The 2025 Blueprint Edition: Justin Jones, Shelly Steitz, Anne Baum

In this episode, Justin Jones, Shelly Steitz, and Anne Baum recap their experience at the Blueprint Conference including the vibe, their favorite takeaways for key technologies and AI, the opportunity for vendors and operators to co-build and co-collaborate, and some advice for first-timers in 2026.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

And now a message from our sponsor Flamingo. Every multifamily marketer wants to know what the next big thing will be. At the apartment department, we think that resident retention is the next big thing, which is why we're excited to have Flamingo as our podcast sponsor. Flamingo, founded by Jude Chai, is an all-in-one resident retention platform used by some of the top performing communities in the country. And here's a fun little secret. If you see a community with 300 plus online reviews and 65% plus retention, there's a good chance they're using Flamingo. From automated renewal management and resident events to amenity bookings and even an AI concierge, Flamingo brings everything together in one sleek app that residents actually use. Learn more at getflamingo.com. Hi everyone and welcome to the Apartment Department, the podcast for multifamily marketers by multifamily marketers. I am so excited by today's episode because it is a repeat in a good way, a sequel, if you will, to an episode we did last year. It is a blueprint recap. And so I am joined once again by Justin Jones, who is the directory of industry strategy at Smart Rent, as well as the co-creator of the AI Exchange, and Shelly Stites, the senior consultant of partner engagement for Cadence Marketing Solutions. And like I said, this is a very special episode because at Blueprint last year uh is when Shelly, Justin, and I first became friends. And now a whole year later, here we are celebrating our friendship, celebrating Blueprint, the future of the built world. And so, of course, we saw it fitting that we would uh once again, we all attended Blueprint. And so we thought it would be really fun to come back and tell everyone about our experience at Blueprint, which Blueprint is an interesting conference because it is meant for real estate in general. Um, but they're really making a concerted effort to bring more multifamily owners, operators, vendors, suppliers to the table. Um, and I think we definitely saw that this year. So that will be part of our conversation. But Shelly Justin, thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_03 2:13

Happy anniversary.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Happy anniversary. I never talking what is this? You're saying this is a sequel? It's like ride of blueprint, revenge your blueprint, blueprint. Blueprint too electric electric blueprint, even bluer.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

There will be an AI song accompanying the release of this podcast episode. Like, that's just a given. So I think the first thing we want to talk about um is because blueprint is not a newer conference in life, but a newer conference within the realm of multifamily. I think first of what we wanted to talk about is the format of blueprint. And so, Justin and Shelly, I'm hoping you guys can just give us your take on what is Blueprint? Like what can people expect when they go there?

SPEAKER_01 3:01

I think you can expect a convergence that you have to be ready to navigate, or else it could be either overwhelming or equally underwhelming. I think at shows that sometimes we're more used to, which are more multifamily centric, i.e., an aim or an NAA, equally as overwhelming and exciting, you can kind of find your way because you're gonna stumble upon someone who technically has your same lived experience, technically is your same in your same industry. But with blueprint, there opens this opportunity for you, my multifamily friends listening, to really invest yourself in being a real estate professional, which I've noticed in the past 10 years, myself included, I forget that I am a real estate professional. So here you are at Blueprint with brand new companies solving a myriad of problems in the real estate spectrum, with a select number of people within your industry to meet, but then a schmorgesburg of people outside your industry to meet. How do you take advantage of this learning moment, both on the operator and the vendor side? And that's where you have to choose if you're coming, let's say, as a sponsor or coming as an individual, how you invest your time and your finances into this hustle and into this learning environment. And that, my friend, is very much you choose your own adventure with, and I have to admit this from my little humble opinion, the app of all apps and one of the coolest networking clicker buttons that we get in the industry to do your bidding and to help you uh network and connect.

SPEAKER_03 4:19

Yeah, Justin makes a really good point. You really do have to be intentional with your time at Blueprint because it's not as scheduled as a lot of conferences. You don't, you're not like, they're not shoving the agenda down your throat and some of them, not that you never get shoved down your throat, but um, but you do have to be very intentional about where you are going, what sessions you're going to, and who you're going to see. There's also a lot more downtime than you have in a lot of other conferences. Um, and again, you don't have you're not agended out here. Um, but it does make it so you have to really plan your time. Like when you're not in a session, what are you doing? Because different from other conferences, there's not as much of a trade show floor as you have. So you you again have to plan out your time and where you're going, because not everyone is going to be at a booth. You really have to find if there's suppliers that you want to meet with or anyone specific that you want to network with, you have to find them out in the wilds of the conference and be and make that plan beforehand.

SPEAKER_02 5:33

Yeah, I agree with you. And I think just to give like a visual picture for folks, so it was in the Venetian. This was the second year in the Venetian, and it is in the conference center in the Venetian, and it's basically in one floor. So you walk down, uh, you've got the registration area. There's probably, I don't know what, four or five rooms at most dedicated to the entire conference. There's a huge room that has the trade show floor, where the meals are, uh, where some of the networking events are. Then there is a main stage across the way that is only used for the main stage, like main sessions. And then there are also maybe what, like three side conference rooms that are attached to the trade show booth. So um it is, it's interesting. It's like compiled into this one little space, which is really amazing, um, especially for use to kind of, you know, walking from building to building or something from a conference standpoint. But you're right, it's it's uh there's a lot going on, but you have to be cognizant of your time too. So, but I like that about the format is like you can walk out in the hallway and be like, oh, hey, there's someone that I didn't even know was gonna be here, or hey, I meant to run into you and now you're right here in front of me, um, which can be wonderful and distracting at the same time. I think I saw one time um Brian Miller from Zillow, if you're listening, um, I think I saw him like five to seven times in one day. Like we almost got worried when we stopped seeing each other. So let's go ahead and talk about what we took away from blueprint. Um, and there were a couple of different things going on. So there were sessions, obviously, both main stage and then kind of track sessions. Um, there were round tables and then there were what I like to call the informal meetings of when you run into people in the hallway. So I'm hoping that you guys can tell me your favorite session tech takeaway first or favorites, favorites, two to three favorites. You know, what did you really learn that you're like, okay, I'm gonna take this into my next year and do something with this information?

SPEAKER_03 7:40

Of course. Well, one thing I want to also mention is that Blueprint has so many tables. Like, there are so many places to sit in the conference, which is amazing. And I should have mentioned that earlier, but that is one thing that I really appreciate about Blueprint is how how many space, how many tables there are in the conference itself, because you can sit and that's where you can have some of those side conversations as well. But going back to your question, Anne, about um takeaways, I really think we saw a lot more applied AI knowledge this year. Last year it was really a lot of speculative, like, how are we going to use AI? This time we actually got to hear from people who are actively using it at their companies and and how they're incorporating it into their workflows and into their teams. And some of the takeaways from that, I felt like there was a big emphasis on making sure that one you are vetting the technology thoroughly. Uh, I believe one person said that they interview their AI like it's an employee. So really making that inspection of what you expect from the technology before you even implement it. Uh, secondly, and again, on this idea of AI as your employee, like making sure that you're doing regular check-ins, that you're not just falling prey to the launch it and leave it syndrome, but that you are continually inspecting the AI because it is continually learning while it's on the job with your teams. So those were two big things that I kind of took away. Um, but the third thing really, and I don't know that this is really what somebody said in the session, but as you're sitting here and listening to how everyone is using AI and all the work that goes into it is making sure that you have good processes before you even implement AI. Because if you much like you know, we talk about bad data in, bad data out, you're gonna get a bad process in, bad process out with AI. So really just being being very mindful of how you're implementing it and what you're actually asking it to do and where that fits in with the other roles on your team.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

I think that's a good point. And and what systems is it relying on and and is the data in those systems accurate and compatible? Um, because like we've talked about before, I think there are varying opinions on this, but I think having AI do the work of making the systems compatible for you then just adds another layer of complication and watching and training.

SPEAKER_01 10:25

Justin, what about you? I would try to go to most of the multifamily sessions, including the one you were on uh with Dustin, which I always love. Really the focused, kind of not NMHC top 50, but focused. Here it is, brass tacks, very dedicated conversation, especially around centralization. And I feel that y'all, with your company size, you're able to admin flow and experiment in a way some of the bigger companies aren't, which allows us here at a place like Blueprint to get to know you a bit more. Wherein I think of the other shows, we're we're a big focus on the huge institutional folks. One thing I loved about something, um, it was in the um from Skeptic to Champion session. Uh OJ Lura said, authenticity, authenticity is a two-way street. And I love this because you talked about how people are focused on data. What I noticed as a vendor, and what I noticed people are talking about in regard and relation to uh relationship to the relationship with vendors, is that you have to be co-building and co-collaborating now. I cannot show up and just give you a cookie visit and expect you to sell, expect you to buy my software anymore. I have to show up in an authentic way, provide results or opportunities and expectations, and together we can co-build to those results. And so what OJ was saying with aut authenticity being a two-way street, if I as a seller can come up with more authenticity and you as the buyer can come with more authenticity, and we can share the same kind of brain space and mindset of trust, we will achieve together. And I love the fact that like Carol Enoch was even focused on that. She won X that she's like, well, okay, yes, and whatever you bring to the table, make sure it helps the site teams do better at their jobs. So what I noticed in the Skeptic to Champion session was that it was about actually shopping and expectations more than just, hey, AI is a thing we should be buying. Now it's about how do we co-build, how do we shop smarter, how do we bring authentic opportunities that reflect a partnership really truly of shared success, as opposed to just buyer and seller. And quite frankly, I don't think you can have these conversations about innovation, about AI, about data without having them co-collaborated with a vendor. So vendors, be authentic. Suppliers, find those vendors you trust. Y'all know I'm gonna shout out the Robert Lee's of the world from Hiley. Like those are the type of people who will sit there and talk to you and build something with you, and then maybe eventually you'll buy something.

SPEAKER_02 12:48

I don't know. That is true. Robert took my spreadsheet and made it better.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

And to that note, you met Robert last year at Blueprint with me. And did you did we throw you through a sales cycle? No. And again, we're going back to the key of Blueprint. Be authentic, come up with results, and you'll have a better experience of Blueprint. And in turn, you might even have a better experience in your sales cycle, which comes into like that skeptical champion thing we spoke about.

SPEAKER_03 13:17

Well, one thing that's really interesting about Blueprint too is it does feel really intimate in a way that other conferences don't. And and again, I think it goes back to like there's not as many booze, there's not as many, the the tradeshow floor isn't as big. And so you do, and you do get like an immediacy with some really big players um within the industry, both on the supplier side and on the on the on the operator side as well. So it it in it's like those people are right there, or you go to a happy hour and you're like one of just a few people. So it does feel like you can have some more of those really authentic, really authentic conversations and um that more of that relationship building than you might get when there's so many people to divide your attention amongst. So I do feel like there's just an intimacy there that you don't really get at other conferences.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

I agree. Now, what you do with that intimacy, it really is going to be the difference between A-list marketers and pre-marketers, A-list business development uh development people, and people who think they can do the spray and prey technique that you may or may not bring to other larger venues that will not reflect well on your business at a smaller venue. Or my operators um be open and but know that these sweet vendors who are investing their time and and money into being in front of you, the window of opportunity shrinks when you're at Blueprint. So the expectations might be different. So if we set meetings with intentionality or you can communicate with intentionality on that amazing app they have, I think you'll have a better relationship building, co-building moment for Blueprint, which let's be honest, Blueprint is we're co-building together right now for Blueprint to become the next big blank. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 15:01

Yeah, no, Blueprint is amazing. Actually, and Justin, I have a question for you about that. So let's say I'm going to Blueprint and I'm interested in just learning, and I'm on a meet with vendors and I want to meet with suppliers, but I'm not necessarily the decision maker within my organization, but I still want to give me some tips. How how would I go into a meeting like that? Would I just say, hey, I'm really interested in learning. Your product looks neat. Like when we're talking about authenticity and kind of building things together, is it okay for me just to come in and say, hey, I just want to learn because your product looks cool? Is that okay?

SPEAKER_01 15:39

I think it if it's it is it okay with me? Oh my gosh, absolutely. I think that um, first of all, if you are a vendor out there and only selling to your decision makers and you have no idea what happens through the amazing great channels of relationship building, hot gos, and champions, then you are not selling correctly because I've gotten more relationships built through hot goss and knowing what's actually deep happening on the authentic, like ground uh level of businesses as opposed to just going for that VP because that VP, they have other decisions to make and they need the end bombs in order to help educate. So is that okay for you to do? Absolutely. Um, but I would go in and with an intentionality of a problem you would like to solve, and that could be a problem you know, deep for yourself, uh, at town you're trying to solve, or even just a general industry problem, and put that problem straightforward so you're still problem solving together and co-building together. Because if you go say, tell me about your product, and then they list all this feature dump on you because they can't qualify you in real time because you're technically not a decision maker, neither of you have left that relationship all the smarter. When you and I met, we were truly talking about what AI could do for X, Y, and Z. And then we broke, we deep dove even to it is a sales technique between service now, service later, no service at all. But that's because we came into this meeting with a few set pieces of intention. But were we talking in that in that instance about um journey automation necessarily that you could have purchased? No. We really were just seed gathering in order to innovate and co-build together, which I think that's where blueprint is. Blueprint, you're gonna meet a lot of early stage startups, and then you're gonna meet a lot of people who are looking to buy those early stage startups, and then some people in between. Know who your audience is, have intentionality from both sides, and I think you'll have a better conversation. And then, of course, end it at 30 minutes and then go do the next thing.

SPEAKER_02 17:35

I love it. You know, and I think that's interesting because we're almost talking like, you know, like it's this free, but then I think they there's they do such a good job of then bringing people back together. The happy hour, like there's very I like how there's only there's like very set conference events, right? Like I think after both days, and then there's a closing party. So there's two happy hours at the end of both conference days, and then there's like an end of conference party. And so I do like that sometimes at other conferences the events are kind of spread out, and you're like, where do I go? What do I do? But I love that there's an opportunity for everyone to just to come back together. So, okay, we got the favorite session takeaways. What about um each of you? Well, all three of us sat at round tables um because they also have this really great feature where there are round tables um of 10 people that are kind of invite-only, um, of varying hot topics within um multifamily. And so Justin, you hosted a round table, and then Shelly, you and I um each sat at one. So Shelly, go first. What was tell us a little bit about the um round table that you sat at and what were some of the takeaways?

SPEAKER_03 18:52

Of course. So I sat at a table with Janet Rosseth uh on marketing department structure. So really talking about there's a lot of marketers that were at the table and talking about how it looks different from company to company. So there's a lot of like no two companies pretty much have the same. And it was really wild to hear about how some of these companies structured their marketing departments. There was uh one that had probably 72,000 unit company, and they had a 47-person marketing department. And on the other side of the table was a company that has 48,000 units, and they have a three-person marketing department. And but most of the most of the companies at the table were teams of one or two at the most, for you know, ranging from like 5,000 to 10,000 units. So it can really vary. And then the roles that that are in each or that like kind of live under marketing. Um, so that 47-person department had uh had pricing underneath it. So like setting the rental rates, which I don't think is a typical task that lives under marketing, um, and and others had like training and other things. So really it can not only can the size vary, but the roles that live within marketing can vary as well. So it's a really interesting discussion. And you also start to hear, even no matter what the size of your marketing department, there's a lot of similar challenges that people face across the board. So that's just a really interesting discussion. And there's no, there's no standard within our industry of what this looks like. So um, yeah, it certainly kind of felt like the beginning of a conversation that, you know, hopefully will be continued. But yeah, it was a really, really nice to kind of hear what other people are facing and seeing out there.

SPEAKER_02 21:37

I think that's interesting. And I mean, I know that that's a conversation, even I know when I go to my supervisor about structure plans and hiring plans. I mean, that's something he brings up off often is well, you know, you're asking for this role or or you're looking at this. Well, how is it? What does it look like in other companies? And so um it's just kind of everyone wants to know, but it's so different that then it ultimately becomes maybe about what's best for your company. I don't know. Yeah, what your roles are. Yeah. Were there any roles that maybe people were talking about? Like, were there any similarities in terms of like in you know, in the near future, we definitely want to bring on name similar role here?

SPEAKER_03 22:20

Well, one role that everyone wants to have is uh someone to deal with back end systems, like system implement implementation. And because a lot of that falls on the marketers right now. So really making sure that your tech stack is running smoothly and everything's connected and there's that consistency. I mean, I think you mentioned earlier that like data consistency. For your AI. And that falls on marketing a lot of times. So really having someone else to kind of take that off of the marketer's plate because it's really hard to be responsible for all of the systems and also be trying to make these really intelligent strategic moves for your company and for marketing and to drive that ROI, like we want to do when you end up in the weeds, just making sure that your property name is the same across five different systems. To use, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:17

You're right. No, it's and those are the most time consuming. Like every time we get a question like, why isn't this amenity showing up on this marketing source? I'm like, oh, there's an hour down the drain. Or something, you know, because there's a system break or there's not a setting checked or something like that. And so I I'm with you. I love that. I want that person too. Justin, you and Christy co-hosted a round table. What was it about? And what what was your takeaway from it or takeaways?

SPEAKER_01 23:46

We did. And um, I may even steer us in a different direction a second if I'm allowed to. I um I dropped in on a round table when I wasn't supposed to. And it was the one of the coolest conversations. Um, now that I'm moving a bit farther from like the marketing side where I've spent a lot of time in the operational side, I'm hellbent on learning everything I can about operations, especially for our maintenance staff. It was a discovery I made about a year ago, realizing that our maintenance staff are our service heroes, and they will be the most emboldened by great technology. So I'm on this journey to discover what the reality is. So I sat in on maintenance real talk, what's working in maintenance tech, and it was great. These were new conversations I hadn't heard. And one of the biggest takeaways was that maintenance technology is actually hard to sell to the owners and the decision makers. That the people on site get it, but owners and decision makers are having a harder time swallowing. One of the reasons is that you might not see cost savings for an extended period of time. So, for instance, for like um like journey, journey technology we have in marketing, you'll see the velocity change, you'll see the higher quality of a leads, you'll be able to convert. With maintenance technology, preventative or predictive, it could do one of two things. First of all, with the right maintenance technology in place, it can show you stuff that's broken that needs to be fixed right now. So you can't like, ooh, good, that's not broken. I don't know, la la la la la la, I can't hear you. That isn't happening with maintenance technology. That might actually create some upfront cost creep that you weren't expecting the technology unearths. But I think our industry needs to start thinking more about long-term strategy, long-term solutions, as opposed to these short-term ease of use point solution gains that are easier to spend money on because they fit into this budget and this budget. But if you're really a proactive budgeter and you're getting a budget season, you see this a chunky piece of maintenance technology that takes a little while to implement that might take a bit for you to actually see the ROI, this is what maintenance real talk was about. And I think too, no, and this came up, this is a quote nobody is loading the full picture of what maintenance teams are doing on a daily basis. And I thought, marketers, you can kind of see our levers, right? If you've got the right CRM in place, you've got the right dashboards in place for Google Analytics, you can kind of see our work. You can kind of see the efforts to results. But for the maintenance team, there is not a single source of truth, and they're even hard to punch together because some of the work that's being done, even recording work orders, is being done manually. And then, of course, here I am falling over my seat because I've been talking about automation for the past 10 years, and here maintenance is not having had the conversation. The big call out was empower maintenance techs and how to they see themselves. Give them that power. Teach them that they are the bastions of service. Do you think that they're oh I'm sorry?

SPEAKER_03 26:48

No, I feel like you're I cut off your your great. No, I've just been passionate. I've just been so bad. This stuff is amazing, it's brand new to me. I know you're very passionate about it. I love it. Do you feel like that some that some of that um that hard sell on owners and the decision makers is less about the ROI, but also the lack of faith in their maintenance teams to adopt technology?

SPEAKER_01 27:15

Yeah. And if it's not broke, don't fix it. If they've not complained about it, I've not heard a noise. Now, all my diva marketers listening, you know, we can be loud as hell when something's broke and we don't like something, and we also get sold to very passionately about these new amazing things. Our maintenance staff, um, these are our service technicians. They are literal fixers. So, is there a chance that their can their um combined voices could rise up and get us to change things? Yes. Are we asking them? Is the question. Are we actually bringing them to the table? One group has a monthly maintenance meeting, which I thought was so smart. They bring everyone together and allow them to champion in things. Uh, cost creep also happens too, I think, when when you unearth one problem, another problem unearths, another problem unearths. And I think cost creep does scare these owners. Uh yeah, but also if no one says anything, then they don't know there's a problem. And if great technology is not catering to and serving people who have never touched technology before, people who have different um learning opportunities and and learning modals, and people who might not have English as a first language, you're missing the mark on making sure that your technology is accessible to everyone. And that's when you get to talk to Monica Frazier and I about DEI technology, which we love to do.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

I think that that's interesting. And that's I think what's uh amazing about Blueprint right there. You had the opportunity to sit in on a conversation that is something you're passionate about and just learn. And you know, it was a small intimate group, and I I mean, I think that that's you know, uh a shout out to to Blueprint right there is like that that format and that information was available to you. And I think the maintenance thing that could be a whole other conversation because I have theories about how line items are seen as well, and like how you know, some are just kind of seen as like, well, it is what it is, versus like, oh, well, we can somehow move this. I'm talking about like an accounting GL, like, whereas like rent, you know, lost, I'm not even gonna remember the right word because I'm all jumbled, but you know what I mean? Like marketing spend and some others are kind of almost like they're on contracts, maybe, so they're not fixed costs. So people feel like they can adjust them, or like rent, it's like we'll just increase rent and then we'll get more income. And but I think some of those middle GLs get kind of like, eh, well, it just is what it is, and so then we don't always think about well, how could we make them better? And how could we make the lives of the people behind the GLs better? Uh so I think there's kind of a whole, I don't know, translating the spreadsheet into um into I don't know, but you kind of get it.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

I also like to answer your question too. I think only above leasing, like leasing agents, new leasing agents, when it comes to churn, uh, above that is your your main second sense. And so how are they going to adopt it? Well, that's the question. Are you providing it in a way that speaks to their problems? Are you listening to their feedback? Is it intuitive to the degree that you have, like we talked about earlier? Did you come to the table with the expectations you need to push the business forward? Are those there's their share wide, what and how? And are you educating on it? Which hey, transition going back to what Christy Fickert and I talked about. We realized the roadblocks, the roadblocks to AI adoption, we did something on the adoption curve, are um people, processes, and profits. And that those are the things that kind of get in the way. And one great gentleman in our group brought up the concept of um AI portion control, which I thought was hysterical. He said, you know, bring in bite-sized pieces of AI that you control and understand and implement. Don't go full schmorgesborg, or else you won't get any accuracy in reporting. You just added AI for the sake of AI, and no one really knows how to attribute it to pushing the business forward. You just AI'd for the sake of AIing. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 31:22

But we have an AI strategy now. What's the problem? I couldn't resist. All right. What was so one of the things about Blueprint are these kind of side conversations? You know, I was talking to you guys about like having the most amazing idea at lunch with someone. Um, you know, we were gonna change the world. Um, what was your guys' favorite informal conversation? Just happenstance had had a conversation um at Blueprint.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

I got to see an amazing moment of the company I now work at, Smart Rent, of one of our top executives who's this big think guy, seems Braden, really inspirational, have an extremely amazing, smart, quick, and to the point direct conversation with one of our amazing clients from BH, Amy. And I watched them in an environment that allowed for this conversation to happen to solve and create and ideate on problems and solutions as we watch this partnership progress. And I don't think they mind me saying that. And what I thought was so impressive is that there wasn't a lot of cacophony, Amy wasn't being pulled in different directions. It was really just so to the point, and so like using the word intimate, it just that conversation might not ever happen in another environment where both parties were being pulled in a different direction. And I got to watch that happen. And I just was really inspired by how amazing the conversation was because of its directness, because all the walls were down, and it was two people with a shared passion for success and a deep understanding of each other's business and how we're partners and how we can turn the next corner on the next big piece of innovation. That, my friend, is blueprint in so many words.

SPEAKER_02 33:04

That's incredible. I love it. I wish I had been there for that moment, actually.

SPEAKER_01 33:09

Thanks, Ad. I I kind of kept my mouth shut because I'm like, I have nothing to add here except funny jokes. Like they were just really smart. Shelly, what what about you?

SPEAKER_03 33:18

And you'll be happy because I actually have two, and one of them you were a part of. So, but certainly one of my favorite conversations was the one that you and I had with Chrissy Fickert and Eric Sharp, just really about kind of, you know, we were all taking in all of this conversation about centralization in AI and really just processing, like, okay, so AI is going to be able to do a lot of things, but we still have a lot of work to do. Like, there is going to be so much work to actually make sure that these things run properly and are connected to the right things and are not breaking down on us. And there's all of the other work that AI cannot do that we still have to do as well. And just really like a little frustration of um, you know, how like we really need to figure out like how to do that, do all of those things and kind of we still have the work of marketers to do in in addition to figuring out how to implement AI, right? Yeah. Yeah, that was a really great conversation. And then um, I also had a really great conversation with Brent Williams from uh Multifamily Insiders. And I, you know, really have not had a chance to sit down, and this is like less of a work thing, but I actually like we talked about our kids and stuff, and it was just a really, you know, it was less of a work conversation than it was just like actually really getting to know him in a way that I hadn't before. So um we certainly talked about industry stuff and everything, but it was nice to actually like learn more about him, which I thought was very lovely and nice. So that was not quite as uh quite as mic droppy of a moment, but more of a connection type of a moment. So okay.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Well, Shelly got two. I want to get two. I Shelly got two.

SPEAKER_03 35:08

You can have another. I mean, I'm not in charge, but yes.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

Who is in charge here? I need to speak with the manager. No one's in charge. Obvious. Smoking multi-fan.

SPEAKER_03 35:19

Your haircut now matches your uh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

We gotta really for those of you uh listening uh in Radioland, I have a really hip haircut right now. I'm just still getting used to. But um, okay, so amazing conversation I had was with Ann Hollander from Win Companies. So I got to see her on stage throwing down knowledge, knowledge with a capital ka about governance. And another thing I'm really jazzed about right now. And so I know I wanted to have this dialogue. We had it, we had part one during the AI exchange this summer, very well attended. And I we got to talk to Ann and I got to talk with Ann and Christy about governance, and so she laid down a quick high level, and I just never would have learned these things. So we're gonna actually bring her to the exchange, and that's the kind of thing. Again, you got to hear her talk about it on stage, and then we got a few tidbits of how to you know put it into practice, and really I learned that she is a practitioner herself and developing uh this craft of governance on AI, and I had never learned that before. Uh, she's also a major on stage, and I just think again, opportunity, there it is, ask the questions. It's like there's no celebrity bubble at blueprint. So the celebrity bubble in LA is you don't walk up to a celebrity and you tap on the shoulder and ask for a picture of a selfie, it's gauche. Uh, but in New York you can, you know, you can talk to anybody. So I think blueprint is more than New York, right? You can walk up to anybody who's there, just be intentional, ask them a purposeful question. If it's a selfie, make sure the angles are correct. But there is that more the equilibrium of stuff that we're all there as thought leaders asking big questions and not really trying to go in for the hard sell.

SPEAKER_02 36:50

I love that. It was uh started in New York, so maybe the vibe just like Oh, you're right.

SPEAKER_01 36:57

And you know, Martin's like that. You know, again, it really is it's all about the vibes, and culture starts at the core of the company. So if blueprint is a New York company that transcends the fact that, yeah, it's a kind of all access thing, we're all very much equal there with intention.

SPEAKER_02 37:09

Okay, so this time went so fast, as always. I wish we had five hours together. Like, can we just all fly together and hang out or something? But we can't right now. We will one day. But in the meantime, let's go to if you had to give one piece of advice for a first timer at Blueprint, what advice would that be? How would you want them to go into it making to make the most out of their blueprint experience?

SPEAKER_03 37:35

Yes, I think Justin gave a very good example of this earlier, but don't limit yourself to just the topics that you think are quote unquote for you. Yeah. Um, definitely seek out some of the other sessions on some of the other tracks because you can really find some lessons that will resonate with you. And one of my favorite parts of Blueprint is on Thursday on Thursday morning of the session, they have uh a main stage session that's all just developers walking through how they've gotten different projects done. And that's honestly one of my favorite sessions is just hearing um how all of these projects came together. Because we often, as marketers, we or even suppliers, we're not there at the outset of these projects and the decision making that goes into them. We kind of just have to carry them through and make sure that the buildings get full. But here we actually can learn what those challenges were and all everything that they had to go through and the decisions that they had to make in order to make it a livable building, or uh, in some cases, you know, their mixed use or whatever it is that's being created, and just the thought that goes into that and then and those challenges is just a very different thing than we typically get to hear about.

SPEAKER_02 38:56

So I agree with you. You know, I love those main stage sessions. I'm obsessed with them. My favorite thing actually that I learned this year was um about the idea of a turnaround CEO that comes into an organization that needs turned around. Um, National Association of Realtors brought in a turnaround CEO, and I was like, yes, she's my favorite person that's ever existed. Like, I didn't know that that was an actual and I learned something. I learned that CEOs have different purposes and different skill sets. And I didn't maybe I knew that, but I hadn't thought about it before. And like, I was like, I'm gonna carry that with me always. Um, Justin, what would you tell a first timer blueprinter making things up now to make the most out of their blueprint experience?

SPEAKER_01 39:48

Make intentional meetings, know your value and how to be valued based upon expectations and results, not just about what you do. Paint that picture on both sides. So if you're a vendor, clearly it is the why that will connect us all. And I think we're all there for the same why. That that wins. So you got past the why, especially in a blueprint. So what you do, how you do is valuable, but resulting in what? And if you can't tell that story, you won't be able to match the and bombs out here looking for these very specific results when she walks up. And even if it doesn't match, be kind and move along, but don't waste anybody's time. And if you set meetings without proper intentions and without specifics, and you're just wasting someone's time, you will always be remembered as a time waster because this is an intimate setting, not like an NAA where your time might get wasted, you're running around, there's tens of smorgasborg of things happening, but a blueprint, you got 15 minutes from and bomb, you better do with that. You got it with Ian, you got it with Jamie Gorsky, you got it with Ann. Like I said, the celebrity bubble is gone. You better be intentional with that time, learn their expectations and match it with what you can drive as results, or else you will be forgotten.

SPEAKER_02 41:00

I think that's good. I my advice would be you'll be forgotten. There, that's part of the AI song.

SPEAKER_01 41:09

For reverse remembered as a time a waster.

SPEAKER_03 41:14

Suddenly, this podcast has become a musical. Suddenly, have you not been on a podcast with me before, Shelly? Oh, first time. Oh no. Well, it's my second time, remember? It's our anniversary. Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_01 41:25

I guess I didn't sing last time. I was nervous.

SPEAKER_02 41:27

The apartment department, the musical. Um I I would I wouldn't mirror all of your guys's because I'll say that I've so blueprint. Obviously, both of us, all of us have gone twice. The first time last year, I went like, go, I'm gonna go to every session and I'm gonna take all the notes and learn all the things, and that was amazing. And I learned so much about other facets of real estate, um, not just multifamily uh met VCs that I'd never met before. I mean, I met people, met Justin, met Hyo, met just it was really great. And then this blueprint, I had more meetings um going into it and more kind of a set agenda. And so that was a totally different conference experience for me. I typically go and go to sessions, see people I know, but I don't necessarily always set meetings. And so I would say my advice for a first-timer um would be maybe a mix of both of those strategies. And I think exactly what both of you just said. Go in, use the app, see who's gonna be there. If you see a name that excites you, reach out to them and ask for time and and say, this is why I want to meet with you, because you're right, it is an absolute opportunity. The setting is ripe for for meetings and innovation and getting to know each other. So um, that would be my advice is plan ahead of time, look at the agenda ahead of time, which is like not new conference advice, right? But um, that would be my advice because there is there are so many opportunities at Blueprint, and I think actually each experience could be different now that I think about it. Um, but your first time, get a good mix of meetings and sessions, I think. Yeah. Any parting words before we sign off for the evening?

SPEAKER_01 43:18

We love Martin and Blueprint. Yes. If it's not the show you want, make it the show you want it to be, both for your vendors and your operators. Vendors, if you have an idea, get it in in front of these folks right now. Create the show you want it to be. That's blueprint right now. But don't complain because you didn't get an ROI or something that didn't work. You knew the drill you knew the drill. Don't overwhelm people, be intentional. Uh, and then operators, you know the drill. You are extremely valuable to us as vendors, but get us into conversations that you value, help us get into those conversations so we don't waste your time.

SPEAKER_03 43:48

Yes. Like Justin said, Blueprint is really what you make of it. It's your own, choose your own adventure. And you can go on any track you want, you can spend time in meetings, but really it's just about knowing what you want to get out of it before you get into it. So, and you can certainly deviate from that plan too, but really just have a really good plan when you go in so that you can get the most out of it.

SPEAKER_02 44:14

Yeah, no, I agree. Um, I'm already looking forward to next year and spending time with both of you. And then, of course, the famous recap after um this is for a third anniversary.

SPEAKER_03 44:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 44:27

Maybe we'll buy each other presents.

SPEAKER_03 44:28

Yeah, what is third? I think is it wood? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 44:31

Oh, it's like join us next, join us next year for blueprint. Faster, more furious, return of the blueprint. The blueprint strikes back, the blueprint awakens. The blueprint tril trilogy. Yeah, the rise of blueprint.

SPEAKER_02 44:50

Blueprint awakens. And yeah, the prequel before blueprint, there were Shelly, Justin, and Anne living separate lives.

SPEAKER_03 45:00

And then the dark the dark ages, really ages before we all knew each other. Okay. Can we also just mention how there were no puppies this year? And I think they need to bring back puppies.

SPEAKER_02 45:12

Yeah, that was a pretty yeah. Justin, do you remember that from last year? There was a whole booth with puppies. I don't remember what they were selling, but they're making it up.

SPEAKER_01 45:20

There were no puppies last year. They just walked into a pet smart and started petting puppies. You are listening to the apartment department. Thank you so much for doing it.

SPEAKER_02 45:30

Where do we make things up? No, Shelley.

SPEAKER_01 45:33

No, there was there. No, I think someone sponsors that. Usually there's a puppy sponsorship. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:38

Uh oh, got it.

SPEAKER_01 45:39

Oh, maybe they weren't puppies. They were actually people from the Rio who got lost, but were very petible.

SPEAKER_02 45:45

Did you guys oh my god, we didn't even talk about the robot dog that didn't have a head?

SPEAKER_03 45:51

And they're like a little robot kid.

unknown 45:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:54

Did you see that? And I wanted to pick him up because he's like the same size as my son.

SPEAKER_01 45:58

Technically, so I don't usually like anamorphic things in shows. I think it's detracting from the actual AI that's in our houses. Like, for instance, a a water sensor or a or a like a like a like a temperature, uh, like a like a you know, a temperature gauge. That's AI, you know, that's a machine that's working, that's learning, and setting your temperatures, everything and flowing automation. Sure, that's still, you know, a machine in your house. When you show the animatronics or the anamorphic things, it can be a bit like in the future, there'll be robots for everyone. And then it turns into Megan or that Haley Joel Osman film AI. I will say though, the dog. So we uh Christy and I engaged with the dog, and it was really interesting. They use it for like inspections, looking at parking spots, uh, looking like like places that's hard for a human to see. Yeah, you can actually send in that little creature to go do reconnaissance and capture data. It was one of the most interesting things I'd seen. Um, and and then it was also like looking. So, you know, when you look at those things, understand you are looking at a piece of theater. Sometimes they could be puppets, but then in this case, that was a real product that people could use on site today uh for certain operational functions. Really cool stuff. That is really cool.

SPEAKER_03 47:08

That is very cool. I feel like we really need to we need to rewind and just re-record this and include all that.

SPEAKER_01 47:14

Shelly was sitting there offering it a treat and going, Gonna see a puppy. I'll never know, but we didn't want to stop that dream for her. No, we didn't.

SPEAKER_02 47:21

All right, Shelly, Justin, thank you so much. I couldn't have done this without both of you. I couldn't have been at Blueprint without you, couldn't have done the recap without you. Thank you so much to Carlos. Thank you to so much to Chris, who was not here tonight, but uh we missed him. But he also wasn't at Blueprint, so um, Chris will be back next episode, thank goodness, because I miss him asking questions. Thank you to Flamingo, our sponsor, and until next time, this has been the apartment department. Thank you.