• Episode 151: Why this PM Owner Has a 4.8-Star Rating with 1,000 Doors (Trent Ratliff)
    Jul 7 2025

    In this episode of The Evernest Property Management Show, property management owner Trent Ratliff tells host Spencer Sutton how he scaled from 200 to 1,000 doors across Atlanta and Montgomery.

    You'll discover:
    • How Trent accidentally found himself contributing to the 2008 market crash
    • The one decision that changed Trent's life and led to 1,000 doors owned
    • The type of investors that fueled these industry vets' growth pattern
    • The impact of tariffs on the property management industry
    • Why most property managers get stuck between 400-600 doors (and how to overcome)
    • How Trent leveraged virtual assistance to scale his business
    • The importance of creating a positive work environment to promote growth
    • Why Trent focuses on long-term relationships
    • The need for engaging in your local property management group
    Plus:
    • Experts' predictions on AI and the property management industry
    • How the "make it right, make it count, make it meaningful" mindset has fueled Trent's business success
    • Why industry-specific coaches are like chiropractors

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Guest: Trent Ratliff

    Link: Connect with Evernest

    Link: Evernest YouTube Channel (@ThreeHundredToThreeThousand) (Watch this episode and more!)

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • Episode 150: Culture > Contracts: Courtney Parks’ Playbook for Growing a Human-Driven PM Business
    Jun 30 2025

    In this episode of The Evernest Property Management Show, Spencer Sutton sits down with Courtney Parks, Principal Broker & Director of Operations, Allegiance Property Management, to dive into:

    • How Courtney fell into property management and rose to lead her company
    • What it means to suddenly be the one setting the vision and culture—even when it’s not “your” company
    • Why property management desperately needs better PR—and how Courtney is working to elevate the industry
    • The painful (and hilarious) story of the time she accidentally put a new roof on the wrong house—and what it taught her about systems and leadership
    • What makes a great property manager (hint: it’s not what you think)
    • The challenge of balancing empathy with boundaries when dealing with owners, residents, and vendors
    • Why Google reviews and word-of-mouth still rule—and how she wins them over one touchpoint at a time
    • How to grow leaders inside your company—even if you’re still figuring it out yourself
    • The turning point when she realized it was time to define a mission, core values, and build culture intentionally

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Guest: Courtney Parks, Principal Broker & Director of Operations, Allegiance Property Management | Meet Courtney on LinkedIn

    Link: Connect with Evernest

    Link: Evernest YouTube Channel (@ThreeHundredToThreeThousand) (Watch this episode and more!)

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • Episode 149: Want to Grow? This is the Way
    Jun 23 2025

    In this episode of The Evernest Property Management Show, Spencer and Matthew sit down with longtime friend and recruiter, Dylan Scroggins — Founder of Kalmar Group and property management’s unofficial headhunter.

    They cover:

    • Why your “founder story” doesn’t matter to an A-player (and what does)
    • The #1 role property managers get wrong when hiring
    • When it’s time to stop hiring from your network and start hiring like a pro
    • The Grinder: a brutal but brilliant interview technique that exposes true talent
    • Why most PMs think they need a “director” before they actually do
    • What great storytelling has to do with great recruiting
    • How to hire someone that makes you nervous (in the best way possible)
    • The mistake of confusing “good at lunch” with “good at the job”
    • How Nick Saban built a dynasty using recruiting as his superpower — and how PM owners can do the same
    • A step-by-step hiring process for teams under 500 doors (including the exact order of interviews)

    Plus:

    • A hilarious origin story of the term “The Grinder”
    • Spencer and Matthew’s keys to finding, landing, and keeping A-players
    • Dylan’s worst reason to hire someone — and it’s one most PMs fall for

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Guest: Dylan Scroggins, Founder of Kalmar Group | Meet Dylan on LinkedIn

    Link: Connect with Evernest

    Link: Evernest YouTube Channel (@ThreeHundredToThreeThousand) (Watch this episode and more!)

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • Episode 148: Developing a Killer Sales Team
    Jun 16 2025

    What does it really take to build and lead a high-performing property management sales team?

    In this candid and highly practical episode, Spencer sits down with Evernest’s Director of Sales, Hunter Terryn, to pull back the curtain on what makes a killer Business Development Manager (BDM). From early-stage training and culture-fit assessments to playbooks, referral strategies, and what to do when a top performer becomes a liability—this conversation is a masterclass in sales leadership for property management companies.

    Whether you’re a solo operator, a sales leader, or a BDM in the trenches, this episode delivers straight talk and actionable tactics you won’t find anywhere else.

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Guest: Hunter Terryn, Evernest’s Director of Sales

    Link: The Challenger Sale – Book mentioned on rogue sales archetypes

    Link: The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner – Required reading for Evernest BDMs

    Link: WHO Interview Method – Used to screen all sales hires

    Link: Lead Simple – CRM mentioned for call recordings and pipeline tracking

    Link: Connect with Evernest

    Link: Evernest YouTube Channel (@ThreeHundredToThreeThousand) (Watch this episode and more!)

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Episode 147: What Separates an Average Business Development Manager (BDM) from a Killer BDM?
    Jun 9 2025

    In this episode, Spencer and Matthew pull back the curtain on over a decade of hiring, coaching, and managing salespeople in the property management space. With insights from interviewing hundreds (and hiring over 50!) BDMs, they break down the 8 defining characteristics of top performers—from personality profiles and follow-up discipline to local market mastery and brand representation.

    Whether you're hiring your first salesperson or leading a growing team, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom to help you build a sales engine that drives long-term growth.

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Link: Connect with Evernest

    Link: Evernest YouTube Channel (@ThreeHundredToThreeThousand) (Watch this episode and more!)

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • Episode 146: Selling a PM Company in 2025: What’s Changed and What Hasn’t
    Jun 2 2025

    Thinking about selling your property management business? Whether you're looking to retire, reduce stress, or cash out at the right time, this episode breaks down what you need to know about selling in today’s market.

    Spencer and Matthew take you behind the scenes of Evernest’s acquisition strategy and what they look for, red flags that kill deals, and how to position your company for maximum value. Plus, they offer rare insight into the macro market shifts impacting prices, capital access, and why density = profitability in 2025.

    If you’re planning to sell now or 5 years from now, this is a must-listen masterclass in real-world M&A strategy.

    What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

    ✅ How the M&A landscape has shifted since 2021—and what that means for valuations
    ✅ Why so many property management companies are stuck in a “slog” right now
    ✅ The #1 thing that drives profitability in a market =
    ✅ Red flags that will make Evernest walk away from a deal
    ✅ The 3 P’s of every sale: Price, People, and Process
    ✅ How to increase your company’s value before selling (even 3–5 years out)
    ✅ Why seller financing is becoming more common in this tight capital market
    ✅ What makes a market or portfolio attractive—and what makes us pass
    ✅ The importance of removing yourself from the center of your business

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Link: Connect with Evernest

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Episode 145: 7 Pitfalls to Avoid When Scaling Your Property Management Company
    May 26 2025

    After a short hiatus, The Evernest Property Management Show is back with a brand-new studio and a renewed focus on giving you actionable insights to grow your property management business the right way.

    In this episode, we get into one of the most difficult things ambitious property managers can do: Scaling a property management company while avoiding the dangerous landmines.

    Drawing from our experience growing Evernest from 30 to over 20,000 doors, we'll unpack the 7 most common mistakes PMs make when trying to scale.

    Whether you're just starting your PM company or managing hundreds of doors, this episode is packed with real stories, hard-earned wisdom, and a few laughs along the way.

    Bonus: Spencer announces a new investor-focused podcast (and casually fires Matthew on-air 👀).

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Links & Resources:

    • Connect with Evernest

    • Related Episode: Poplar Acquisition Breakdown

    • Book mentioned: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Episode 144: The Evernest Story, Part 6 - Inside Our Latest Acquisitions
    Feb 17 2025

    In this bonus episode of the Evernest Property Management Show, we reflect on the ambitious journey from setting a seemingly impossible goal of 25,000 doors to nearly achieving it, with 23,000 doors under management by December 2024. We also reveal our most recent Poplar Homes and Picket acquisitions, the importance of building relationships in a close-knit industry, and our challenges in the journey.

    We share insights on setting and pursuing big goals, the evolving role of technology, and our future target of managing 250,000 doors.

    ===================================

    Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co

    Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts

    Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co

    ===================================

    Production House: Flint Stone Media

    Copyright of Evernest 2025.

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins