Tyler Freed Career Background
What is your biggest career achievement?
- Within the first 90-days of 2022, two beloved members of my team passed away. Grief felt throughout the team from the losses was only compounded by the strain caused by the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 pandemic. Operating with a fraction of our usual workforce for the majority of the year, meeting goals seemed impossible. Prioritizing mental and emotional well-being became paramount to the way I conducted business. I initiated frequent check-ins, adjusting plans to accommodate individual needs without compromising business objectives. Flexibility was key - encouraging mental health breaks, extending deadlines, and ensuring equitable workload distribution.
Creating a space of trust and support was vital. Despite these tribulations, we emerged stronger together because of it. Remarkably, the properties thrived against the odds, achieving unprecedented success, surpassing budgeted expectations for NOI, and witnessing substantial growth in reputation. Despite the simultaneous "Great Resignation", I successfully retained all team members, even having the opportunity to later promote three team members in early 2023.
My greatest achievement has been guiding my team through emotional turmoil, fostering resilience, and proving that prioritizing people leads to exceptional business outcomes. 2022 solidified my belief: what you invest in your people, they will invest into the business.
Given your past experiences, what event/ project or moment would you revisit and how would you go about it differently based on your current frame of mind?
- This is a difficult question to answer, not because I feel I've excelled in all aspects of my life and career, but instead because I have always been of the mindset that my current position is a culmination of the continual growth and learning that I have gone through in my experiences, both for better and worse, and I generally feel I wouldn't change anything that has led me here.
That said, one aspect I am actively reshaping which I wish I'd have had a better grasp on earlier involves the ability to grant myself the freedom to detach from work. This is a skill I continue to work at to this day; however, I have been able to successfully start separating from a perfection-driven mindset, finding a balance through knowing when things are satisfactory. This shift has noticeably improved my mental well-being in recent years, elevating my overall happiness, and allowing me to bring that mindset into work with me and be a model for my team.
From your perspective, what is the industry lacking to support the modern renter and how do you plan to help supply that need?
- From my perspective, the multifamily housing industry lacks adequate supply of affordable housing. This is a critical issue as living costs outpace income growth, due in no small part to overall housing supply constraints.
Affordable housing isn't just about access; it's a catalyst for opportunities, preventing the dire choice between exorbitant rents or unsafe living conditions. Moreover, it serves as the cornerstone of equity in housing, fostering inclusive and diverse communities by providing access to essential aspects of life such as jobs and education. This access not only enhances the quality of life for current residents but also lays a foundation for future generations.
While my current capacity doesn’t afford the opportunity of having direct decision-making power in housing development, there are opportunities to make a meaningful impact in this area.
I plan to support this need through active advocacy within my local apartment association, championing legislative programs which support the construction of apartments to bring greater supply to the market, as well as initiatives which subsidize the creation of affordable units. As my career evolves and my influence expands, I aim to educate developers and property owners on the advantages of incorporating and upholding affordability elements in their properties.