Two Pros on their Road to Succeeding in Property Management

What inspires you? Having a good source of inspiration can help pull us through the toughest times. We got the opportunity to speak with two highly recommended members of the industry that we would like you to meet, Kelly Law and Kazell Pugh.

Kelly Law

Kelly Law is 18-year Property Services Veteran who got into the industry on a whim. Looking for a part-time job so she could care for her child, she found a job as a Residential Property Manager. After 13 years she left that position and ended up at Colliers International as a Property Assistant where she’s been for the last 5 years.

Working the commercial aspect of property services is something she prefers over residential. Although the plus side was living on site and walking to work, the 2 a.m. phone calls of tenants being locked outside of their homes, is something she does not miss. But this isn’t the only thing Kelly has ventured into. A big goal she has set for herself this year is finally getting her Real Estate License. After taking all of the required courses a few years back, she’s decided this year she will commit to passing the test.

When it comes to her day to day her portfolio is big which leads to busy days. She has to remind herself to take breaks and get away for a minute. Her days are usually set by the time of the month, that entails what her days agendas look like. Kelly knows she has to be on her game, “Pay attention, don’t make more work for yourself by making mistakes. Be detailed and thorough.”

When it comes to her day to day her portfolio is big which leads to busy days. She has to remind herself to take breaks and get away for a minute. Her days are usually set by the time of the month, which entails what her days' agendas look like. Kelly knows she has to be on her game, “Pay attention, don’t make more work for yourself by making mistakes. Be detailed and thorough.”

For people looking into pursuing commercial property management, Kelly advises them to know the in’s and out of the property. “I’ve been educated on many things; I ask a lot of questions.” Getting to know the vendors and what their jobs require is very important to her. “I want to know how they do their job, because every cost that comes across my desk, gets pushed back on the tenant, and they ask questions. “It shows that you care about your job. A lot of people tell us they’ve never met the property management so it’s something we make sure to do.”

Kazell Pugh

Have you ever met someone whose been highly successful in a wide range of industries? Well if you haven’t, Kazell Pugh is that person. He’s a former NFL Philadelphia Eagles player, he also owned hotel and hospitality, airline, and insurance businesses. It’s been two years since he came into the Property Services industry with the help of a colleague. Kazell finds himself happy as a Community Association Manager over at The Management Trust where he’s learning new things every day in a supportive environment.

Being relatively new to the industry Kazell has some tips for people getting into the industry. “The first thing I would do is get certified, right away. It gives you credibility.” A couple of other tips he has is to learn as much as you can and be very organized. One of the tools that he uses to keep his goals visualized is his calendar. “I put everything in the calendar that’s coming up in the next 6 months.” Another resource he’s been using in the office is a software system called Vantaca that has been helpful in keeping work organized.

One of his long-term goals is to be the best he can be in this industry, not only for himself but for his cousin who recently died who also worked in the industry. “She was the consummate professional, everyone in the industry knew her.” He’s getting there by working as hard as he can every single day. However, he balances his work-life, to make sure he can make time for all other aspects of his life. Another goal he has for himself is being a General Manager at a high-end community. His skill sets of building strong relationships with everyone around him gravitates himself towards that path.

For someone who has an acclaimed career in many fields, Kazell’s definition of success is simple. “If I can help other people, if you help enough people get what they want, you get everything you need in life.”

Kelly Law and Kazell Pugh are just a couple of stories to help get you inspired through the tough times, or moments of feeling complacent. There’s always a feel-good story to pick our moods back up.