Meet our Friedman Communities Management Team: Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith, Associate Director of Multifamily, gives us the inside scoop on how she manages working from home while managing a team across the country.

Q: How long have you been with Friedman Communities and what is your role?

I started my career in Property Management in 1998.  I’ve been with Friedman since July 2019 and I’m an Associate Director of Property Management.

Q: What does a typical day look like in your role of Associate Director of Multifamily?

Every day is completely different from the one before.  Property management is unpredictable, but this is also what makes it wonderful and exciting to be a part of.  I love that my role is about collaboration, problem-solving, and teamwork!

Q: Where are you based out of in your current role?

I work remotely from Gainesville, Florida.

Q: Working in property management can be fast-paced, what is the most interesting part of your job?

The most interesting part of my job is the different locations of the communities and the people that work at them.  I get the pleasure of interacting with so many contractors, vendors, and residents that it keeps each day interesting and fast-paced!

Q: What do you enjoy most about working from home?

The best part of working from home is not having a commute to the office and no traffic!

Q: What do you personally find challenging about working from home?

Working from home, I miss being able to walk into my co-worker’s office spur of the moment when an idea comes up.  Sometimes that is a challenge.

Q: What is usually on your desk/workspace?

My workspace is all about electronics!  I generally have my computer, monitors, and cell phone- all the tools to connect with my team and vendors I work with throughout the day.

Q: How do you keep a work life balance?

I try to keep my routine and my work hours as standard as possible.  I get up, dress for work as if I were going into the office, grab a coffee, and head upstairs to my office.  I also try to take a lunch break daily to take a few minutes to myself to decompress.  You have to have discipline and view work time as work time and personal time as just that to make sure to keep the balance.  It’s easy to want to go back to work when it’s sitting in the next room!

Q: During your afternoon low how do you get through the day?

I like to take a break to re-group.  A cup of coffee- good coffee and chocolate helps too!

Q: In your opinion what makes Friedman one of the top places to work?

I think Friedman is a great place to work.  As a remote employee, they always try to help and give me multiple ways to stay connected.  In my time working at Friedman I’ve never felt disconnected from my team or co-workers because of all the technology and opportunities I have!

Q: What is your favorite Friedman Value?

My favorite Friedman value is Relationships.  This value is a core value to me.  I believe having relationships at all levels is the key to success in this business.  I value the relationships with our vendors just as I do with residents, and my co-workers.  I believe people are the key to everything we do at all levels.  I have some vendors and industry professionals that I have been in touch with for 20 years, it’s great to be able to continue to grow my network.

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