January 24, 2024 • 33 mins
In this episode of the Multifamily Women® Podcast, hosted by Carrie Antrim, we have the pleasure of welcoming Heather Williams, Vice President of Strategic Solutions at Willow Bridge Property Company. Heather shares her journey and the various factors that have contributed to her remarkable success in the multifamily industry.
The discussion begins with a reminder about the upcoming Multifamily Women Summit, a crucial event for professionals seeking to expand their network and gain industry insights.
Heather Williams attributes her success to several key factors: a collaborative work environment, the embrace of technological advancements, and the unwavering support from her leadership. These elements, she believes, have been instrumental in her professional journey and in executing numerous significant projects across her region.
A central theme of the conversation is the necessity of embracing innovation in the multifamily industry. Heather emphasizes the importance of pushing boundaries and staying ahead of the curve.
Heather also shares her strategies for building effective teams. She stresses the significance of fostering open communication and a feedback culture within the team. According to her, adaptability is a key trait, especially when new initiatives arise or when aligning with investor objectives.
Leadership plays a critical role in the multifamily industry, and Heather highlights the qualities she values in a leader. She looks for individuals who are willing to embrace innovation and adapt to the changing industry landscape.
Mentorship and nurturing new talent are passions for Heather. She discusses her approach to guiding and supporting the professional growth of her team members. This includes creating dynamic job roles tailored to individual strengths, fostering an environment conducive to personal and professional growth.
A notable aspect of the discussion is Heather's involvement in the Multifamily Innovation® Council. She shares how the Council has been transformative for her, both personally and professionally.
In closing, Heather offers some powerful advice to the listeners. She encourages embracing risk-taking, committing to continuous learning, and viewing failure as an opportunity for growth. She emphasizes the importance of adaptability in the face of technological shifts and reminded listeners of the fundamental human element in the work they do - creating homes for people.
Connect with Heather Williams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-t-williams/
Connect with Multifamily Women®:
Carrie Antrim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrieantrim/
Multifamily Women® Summit: https://multifamilywomen.com/
Be a Guest on the Podcast or at the Summit: https://apps.multifamilywomen.com/speakingrequest
Multifamily Women® Leadership Series: https://apps.multifamilywomen.com/join
Multifamily Innovation® Council: https://multifamilyinnovation.com/council/
Multifamily Innovation® Summit: https://multifamilyinnovation.com/
Best Places to Work Multifamily®: https://bestplacestoworkmultifamily.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hi, and welcome to theMultifamily Women podcast.
(00:02):
I'm your host, Keri Antrim, andwe are having candid
conversations with some of themost successful women in the
multifamily industry.
Before I introduce my guest andwe dive in, I want to remind you
that the Multifamily WomenSummit is coming up, and trust
me, you cannot miss this.
Take a moment, visitmultifamilywomen.
com and secure your place at thesummit today.
(00:24):
This is a prime opportunity tomeet industry experts one on
one.
Gather practical insights, boostyour business's success and your
own performance.
We also have a brand newpartnership opportunity, one
partnership, one price, infinitereach.
So you'll want to check that outat multifamilywomen.
com as well and get that securedtoday.
(00:45):
And if you are getting valuefrom these podcast episodes, we
ask you to support us bysubscribing, rating, and
reviewing.
Your feedback helps us tailorour content to your needs.
And it also helps othermultifamily professionals
discover this resource.
Your time and your thoughts aregreatly appreciated.
So without further ado, joiningme today is one of our
(01:06):
multifamily innovation councilmembers, Heather Williams.
She's the vice president ofstrategic solutions for Willow
Bridge property company,formerly Lincoln property
company.
Heather oversees Willow Bridge'sstrategic solutions and pre
development programmingdepartments handling over 70,
000 plus units across theSoutheast region during her 16
(01:27):
year tenure.
So I am very excited to betalking with her today.
Heather, welcome to the show.
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Well, I'm so glad you're here.
Let's just jump right in.
Listen, you've built an amazingcareer working on very
significant projects.
What would you say contributesto the type of success you've
had?
(01:48):
Oh, you're so sweet.
Thank you.
I, I honestly believe thesuccess of my career can be
attributed to a combination offactors.
Really?
I've been fortunate enough towork with some incredible people
and alongside some really greatowners who value innovation and
strive to stay ahead of thecurve.
The Really, the collaborativeenvironment has allowed for the
(02:09):
execution of many great projectsacross my region.
I'd say that starting in theindustry as a summer job as a
leasing professional to evolvingto many different management and
leadership roles over the years,understanding the ins and outs
of the onsite teams dailyinteractions also helps me
better navigate through some ofthe technology advancements
taken the heavy burden off ouronsite teams.
(02:31):
It's crucial.
I feel like, you know,Truthfully, my boss has played a
huge role in all of this, youknow, I mean, his support and
willingness to accommodate mycrazy requests have really been
instrumental to my professionalgrowth at Willowbridge.
I feel like, you know, hispreparedness is always, it's
always resting on my shoulder,reminding me daily to have a
(02:54):
plan B just in case things don'tgo as planned, you know, this
adaptability and ability topivot.
Really have been essential inovercoming challenges and
constantly moving forward,especially as it relates to
innovation and technology.
It's really the combination ofworking with really great
talented individuals and havingleaders who embrace innovation.
(03:18):
It's hard to find and beingprepared for uncertainties that
have contributed to the successI've had over the span of my
career.
The old saying of, you know, ifit ain't broke, don't fix it
isn't relevant anymore.
It's more like.
Push boundaries.
Let's figure it out.
Then networking with other likeminded individuals.
It's really what fuels mypassion for change and creating
(03:40):
an overall positive residentexperience for our clients.
That's really interesting andvery powerful what you said.
You mentioned you have a greatboss and, and you're able to go
to him with all your, these wereyour words, I think, crazy
ideas.
I would never call you crazy,but what does that what does
that feel like?
How has that helped with yourdevelopment and your career
(04:01):
growth, having that kind ofrelationship where you can Yeah.
Go to someone and, and feelconfident that, you know, this
might be a crazy idea, buthere's what I think and not get
shut down, you know, I think theyounger you are and getting into
the industry, you know, you're,you're a little afraid to
approach these topics with yourbosses or even your teammates
(04:21):
just out of sounding silly or,you know, feeling like it's a
dumb question.
You know, I, I would say it's Nomatter how long you've been with
a company, sitting down withyour boss is always a little
unnerving sometimes, but reallysitting down and saying, listen,
I really need to talk to youabout this.
We need to make some positivechange, but this is going to
(04:42):
require some, some trust on yourside and, and really believing
the value of the informationthat I'm bringing to the table.
And you'll, you'll see quicklyhow that.
Transforms and changes therelationship between not just
your boss, but your teammembers.
You know, when your team membersknow that you believe in them
and you allow for opencommunication and feedback and
(05:05):
learning, I feel like you gainthat respect the more you're
bringing important items to thetable and not just with your
boss, but with your clients andThird party management is, is
not easy and you have a lot ofdecision makers in the process.
So really being firm andeducating yourself to the topics
(05:26):
that you're talking is reallyimportant on all levels.
Absolutely.
Was that, was it scary for youin the beginning?
Like, what did you have to do inorder to, to get some wins under
your belt and gain that trustand credibility with your
teammates and your boss and yourclients and everyone?
You got to make mistakes.
(05:46):
I would say, obviously, you gotto make some mistakes to learn
and grow.
And, you know, I think peoplesometimes get in a rut and don't
really have that learningenvironment to grow as an
individual, personally andprofessionally.
I think it took a lot of carrides you know, with my boss and
(06:07):
really starting to learn who hewas, how he operates.
And, you know, I'm veryfortunate.
We have a very tenured group ofindividuals in the Southeast
and, you know, with that comesthat.
That feeling of family andpeople supporting each other and
supporting their successes andtheir failures, you know, and,
and really kind of learning howto pivot and having those
(06:30):
conversations and airing your,you know, not so, so much dirty
laundry, but more so airing yourfrustrations and saying, can you
help me navigate through thiskind of built that trust for me.
You know, and it, it's, it's notan easy task and you're always
going to be intimidated by yourboss because at the end of the
day, they're your boss.
(06:51):
But I look at it now, like I cango to him with everything,
anything and everything.
And I've been very fortunatewith that opportunity because of
a lot of those times that we'vehad traveling together, pitching
together.
You know, really getting to knoweach other personally and
professionally for sure.
Wow.
That, that's really great.
(07:12):
So when you're working togetherwith teams as opposed to just
your boss, but all your teams,how are you bringing people
together on projects?
For example you know, like theinvestor might have an objective
and then new initiatives requirecommunication throughout the
organization.
How do you move through that?
Great question.
I would say collaboration is atthe heart of any successful
(07:33):
project execution and bringingpeople together is a skill I've
honed in on throughout my careerwhen working with teams,
especially in scenarios where,like, investors and have
specific objectives andeffective communication.
It's paramount.
We do this by ensuring clarityon the investors goals and
objectives, asking thosequestions, repeating what they
(07:56):
say and what their goals are.
And then once.
These are understood.
We initiate transparent and openlines of communication
throughout the organization.
I've found that providingregular updates, clear direction
of information are crucial tokeep everyone on the same page,
especially when you're bridgingthe gap between marketing
technologies and operationalefficiencies.
(08:18):
I mean, we we often leverageCross functional teams, bringing
individuals from differentdepartments, ensuring that we
have a diverse range ofperspectives and skills at play.
This not only enhances ourproblem solving, but also
fosters a sense of ownership andshared responsibility, which is
nice.
I personally prioritize creatinga culture of open feedback.
(08:40):
I mean, this encourages teammembers to share their thoughts,
concerns and ideas freely.
And it fosters a collaborativeenvironment where everyone feels
heard.
And I would also sayadaptability is also key.
You know, I'd say newinitiatives often require
adjustments to the initial plan.
Same goes with marketing.
When you deploy a paid searchcampaign, you know, you're gonna
(09:02):
look at what needs to pivot,what needs to be changed.
We're identifying thechallenges.
Assessing the progress of thosecampaigns, flexibility, and the
ability to recalibratestrategies ensures that we can
meet the objectives, even in adynamic environment.
And I'd say a combination ofclear communication, cross
functional collaboration, aculture of feedback, the
(09:24):
adaptability that allows me tobring people together on
projects and aligning withinvestor objectives.
While keeping the organizationinformed and engaged is super
powerful and important.
Yeah, absolutely.
So when you say you know, aculture of open feedback, I love
that.
Because I was going to ask myfollow up question was about
(09:44):
pushback, but I'm wondering if,you know, just the terminology
of what we use rather thanpushback, is it more feedback or
do you, you know, how do youhandle that when When your teams
might not quite be on board orthey're not understanding the
purpose of it or something likethat.
Yeah, I think that comes to theopenness of how you lead the
(10:06):
team.
I feel that if you open thatdoor, you got to keep it open.
And that's where that oldsaying, you know, open doors.
I have an open door policy.
It's not really a policy, butthe fact that your team knows
that they can text you, callyou, ask questions and freely,
you know, answer questions.
Feel exposed.
(10:26):
They learn and grow from that.
And, you know, I think with anythird party management, you get
pushed back, as you say, youknow, on money spent.
And I would say that marketinggets the brunt of a lot of.
You know, fault sometimes.
And so you kind of have tounderstand that we're all
sensitive people, especiallymarketing people.
(10:47):
We have to build their selfesteem.
We have to help them grow intheir role and have clear
boundaries and know, Hey, whatdo you want to do?
What, what is your feedback?
What are your objections?
Do you have objections?
Because at the end of the day,they may not believe in the
product or the process.
You know, why is that reallyunderstanding the why behind it
(11:10):
all?
Absolutely.
So, you know, we're allexperiencing a constant state of
change all the time, but I'mwondering what is something that
has remained the same for you?
Hmm.
I'd say in the midst of the everevolving landscape of
technology.
You know, our lifestyle ischanging.
Architectural design ischanging.
(11:32):
One thing that's remainedconstant for me is the
importance of the adaptabilityand the commitment to continued
learning.
While technology and the way welive may change rapidly, the
ability to adapt to thesechanges and stay curious has
been a constant in my approach.
Embracing new technologies, Iwould say, and The shifts is
essential.
(11:53):
I've found that, you know, amindset of continuous learning
not only helps in stayingrelevant, but also in thriving
with those lessons.
Another enduring constant for meis the value of human
connection.
And despite the advancements oftechnology, changes in lifestyle
and the essence of meaningfulrelationships and connections.
(12:13):
Really have remained unchanged,building and nurturing
relationships, whether in aprofessional or personal context
remains a fundamental aspect ofmy life you know, with, with the
dynamic nature of oursurroundings and our, our
culture climates and theconstants of adaptability,
continuous learning, and thevalue of human connections have
(12:34):
really served as anchors for me,providing me for stability and
guiding my approach to theevolving world around us.
Now, you mentioned, you know,you've, you have this great
relationship with your boss andyour teams and, and you have.
Learn that and then alsocultivated it within your
leadership style.
(12:54):
I can tell from what you'resaying, what do you look for in
a leader?
That's a great question.
I get asked this all the time.
You know, I value severalqualities in a leader and
throughout my gosh, 23 yearcareer.
I've been fortunate enough tohave experienced some
exceptional leadership in theindustry and one key aspect that
(13:15):
I always prioritize is aleader's willingness to embrace
innovation and try new things.
Flexibility and adaptability,honestly, are crucial qualities
that I find essential whennavigating today's dynamic and
ever changing landscape.
Whether that's in newconstruction development, well
established stabilized assetrenovations, where new amenities
(13:39):
or technologies are deployedacross the region.
It isn't just one person.
It's a team of people whosupport and challenge me every
single day.
And they challenge me.
They'll, they'll fight me oncertain things, but you just
have to learn how to pick andchoose your battles too.
Well, you know, 11 distinctivefeature of some of the leaders
I've had the privilege to workwith is honestly the tenure of
(14:02):
our team at Willow Bridge.
I mean, we've built a strongnetwork that feels more like a
family and I know that the newhot buttons and I've read the
some of the recent articlesabout saying don't compare your
work family with your realfamily and crossing those lines.
But at the end of the day, Ifeel like we've built that
strong network that feels morelike family.
(14:22):
I mean the sense of having thatfamily bond that sets us apart
from our competitors.
It's not only creating a strongsense of unity, but also
fostering a collaborativeenvironment and helps to build
that environment where peoplecan go to people and ask
questions and make mistakes andnot feel stupid or, you know, a
leader who combines awillingness to explore the new
(14:44):
ideas with a flexible andadaptable mindset.
And one who prioritizes buildinglasting connections with the
team is someone I truly valueand respect at the end of the
day.
Yeah.
I agree with you on the family.
I mean, a lot of times we'respending as much or more time
with our work family, you know,than our real family when, when
times are busy.
(15:04):
So I, I agree with you on that.
What does it feel like?
Having I'm assuming in yourcareer you have mentored or
helped, you know, foster theseleaders through what does it
feel like personally for you tosee someone maybe come in at at
an entry level right in thefront door and work their way up
because of, you know, maybe someGuidance and advice that you've
(15:27):
given.
I always say bob and weave, youknow, or, you know, avoid the
fog, stay out of the gossip andrumor mill.
You know, that's a, that's ahuge thing.
I would say in corporate Americais you just got to stay away
from the negativity andsometimes it sucks you in.
And sometimes being silent isbetter than speaking your
opinion.
(15:47):
You just have to learn and, youknow, unfortunately, Hey, we've
all learned the hard way.
Sometimes you make mistakes.
Learn real quickly that whatyou're not supposed to do, but,
you know, I, I think that.
Finding out what their truepassion is, building on that,
creating roles for thosespecific role, you know,
(16:09):
positions at companies is reallyimportant.
I've had a, you know, a greatsuccess writing job
descriptions.
Like I feel like that's my parttime job, you know, and really
finding what sets theseindividuals apart and creating a
role that's specifically dynamicfor them, where they're going to
have personal growth and.
Personal accomplishments, youhave to love the people you work
(16:31):
with.
You spend so much time withthem.
And, you know, at the end of theday, I feel like the proud mom
moments when I see them besuccessful, I never want to
stand in the way of someoneelse's success, you know, I
would rather hold them up andwatch them flourish and know
that I had some small piece ofthat journey, you know, it's.
It's important to me and, youknow, it was done for me and a
(16:54):
lot of, a lot of differentpeople and organizations I've
worked with and, you know, I, Ifeel that that's a valuable
lesson.
You mentioned Writing jobdescriptions.
That's really interesting.
What, do you mind taking usthrough like what, how you
approach that process before youstart, like what your
methodology is, how you thinkthrough it to, to find that
(17:15):
great person?
Well, I will tell you when Ifirst started doing it.
Well, the best example I cangive you is when I first came on
with Lincoln.
My boss sent me a jobdescription and I, I thought to
myself, I don't want to do thisjob.
This sounds absolutelyhorrendous.
Like no.
And, you know, he said, well,just look it over.
(17:38):
Take out everything you don'tlike, add in some things you do
like.
And I'm like, okay.
I turned to my husband and I waslike, Do I, is he really right
asking me to like redo this jobdescription?
I, I don't even know where tostart.
And so I started going in andredlining things and saying,
absolutely not.
Don't want to do that.
(17:58):
And I gave it back to himthinking, there's no way he's
going to be okay with this.
And he sent it back.
He's like, great.
When can you start?
And I said, Oh my God, I justwrote my own job description.
This is freaking awesome.
You know, I mean, after that youstart to grow and say, okay,
well, your company doesn't havethat role.
How do you create some midmarket type positions where
(18:21):
people have that growthopportunity in their role?
When you hire somebody as adirector, where are they going
to go?
You know, I mean, it's, it'sharder and harder to go up the
ladder.
So create some additional layersin that support structure.
With maybe an associate or amanager level, and then they can
move up to directors and VPs.
I mean, they're having a Channelthat you can grow in provides
(18:44):
not only personal growth Butprofessional growth for those
individuals and finding whatsets them apart from another
person in that role And and kindof honing in on that and i've
learned over the years give thatflexibility of that job
description take out that Thatsame old same old I I've read
lots of different jobdescription descriptions over
(19:04):
the years and some of these I'mlike, Oh, this sounds like, you
know, just corporate jargon, youknow, and not really valuable
and there's so many things that.
They say that's not my job.
Well, it doesn't need to belisted in a job description for
you to do it.
My view has always been, if it'snot part of your job
description, who cares?
(19:25):
Like, let's, let's figure itout.
Let's look at it and see how canI bring value to the table?
You know, and I think, I thinkI've been, I've been very
fortunate with a boss that'sallowed me to do that over the
years.
Right.
And, and I mean, I've left andcome back and I've learned, you
know, grass isn't always greenerthat you just have to, I think
that comes with age and tenurein the industry in general.
(19:45):
And I feel like you have tolearn from your lessons over the
years, but I try to empower myteam.
To say, okay, we need to addsome support.
I just did it recently,actually.
And I said, I need to, we needto add some support structure to
you.
You're only one person.
How do we do this?
Well, we need to create someroles that can come in and help
(20:05):
supplement what you do.
And let's build this team.
And I've allowed this individualto write her job description for
her support structure.
And we go back and forth aboutthe description, what to include
and all that.
So I try to empower my team to.
Take a look at it and, and playa crucial role when writing a
job description and saying, howdo we build the next you like,
(20:28):
where, where do we, where andhow do we build your succession?
And that's been powerful, Iwould say to not only me, but to
my teams.
Well, I mean, that makes perfectsense.
You're going straight to thesource, right?
You're going to the person who'scurrently doing the job.
You know, they're going to knowbest what support they need.
(20:50):
Yep.
Yep, absolutely.
You mentioned that, you know,throughout your, your tenure,
you left, you came back.
Did that.
Take courage, not only to leave,but then to come back and making
moves.
I know in the in the industry, alot of people, you know, we're
all making moves all the time.
Was that scary for you?
Or was it empowering?
(21:11):
What did that feel like?
Oh, it was very scary.
You know, you, you, you tend tobecome complacent after, you
know, a long time at one companyand you think that there's no
growth and maybe there wasn't.
And maybe you had to leave to A,learn a lesson or B, Continue to
(21:32):
grow and learn from a differentperspective and I had the
pleasure of being able to builda really great solid team and
some of which decided to stay onwith me when I came back and you
know, that's that speaks volumesas well.
And I think that it's a humblingexperience.
(21:53):
You know, and I always tellpeople on my teams is, you know,
just do what makes you happy.
If you're not happy, do whatmakes you feel happy inside.
Because at the end of the day,if you don't love your job, It
really isn't going to belifelong experience and exposure
(22:13):
for you.
Like you got to love what you doand you got to be able to pivot.
And I've always lovedreinventing myself.
After a few years reinventingyourself isn't, you know, taking
you out of one, one space, butit's actually enriching and
enhancing.
You know, and I, I'd say I'vebeen humbled over the years.
I'm not going to lie.
I mean, I've, I've made baddecisions, but I've also made
(22:35):
some really good ones.
And.
Most of the lessons that I'vetaken is you got to learn from
it and I've become a betterperson and a better leader
because of that and you know,you, you, you kind of have to
pivot.
That's my favorite word is youjust have to learn how to pivot
and it both personally andprofessionally.
Yeah.
I love that.
(22:56):
Now one of the things that isexciting is that you are a
member of the MultifamilyInnovation Council, and I'm
wondering what has that broughtto you?
You know, we meet every week andwe have a members area with all
the cool stuff, all the summitsand everything.
What has that brought to youpersonally and professionally?
Yeah, I'm still digging in onall of that, but I will tell
(23:16):
you, even in my, there's a lot,there's a lot, but I love it.
I love it.
There's so many resources andso, so many great people, you
know, I, I think it's been verytransformative for me, both
personally and professionally.
And, you know, on a personallevel, I think that the council
has provided a uniqueopportunity for growth and
continuous learning, which Ilove and engaging with a diverse
(23:39):
groups of industry experts andthought leaders has really
expanded my perspectives anddeepened my understanding as to
different roles, you know,professionally, I think that the
council has been instrumental instaying at the forefront of
innovation within themultifamily sector, where we
didn't really have this in thepast, which is.
Super nice.
The collaborative environmenthas also allowed for the
(24:02):
exchange of cutting edge ideas,best practices insights that are
invaluable in navigating thechallenges and opportunities in
and outside our industry, whichI love because you can get a
different perspective from somany different people on the
council and, and really have theresources at hand to say, you
know what?
I remember we had this.
(24:23):
Podcast, you know, let me lookit up.
I need to refresh myself, youknow, building relationships
with some of the councilmembers, you know, it's been
pretty spectacular for me.
You know, most of these areleaders in their respective
fields and it's opened doors tonew collaborations and
partnerships and opportunitiesfor a professional advancement
for me and being part of thecouncil is not only enriched my
(24:46):
knowledge, but skills and alsoprovided a network of like
minded professionals fosteringboth.
Personal and professional growthin the dynamic landscape of
multifamily real estate, whichwas never so complex in the
past, which is so much morecomplex now.
And you know, I'm thankful inthe sense of, you know, we did
(25:06):
have a pandemic that pushed usinto innovation and technology,
which we really needed.
And the council is just a, aphenomenal opportunity to be
able to broaden that experienceand exposure for yourself.
And I think that, you know, it'snot a stiff, you know, group of
people.
Everybody is on camera.
(25:27):
People are connecting, not justvirtually, but they're
connecting through site.
And, you know, that's anotherthing.
Zoom came out of the, thepandemic as well.
And you're able to see peopleand interact and collaborate
with people on a small scale,large scale.
It really depends.
And everybody's got differenthistory.
And so maybe their efforts intrying things may not have been
(25:50):
successful for them, but it may,I may have pulled some little
tidbit of information that theyshared in candid conversation
and said, Hey, wait, let's lookat this a different perspective,
you know, even with bigcompanies, you have, you know,
streamlined processes and youhave you know, controllable
environments with nationalversus regional and all of that.
(26:10):
But with your smaller companies,I learned so much more from them
sometimes on how to approach atopic or how to really look at
it through different, adifferent lens.
And that's, that's powerful.
And, you know, I thinkhistorically for me is who do
you turn to for some advice onsome of these things, you know,
(26:31):
outside of just your vendorpartnerships who are, you know,
selling the product or standingbehind their product.
How do you really get thatmotivation to, to dig in deeper?
And the council's allowed me todo that.
And having these candidconversations, it's very
powerful.
Yeah.
I think those relationships areso crucial.
(26:52):
Now I want to ask, how do you doit all?
How, you know, you are, I'm sureyou are busy.
You are very successful.
I'm sure you're traveling anddoing all these meetings and
everything and leading all thesegreat teams.
How do you do it?
Pivoting.
There we go, I love it.
And prioritizing.
You know, I think some thingsare, you know, better fought
(27:15):
later.
There are some things thatwhat's going to really move the,
the meter faster.
What do we really need to focuson?
Those are sometimes thingswhere.
Okay, you got to pick and chooseyour battle and how are we
really going to what's going tomove the meter and in the
decision making product process,right?
(27:35):
Like you got to learn how tojuggle, but prioritizing is
number one for sure.
And.
Yeah, it's, it's important toknow the value of the
information you get from peopleand, and how you approach those
conversations with people whomay be even, shall I say, close
minded, you know, sometimespeople are, this is the way it's
(27:59):
been, and this is the way we doit.
You know, you have to evokechange somewhere and that's kind
of where you're like, okay, I'mgoing to challenge you on this.
And here, I just want you tolisten to me or, you know, you
just sometimes need to learn howto just balance and not just
personal and professional, butyou've got to balance your
workload and.
(28:19):
You've got to know what's goingto weigh more at the time and
then you have things that youcome back to and say, you know
what, this is going to take somedeeper thought.
I've got to really strategizeand, and figure out the right,
the right recommendation here.
Yeah, that's great.
I wrote down better foughtlater.
You know, I, I, everyone I'veheard pick your battles, choose
(28:40):
your battles.
Right.
But I like that phrase betterfought later.
I love that you have to, I mean,sometimes you're, you're, you're
plates full, you know, It'sfunny.
I have a friend of mine in theindustry too.
And she's like, I don't know howyou do it.
It's like you juggle and you'dnever know that you're juggling
and you just have to, you haveto find that balance and you can
(29:02):
be juggling and freak it out onthe back end, but you can't
freak out on the front end.
I think that comes with wisdomand dare I say age and
experience, you know, havingthat grace to give yourself
like, yeah, my brain isabsolutely on fire right now,
but nobody knows because I'mfine.
I'm fine.
We're all fine.
Everything's fine.
(29:22):
I'm fine.
You're fine.
Exactly.
I'm wondering if you have anyfinal thoughts you'd like to
share.
You know, I would like to leaveour listeners with a few
thoughts that I've been, thathave been really instrumental in
my own journey.
Firstly, embrace risk taking,you know, in a world that's
(29:43):
constantly evolving and takingcalculated risks is often the
catalyst for innovation andgrowth.
And continued learning isanother key element.
I'd say that the landscape oftechnology and our industries is
ever changing.
And the more we commit tolearning, the better equipped we
are to navigate these changesand be a perpetual student on
(30:05):
your journey.
Never be afraid to fail.
Know that failure is not theopposite of success.
It's part of the journey.
And it's Through failure that welearn and grow and ultimately
succeed and embracing it as astepping stone towards your own
professional goals.
You know, in the realm oftechnology where changes happen
daily, the ability to pivot iscrucial.
(30:27):
It's not about avoiding change,but rather how you adapt and
pivot that determines yoursuccess and flexibility and
agility in the face oftechnological shifts will set
you apart.
And finally.
You know, I'd say let's rememberthe core of what we do, whether
it's in technology, innovationor any other field.
At the end of the day, we createplaces where people call home.
(30:51):
And these, this connection tothe human experience is a
powerful motivator.
You know, just keep that in mindas you navigate your
professional journey, yourpersonal will come in line.
Those are great thoughts.
I'm, I'm happy that you said allthat.
I actually took notes for later.
That's amazing.
Yay! Yay! Yeah! So I'm imaginingthat there might be people out
(31:16):
there who will want to continuethis conversation or reach out
to you and just pick your brainor just say hello and meet you.
What's the best way for someoneto, to reach you?
Yeah, I always encourage peopleto connect with me on LinkedIn
and I guess it's a heather twilliams on LinkedIn.
Okay.
And we will link to that in our,our show notes as well.
(31:36):
Awesome.
Thank you so much, Heather, forsharing the time today.
I really enjoyed ourconversation.
I think I'm so excited to havemet you and that you're part of
the council and, you know, I'mjust, I'm so, I think that this
is going to be very valuable forour listeners.
Well, thank you.
Thank you for having me.
This is great.
Yeah, absolutely.
(31:57):
So before we wrap, be sure toconnect with Heather on
LinkedIn.
And if you'd like to be a memberof the Multifamily Innovation
Council as well and connectweekly with industry leaders
just like Heather, be sure tohead over to
multifamilyinnovation.
com and click on Council.
Be sure to check out the shownotes for this episode to
connect with Heather andeverything else we've mentioned
today.
And as we wrap up today'sepisode, I'd like to extend an
(32:19):
invitation for you to join ourWomen's Leadership Series.
By joining, you'll gain accessto our private group with over
5, 000 members.
It's just a fantastic place toexchange ideas, inspire one
another, and grow together.
You can find that onmultifamilywomen.
com and click on join.
Thank you for listening and wewill see you next time.
Hi, and welcome to theMultifamily Women podcast.
(00:02):
I'm your host, Keri Antrim, andwe are having candid
conversations with some of themost successful women in the
multifamily industry.
Before I introduce my guest andwe dive in, I want to remind you
that the Multifamily WomenSummit is coming up, and trust
me, you cannot miss this.
Take a moment, visitmultifamilywomen.
com and secure your place at thesummit today.
(00:24):
This is a prime opportunity tomeet industry experts one on
one.
Gather practical insights, boostyour business's success and your
own performance.
We also have a brand newpartnership opportunity, one
partnership, one price, infinitereach.
So you'll want to check that outat multifamilywomen.
com as well and get that securedtoday.
(00:45):
And if you are getting valuefrom these podcast episodes, we
ask you to support us bysubscribing, rating, and
reviewing.
Your feedback helps us tailorour content to your needs.
And it also helps othermultifamily professionals
discover this resource.
Your time and your thoughts aregreatly appreciated.
So without further ado, joiningme today is one of our
(01:06):
multifamily innovation councilmembers, Heather Williams.
She's the vice president ofstrategic solutions for Willow
Bridge property company,formerly Lincoln property
company.
Heather oversees Willow Bridge'sstrategic solutions and pre
development programmingdepartments handling over 70,
000 plus units across theSoutheast region during her 16
(01:27):
year tenure.
So I am very excited to betalking with her today.
Heather, welcome to the show.
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Well, I'm so glad you're here.
Let's just jump right in.
Listen, you've built an amazingcareer working on very
significant projects.
What would you say contributesto the type of success you've
had?
(01:48):
Oh, you're so sweet.
Thank you.
I, I honestly believe thesuccess of my career can be
attributed to a combination offactors.
Really?
I've been fortunate enough towork with some incredible people
and alongside some really greatowners who value innovation and
strive to stay ahead of thecurve.
The Really, the collaborativeenvironment has allowed for the
(02:09):
execution of many great projectsacross my region.
I'd say that starting in theindustry as a summer job as a
leasing professional to evolvingto many different management and
leadership roles over the years,understanding the ins and outs
of the onsite teams dailyinteractions also helps me
better navigate through some ofthe technology advancements
taken the heavy burden off ouronsite teams.
(02:31):
It's crucial.
I feel like, you know,Truthfully, my boss has played a
huge role in all of this, youknow, I mean, his support and
willingness to accommodate mycrazy requests have really been
instrumental to my professionalgrowth at Willowbridge.
I feel like, you know, hispreparedness is always, it's
always resting on my shoulder,reminding me daily to have a
(02:54):
plan B just in case things don'tgo as planned, you know, this
adaptability and ability topivot.
Really have been essential inovercoming challenges and
constantly moving forward,especially as it relates to
innovation and technology.
It's really the combination ofworking with really great
talented individuals and havingleaders who embrace innovation.
(03:18):
It's hard to find and beingprepared for uncertainties that
have contributed to the successI've had over the span of my
career.
The old saying of, you know, ifit ain't broke, don't fix it
isn't relevant anymore.
It's more like.
Push boundaries.
Let's figure it out.
Then networking with other likeminded individuals.
It's really what fuels mypassion for change and creating
(03:40):
an overall positive residentexperience for our clients.
That's really interesting andvery powerful what you said.
You mentioned you have a greatboss and, and you're able to go
to him with all your, these wereyour words, I think, crazy
ideas.
I would never call you crazy,but what does that what does
that feel like?
How has that helped with yourdevelopment and your career
(04:01):
growth, having that kind ofrelationship where you can Yeah.
Go to someone and, and feelconfident that, you know, this
might be a crazy idea, buthere's what I think and not get
shut down, you know, I think theyounger you are and getting into
the industry, you know, you're,you're a little afraid to
approach these topics with yourbosses or even your teammates
(04:21):
just out of sounding silly or,you know, feeling like it's a
dumb question.
You know, I, I would say it's Nomatter how long you've been with
a company, sitting down withyour boss is always a little
unnerving sometimes, but reallysitting down and saying, listen,
I really need to talk to youabout this.
We need to make some positivechange, but this is going to
(04:42):
require some, some trust on yourside and, and really believing
the value of the informationthat I'm bringing to the table.
And you'll, you'll see quicklyhow that.
Transforms and changes therelationship between not just
your boss, but your teammembers.
You know, when your team membersknow that you believe in them
and you allow for opencommunication and feedback and
(05:05):
learning, I feel like you gainthat respect the more you're
bringing important items to thetable and not just with your
boss, but with your clients andThird party management is, is
not easy and you have a lot ofdecision makers in the process.
So really being firm andeducating yourself to the topics
(05:26):
that you're talking is reallyimportant on all levels.
Absolutely.
Was that, was it scary for youin the beginning?
Like, what did you have to do inorder to, to get some wins under
your belt and gain that trustand credibility with your
teammates and your boss and yourclients and everyone?
You got to make mistakes.
(05:46):
I would say, obviously, you gotto make some mistakes to learn
and grow.
And, you know, I think peoplesometimes get in a rut and don't
really have that learningenvironment to grow as an
individual, personally andprofessionally.
I think it took a lot of carrides you know, with my boss and
(06:07):
really starting to learn who hewas, how he operates.
And, you know, I'm veryfortunate.
We have a very tenured group ofindividuals in the Southeast
and, you know, with that comesthat.
That feeling of family andpeople supporting each other and
supporting their successes andtheir failures, you know, and,
and really kind of learning howto pivot and having those
(06:30):
conversations and airing your,you know, not so, so much dirty
laundry, but more so airing yourfrustrations and saying, can you
help me navigate through thiskind of built that trust for me.
You know, and it, it's, it's notan easy task and you're always
going to be intimidated by yourboss because at the end of the
day, they're your boss.
(06:51):
But I look at it now, like I cango to him with everything,
anything and everything.
And I've been very fortunatewith that opportunity because of
a lot of those times that we'vehad traveling together, pitching
together.
You know, really getting to knoweach other personally and
professionally for sure.
Wow.
That, that's really great.
(07:12):
So when you're working togetherwith teams as opposed to just
your boss, but all your teams,how are you bringing people
together on projects?
For example you know, like theinvestor might have an objective
and then new initiatives requirecommunication throughout the
organization.
How do you move through that?
Great question.
I would say collaboration is atthe heart of any successful
(07:33):
project execution and bringingpeople together is a skill I've
honed in on throughout my careerwhen working with teams,
especially in scenarios where,like, investors and have
specific objectives andeffective communication.
It's paramount.
We do this by ensuring clarityon the investors goals and
objectives, asking thosequestions, repeating what they
(07:56):
say and what their goals are.
And then once.
These are understood.
We initiate transparent and openlines of communication
throughout the organization.
I've found that providingregular updates, clear direction
of information are crucial tokeep everyone on the same page,
especially when you're bridgingthe gap between marketing
technologies and operationalefficiencies.
(08:18):
I mean, we we often leverageCross functional teams, bringing
individuals from differentdepartments, ensuring that we
have a diverse range ofperspectives and skills at play.
This not only enhances ourproblem solving, but also
fosters a sense of ownership andshared responsibility, which is
nice.
I personally prioritize creatinga culture of open feedback.
(08:40):
I mean, this encourages teammembers to share their thoughts,
concerns and ideas freely.
And it fosters a collaborativeenvironment where everyone feels
heard.
And I would also sayadaptability is also key.
You know, I'd say newinitiatives often require
adjustments to the initial plan.
Same goes with marketing.
When you deploy a paid searchcampaign, you know, you're gonna
(09:02):
look at what needs to pivot,what needs to be changed.
We're identifying thechallenges.
Assessing the progress of thosecampaigns, flexibility, and the
ability to recalibratestrategies ensures that we can
meet the objectives, even in adynamic environment.
And I'd say a combination ofclear communication, cross
functional collaboration, aculture of feedback, the
(09:24):
adaptability that allows me tobring people together on
projects and aligning withinvestor objectives.
While keeping the organizationinformed and engaged is super
powerful and important.
Yeah, absolutely.
So when you say you know, aculture of open feedback, I love
that.
Because I was going to ask myfollow up question was about
(09:44):
pushback, but I'm wondering if,you know, just the terminology
of what we use rather thanpushback, is it more feedback or
do you, you know, how do youhandle that when When your teams
might not quite be on board orthey're not understanding the
purpose of it or something likethat.
Yeah, I think that comes to theopenness of how you lead the
(10:06):
team.
I feel that if you open thatdoor, you got to keep it open.
And that's where that oldsaying, you know, open doors.
I have an open door policy.
It's not really a policy, butthe fact that your team knows
that they can text you, callyou, ask questions and freely,
you know, answer questions.
Feel exposed.
(10:26):
They learn and grow from that.
And, you know, I think with anythird party management, you get
pushed back, as you say, youknow, on money spent.
And I would say that marketinggets the brunt of a lot of.
You know, fault sometimes.
And so you kind of have tounderstand that we're all
sensitive people, especiallymarketing people.
(10:47):
We have to build their selfesteem.
We have to help them grow intheir role and have clear
boundaries and know, Hey, whatdo you want to do?
What, what is your feedback?
What are your objections?
Do you have objections?
Because at the end of the day,they may not believe in the
product or the process.
You know, why is that reallyunderstanding the why behind it
(11:10):
all?
Absolutely.
So, you know, we're allexperiencing a constant state of
change all the time, but I'mwondering what is something that
has remained the same for you?
Hmm.
I'd say in the midst of the everevolving landscape of
technology.
You know, our lifestyle ischanging.
Architectural design ischanging.
(11:32):
One thing that's remainedconstant for me is the
importance of the adaptabilityand the commitment to continued
learning.
While technology and the way welive may change rapidly, the
ability to adapt to thesechanges and stay curious has
been a constant in my approach.
Embracing new technologies, Iwould say, and The shifts is
essential.
(11:53):
I've found that, you know, amindset of continuous learning
not only helps in stayingrelevant, but also in thriving
with those lessons.
Another enduring constant for meis the value of human
connection.
And despite the advancements oftechnology, changes in lifestyle
and the essence of meaningfulrelationships and connections.
(12:13):
Really have remained unchanged,building and nurturing
relationships, whether in aprofessional or personal context
remains a fundamental aspect ofmy life you know, with, with the
dynamic nature of oursurroundings and our, our
culture climates and theconstants of adaptability,
continuous learning, and thevalue of human connections have
(12:34):
really served as anchors for me,providing me for stability and
guiding my approach to theevolving world around us.
Now, you mentioned, you know,you've, you have this great
relationship with your boss andyour teams and, and you have.
Learn that and then alsocultivated it within your
leadership style.
(12:54):
I can tell from what you'resaying, what do you look for in
a leader?
That's a great question.
I get asked this all the time.
You know, I value severalqualities in a leader and
throughout my gosh, 23 yearcareer.
I've been fortunate enough tohave experienced some
exceptional leadership in theindustry and one key aspect that
(13:15):
I always prioritize is aleader's willingness to embrace
innovation and try new things.
Flexibility and adaptability,honestly, are crucial qualities
that I find essential whennavigating today's dynamic and
ever changing landscape.
Whether that's in newconstruction development, well
established stabilized assetrenovations, where new amenities
(13:39):
or technologies are deployedacross the region.
It isn't just one person.
It's a team of people whosupport and challenge me every
single day.
And they challenge me.
They'll, they'll fight me oncertain things, but you just
have to learn how to pick andchoose your battles too.
Well, you know, 11 distinctivefeature of some of the leaders
I've had the privilege to workwith is honestly the tenure of
(14:02):
our team at Willow Bridge.
I mean, we've built a strongnetwork that feels more like a
family and I know that the newhot buttons and I've read the
some of the recent articlesabout saying don't compare your
work family with your realfamily and crossing those lines.
But at the end of the day, Ifeel like we've built that
strong network that feels morelike family.
(14:22):
I mean the sense of having thatfamily bond that sets us apart
from our competitors.
It's not only creating a strongsense of unity, but also
fostering a collaborativeenvironment and helps to build
that environment where peoplecan go to people and ask
questions and make mistakes andnot feel stupid or, you know, a
leader who combines awillingness to explore the new
(14:44):
ideas with a flexible andadaptable mindset.
And one who prioritizes buildinglasting connections with the
team is someone I truly valueand respect at the end of the
day.
Yeah.
I agree with you on the family.
I mean, a lot of times we'respending as much or more time
with our work family, you know,than our real family when, when
times are busy.
(15:04):
So I, I agree with you on that.
What does it feel like?
Having I'm assuming in yourcareer you have mentored or
helped, you know, foster theseleaders through what does it
feel like personally for you tosee someone maybe come in at at
an entry level right in thefront door and work their way up
because of, you know, maybe someGuidance and advice that you've
(15:27):
given.
I always say bob and weave, youknow, or, you know, avoid the
fog, stay out of the gossip andrumor mill.
You know, that's a, that's ahuge thing.
I would say in corporate Americais you just got to stay away
from the negativity andsometimes it sucks you in.
And sometimes being silent isbetter than speaking your
opinion.
(15:47):
You just have to learn and, youknow, unfortunately, Hey, we've
all learned the hard way.
Sometimes you make mistakes.
Learn real quickly that whatyou're not supposed to do, but,
you know, I, I think that.
Finding out what their truepassion is, building on that,
creating roles for thosespecific role, you know,
(16:09):
positions at companies is reallyimportant.
I've had a, you know, a greatsuccess writing job
descriptions.
Like I feel like that's my parttime job, you know, and really
finding what sets theseindividuals apart and creating a
role that's specifically dynamicfor them, where they're going to
have personal growth and.
Personal accomplishments, youhave to love the people you work
(16:31):
with.
You spend so much time withthem.
And, you know, at the end of theday, I feel like the proud mom
moments when I see them besuccessful, I never want to
stand in the way of someoneelse's success, you know, I
would rather hold them up andwatch them flourish and know
that I had some small piece ofthat journey, you know, it's.
It's important to me and, youknow, it was done for me and a
(16:54):
lot of, a lot of differentpeople and organizations I've
worked with and, you know, I, Ifeel that that's a valuable
lesson.
You mentioned Writing jobdescriptions.
That's really interesting.
What, do you mind taking usthrough like what, how you
approach that process before youstart, like what your
methodology is, how you thinkthrough it to, to find that
(17:15):
great person?
Well, I will tell you when Ifirst started doing it.
Well, the best example I cangive you is when I first came on
with Lincoln.
My boss sent me a jobdescription and I, I thought to
myself, I don't want to do thisjob.
This sounds absolutelyhorrendous.
Like no.
And, you know, he said, well,just look it over.
(17:38):
Take out everything you don'tlike, add in some things you do
like.
And I'm like, okay.
I turned to my husband and I waslike, Do I, is he really right
asking me to like redo this jobdescription?
I, I don't even know where tostart.
And so I started going in andredlining things and saying,
absolutely not.
Don't want to do that.
(17:58):
And I gave it back to himthinking, there's no way he's
going to be okay with this.
And he sent it back.
He's like, great.
When can you start?
And I said, Oh my God, I justwrote my own job description.
This is freaking awesome.
You know, I mean, after that youstart to grow and say, okay,
well, your company doesn't havethat role.
How do you create some midmarket type positions where
(18:21):
people have that growthopportunity in their role?
When you hire somebody as adirector, where are they going
to go?
You know, I mean, it's, it'sharder and harder to go up the
ladder.
So create some additional layersin that support structure.
With maybe an associate or amanager level, and then they can
move up to directors and VPs.
I mean, they're having a Channelthat you can grow in provides
(18:44):
not only personal growth Butprofessional growth for those
individuals and finding whatsets them apart from another
person in that role And and kindof honing in on that and i've
learned over the years give thatflexibility of that job
description take out that Thatsame old same old I I've read
lots of different jobdescription descriptions over
(19:04):
the years and some of these I'mlike, Oh, this sounds like, you
know, just corporate jargon, youknow, and not really valuable
and there's so many things that.
They say that's not my job.
Well, it doesn't need to belisted in a job description for
you to do it.
My view has always been, if it'snot part of your job
description, who cares?
(19:25):
Like, let's, let's figure itout.
Let's look at it and see how canI bring value to the table?
You know, and I think, I thinkI've been, I've been very
fortunate with a boss that'sallowed me to do that over the
years.
Right.
And, and I mean, I've left andcome back and I've learned, you
know, grass isn't always greenerthat you just have to, I think
that comes with age and tenurein the industry in general.
(19:45):
And I feel like you have tolearn from your lessons over the
years, but I try to empower myteam.
To say, okay, we need to addsome support.
I just did it recently,actually.
And I said, I need to, we needto add some support structure to
you.
You're only one person.
How do we do this?
Well, we need to create someroles that can come in and help
(20:05):
supplement what you do.
And let's build this team.
And I've allowed this individualto write her job description for
her support structure.
And we go back and forth aboutthe description, what to include
and all that.
So I try to empower my team to.
Take a look at it and, and playa crucial role when writing a
job description and saying, howdo we build the next you like,
(20:28):
where, where do we, where andhow do we build your succession?
And that's been powerful, Iwould say to not only me, but to
my teams.
Well, I mean, that makes perfectsense.
You're going straight to thesource, right?
You're going to the person who'scurrently doing the job.
You know, they're going to knowbest what support they need.
(20:50):
Yep.
Yep, absolutely.
You mentioned that, you know,throughout your, your tenure,
you left, you came back.
Did that.
Take courage, not only to leave,but then to come back and making
moves.
I know in the in the industry, alot of people, you know, we're
all making moves all the time.
Was that scary for you?
Or was it empowering?
(21:11):
What did that feel like?
Oh, it was very scary.
You know, you, you, you tend tobecome complacent after, you
know, a long time at one companyand you think that there's no
growth and maybe there wasn't.
And maybe you had to leave to A,learn a lesson or B, Continue to
(21:32):
grow and learn from a differentperspective and I had the
pleasure of being able to builda really great solid team and
some of which decided to stay onwith me when I came back and you
know, that's that speaks volumesas well.
And I think that it's a humblingexperience.
(21:53):
You know, and I always tellpeople on my teams is, you know,
just do what makes you happy.
If you're not happy, do whatmakes you feel happy inside.
Because at the end of the day,if you don't love your job, It
really isn't going to belifelong experience and exposure
(22:13):
for you.
Like you got to love what you doand you got to be able to pivot.
And I've always lovedreinventing myself.
After a few years reinventingyourself isn't, you know, taking
you out of one, one space, butit's actually enriching and
enhancing.
You know, and I, I'd say I'vebeen humbled over the years.
I'm not going to lie.
I mean, I've, I've made baddecisions, but I've also made
(22:35):
some really good ones.
And.
Most of the lessons that I'vetaken is you got to learn from
it and I've become a betterperson and a better leader
because of that and you know,you, you, you kind of have to
pivot.
That's my favorite word is youjust have to learn how to pivot
and it both personally andprofessionally.
Yeah.
I love that.
(22:56):
Now one of the things that isexciting is that you are a
member of the MultifamilyInnovation Council, and I'm
wondering what has that broughtto you?
You know, we meet every week andwe have a members area with all
the cool stuff, all the summitsand everything.
What has that brought to youpersonally and professionally?
Yeah, I'm still digging in onall of that, but I will tell
(23:16):
you, even in my, there's a lot,there's a lot, but I love it.
I love it.
There's so many resources andso, so many great people, you
know, I, I think it's been verytransformative for me, both
personally and professionally.
And, you know, on a personallevel, I think that the council
has provided a uniqueopportunity for growth and
continuous learning, which Ilove and engaging with a diverse
(23:39):
groups of industry experts andthought leaders has really
expanded my perspectives anddeepened my understanding as to
different roles, you know,professionally, I think that the
council has been instrumental instaying at the forefront of
innovation within themultifamily sector, where we
didn't really have this in thepast, which is.
Super nice.
The collaborative environmenthas also allowed for the
(24:02):
exchange of cutting edge ideas,best practices insights that are
invaluable in navigating thechallenges and opportunities in
and outside our industry, whichI love because you can get a
different perspective from somany different people on the
council and, and really have theresources at hand to say, you
know what?
I remember we had this.
(24:23):
Podcast, you know, let me lookit up.
I need to refresh myself, youknow, building relationships
with some of the councilmembers, you know, it's been
pretty spectacular for me.
You know, most of these areleaders in their respective
fields and it's opened doors tonew collaborations and
partnerships and opportunitiesfor a professional advancement
for me and being part of thecouncil is not only enriched my
(24:46):
knowledge, but skills and alsoprovided a network of like
minded professionals fosteringboth.
Personal and professional growthin the dynamic landscape of
multifamily real estate, whichwas never so complex in the
past, which is so much morecomplex now.
And you know, I'm thankful inthe sense of, you know, we did
(25:06):
have a pandemic that pushed usinto innovation and technology,
which we really needed.
And the council is just a, aphenomenal opportunity to be
able to broaden that experienceand exposure for yourself.
And I think that, you know, it'snot a stiff, you know, group of
people.
Everybody is on camera.
(25:27):
People are connecting, not justvirtually, but they're
connecting through site.
And, you know, that's anotherthing.
Zoom came out of the, thepandemic as well.
And you're able to see peopleand interact and collaborate
with people on a small scale,large scale.
It really depends.
And everybody's got differenthistory.
And so maybe their efforts intrying things may not have been
(25:50):
successful for them, but it may,I may have pulled some little
tidbit of information that theyshared in candid conversation
and said, Hey, wait, let's lookat this a different perspective,
you know, even with bigcompanies, you have, you know,
streamlined processes and youhave you know, controllable
environments with nationalversus regional and all of that.
(26:10):
But with your smaller companies,I learned so much more from them
sometimes on how to approach atopic or how to really look at
it through different, adifferent lens.
And that's, that's powerful.
And, you know, I thinkhistorically for me is who do
you turn to for some advice onsome of these things, you know,
(26:31):
outside of just your vendorpartnerships who are, you know,
selling the product or standingbehind their product.
How do you really get thatmotivation to, to dig in deeper?
And the council's allowed me todo that.
And having these candidconversations, it's very
powerful.
Yeah.
I think those relationships areso crucial.
(26:52):
Now I want to ask, how do you doit all?
How, you know, you are, I'm sureyou are busy.
You are very successful.
I'm sure you're traveling anddoing all these meetings and
everything and leading all thesegreat teams.
How do you do it?
Pivoting.
There we go, I love it.
And prioritizing.
You know, I think some thingsare, you know, better fought
(27:15):
later.
There are some things thatwhat's going to really move the,
the meter faster.
What do we really need to focuson?
Those are sometimes thingswhere.
Okay, you got to pick and chooseyour battle and how are we
really going to what's going tomove the meter and in the
decision making product process,right?
(27:35):
Like you got to learn how tojuggle, but prioritizing is
number one for sure.
And.
Yeah, it's, it's important toknow the value of the
information you get from peopleand, and how you approach those
conversations with people whomay be even, shall I say, close
minded, you know, sometimespeople are, this is the way it's
(27:59):
been, and this is the way we doit.
You know, you have to evokechange somewhere and that's kind
of where you're like, okay, I'mgoing to challenge you on this.
And here, I just want you tolisten to me or, you know, you
just sometimes need to learn howto just balance and not just
personal and professional, butyou've got to balance your
workload and.
(28:19):
You've got to know what's goingto weigh more at the time and
then you have things that youcome back to and say, you know
what, this is going to take somedeeper thought.
I've got to really strategizeand, and figure out the right,
the right recommendation here.
Yeah, that's great.
I wrote down better foughtlater.
You know, I, I, everyone I'veheard pick your battles, choose
(28:40):
your battles.
Right.
But I like that phrase betterfought later.
I love that you have to, I mean,sometimes you're, you're, you're
plates full, you know, It'sfunny.
I have a friend of mine in theindustry too.
And she's like, I don't know howyou do it.
It's like you juggle and you'dnever know that you're juggling
and you just have to, you haveto find that balance and you can
(29:02):
be juggling and freak it out onthe back end, but you can't
freak out on the front end.
I think that comes with wisdomand dare I say age and
experience, you know, havingthat grace to give yourself
like, yeah, my brain isabsolutely on fire right now,
but nobody knows because I'mfine.
I'm fine.
We're all fine.
Everything's fine.
(29:22):
I'm fine.
You're fine.
Exactly.
I'm wondering if you have anyfinal thoughts you'd like to
share.
You know, I would like to leaveour listeners with a few
thoughts that I've been, thathave been really instrumental in
my own journey.
Firstly, embrace risk taking,you know, in a world that's
(29:43):
constantly evolving and takingcalculated risks is often the
catalyst for innovation andgrowth.
And continued learning isanother key element.
I'd say that the landscape oftechnology and our industries is
ever changing.
And the more we commit tolearning, the better equipped we
are to navigate these changesand be a perpetual student on
(30:05):
your journey.
Never be afraid to fail.
Know that failure is not theopposite of success.
It's part of the journey.
And it's Through failure that welearn and grow and ultimately
succeed and embracing it as astepping stone towards your own
professional goals.
You know, in the realm oftechnology where changes happen
daily, the ability to pivot iscrucial.
(30:27):
It's not about avoiding change,but rather how you adapt and
pivot that determines yoursuccess and flexibility and
agility in the face oftechnological shifts will set
you apart.
And finally.
You know, I'd say let's rememberthe core of what we do, whether
it's in technology, innovationor any other field.
At the end of the day, we createplaces where people call home.
(30:51):
And these, this connection tothe human experience is a
powerful motivator.
You know, just keep that in mindas you navigate your
professional journey, yourpersonal will come in line.
Those are great thoughts.
I'm, I'm happy that you said allthat.
I actually took notes for later.
That's amazing.
Yay! Yay! Yeah! So I'm imaginingthat there might be people out
(31:16):
there who will want to continuethis conversation or reach out
to you and just pick your brainor just say hello and meet you.
What's the best way for someoneto, to reach you?
Yeah, I always encourage peopleto connect with me on LinkedIn
and I guess it's a heather twilliams on LinkedIn.
Okay.
And we will link to that in our,our show notes as well.
(31:36):
Awesome.
Thank you so much, Heather, forsharing the time today.
I really enjoyed ourconversation.
I think I'm so excited to havemet you and that you're part of
the council and, you know, I'mjust, I'm so, I think that this
is going to be very valuable forour listeners.
Well, thank you.
Thank you for having me.
This is great.
Yeah, absolutely.
(31:57):
So before we wrap, be sure toconnect with Heather on
LinkedIn.
And if you'd like to be a memberof the Multifamily Innovation
Council as well and connectweekly with industry leaders
just like Heather, be sure tohead over to
multifamilyinnovation.
com and click on Council.
Be sure to check out the shownotes for this episode to
connect with Heather andeverything else we've mentioned
today.
And as we wrap up today'sepisode, I'd like to extend an
(32:19):
invitation for you to join ourWomen's Leadership Series.
By joining, you'll gain accessto our private group with over
5, 000 members.
It's just a fantastic place toexchange ideas, inspire one
another, and grow together.
You can find that onmultifamilywomen.
com and click on join.
Thank you for listening and wewill see you next time.
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