As resident expectations continue to evolve, the multifamily housing industry must set a new standard for amenities in the new year. With remote work, wellness and technology shaping everyday life, property managers and developers are introducing innovative amenities to create vibrant, adaptable and highly personalized living spaces.
Village Green’s Executive Vice President Marketing & Brand Loyalty Ashley Sinclair and WithMe Inc.’s CEO & Founder Jonathan Treble know about the latest amenity trends. From tech-enabled conveniences and wellness-focused spaces to creative areas for crafting and leisure, these industry leaders share their insights on how multifamily properties are embracing the future of resident experience in a rapidly changing market.
EPISODE SUMMARY
How do you lead a team of 18,000 associates while managing 9,000 communities across North America? For David Diestel, CEO of FirstService Residential, the answer lies in trust, culture and a people-first approach to leadership.
In this episode of Multifamily Excellence, David joins host Jonathan Treble to share his fascinating career journey—from his beginnings as a chemical engineer and entrepreneur in the apparel industry to becoming the leader of North America’s largest residential property management company. Along the way, David learned invaluable lessons in adaptability, continuous learning and the importance of reputation.
Here’s what you’ll walk away with:
This episode is about learning how to lead in a way that feels human, scalable and deeply impactful. David’s insights are both timeless and timely—perfect for anyone navigating the fast-changing landscape of property management or leadership.
Ready to rethink what leadership looks like in your world?
This conversation will challenge how you see your team, your culture and yourself. Tune in now and start building something that truly lasts. of people-first leadership and AI innovation. This is one episode you won’t want to miss. Listen now.
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Entrepreneurship is often sold as a dream. Inspirational LinkedIn quotes, founder stories ending in IPOs or exits—it all paints a pretty picture. But after ten years of building, breaking and rebuilding, I’ve learned that the reality is much messier.
Here’s what I know:
If you want the truth, here it is: You’ll make mistakes. Your plans will blow up. People will let you down — and you’ll do the same to others.
Entrepreneurship isn’t about having it all figured out from the start; it’s about adapting, pivoting and occasionally face-planting on your way to the next big thing. The key is learning, adapting and building momentum through all the messy moments.
Here are ten hard-won insights I wish someone had handed me on day one. They’re hard-earned, often expensive and painfully simple. But if you absorb even one of them, it might just save you a year of setbacks — or at the very least, a couple of sleepless nights.
People love big talk about “moonshots” and “world-changing ideas”—but here’s the reality: ideas are the easy part. If you can’t roll up your sleeves and execute on them, you’re just playing mental gymnastics. The real differentiator? Consistent, relentless action. Week in, week out. Fancy pitches are great, but it’s the follow-ups and unglamorous day-to-day that get results.
Think big. Ask, “How can we 10x this?” Then break down your goals, tackle them piece by piece and keep moving. At WithMe, we don’t scale on vision alone; we thrive by stacking small, consistent wins, building momentum step-by-step. Fancy pitches won’t pay the bills, but focused, gritty follow-through will.
My tip: Track your team’s progress on micro-wins. Those add up fast.
Scaling isn’t something that just “happens” if you’re in the right place at the right time. If you want exponential growth, you have to be intentional and take risks. That often means tearing down something you thought was working and rebuilding it with new insights.
You have to be intentional. That means asking yourself uncomfortable questions: What’s working? What’s not? What’s the bottleneck?
If you want 10% growth, tinker. If you want 10x growth, rethink everything. Big leaps require uncomfortable choices and serious risk-taking. Growth only happens when you let go of ‘good enough.’ If you’re not rethinking the fundamentals regularly, you're just coasting.
My approach: Regularly challenge the status quo. If something is only “good enough,” it’s time to rethink.
Hiring the right people is like collecting rare art. The best talent isn’t always on job boards; they’re out there doing great work. Finding these people requires patience, vision and sometimes years of connection-building.
Some of the best people I’ve hired were conversations years in the making. Play the long game with talent acquisition. It always pays off.
Remember, the best talent isn't on the market — they’re out there waiting to be discovered. When you find them, move fast. Pay upfront in value, and over time, they’ll return more than you imagined. When you spot someone with the right spark, act fast.
Pro tip: Find smart people, pay them well and get out of their way. When you spot a standout talent, move fast.
The most effective leaders serve their teams by removing obstacles, providing direction and stepping aside. If you think your team works for you, you’ve already lost. Your job is to clear obstacles and make sure they have everything they need to win. Enable people to perform at their highest level—and that starts by empowering them to own their roles.
Key insight: Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about service. If you’re micromanaging, you’re bottlenecking your business.
Being busy doesn’t mean you’re being productive. There have been weeks where I felt like I was running on a treadmill—doing a lot but moving nowhere. Progress is about completing the right things, not just checking off endless tasks.
Here’s how I spot wasted effort: If it’s not moving the needle, it’s a distraction.
My rule: Ruthlessly prioritize what matters, and let the noise go.
No one gets through entrepreneurship without a few bruises. I’ve micromanaged when I should have trusted my team. I’ve raised more capital than I could deploy effectively. But every mistake became a lesson that shaped how I lead today. Create space for yourself (and your team) to learn from missteps.
You’ll screw up—more than once. It’s part of the game. Admit your mistakes fast, learn from them and move on. No one has time for excuses. The trick is to own those mistakes fast, learn from them and get back on track.
Pro tip: Create a culture where your team feels safe to fail and learn. If they’re too afraid to make mistakes, they won’t push boundaries—and neither will your company.
It’s easy to get obsessed with what the competition is doing. But unless they’re paying your bills, their moves shouldn’t drive yours. Focus on listening to your customers and solving their problems. Listen to their pain points. Build solutions that genuinely help them—and your growth will follow.
Markets evolve, and so do your customers' needs. Obsess over meeting those needs better than anyone else.
My approach: Keep your head in your game and stick to your strategy. Outflanking competitors is easy — listen to customers louder than they do.
No ad campaign can compete with a customer saying, “You need this.” The strongest growth comes from people who genuinely love what you do and tell others about it. A product with undeniable value creates advocates naturally.
Nail your product-market fit, and customers will sing your praises.
If your product isn’t generating enthusiastic referrals, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
Takeaway: Build something that people love so much, they can’t help but tell others. Happy customers are the lifeblood of sustainable growth.
In a growing business, there are always fires to put out. But knowing which fires matter—and which ones to let burn—is a game-changer. Early on, I tried to handle everything myself. Now, I triage: if it doesn’t impact the long-term vision, it can wait.
You’ve got limited time—spend it on the fires that actually matter. The art of prioritization is everything.
Lesson learned: Prioritize only the fires that matter. Not every problem deserves immediate attention.
In moments of stress — a sleepless night, a tough quarter or a rough meeting — pause. Acting rashly rarely helps. Inaction, when applied wisely, can prevent avoidable damage and keep trust intact.
When you’re overwhelmed, resist the urge to react impulsively. I’ve learned the hard way that acting while exhausted, stressed or frustrated rarely ends well.
My advice: Sleep on it. Most problems can wait a day. The ones that can’t? They’re rarely solved with rushed decisions.
If you’re always chasing the next thing, you’ll miss the good stuff. The best moments aren’t just milestones—they’re found in the chaos along the way.
There’s always another mountain to climb, but if you don’t enjoy the journey, what’s the point? The biggest wins come in unexpected places—sometimes between meetings, other times during failures that seem devastating at first.
Entrepreneurship isn’t a straight line. It’s messy, unpredictable and exhausting—but it’s also incredibly rewarding if you stick with it. Just remember: It’s okay to stumble as long as you keep moving forward.
In the early days, I was the CEO, customer support, IT troubleshooter and supply chain manager. You name it. And yes, things still slipped through the cracks sometimes. That’s just reality. As we grew, I learned the importance of building a strong team—one that could take some of those hats and wear them even better than I could. Eventually, I learned the importance of knowing which hats I could keep and which I needed to pass on to someone better suited for them.
As WithMe grew, I made a conscious choice to hire people who were stronger than me in specific areas. This wasn’t easy; it meant letting go of control and trusting my team. But it was a game-changer. Each person I brought on brought something unique that took WithMe to the next level. The lesson? You might start out juggling it all, but eventually, you need to step back and let others wear some of those hats. That’s when your team—and your business—will really take off.
Advice: Hire people who are better than you at specific things and let them shine.
Ten years in, and here’s what I know for sure: you’ll never have it all figured out—and that’s okay. The journey is about learning, evolving and staying curious. If you can embrace that, you’ll find that every setback is a step forward and every challenge is an opportunity to grow.
The journey isn’t always glamorous, but it’s worth every stumble. These 10 lessons? They’re battle-tested and scraped together from 10 years of face-plants, late nights and surprising wins. Take them in, and they might just save you a few trips down the “What the heck am I doing?” road.
And if you’re curious how WithMe is applying these lessons to reimagine multifamily living, check us out. From simplifying daily life to creating standout resident experiences, we’re just getting started.
CEOs must be strategic about how they allocate their limited time. Time spent on low-impact tasks—such as micromanaging or unnecessary meetings—could be better used on bigger-picture tasks like strategic planning or partnership development.
Below, 20 Forbes Business Council members share some areas where they believe CEOs can stop wasting their energy. By focusing on high-impact activities, you can make the most of your time and drive organizational growth.
CEOs should spend less time waiting for staff to complete research projects. Whereas we used to task executive assistants or marketing team members with research on macro or micro topics, AI can now deliver strong briefings in seconds. It's game-changing and should speed up the rate of C-suite decision making. - Jonathan Treble, WithMe, Inc.
November 8 marks National Cappuccino Day, a time to honor one of the world's most beloved coffee creations. Whether you’re a seasoned coffee connoisseur or just love a cozy cup of frothy goodness, this is the perfect day to indulge.
At its heart, a cappuccino is a simple yet perfectly balanced coffee beverage, composed of three key elements:
Traditionally, these components are combined in equal parts, creating a harmonious blend of robust coffee flavor and creamy texture. Baristas often finish the drink with a dusting of cocoa powder or chocolate for added indulgence.
Presentation and Volume
Cappuccinos vs. Lattes
While a caffè latte is made with more steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, cappuccinos emphasize the froth. This gives cappuccinos a lighter, airier texture and a smaller overall volume, making them distinct from their milk-heavy cousin.
The origins of the cappuccino trace back to the 1700s in the Habsburg Empire, where a popular coffeehouse drink known as the Kapuziner emerged. This beverage was named for its distinctive light brown color, reminiscent of the robes worn by Capuchin friars. The Kapuziner was a blend of coffee, cream and sugar, often enhanced with spices for additional flavor. Its rich, creamy texture and warming spices made it a favorite among coffee lovers of the time, laying the foundation for the modern cappuccino.
The port city of Trieste became a crucial hub for the spread of coffee across Central Europe. Home to vibrant Viennese-style coffeehouses, the city introduced patrons to the Kapuziner and its variations. As coffee culture grew, the Kapuziner gradually evolved, particularly in Italian-speaking regions, where it transformed into the cappuccino we recognize today. Trieste’s position as a cultural crossroads ensured the drink’s enduring legacy, bridging coffee traditions from Vienna to Italy and beyond.
In the early 20th century, the introduction of espresso machines revolutionized coffee preparation, making it possible for baristas to craft drinks to order with precision. This innovation allowed for the creation of the cappuccino’s iconic layers, with its bold espresso base, velvety steamed milk and signature frothy top becoming hallmarks of the drink.
After World War II, further advancements in espresso technology ushered in the "age of crema." These improvements enabled higher-pressure brewing, resulting in the silky, rich espresso topped with a layer of crema and perfectly steamed milk that defines the modern cappuccino. This era marked a turning point in coffee culture, elevating the cappuccino to new heights of flavor and presentation.
By the 1950s, cappuccinos had become a staple in Italy’s espresso bars, a symbol of the country's burgeoning coffee culture. During this time, the Italian cappuccino coexisted with the Viennese Kapuziner, which featured whipped cream instead of steamed milk, showcasing the regional diversity in coffee traditions. The cappuccino's popularity began to spread far beyond Italy, cementing its status as a global coffee favorite.
The cappuccino, with its perfect blend of espresso, steamed milk and foam, has evolved from an Italian classic to a global favorite. Celebrated for its rich flavor and frothy texture, it found sophisticated appeal in post-war Europe, cozy acceptance in the UK and a thriving presence in the U.S., adapting to local tastes along the way. Here’s a closer look at how the cappuccino gained popularity in different parts of the world:
Europe
In post-WWII Europe, cappuccinos gained recognition as a symbol of sophisticated coffee culture. Italy embraced the espresso-based version, while Austria and Hungary maintained their preference for whipped cream-topped coffee.
The United Kingdom
Cappuccinos found favor in the UK, where the British tradition of adding milk to coffee aligned perfectly with the drink’s composition. Its frothy texture and luxurious flavor made it a café favorite.
The United States
Cappuccinos arrived in the U.S. through Italian-American neighborhoods, with notable establishments like:
Over time, the classic cappuccino has inspired countless creative variations, each catering to different tastes and preferences. From adjustments in milk-to-foam ratios to the addition of indulgent flavors, these twists highlight the cappuccino’s versatility while preserving its iconic charm. Here are some popular variations that showcase the drink’s adaptability:
Cappuccino Freddo
Popular in Italy, Greece, and Cyprus, this chilled version features a small amount of cold frothed milk atop chilled espresso. In Rome, coffee shops often pre-make and refrigerate it, while northern Italy prefers alternatives like gelato da bere (gelato blended with espresso).
Freddo Cappuccino
A Greek specialty, this drink is topped with afrógala, a cold milk foam created using an electric frother. Baristas pour it over iced espresso, offering a refreshing twist on the classic cappuccino.
Iced Cappuccino
In Canada, coffee chain Tim Hortons serves a frozen adaptation called the Iced Capp, a sweet, creamy dessert-like drink that has become a fan favorite.
Wherever you choose to enjoy it, National Cappuccino Day is the perfect time to sip and celebrate. Here’s how to make it special:
At SipWithMe, we’re passionate about enhancing multifamily properties with premium coffee experiences that delight residents and streamline operations. With cappuccinos and other premium beverages available at the touch of a button, our state-of-the-art solutions make offering luxury both simple and cost-effective.
Celebrate National Cappuccino Day with a coffee amenity upgrade that makes every day feel like a holiday. Contact us for a demo or pricing today.
EPISODE SUMMARY
What happens when you blend a deep commitment to culture with the transformative power of AI? At Cardinal Group, the results are reshaping the multifamily industry.
In this episode of Multifamily Excellence, host Jonathan Treble speaks with Cara Athmann, COO of Cardinal Group Companies. Cara’s journey is anything but conventional - she transitioned from a background in physics and consulting to spearheading tech-driven transformation in multifamily.
This episode goes beyond surface-level talk. Cara reveals how Cardinal Group leverages AI to streamline operations, reduce administrative overhead, and empower on-site teams to forge meaningful connections with residents.
With a strategic focus on people-first, AI-enhanced operations, Cardinal has grown to over 50,000 units and a team of 2,300 strong.
For Cara, the approach is straightforward: invest in your team, and they will invest in your residents. She’s leading Cardinal into a future where AI minimizes operational friction, freeing teams to focus on what truly matters—building authentic connections.
Tune in to explore:
Ready to rethink leadership in multifamily? Tune in to explore the intersection of people-first leadership and AI innovation. This is one episode you won’t want to miss. Listen now.
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Artificial intelligence has a lot of uses in multifamily—for example, chatbots can help prospective residents get information about the community. However, there are a lot of areas where the human touch is still important. The MHN Executive Council shares where they don’t use AI.
Personal Connection
While I rely on AI for many tasks and appreciate its efficiency, there are still areas where the human touch is irreplaceable. I won’t use AI for deeply personal conversations or decisions that require emotional intelligence, empathy and nuance. Building meaningful relationships with my team, clients and loved ones is something that technology can’t replicate. I also wouldn’t rely solely on AI for creative visioning, as human intuition and creativity are key to shaping the bigger picture in ways AI may not yet grasp. —Jonathan Treble, Founder & CEO, WithMe Inc.
Chicago, IL – October 28, 2024 – WithMe, Inc., a leader in technology-enabled amenities for multifamily communities, has reached a major milestone with over 500 innovative bean-to-cup SipWithMe devices now installed nationwide. Since its launch in 2021, SipWithMe has rapidly gained traction for enhancing the resident experience and simplifying property management.
SipWithMe elevates the resident experience through reliable, easy-to-use technology, barista-quality beverages, and craft-roasted coffee, all while helping multifamily property managers decrease spending, control costs, and save time for staff.
“Reaching this milestone with SipWithMe is an incredible moment for our entire team,” said Jeff Lail, Chief Operations Officer for WithMe. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at WithMe who is passionate about creating seamless amenity solutions that benefit both property managers and residents. Our team is driven by a shared commitment to innovation and excellence, and we look forward to continuing to shape the future of multifamily living.”
As WithMe continues to evolve, SipWithMe remains a key component of its mission to deliver forward-thinking amenities that streamline property management and elevate resident satisfaction. The company remains committed to providing superior quality and customer service to its partners and was recently recognized for its efforts by the Titan Awards.
WithMe Inc. partners with 80% of the National Multifamily Housing Council's Top 50 Managers to provide more than 3 million residents access to its printer and coffee amenities. In an ongoing survey, more than 82% of residents say both SipWithMe and PrintWithMe are “essential.”
To learn how you can bring WithMe’s amenity solutions to your residential community, visit withme.com/contact-us.
About WithMe, Inc.
WithMe, Inc. makes lives better every day through convenient, technology-powered amenities for the multifamily industry and beyond. WithMe’s PrintWithMe and SipWithMe solutions make resident printing and coffee simple, helping property management leaders deliver an elevated living experience while decreasing spend, controlling costs, and saving time for staff.
PrintWithMe powers printer amenities at thousands of multifamily, cafe and coworking locations across all 50 states. SipWithMe, available in major markets, is disrupting the coffee amenity category.
WithMe is an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company, appearing on the list for the past four consecutive years, as well as a 2023 Inc. Power Partner and a 2024 NAA Top Employer.
Efficiency isn't just a buzzword in multifamily property management; it's the difference between thriving communities and those struggling to keep up with resident expectations.
Yet, I see hidden time wasters often drain productivity and inflate costs. By tackling these tasks head-on with tech-driven solutions, multifamily communities can streamline processes, reduce stress and keep residents smiling.
Property managers wear many hats—sometimes too many. According to iPropertyManagement, 80% of property managers juggle maintenance/repairs, rent collections and more, while over 70% handle inspections, advertising vacancies and leasing. Those tasks can keep them from focusing on what really matters: exceeding the expectations of current and prospective residents.
EPISODE SUMMARY
How does someone go from cold-calling in commercial real estate to becoming a key player in the multifamily industry? In this episode of Multifamily Excellence, host Jonathan Treble sits down with Moshe Crane, VP of Branding and Strategic Initiatives at Sage Ventures, to uncover how his curiosity, persistence and strategic networking have fueled his rise to the top.
Moshe’s path is anything but linear. From his early days in commercial leasing to mastering the nuances of multifamily operations, Moshe shares how constantly asking questions and "poking the box" helped him excel. His journey highlights the importance of embracing discomfort, learning through failure and using curiosity as a tool for career growth. Moshe dives into key insights on networking, how he uses his podcast to create opportunities and the role of AI and technology in the future of multifamily operations.
Curiosity is Moshe’s superpower. Throughout this episode, he reveals how staying curious and challenging the status quo has been instrumental in his success—from cold-calling to leading strategic initiatives at Sage Ventures.
Whether you’re just starting out in real estate or you’re an industry veteran, this episode offers actionable strategies for leveraging curiosity, building influence and transforming operations with tech.
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