8 Common Themes in Property Management Leadership

By Jared Sarbit

Isometric digital illustration of property management leadership themes: a property manager shaking hands with people in front of a skyscraper, surrounded by icons for mentorship, resilience, relationships, integrity, innovation, community, sustainability, and career growth

Lessons from 40+ Industry Experts on the Mastering Property Management Podcast

Many have inquired why I, the owner of Picture Perfect Cleaning Inc., launched a Property Management Podcast despite not being a property manager myself. 💡

Launching the Mastering Property Management podcast was a personal quest to deeply connect with our incredible customers, potential customers, and industry experts in the markets we serve. 💼 By immersing myself in the world of property management, understanding the needs, and fostering genuine relationships, we’re unlocking insights that go beyond the surface. 🚀 Our dedication to becoming unparalleled experts in our field stems from an unwavering commitment to serving our customers with excellence.

I firmly believe that knowing our customers isn’t just a nicety; it’s a business imperative. It’s the key that unlocks the door to unparalleled service, unwavering loyalty, and sustained success. By delving deep into their experiences, challenges, and aspirations, we gain insights that empower us to anticipate their needs, exceed their expectations, and truly make a difference in their lives.

By sharing insights, experiences, and discoveries along the way, I’m not only striving for personal mastery; I’m fostering a community of like-minded individuals united by a shared passion for innovation and excellence in property management.

After interviewing just over 40 experts in the world of Property Management, I have found 8 common themes that are quite consistent among Property Managers. I hope you find the themes valuable and I would love to hear your thoughts on them.

1) Falling Into the Industry

If you ask ten property managers how they got into the field, nine, or maybe even all ten, will tell you: “I didn’t plan this.” Unlike professions such as law or accounting, few people go to school aiming to become a property manager. Instead, they “fall into it” and then discover an industry that’s challenging, dynamic, and deeply rewarding.

Sean Kirk (Canderel): “Nobody grows up wanting to be a property manager.”

Stephanie Lemieux (York Property Management): Entered through a temp role as a single mother and discovered a career she thrived in.

Michael Caricari (Canadian Urban): A post-layoff detour led to a 20-year PM career.

Harrison Zivot (Ronmor): “It’s really about seizing opportunities, being patient, and building relationships that last.”

Takeaway

Falling into the industry is more common than you think, and that’s a strength, not a weakness. Leaders who start without preconceived notions often bring fresh perspectives, curiosity, and resilience. Their non-linear journeys prove that the industry values character and adaptability over pedigree.

For those entering property management today, the lesson is simple: don’t wait for the “perfect” opportunity. The right role might be the one you didn’t expect. What matters is your willingness to learn quickly, build relationships, and seize opportunities as they appear.

Flat-style illustration of a tall high-rise building with a ladder leaning against it, symbolizing unexpected career journeys and opportunities in property management.

2) Mentorship & Paying It Forward

Over and over, leaders pointed to a boss, colleague, or mentor who helped them believe in themselves, encouraged them to stay the course, or gave them an opportunity when no one else would.

Ryan Giesbrecht (GWL): A 20-year rise from temp to Regional Ops Manager built on leaders who trusted him.

Phil Sobkow (Charter PM): “A mentor kept me from quitting after 8 months.”

Christina Martin (Hines): “The best part of this industry is helping people grow into roles they never imagined for themselves.”

Morley Bar (Aspen Properties): “We promoted who you are — not asking you to be someone else.”

Takeaway

Mentorship is the hidden curriculum of property management. A single moment of encouragement can be the difference between someone quitting early or becoming a long-term leader.

That’s why the strongest professionals see mentorship not as optional, but as an obligation. Paying it forward builds confidence, transfers knowledge, and strengthens the entire industry.

Illustrated blog header showing a property manager shaking hands with clients in front of a skyscraper, surrounded by icons for leadership, resilience, relationships, integrity, innovation, community, sustainability, and career growth

3) Resilience & Adaptability

Change is constant: late-night emergencies, recessions, pandemics, ownership shifts. The ability to stay resilient and adapt quickly separates those who survive from those who thrive.

Margaret Gorska (Epic Property Management): Balanced divorce, single motherhood, and licensing exams — resilience became her brand.

Corbin Staniloff (Armco): “Asset management during COVID was like drinking water from a firehose.”

Denise Froese (Triovest): “Property management will throw challenges at you daily — the key is staying calm and finding solutions.”

Sean Kirk (Canderel): “If you don’t like change, this isn’t the industry for you.”

Takeaway

Resilience isn’t just about surviving difficult seasons — it’s about leading through them. By staying composed under pressure, you provide stability when others feel uncertain.

Adaptability builds on that resilience. Embrace change, pivot processes fast, and prepare your team to move with you — from new tech and budgets to evolving tenant expectations.

Flat-style illustration of a resilient high-rise building bending against heavy storm winds, rain, and lightning, yet remaining upright — symbolizing resilience and adaptability in property management.

4) People & Relationships First

Buildings are the product, but people are the business. Success comes from building strong relationships with tenants, owners, contractors, and teams.

Rhiannon Thomas-Uyar (Concert Properties): “What I love most are the relationships with people.”

Lisa Gibson (Colliers): Standing out comes from being creative and people-focused.

Kevin Humphrys (Epic Property Management): “At the end of the day, our tenants’ experience is the real measure of success.”

Corbin Staniloff (Armco): “Success comes from relationships and never closing doors.”

Takeaway

Contracts and leases matter, but trust, respect, and empathy build durable portfolios. Treat every stakeholder as a long-term partner, not a transaction.

Internally, invest in your team’s growth and well-being. A supported team delivers better tenant experiences — and that shows up in renewals, referrals, and the bottom line profits.

Flat-style illustration of two hands in a firm handshake, set against a modern city skyline with blue skies and clouds, symbolizing trust and relationship building in property management.

5) Integrity, Values & Trust

When your work involves major assets and multi-year relationships, reputation is everything. Short-term wins mean nothing if they cost you long-term trust.

Sandy Shindleman (Shindico): “Relationships are built over decades, not days — trust is everything in this business.”

Scott Hutcheson (Aspen Properties): “Never tie up a building unless you fully intend to close.”

Stephanie Lemieux (York Property Management): “Tenants should see your values, not a stereotype of a landlord.”

Margaret Gorska (Epic Property Management): “I treat client budgets like my own wallet.”

Takeaway

Integrity is the true currency of property management. Trust, once lost, is hard to regain — protect it relentlessly.

Lead transparently, deliver on promises, and hold yourself to a higher standard than the contract requires. Over time, your reputation compounds like interest.

Flat-style illustration of a dark blue skyscraper with a golden balance scale and padlock integrated into its silhouette, symbolizing integrity, fairness, and trust in property management.

6) Entrepreneurship & Innovation

This industry is full of builders — people who see problems and create scalable solutions, from software to processes to culture.

Emiel Bril (VendorPM): “Built a platform to fix vendor management inefficiencies.”

Peter Altobelli (Yardi): “From one person’s software to the world’s largest RE tech provider.”

Glenne Manlig (First Service Residential): “Efficiency isn’t about cutting corners — it’s about creating systems that let people do their best work.”

Morley Barr (Aspen Properties): “Caret started as a tenant engagement app, now used across Canada.”

Takeaway

Entrepreneurship thrives on curiosity and courage. Question “how it’s always been,” test new approaches, and scale what works.

Innovation isn’t only tech — it can be a simple process that saves hours a week or a culture shift that unlocks initiative. Small, repeatable wins add up fast.

Flat-style illustration of a glowing yellow lightbulb containing a dark blue city skyline inside, symbolizing entrepreneurship, innovation, and new ideas in property management.

7) Community & Purpose

The best leaders see themselves as community builders, shaping how people live, work, and connect.

Bernadette Majdell (HomeSpace): “No one can succeed in life without safe housing.”

Benjamin Shinewald (BOMA Canada): “Those who give to the industry get the most back.”

Tanya Befus (QuadReal): “When we manage well, we’re not just looking after buildings — we’re shaping the places people call home.”

Takeaway

Purpose fuels performance. When teams see the human impact of their work, they bring more care and creativity to every task.

Engage with your local community and industry groups (like BOMA). Advocacy and service expand your network and your impact.

Flat-style illustration of a diverse group of six people surrounding a tall building, with two individuals shaking hands in the foreground, symbolizing community, collaboration, and shared purpose in property management.

8) Sustainability & Stewardship

Sustainability is table stakes — central to long-term asset strategy and community well-being.

Lachlan MacQuarrie (Intelligent Buildings): “The smart building movement is inseparable from sustainability.”

Peter Altobelli (Yardi): “Tech helps clients manage energy and meet sustainability targets.”

Rhiannon Thomas-Uyar (Concert Properties): Concert’s mission is to build strong, sustainable communities.

Takeaway

Sustainability is stewardship — the discipline of making today’s decisions with tomorrow in mind. Energy savings, indoor environmental quality, and resilience planning are competitive advantages.

Tenants and investors expect ESG leadership. The PMs who master it win renewals, reduce risk, and future-proof their portfolios.

See how we support sustainability: Green Cleaning Practices | People • Planet • Community

Flat-style illustration of a modern skyscraper with green vines climbing its side, solar panels on the roof and ground, and trees at the base, symbolizing sustainability and stewardship in property management.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Across 40+ podcast conversations, the same lessons surfaced again and again. Careers may start by accident, but they grow through resilience and adaptability. Mentors open doors — and the best leaders repay that investment by guiding others. Relationships and integrity are the bedrock of trust, while innovation and sustainability are reshaping the industry’s future. Above all, property managers are not just asset managers; they are community builders.

At Picture Perfect Cleaning, these themes resonate deeply. We don’t see ourselves as just a janitorial provider — we’re partners to property managers who lead with integrity, foster community, and build a sustainable future. From green cleaning to our People • Planet • Community initiatives, our purpose is to support the leaders who make these themes real every day.

Looking for a cleaning partner who understands property management?

We serve property managers across Calgary & Edmonton with reliable, sustainable cleaning services designed for tenant experience and operational efficiency.

Get a Free Quote

Want to hear these lessons directly from the leaders themselves? Explore episodes of the Mastering Property Management podcast here and share your takeaways with us.

Cost Calculator

What Is In-House Cleaning Really Costing You?

Adjust the four numbers below to see your true annual in-house cleaning cost, an estimated cost range with Picture Perfect Cleaning, and what you'd save by making the switch.

Current in-house staff cost

Annual wages plus benefits for your cleaning staff

Supply and equipment costs

Annual spend on products, tools, and machine upkeep

Management oversight time

Hours per week spent scheduling and supervising cleaning

hrs/wk

Sick days or missed shifts

Average per cleaning staff member, per year

days/yr

Your Cost Comparison

True In-House Cost

Est. PPC Cost Range

$0 – $0

Estimated Annual Savings by Outsourcing

Based on the average of your PPC estimated range

Get a Custom Quote and See Your Savings →

Estimates are based on average commercial cleaning rates across Alberta and typical management and coverage costs. Your actual quote depends on square footage, service frequency, facility type, and scope of work. Request a custom quote above for an exact number.

The Hidden Cost of In-House Cleaning

A wage comparison only tells part of the story. Here’s what usually gets left out:

Wages and Benefits

Payroll is usually the first number people look at when they think about cleaning costs, but it rarely tells the whole story. Supplies, equipment, manager oversight, scheduling headaches, and the inevitable sick days all add up over time. By the time you account for everything, the true cost of keeping cleaning in-house can look very different from what’s on the payroll report. That’s exactly what our cost comparison tool is designed to help you see, along with what outsourcing might save.

Supplies and Equipment

Cleaning products, paper goods, vacuums, floor machines, and the replacement parts that keep them running all add up over the course of a year. Businesses that clean in-house often buy retail-grade supplies at retail prices because they don’t have access to the commercial pricing that a cleaning company gets from its suppliers. Equipment also breaks down, and replacing a vacuum or floor buffer every few years is a cost that rarely gets planned for in advance.

Management Time

Somebody has to schedule shifts, check the quality of the work, order more supplies when they run low, and step in when something gets missed. That’s real time pulled from a manager’s actual job, and it rarely gets assigned a dollar value, even though it should. If a facilities manager or office lead spends even a few hours a week on cleaning oversight, that’s time not spent on the parts of their role that actually move the business forward.

Absenteeism and Coverage Gaps

Sick days and missed shifts are part of running any team. When they happen, the work still has to get done, which usually means paying someone else to cover the shift or accepting that some tasks will have to wait. Over the course of a year, those extra costs can become surprisingly significant. There’s another effect that’s harder to measure, too. When cleaning is inconsistent, people notice. Employees notice it, clients notice it, and visitors notice it, even if they couldn’t tell you exactly why the space feels different.

Cost Category	What It Covers
Wages & Benefits	Annual pay for in-house cleaning staff
Supplies & Equipment	Products, tools, and machine upkeep
Management Time	Hours spent scheduling and supervising
Absenteeism	Missed shifts and last-minute coverage

Why Outsourcing Often Comes Out Ahead

Once you’ve seen your own numbers, the reasons behind the gap start to make sense.

Predictable Pricing

A cleaning company quote covers labor, supplies, and equipment on a single line. You know what you’re paying before the work starts, and that number doesn’t shift because someone called in sick or a vacuum broke down. Budgeting gets easier when the cost of cleaning is a single line item rather than four separate ones scattered across payroll, supplies, and management time.

No Coverage Gaps

When a member of an in-house cleaning team calls in sick, someone on your staff has to figure out what happens next. With a professional cleaning service, that responsibility shifts to the provider. If a cleaner is unavailable, arranging a replacement is part of the service, so your team isn’t left scrambling to fill the gap.

Accountability Built In

Picture Perfect Cleaning holds COR certification and provides regular service reporting, so you can see what’s being done and when, without spending your own hours checking on it. That’s the management time most in-house teams never get back. Our team also uses EcoLogo- and Green Seal-certified products, so you’re not trading cost savings for a lower cleaning standard.

Get Your Custom Quote

Wages are only one line in what in-house cleaning actually costs. Once you add in supplies, the hours a manager spends overseeing the crew, and the gaps left by sick days, the real number is usually higher than what shows up on a payroll report and often higher than what a professional service would charge for the same work. That’s the gap the tool above is built to show you, along with what outsourcing could put back in your budget.

Our cost comparison tool gives you a reasonable estimate of what you could save by switching to a professional cleaning service, not a final number. Every building is different, and factors like your cleaning schedule, the size of your facility, and the services you need will affect the actual cost. If you’d like a more accurate quote based on your space, contact Picture Perfect Cleaning, and we’ll walk you through the options.