Guest: Erin Mahone, SVP of Innovation and Implementation, CLS Living

Host: Evan Happel, Community Boss

Topics Covered:

• Erin's career path: from leasing agent at her own college apartment to SVP
• CLS Living's rebrand and expansion into multifamily, on-campus, and future international markets
• How CLS partnered with Forbes Travel Guide to create a 55-point hospitality standard (inspired by Forbes' 500+ hotel service standards)
• The "4 S's" (Stop, Stand, Speak, Smile) and CLS "curse words" (phrases employees avoid)
• Building an internal AI tool (like a company-specific ChatGPT) for instant policy lookups
• Piloting 3 competing maintenance inspection solutions simultaneously
• How to get tech buy-in from maintenance teams — pain points as the gateway to adoption
• Focus groups by role (leasing managers, account managers, general managers) to identify process gaps
• The challenge of "shadow solutions" — employees creating their own Excel trackers on top of existing systems
• Turn season strategy: tracking KPIs, budget visibility via custom turn boards, and early problem detection
• The importance of phone etiquette and mystery shopping
• Why student housing tech adoption often leads the broader multifamily industry
• Evan's parking software and Erin's college parking horror story (UGA, football Saturdays, repeat towing)

Time

Chapter

#bosstalks

*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

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

Listen & Subscribe

• YouTube: Boss Talks on YouTube
• Apple Podcasts: Boss Talks on Apple Podcasts

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Community Boss—your solution for managing parking, amenities, and resident experiences like a boss. Learn more at Community Boss.

#bosstalks

#bosstalks

*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.

00:00 Welcome and guest intro

01:52 Conference banter and Vegas

03:53 Parking horror stories

06:45 Music motivation picks

09:02 Water only and Fiji debate

12:09 Vacation mindset and workload

13:07 Career journey into multifamily

17:07 Regional role and team growth

19:07 Kenzo cameo and association board

20:35 Board Requirements Talk

20:40 Crystal Merit Awards

22:01 Why Association Matters

22:45 Representation In Leadership

27:10 Bridging Corporate And Onsite

28:26 Amenities Versus Real Needs

29:32 Voucher Policy Fight

33:30 Growing Diverse Involvement

37:53 Family Life And Vacation

39:40 Single Dad Career Balance

41:58 Overcoming The Past

44:30 Closing Thanks And Invite

Listen & Subscribe

• YouTube: Boss Talks on YouTube
• Apple Podcasts: Boss Talks on Apple Podcasts

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Community Boss—your solution for managing parking, amenities, and resident experiences like a boss. Learn more at Community Boss.

#bosstalks

#bosstalks

*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.