From starting a business in the midst of the Great Recession to continuing to grow that same business 11 years later through a global pandemic, challenging economic conditions haven’t stopped Property Management Professionals from making a name for themselves.
“I think when you start a business during a time where there’s adversity and challenges that are unique, you absolutely are going to be able to adapt and change,” PMP President Brad Watson said. “It’s one thing to be able to adapt and change from your operational platforms, but it also takes a team that embraces change and embraces figuring out new ways to do things during adversity.”
PMP is a homeowners association management company that has continued to expand over the last decade. The company has now grown to a total of seven divisions across Southern California, along with offices out of state in Austin, Texas and Phoenix. The team manages more than 40,000 homes in 160 homeowners associations.
With the housing market all but dried up, Watson and his team were determined to stand out in an industry where there’s a lot of competition, creating something different than the status quo to elevate the experience for clients.
“I think that competitive nature really helped us to create something that’s really special, focused on customer service, and it helped us to grow, despite the recession and despite the collapse of the housing market, offering homeowners throughout Santa Clarita Valley, a different type of personal service that they just weren’t getting anywhere else,” he added.
When the pandemic hit, it was that adaptability that allowed PMP to transition smoothly into not just working remotely, but offering their services remotely, as well.
“The only thing that’s consistent at PMP is change, and that’s part of our culture,” Watson said. “We’re very comfortable with change, and we continue to innovate, continually looking for ways to do better.”
Designated an essential service, the PMP team worked to make sure they were able to offer clients all of the same services they would normally offer.
“Homeowners can do everything that they used to have to call in or walk into our office to do on their iPads or computers from home, so they have that as an option, and in fact, that option has become very important in our pandemic world,” he added. “We’re humbled to be able to rely on online innovation to handle most association matters. … It was a very smooth transition for our clients and our board members, so it allowed us to continue working to grow our business.”
For Watson, it’s the sense of community they’ve found and fostered within the Santa Clarita Valley that he attributes to the company’s success, translating a community-centric business into a commitment to service.
“That commitment and focus on community is something that everyone yearns for, and it’s something that is lacking in some submarkets,” Watson said. “They appreciate when they see a business that shares that commitment to community, and that’s a big part of what we deliver that sets us apart and also makes such a great relationship between PMP and the Santa Clarita Valley.”
Even though the pandemic has changed the way PMP does business, Watson said it hasn’t swayed that commitment, which begins internally with the workplace culture.
“I still yearn for the days when we can all get back to the office just because in our company, we spend so much time focused on internal culture, and it’s what led to our growth,” he added. “My goal was to build a company in a culture that extends way past me, and whether I’m here or not, it continues on … And I believe that every one of our 170 employees feels like it’s their company too, and that’s what we wanted to create.”
“I’ve always said since inception that no matter how large we grow, I will always keep our corporate office right here in Santa Clarita,” Watson said. “We found great partners here in the Santa Clarita Valley … and the community’s really caring about the businesses who choose to be here.”
The SCV’s business-friendly environment is something PMP has valued, as it’s hard to come by, according to Watson.
“Opening up in other submarkets throughout Southern California, you just don’t have that type of personal touch that Santa Clarita has,” Watson added. “It’s always been home for me and for my business, and so I want to make sure as we continue to grow that we can continue to grow business here as well.”
Property Management Professionals is located at 27220 Turnberry Lane, Suite 150,Valencia.
