Conference Education Sessions

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EDUCATION SESSIONS

Tuesday, 4/25/23

Conference Opening/General Session Keynote l 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Impact Leadership - Develop Talent, Improve Productivity & Build An Attractive Culture  l  Betsy Allen-Manning

Are you ready to future-proof your organization with high achievers & valued leaders who are driven by success, service & IMPACT? Based on Betsy’s TEDx talk, this presentation provides a blueprint for becoming a more effective communicator, improving productivity, and creating a sense of purpose beyond the paycheck. You will get insights into how forward-thinking companies build an attractive culture with strong values, create a high-performance mindset, & develop employee loyalty by preparing staff for future leadership roles. Through her experience leading at 5-star hotels, & her dedicated research on how top companies thrived through the pandemic, Betsy shares what they have done to secure a 'future-ready' workforce.

Education Breakout Sessions l 12:05 PM - 1:15 PM

The Intersection of Marketing and D&I: A New Way of Increasing Revenue and Talent.  l  Liz Newkirk

D&I is more important than ever in advertising. An Adobe survey found that 62% of respondents said that a brand's diversity, or lack of it, impacts their perception of its products and services. In addition, 58% of LGBTQ, 53% of African-American, and 40% of Hispanic respondents have walked away from a brand for not representing them, while those who have, have seen a $14 Billion sales growth since 2013. With the need to attract talent to our industry and marginalized groups having a 5.5 Trillion Dollar spending power, Gen Z is the most racially and ethically diverse group of any previous generation. They are also on track to be the most educated (according to PEW Research). More than 77% of candidates (according to Glassdoor) assess company culture when considering a job offer, placing diverse companies as top picks and enticing top candidates. Inclusive advertising is a budget-friendly way to attract Gen Z to our industry, show company culture and D&I strategies in your advertising while increasing the opportunity to attract & retain talent in profiting your bottom line.

Property Management is RUFF: Dealing with Our Four-Legged Friends  l  Victoria Cowart, Todd Whitlow, Gina Carter

Every day you are hop-scotching from one issue to the next, hoping not to hop right into a potential legal disaster. You do it all, but you can't know it all! This panel will familiarize you with legal and risk-management considerations related to pets and animals in your communities. Come hear this panel of professionals share fair housing, liability, and employee concerns related to our four-legged friends. We are PAWS-itive you won’t want to miss this session!

WTH is Their Problem? Diffusing Conflict with Difficult People  l  Mindy McCorkle & Brandon Negron

With tensions and anxieties at an all-time high, the chance for conflict is higher than ever. Almost 85% of us deal with some type of conflict at work from time to time, and 29% of us deal with conflict nearly all the time. To quote Max Lucado: “Conflicts are inevitable; combat is optional.” The million-dollar question is not IF you’ll encounter conflict, or even when; it’s HOW will you deal with it! You may think that you’re prepared to deal with that irate parent, irritated or misinformed resident, or that finicky client that never seems to be satisfied. But post-pandemic conflict is different than it used to be. Practically everyone is more sensitive, easily frustrated, and more emotional than in the past so the conflict management skills we need are different today. As mental health management across all industries is becoming more and more prevalent, being proactive to diffuse conflict in a professional and solution-oriented manner can ease mental strain for both YOU and the conflicting party. Join us for this session and you’ll see real examples of today’s conflict, tried-and-true techniques, and what NOT to do when conflicts arise.

Idea Exchange - Focus: Operations, Maintenance and Diversity  l  Facilitators: Amy Kosnikowski Dilisio, Rebecca Rosario, Stephanie Loyd & Elizabeth Anne Richardson

Don't miss this peer-to-peer discussion and solution finding mission exploring how best to meet the top challenges in operations, maintenance and diversity.  Join this interactive session to generate ready to implement ideas preparing you to meet the demands of the future. 

Education Breakout Sessions l 2:35 PM - 3:45 PM

#bustamove: The Old School Hip Hop Approach to Marketing  l  Lia Nichole Smith

Need a little inspiration for a new way to market your communities? Once considered a fad, hip hop music is not only mainstream, but its impact can be seen in marketing strategies around the world. Raw, real and unapologetic, the culture of hip hop resonates with consumers and gives companies a fresh approach to marketing. Join this session and walk away with a 90-day plan to drive qualified traffic and secure more leases.

Journey to a Life You Love: Burnout Recovery  l  Kimberly L Wilson

Audiences are escorted on a path of insight into the impact of their choices so that they can step into their bold ambition. Helping them to align their personal and professional worlds in a way that feels connected and congruent with their lifestyles from an executive coach and international organizational psychologist who’s helped hundreds of people over 23 years. They’ll be guided on a journey to trouble shoot their life path, as we explore whether they’ve underestimated their capabilities so that they can expand their capacity. Using humor and understanding they’ll arrive at a destination that is aligned with their beliefs, values, and intentions and ditch the burnout and create healthier boundaries. Each person leaves with the ability to take specific and targeted action to feel happier, healthier, and inspired by their choices. They will feel affirmed that can create a new reality within the various systems of their life. Their new path is paved with novel ideas to expand their capacity, advocate for themselves, remove toxic cycles, and stop feeling like they are spectators in their lives and careers. They walk away feeling excited about growth opportunities in their leadership with novel insights and more connected to their why.

Excuse Me, Your Bias Is Showing  l  Rebecca Rosario & Sherry Yarborough

We have all heard the old saying "What you don't know won't hurt you", but when it comes to unconscious bias, what you don't know, may hurt others. The reality is that we all have biases. That doesn't make us bad people; it makes us human. Unconscious biases can present a serious challenge in how we treat other people, and can result in workplace conflict, discrimination, and lack of inclusivity. Learn how to identify your unconscious biases, and then apply strategies to combat them.

Duct Tape and Band-Aids  l  Andy Meador

The jack of all trades is often forced to perform "creative repairs", but what is creative and what is just plain wrong? As a VP, regional manager, or community manager, you are monitoring the Repairs and Maintenance expenses as best as you can, but with limited maintenance knowledge. At the same time, your maintenance teams may not understand the business strategies that lead to these decisions. This session will guide each of you to a better understanding of your roles in the investment strategy and capital spending. You will also gain valuable insights on the big expenses like HVAC Systems, Roofs, Asphalt, and Water Heaters and learn new strategies to manage costly repairs and replacements.

Education Breakout Sessions l 4:05 PM - 5:15 PM

Legal Issues Update  l  Todd Whitlow & Chris Loebsack

Join Chris and Todd for your Annual Legal Update where they will be discussing the legal trends and changes that have occurred since we were last together in 2022. With an increasing focus on the multi-family industry at both the federal and state levels of government you can rest assured that there has been increased regulations on how you conduct your business. Learn about any new state & federal Legislative/Regulatory Updates on issues like fair housing, debt collection, screening practices, ESAs, and evictions. Make sure you're up to speed so you can make sure you're following best practices in these ever-changing areas of the law!

Transformational Leadership in a Transactional World  l  Gary Gregory

The most valuable associate is a Transformational Leader. And yet, it becomes so easy to fall in a transactional trap. Transform out of the trap and into the leader you are meant to become. In this session: 1. Learn how to recognize and break free from the transactional manager trap. 2. Develop your leadership by learning to identify, investigate and initiate the Leadership SECRET formula. 3. A leader will transform their team by using a traditional investment system through the Positive Leadership Bank Accounts.

Easy Million$$: Boosting Property Value through Water and Energy Efficiency  l  Scott Wilkerson, Juanita Tackett,
Mary Nitschke

You say you have done this before but is it time to do it again? Easy-to-implement water and energy efficiencies can add substantial dollars to your cash flow and property values through modest investments. Big savings often come from simple, low-cost changes in preventive maintenance that just need to be repeated over and over again … but are often overlooked with staffing changes or more urgent daily demands. Experts will teach newer apartment professionals the critical value of basic water and energy efficiency, while providing a refresher to industry veterans. Meters will become your new best friends, NC! 

Idea Exchange - Focus: Leasing, Marketing and Technology  l  Facilitators: Facilitators: Amy Kosnikowski Dilisio, Rebecca Rosario, Stephanie Loyd & Elizabeth Anne Richardson

Don't miss this peer-to-peer discussion and solution finding mission exploring how best to meet the top challenge in leasing, marketing and technology. Join this interactive session to generate ready to implement ideas preparing you to meet the demands of the future.

Legislative Issues Briefing  l  5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Wednesday, 4/26/23

Education Breakout Sessions l  9:15 AM - 10:25 AM

It Is Not WHAT You Say, It Is HOW You Say It  l  Mindy Price

Communication is key in our business. All too often there is a disconnect. Do you ever say one thing and someone hears something else? Do you ever wonder, how is your colleague more successful than you? Why do they always have the right words? Did someone get a promotion and you did not? Were you more qualified? Where did you miss the bus? What could you have done better? In this session you will learn how to: up your interpersonal game with your colleagues, prospects and residents, sharpen your communication skills to give the right message at the right time and become an active listener to identify opportunities and challenges.

Rev-Up Your Revenue: Build Your Resilient-Driven Sales Plan  l  Mj Callaway

Economy trends decline. Quotas don’t go away. Rejections and disruptions happen. The pandemic showed us the fragility of business. Whether it’s infrastructure changes, industry downsizing, or a personal crisis, you need sales. And it isn’t always easy to be proactive when the world is reactive. This jam-packed session offers “shift strategies” for newbies and those stuck in the middle. It’s motivation with a side of techniques for high-performers. By the end of this session, you’ll produce your Resilient-Driven Sales Plan™ to rejection-proof your sales. Hit the ground running in 2023 with your Resilient-Driven Sales Plan in your hands!

Education Breakout Sessions l  10:40 AM - 11:50 AM

Tracking the Shifting Currents of Multifamily  l  Jordan Brooks

The last few years have been a period of upheaval, challenge, and opportunity for the multifamily industry. With the rising adoption of new technologies and the proliferation of industry data, it can be challenging to know where, and on what, to focus. In this session, we will examine some of the fundamental drivers of recent multifamily performance, both from a national and regional perspective, explore some of the differences in results those drivers have produced, and discuss how shifting dynamics in the environment may affect the industry in North Carolina moving forward. In this session we will also detail some specific publicly available data sources to aid attendees in tracking certain metrics either on an as-needed basis or to implement in their own organization's data sets.

The Workplace Trifecta: Intention, Momentum, Purpose  l  Michelle Edelen

The Workplace Trifecta: Intention, Momentum, Purpose The goal of this presentation is to help managers and executives of all levels understand the value of the Workplace Trifecta for growing and leading teams to excellence. This is obtained by leaders learning how to offer coaching and mentoring to staff through both formal and informal methods. The ultimate goal is to have all staff at every level become a coach and a leader. The old model is to have one leader who wields total control and authority over staff and is only concerned with their own personal and professional development. Through the practice of intentionality, the use of momentum and understanding purpose, a new leadership model can be implemented that will shift the work culture over time. This presentation will transform how leaders lead and how staff expect to be led.

Conference Closing/General Session Keynote l 12:05 PM - 1:35 PM

Ding Happens! How to Improvise, Adapt, and Innovate in an Ever-Changing World!  l  Avish Parashar

Anyone can perform well when everything goes right. The real test of you and your organization is how you react when things go wrong - and they will! These make-or-break moments are the "Dings!" of life. Handle them well and you come out looking like a rock star. Handle them poorly and you can end up adding unnecessary stress, difficulty, and complication to your life. This hilarious and energetic program will show you how to stop fearing and hating change and how to use the power of improv comedy to improvise, adapt, and innovate - no matter what happens! If things go 100% as planned for you every time, then you can skip this session; otherwise, attend and learn how to reflexively respond to the unexpected in a way that reduces stress, improves productivity, and gives you the skills to manage change.

Questions? Email info@aanconline.org.