Much like ER doctors, property managers are no strangers to high-stress, high-stakes situations. That’s why Dr. Drew Pinsky, renowned internist, addiction medicine specialist and media personality, struck a chord during his opening keynote by calling them “a group of warriors.” His message: resilience isn’t born—it’s built.
“Resiliency is a process,” Dr. Drew shared, recounting his own journey through medical training. “It takes a long period of time to develop flexibility and resiliency.” One of his top tips for managers feeling overwhelmed? Learn to delegate. It’s not a weakness—it’s a leadership skill.
In a standout breakout session, Jasmyn Sylvester, CPM®, ACoM®, Director of Property Management at LBX Investments, didn’t mince words: “Every one of us in this room should be considering talent a high priority.”
Backed by compelling data, Sylvester pointed to studies showing that:
What’s driving dissatisfaction? The usual suspects: stagnant compensation, lack of advancement, and feeling undervalued.
Sylvester’s solutions are as practical as they are powerful:
And when employees speak up, act. As one attendee shared, a colleague was given training opportunities simply because their interest came up in conversation. Listening isn’t enough—follow-through matters.
Joe Greenblatt, CPM®, Founder of Sunrise Management and IREM Past President, led a compelling session on mindfulness as a leadership strategy. His core message? Presence is power.
“We’re not Microsoft Windows,” Greenblatt said. “We’re really bad at multitasking.” Instead, he advocates for time allocation over time management and challenged leaders to reflect: “Are you giving your team the time they need—or just answering emails all day?”
Audience members responded with traits of mindful leaders: they listen more, talk less, and consider how others experience them.
His advice for leaders looking to level up? Consider an executive coach—and take a hard look in the mirror.
Dr. Debbie Phillips, CPM®, Ph.D. and founder of The Quadrillion, took the stage to talk about meaningful mentorship. Her guiding principle is that mentors are here to help, not fix.
Effective mentorship, she said, starts with building trust:
Her mentoring playbook includes high expectations and tough love, but also genuine curiosity: “Ask, ‘How did it help you?’—and really listen to the answer.”
Perhaps most importantly, mentorship is a two-way street. Senior leaders can (and should) learn from junior team members, especially when it comes to technology and innovation.
In the words of 2025 IREM President Dawn Carpenter, CPM®, “It’s fantastic to see how the idea of PropertyCon, born three years ago, evolved into an event even better than we had imagined.”
2025 PropertyCon made one thing clear: in a profession defined by change, your people are your power. Whether it’s through better listening, smarter delegation, or intentional mentorship, the path to retention and growth starts with showing up—for your team, and for yourself.
Next stop: 2026 PropertyCon in Austin!
Let the countdown begin.