The Multifamily Collective

Coffee and industry conversation, led by Mike Brewer

Leadership

Listening is Power

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When you speak, you share what you know. When you listen, you learn what others know.

Don’t treat meetings like a stage.

Instead, treat them like a classroom.

You gain insight by observing how people think and what they care about.

The less you talk, the more you hear what isn’t being said.

Listening makes people feel heard and respected.

When they feel valued, they open up more.

If you want to influence, master the art of silence.

“Listening is the shortest path to understanding.” – Mike Brewer

The Long Game: How Strategic Property Management Secures Tomorrow’s Success

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Are you chasing today’s win or positioning yourself to dominate tomorrow?

Short-term wins in multifamily can be tempting.

But this mindset leads to burnout and missed opportunities.

Prioritizing immediate gains over strategic, long-term planning keeps you reactive, not proactive.

We are all playing a long game; shift your focus.

Invest in quality improvements and nurture long-term team member and resident relationships.

Go for resilience.

It’s like chess—those thinking five moves ahead always win.

Start today: identify one area to shift from short-term to long-term strategy.

“Play the long game. It’s not just about winning today; it’s about building an unshakable foundation for tomorrow’s success.” —Mike Brewer

How This NYC Restaurant Returned Coats Without Tags—And Blew Customers’ Minds

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In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara shares an interesting practice from his time at Eleven Madison Park: the “no-tag coat check.”

At most restaurants, guests receive a ticket to claim their coat at the end of the meal.

Guidara wanted to eliminate the impersonal process.

Instead, the team at Eleven Madison Park would memorize which coat belonged to each guest.

Consider this: given the short duration of the meeting and retrieval of a patron’s coat.

It’s impressive.

When the guests finished their meal, their coats were ready at the door, creating a memorable interaction without a ticket.

This was part of Guidara’s philosophy of exceeding expectations and creating magical, personalized experiences.​

“Service is about efficiency, but hospitality is about making someone feel like they belong.” — Mike Brewer

Sources: Shortform, Mack’s Book Notes

Why Pretend to Be What You’re Not?

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In multifamily property management, the pressure to conform is everywhere. But why pretend?

We chase trends, copy competitors, and lose sight of what makes us unique.

When we do, burnout and poor decisions follow.

The mistake?

Thinking you need to fit an industry mold.

Conforming strips away the values that could set you apart from everyone else.

The result?

You become just another faceless competitor.

The smarter path?

Build a strategy around your own strengths.

Own what makes your approach different and lead authentically.

A property manager focused on community needs will outperform one chasing trends every time.

“Stop working hard to be someone you’re not. Your authenticity is your competitive advantage—use it.” —Mike Brewer

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