We were lucky to catch up with Roger Trent recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Roger, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My source of strength originates from my father, a retired veteran whose unwavering faith was immense. He possessed a remarkable ability to believe in even the most implausible outcomes and then diligently work towards them until they materialized. Among his many aphorisms, one that resonated deeply with me was “No excuse soldier.” I’ve embraced this wholeheartedly. I firmly believe in setting goals and relentlessly pursuing them. There have been numerous occasions when I’ve faced setbacks, returning home feeling bruised and defeated, much like a child with scraped knees, elbows, and dirt-stained clothes, reluctant to venture back out into the world. However, I’ve learned that indulging in self-pity never yields positive results. Instead, I’ve chosen to dust myself off and persevere, embodying the spirit of determination instilled in me by my father.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My journey began many years ago in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I started as a groundskeeper for an apartment community. I took immense pride in maintaining the cleanliness of the five miles of sidewalks, striving for efficiency without compromising quality. Impressed by my work ethic, my supervisors soon promoted me to a maintenance technician. One of my responsibilities included carpet cleaning, for which management provided a new machine without any training. The goal was for me to dye carpets that were deeply stained as opposed to replacing them to save money. With no access to resources like YouTube, I taught myself through trial and error until I perfected the technique. Unfortunately, an injury while carrying the carpet machine upstairs led to a desk duty assignment, where my phone greeting caught the attention of the company owner. This chance encounter resulted in a promotion to leasing agent and the provision of my own desk. Concurrently, I worked nights as a security officer at another complex, eventually transitioning into a leasing agent and resident event coordinator role.
Upon relocating to Nashville, Tennessee, I joined Freeman Webb Property Management, under the mentorship of Debra Hicks. Debra was a fair no nonsense leader who taught me to lead with strength and humility. That paved the way for me to manage my own property at RCP Management. Under the guidance of property owner Julius DeSantis, I gained invaluable insights into ownership responsibilities. He would often say “Roger this is your property, think like an owner!”
I come from a long line of entrepreneurs. My Dad founded a church, my uncle Bobby owned a barbecue restaurant, my brother Melvin owned a car wash, my brother Greg owned a Secondhand store, and my brother Cliff owns a large Construction company, so it would only be befitting for me to launch out into that world. After years in property management, I ventured into event planning, founding a company to serve apartment communities. Nashville’s rapid growth provided an ideal environment for our business. Drawing from my diverse career experiences, I incorporated principles of cleanliness, problem-solving, and exceptional customer service into our operations. Our events bring joy to residents and support leasing teams, with meticulous cleanup ensuring a seamless experience. The last thing we do when cleaning up after an event is to dry the sink in the serving area. I often tell our team it should look as though we were never there.
We’ve put together a diverse team that excels at every level. Our new Accounts Manager Sahara Bey is a perfect example of that. She is effortlessly working with our clients to ensure that we are not just providing great events but that we are building long lasting relationships. VPO Donna Trent works with all our vendors, employees and takes a hands-on approach with the residents making sure that they feel welcomed. Expanding our horizons, we recently joined the Apartment Association in Dallas, Texas, eager to extend our services to the Dallas/Fort Worth community. Our five-year goal for Apartment Community Functions is to establish a presence in seven new cities, fueled by our unwavering commitment to excellence and service. Also, inspired by my three decades in property management, we launched the podcast “By The 5th,” blending humor with insightful anecdotes. It’s available on YouTube Spotify and Apple Podcast.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back the 3 qualities that were most impactful were the following 1, Tenacity – You have to be tenacious there are moments that make you feel as though you want to quit but you must be able to keep fighting.
2. Willing to learn. – Between, seminars, YouTube and a thousand questions to those who’ve already done it. I am a career student. Ive made it my practice to read 2 books a month. This keeps my mind open to new ideas and opportunities.
3. Being Resourceful – I didn’t start with seed money. I had to think of ideas to make events work until I was able to actually make money. Covid almost took our business out but we launched our online events and pool monitoring services which by thinking outside the box allowed us not to just keep from going out of business but created new streams of income.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I believe that the way you start your day greatly impacts how you finish the day. I read a book called “The 5a.m. club” that confirmed my habits were going in the right direction. As it suggest in the book, I wake up at 5a.m. I meditate and give thanks to God for my life. I work out at the gym and then I do my Spanish class. By the time I hit the clock I’m focussed and prepared for whatever may come my way. If I find myself getting overwhelmed I step aside and take a deep breath and maybe a long walk to remind myself that this is what I do. I’m built for this and whatever it is, it’s just another problem that needs to be solved. And as my mom always says “This to shall pass!”
Contact Info:
- Website: apartmentcommunityfunctions.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Bythe5thpodcast
Image Credits
Deborah Wilson
