent documentation—fall woefully short."I’ve always lived at the cutting edge of innovation," Steven explains. his work has focused on rethinking how property management professionals onboard, train, and support their teams. At Chasing Tomorrow AI, he’s addressing these gaps with Guided, a platform that simplifies and accelerates training processes​(Steven Rea).Guided enables property management companies to create step-by-step guides, interactive demos, and videos in one seamless process. This comprehensive approach ensures that teams not only learn how to use software but also understand its broader value. By streamlining training, Guided eliminates barriers to adoption and empowers staff to succeed from day one.

Steven Rea’s Career Journey: From Property Management to PropTech Visionary

Steven’s approach to innovation is deeply rooted in his career trajectory. At RPM Living, he played a pivotal role in transforming the company’s tech stack and training systems as it transitioned to managing Class A properties. Later, at ResProp, he grew the Texas third-party portfolio from zero to over 6,500 units while advising on PropTech development​(Steven Rea).But Steven didn’t stop at building portfolios. He recognized the broader industry challenge: a lack of cohesive, scalable training solutions. This realization inspired him to launch Chasing Tomorrow AI. “My passion lies in simplifying complexity and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” he shares.Today, Steven leads Guided and its complementary service, Guided Transformations. These tools act as the "glue" between management companies and the technologies they deploy, creating a unified approach to training and support​.

Overcoming Barriers: Addressing Common Objections

Adopting new training solutions often meets resistance, even when the value is clear. Steven identifies two major objections:
  1. Time Constraints: Busy teams often feel they can’t afford the hours required to implement new training systems. Guided counters this by minimizing the workload on internal teams. With just 8-10 hours spread across several weeks, Chasing Tomorrow delivers fully developed training systems tailored to each client.
  2. Cost Concerns: While some see training as an expense, Steven reframes it as an investment. "The cost of turnover and inefficiency far outweighs the price of doing training right," he explains. Poor onboarding leads to errors, burnout, and high turnover—all of which are costly for businesses.
By addressing these concerns head-on, Steven has helped his clients not just say yes but shout "Hell Yes" to transformative solutions.
Listen to the “Getting to Hell Yes!” podcast on apple or spotify here:https://open.spotify.com/show/4TY87ToVuLK7eqkZZvZA5Thttps://podcasts.apple.com/gm/podcast/getting-to-hell-yes/id1772602174

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