Meet Bethany Wanroy!
Bethany is an Assistant Property Manager to several brokers here at NAI Wisinski of West Michigan. She has over 7 years of West Michigan Property Management experience, and she believes that flexibility is the key to being a successful property manager.
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Where did you go to college, and did you always know commercial real estate was for you?
I went to Calvin College where I studied psychology, and no, I did not get involved in commercial real estate until I came here. I did residential property management before this. I was a residential property manager for 7 or 8 years before coming here.
What sparked your interest in Property Management?
It sort of fell into my lap after becoming a leasing agent for my first property-related management job, and I have stuck with it ever since!
What does your typical workday entail?
Generally, my day-to-day is very different from one day to the next. I do a lot of work with invoicing for our 100+ properties. I code them to make sure they are getting billed to the right entity. I also talk to tenants and vendors every day, so I wear a lot of different hats.
What is the most important quality to have as a property manager?
Being flexible. You need to be able to think on your feet and be able to respond to crisis as it happens and be able to prioritize all of that. You also need a courteous attitude, especially towards tenants and being mindful of our owners as well. Property managers must field a lot of different people all the time, so it’s about being creative to come up with solutions to make everyone happy.
As a woman within the male-dominated field of property management, what has navigating that landscape looked like?
I have noticed that there are less women in the workforce when it comes to commercial real estate versus residential real estate. You do have to have a thick skin and be able to stand up for yourself. Also, being younger in the industry was a big obstacle for me, as people tend to think you don’t know what you’re doing. Being confident in yourself was a huge learning curve for me as I started managing bigger portfolios, and I struggled with imposter syndrome that I had to work to get over.
What is your best piece of advice to give to college graduates entering the workforce?
Have an open mind! Don’t immediately discount a job just because you are not sure of what it is. Young people are in a really great place to learn, you can teach anybody a certain job, but you can’t teach someone to have a good attitude and be a team player.
If you didn’t go into CRE, what would you be doing?
If I weren’t in this job, I would probably work at a library. I love books, so I would love to be a librarian.
Where in Grand Rapids could someone find you on the weekends?
Besides my house, I love hanging out in Eastown – It’s a really fun neighborhood. I also love Schuler Books and Harmony Brewing. Matchbox Diner in Eastown is really great too.
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Contact Bethany for your property management needs using the link below!