NAME: Logan Johnson
TITLE: Regional Manager, Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana and Southern Wisconsin Region
COMPANY: Axiom Properties
YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 8
units: You grew up in the industry, working at your Dads community. What attracted you to it?
Johnson: Honestly, I wasnt exactly drawn to the industry as much as I was expected to show up and help out with whatever was necessary. I spent time doing a little of everything, from maintenance to landscaping to turns to showing apartments. After a while I grew to understand the business much better and really started to enjoy the work. Once I graduated college I gravitated back to the field and was lucky to find a job with Axiom Properties.
units: What was the most eye-opening job youve done?
Johnson: When I first started out professionally and had to put together my first operating budget for a property from start to finish. Doing that really put things in perspective. There is so much to consider when planning for your propertys future and you really have to be in tune with every aspect of your site, from marketing to maintenance. For that reason, its important for all managers to share the details of the propertys budget and their expectations with everyone onsite.
units: Whats the best advice your father gave you?
Johnson: My dad is a man of few words, but one thing he would always say that sticks with me today is, Never put off until tomorrow, what can be done today. I still have to remind myself of that from time to time, but it really is a great motto to live and work by. While that may be the best single piece of advice he ever gave me, I think I learned the most from him just by observing how hard he worked. I am not sure I have ever met anyone with as strong a work ethic.
units: Do you notice a difference in your fathers leadership style versus yours, coming from another generation?
Johnson: My dad was a real my way or the highway kind of leader. I think there is a time and place for that but I really try to foster a positive, upbeat working environment for my employees. In general, a lot of the standard principals of leadership are universal. No matter how old you are you have to respect your employees and work to motivate each individual in the best way possible for that person.
I became a property manager early on and I found myself managing people more than twice my age. I quickly learned that it was important to earn everyones respect before you demand it. My best advice for someone starting out would be to lead by example and never ask someone to do something you wouldnt do yourself.
units: How will young professionals change the industry in the next five to 10 years?
Johnson: We already are seeing a big change in the way things are done. Virtually everything we do in the industry has shifted to the Web, whether its marketing or cloud-based management software. Our properties have eliminated 99 percent of our print advertising. The days of looking for an apartment in the newspaper are all but over. As industry professionals we will have a unique ability to relate to our residents. Our generation has grown up in a different world than our parents. Less and less of us are buying homes and have spent the better part of our young adult lives living in apartments. We are well equipped to cater to the needs of todays renters.