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.
The amenity wars of the recent years have seen high-end apartment communities battle for renters on the basis of spectacular amenities.
Cue the arrival of dog spas, maker spaces, axe-throwing rooms, recording studios, Amazon lockers, game arcades, boxing gyms, rooftop community gardens, bowling alleys, golf simulators and more.
Of course, none of these come cheap. All are likely to add to the monthly rent payment. And therein lies the rub. Many renters’ paychecks are insufficient to pay even the cost of an average apartment shorn of amenities. For many renters of Gen Z, soon to make up much of the apartment resident cohort, renting by themselves is financially infeasible.
Jonathan Treble, WithMe company founder and CEO, believes many residents prefer practical as opposed to over-the-top luxury amenities. “While luxury amenities like movie theaters, crystal lagoons and spas are attractive and flashy, they often go underutilized,” he says.
“Residents prioritize features they can consistently use and benefit from, ensuring the investment in their apartment home is worthwhile. As hybrid and fully remote work models continue, amenities that promote productivity are essential in meeting residents’ evolving needs and supporting their work-from-home lifestyles. Transforming lobbies and shared spaces into one-stop shops with convenient and high-quality amenities, like printing and coffee machines, makes residents’ daily routines easier. It removes costs and the time it takes to get there, which ultimately increases resident satisfaction.”
In an era of unpredictable for-sale housing markets compelling more and more people to rent, many renters prize genuine value and cost savings, Treble says. Amenities that are, he says, “designed to seamlessly integrate with residents’ lifestyles and help them save money will help them decide to live in one community over another but will also increase the community’s overall value.”
Jonathan Treble’s idea to create a network of printing kiosks and self-service coffee stations has grown into a burgeoning company that services thousands of multifamily communities nationwide and in the Phoenix area.
In the evolving landscape of remote work, Jonathan Treble, CEO of WithMe, Inc., has positioned his company at the forefront by embracing a remote-first model. With a workforce spread across the United States and five different countries, Treble has successfully navigated the complexities of remote work, leveraging technology to enhance communication and collaboration. In a recent interview, Treble shared insights into how WithMe has thrived as a remote-first organization and the critical role communication plays in this success.
Starting a business is a thrilling journey filled with challenging financial decisions that can significantly impact the future of your venture. Thirty-eight percent of startups fail because they have run out of cash or failed to raise new capital, so one of the most critical choices entrepreneurs face is deciding whether to bootstrap or fundraise. Both methods have unique advantages and challenges, and the right choice depends on various factors, including the nature of your business, personal risk tolerance and long-term vision.
Starting any business can be a challenging endeavor, but in the competitive world of tech, bootstrapping a business on your own, without the help of investors, can be a big mountain to climb. The reward of being your own boss and having full control over the future of your company, however, can be a major incentive for those aspiring entrepreneurs willing to put in the work.
But before you jump in, consider the following 20 tips from the business experts of Forbes Business Council. From building a strong foundation to embracing persistence, they share key insights into building a business the right way from the start.
Embrace Persistence
For entrepreneurs looking to bootstrap their tech startup, it's essential to have a strong vision and the patience to see it through. Embrace persistence, and be prepared to reinvest your funds to continually improve the business. Seek advice from seasoned entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated this path to avoid common pitfalls and leverage their experiences for your success. - Jonathan Treble, WithMe, Inc.
Chicago, IL – August 13, 2024 – WithMe, Inc., a leader in technology-enabled amenities for multifamily communities, including PrintWithMe and SipWithMe, has been ranked #1,229 on Inc. 5000’s 2024 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. WithMe ranked #1,492 in 2023, #1,371 in 2022, and #659 in 2021.
To qualify for the Inc. 5000 list, companies must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, independent, and have generated a minimum of $2 million in revenue the previous year. The prestigious ranking provides a data-driven look at the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent, entrepreneurial businesses. Companies on the 2024 list are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2020 to 2023.
“WithMe’s inclusion in the 2024 Inc. 5000 is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence,” said Jonathan Treble, Founder and CEO of WithMe. “Our rapid growth over the last few years is a direct result of a passionate, hardworking team that’s committed to providing high-quality amenity solutions that are convenient, create efficiencies and help control costs for multifamily communities nationwide.”
The Inc. 5000 class of 2024 represents companies that have driven rapid revenue growth while navigating inflationary pressure, the rising costs of capital, and seemingly intractable hiring challenges. Among this year’s top 500 companies, the average median three-year revenue growth rate is 1,637 percent. In all, this year’s Inc. 5000 companies have added 874,458 jobs to the economy over the past three years.
WithMe now boasts installations in almost 5,000 locations nationwide. The company services over 2 million apartment homes and 80% of the National Multifamily Housing Council’s (NMHC) 2024 Top 50 Managers. WithMe continues to grow, achieving a 15-fold increase in revenue since 2019, and expanding its team by over 60% since the close of 2022.
To learn how you can bring WithMe’s amenity solutions to your residential community, visit withme.com/contact-us. If you’re interested in joining the WithMe team, visit withme.com/careers.
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 while decreasing spend, controlling costs, and saving time for staff. PrintWithMe powers printer amenities and staff solutions at thousands of multifamily, cafe and coworking locations across all 50 states. SipWithMe, now 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.
Learn more at withme.com.
About Inc.
Inc. Business Media is the leading multimedia brand for entrepreneurs. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.’s award-winning work achieves a monthly brand footprint of more than 40 million across a variety of channels, including events, print, digital, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since its launch as the Inc. 100 in 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent.
For more information, visit inc.com.
In today’s multifamily landscape, amenities play a pivotal role that goes beyond attracting and retaining prospective residents. The right amenity package can enhance residents’ daily experience, nurture a thriving sense of community and ultimately increase the asset’s overall value.
By thoughtfully outfitting an asset with the right amenities, property owners and operators can cater to today’s renters’ live-work-play and remote-work lifestyles.
CHICAGO, IL - July 16, 2024 - WithMe, Inc., a leader in technology-enabled amenities for multifamily communities, celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. Founded in 2014 by CEO Jonathan Treble in his Chicago apartment, WithMe has grown exponentially over the past decade.
Today, WithMe employs more than 70 professionals across five countries. The company’s innovative PrintWithMe and SipWithMe solutions can be found in thousands of multifamily communities nationwide, serving more than 2 million people.
"When I started WithMe 10 years ago, I couldn’t have imagined the magnitude of impact our amenities would have on the multifamily industry," said Jonathan Treble, founder and CEO of WithMe. "What began as PrintWithMe, a convenient printing solution, has evolved into a suite of modern, tech-enabled amenities that redefines how multifamily professionals meet the amenity needs of today's residents. I am extremely proud of our team and thankful for loyal clients who had the courage to test our solutions and then saw the value in expanding to most of their portfolios.”
WithMe's journey began with the launch of PrintWithMe, a pay-per-use, wireless printer station targeting cafes and public spaces. Shortly after launch, Treble discovered his self-serve printing concept had the potential to solve significant problems facing the multifamily industry.
In response to feedback from property managers, Treble and team developed proprietary Print Allowance technology to address amenity misuse and uncontrollable consumption. Print Allowance gives property managers the ability to limit the number of free pages each resident can print and automatically charge them for any overage.
Inspired by the striking similarities in the challenges posed by offering printing and coffee services in residential spaces, WithMe found a way to adapt their Print Allowance technology to coffee machines. In early 2022, SipWithMe was launched; it is a revolutionary coffee amenity that offers more than 20 roast-to-order, barista-quality beverages made with craft-roasted coffee and dispensed by reliable, easy-to-use devices.
Similar to PrintWithMe’s Print Allowance technology, SipWithMe’s Cup Allowance technology allows property managers to control how much coffee each resident drinks. Flexible packages offer options ranging from a few cups a month to unlimited usage.
PrintWithMe and SipWithMe have been widely praised by both residents and property managers and are trusted by 80% of the 2024 NMHC Top 50 Managers.
“SipWithMe is a multifamily manager's dream coffee amenity. They have nailed what property managers care about: quality coffee drinks, rapid servicing to reduce site team headaches, and options to implement the service with a fixed monthly fee,” shared a Senior Regional Manager at Willow Bridge Property Company.
PrintWithMe is equally valued, with a manager from Bozzuto sharing, “PrintWithMe is, hands-down, the best solution for resident printing in multifamily. Their unique 'Print Allowance' system helps control costs and aligns with our sustainability goals.”
To learn how you can bring WithMe amenities to your community, contact WithMe.
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 while decreasing spend, controlling costs, and saving time for staff. PrintWithMe powers printer amenities and staff solutions at thousands of multifamily, cafe and coworking locations across all 50 states. SipWithMe, now 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 three consecutive years, as well as a 2023 Inc. Power Partner and a 2024 NAA Top Employer.
As a multifamily property manager, owner, or developer, selecting amenities that benefit your residents and staff while not hurting the bottom line is an ongoing balancing act. The amenities decision can’t be taken lightly—the wrong offerings are wasted expenses, while the right ones elevate the resident experience and the community’s perceived — and real — value.