Established: 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
Divisions: Daniel Management Group | DMG Leasing | DMG Capital
From making $13 an hour to managing close to 2,000 multifamily units, part of which he has an ownership stake in, Roger Daniel has an incredible story of vision, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit. Read on for a look at how his business thrives in a city with no shortage of institutional property management firms.
Portfolio
Multifamily
Units Under Management
1,700
Employees
35
Choosing the technology to run your business is like choosing a business partner. Adopting a growth mindset, Roger knew that he needed a platform that would be easy to learn and use, provide a great experience for employees and residents, while keeping costs low.
“We found Yardi to be very clunky and we wanted something that was more user friendly that allowed us to communicate with residents more easily. We demoed AppFolio and it had that search bar, which was really attractive. You can find anything in your portfolio, including reports, very quickly. It was also less expensive.”
“AppFolio dramatically reduces our marketing costs as well. We syndicate all of our advertising through AppFolio's leasing platform and that saves a lot of money.”
“We're getting bigger and bigger clients, and AppFolio is certainly part of that. We outseated a major management / development company on a property recently. Their expenses were outrageous. We came in, and the owners love us.”
“Work orders go right to the maintenance tech without someone having to assign and follow up on every maintenance request. The resident then gets to rate the experience. All of that adds transparency and efficiency that has definitely helped us.”
“Being able to create customized, built-in protocols that a manager has to follow on a move out, on a new lease, move in, things like that, is a great thing to have. To have it actually in AppFolio, where you have no choice but to follow it, it really takes property management to another level. It's easier to train people. There's less error. You don't have to remember. You don't have to circle back to notes. It's really another level.”
The result?
“We’ve grown almost every quarter since inception. We use AppFolio in our presentation deck as an asset, and that helps. It's seamless and easier to use, so we can really compete with larger shops at less cost and less overhead.”
While it’s easy to focus only on peoples' success, Roger ends by making a point that failure and uncertainty are part of everyone’s story. It’s how you react to these obstacles that will often dictate one’s success.
“It hasn't all been rosy wins. The struggle is real everywhere and I want to encourage people to work through challenges. As hard as it is sometimes, it’s so important to try to find the silver lining, take note, learn, and grow.”
Having a company that's more efficient — and more profitable — opens up a world of opportunity.
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