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The Most Powerful (and Ignored) Growth Tool in Property Management

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In two separate conversations over the past few weeks, both Jen Ruelens and Marc Cunningham said almost the exact same thing, and it’s been echoing in my head ever since:

“Video is the most powerful, yet most underused, tool in property management.”

They weren’t talking about marketing gimmicks or influencer-style branding. They were talking about leverage- the kind that gives you your time back and builds a compounding advantage.

Jen has been shouting this from the rooftops for years on her Hold It with PM Jen- YouTube channel content. In her words,

"You want your time back. You wanna stop having repetitive tasks and conversations."

Marc Cunningham, President of Grace Management (who helped scale to more than 1,200 doors), faced the same roadblock, realizing he'd had the exact same talk with prospective owners "800 times" before he decided to solve the problem for good.

When two of the most trusted names in property management are saying the same thing, it’s time to listen.

Because if you’re tired of explaining the same thing 50 times a week, juggling calls, and wondering how to stand out, the answer might already be sitting in your pocket.

Their shared conclusion is impossible to ignore: video isn’t just underused, it’s the single fastest way to build trust and buy back your time. It's a massive opportunity to stand out, precisely because almost none of your competitors are taking it seriously.

So when Jen told me she’s dedicating her session at NARPM Nationals to helping PMs become “the face of their market,” it made perfect sense.

She’s turning a wake-up call into a working plan- not for virality, but for visibility.

For Jen, It’s More Than a Session - It's a Mission

If you’ve ever listened to Jen Ruelens, founder of Hold It With PM Jen, speak, you know she doesn’t do fluff.

Her talks are equal parts conviction and coaching and her upcoming session at NARPM Nationals in Orlando (Wednesday, Oct 22) is no exception.

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This isn’t another marketing pep talk about “content strategy.” It’s a reality check.
Because according to Jen’s own survey, fewer than 25% of property managers use video for anything beyond property listings.

Less than 10% use it on their websites or social media. And almost no one uses it to communicate with clients, build trust, or attract talent.

That’s not a statistic, it’s a wake-up call. Jen mentioned:

“You don’t want it complicated, you don’t want it expensive. You just want your time back. You want the same message delivered clearly, every time. And above all, you want to stand out. There’s a way to do this that anyone can do… It’s video.”

Her premise is simple but revolutionary:
Every repetitive conversation you have could be replaced by a two-minute video that says it (once).

Every time you explain a process, calm a worried owner, or coach your team on the same policy, that’s a chance to record it, publish it, and never have to say it again.

It’s not about looking perfect on camera.
In fact, Jen tells audiences their first 150 videos will probably be terrible (and that’s the point).

She even jokes that you have to desensitize yourself to your own face. But behind her humor is a serious truth: the property managers who master video are the ones who will own their markets. While everyone else hides behind text threads and templated emails, they’ll be the visible, trustworthy human face that clients remember.

And this message isn’t theoretical for Jen. Just a week before her scheduled talk, she was life-flighted to a regional medical center for two abdominal surgeries and a multi-day stay in the ICU. Most people would cancel everything.

But Jen didn’t.

She knew there was one commitment she absolutely could not change: coming to Orlando to speak to you.

That’s not marketing. That’s mission.

She's coming to deliver a plan that achieves all of this without being technologically advanced or expensive.

Her session isn’t about producing viral videos, it’s about giving property managers their time, energy, and identity back.

Because in a profession defined by burnout and invisibility, video isn’t vanity. It’s survival.

If you are going to NARPM Nationals, don’t miss Jen’s talk.

But if you want a preview of what that shift looks like in the real world, Marc Cunningham’s story shows it perfectly.

That “Hideous” Video That Could Change Everything For You

For anyone who thinks they need a studio, a strategy, or a script, Marc’s beginning could not be more ordinary (or more instructive).
His first video wasn’t planned.

There was no lighting kit or “content calendar.” It happened one ordinary afternoon in his home office when he’d simply had enough of repeating himself.

Listen to how Marc just started pressing record:

“I grabbed my 13-year-old son, handed him my iPhone, and said, ‘Hit record.’  He was standing on my desk while I talked about what property management fees really cover. It was hideous. But I’d had that conversation 800 times, so I didn’t need a script.”

That two-minute, poorly lit video changed everything. The immediate result was the only metric that truly matters: “Leads, leads, owner leads.” Prospects started calling him, but the nature of the conversation had fundamentally changed. They weren't calling to be sold; they were calling because they’d watched his videos and already viewed him as a knowledgeable authority.

But that one strategic bet on content didn’t just work. It snowballed.

It set off a chain reaction that defines his business today. Each move Marc made from there: speaking, consulting, even turning “a visit to his office” into a product was born from the strategic muscle built by that first scrappy video.

Content established his expertise and gave Grace Management credibility before the first conversation. Soon, it opened bigger doors.

That growing visibility led to speaking invitations. Speaking established him as a national authority, which dramatically increased the demand for his time.

Rather than saying yes one by one, he productized that demand, creating the "Visit Grace" program where leaders pay to tour his operation.

The bug became the feature. What used to interrupt his workday became a significant revenue stream. And all of it began with a shaky iPhone video filmed by a kid standing on a desk. For property managers buried in busywork, Marc’s story proves what Jen keeps reminding us:

"It doesn't even have to be fancy... Just start talking and then get better."

So let’s make that real. Here’s how to start building that same momentum, one simple step at a time.

3 Steps To Get Started With Video

By now, you’ve probably noticed the pattern.

Both Jen and Marc are proof that you don’t need a production budget, a content team, or brilliant lighting to make video work.  You just need a process: a small, repeatable system for turning the work you’re already doing into assets that scale your time and your credibility.

I like to call it “The 3-Step Confidence Loop.”
And it’s the simplest way to start using video today (no budget required).

Step 1: The Practice Zone (Embrace the Awkward)

This first step is about embracing what Jen calls "exposure therapy." It’s a low-stakes environment designed for one purpose: to get you comfortable with the process. Instead of a public-facing video, the next time you need to explain something internally, just record it. This is where you make those first few "terrible" videos Jen talks about, desensitizing yourself to your own voice and face without any pressure. It’s not about performance; it’s about starting the reps.

Step 2: The Value Zone (Solve a Real Problem)

Here, you shift into Marc Cunningham’s mindset. Think of that one conversation you’ve had "800 times." For him, it was about management fees. What’s yours? This isn't about creating "content"; it's about solving a tangible business problem. By simply recording the answer you already know by heart, you’re not becoming a YouTuber; you’re creating a permanent, trust-building asset that saves you time and works for you 24/7.

Step 3: The Growth Zone (Outsource the Context)

This final step isn’t just about getting better on camera — it’s about expanding who’s in front of it with you.

Once you’re comfortable recording solo, start inviting others into your videos. Interview a vendor, a client, a teammate, even a competitor. The obvious benefit is reach: every guest you feature becomes a partner in distribution and a new connection in your network. You give them a platform, and in return, your credibility compounds through association.

But the deeper, less obvious value is perspective.

Co-creating content turns your camera into a listening device. The more conversations you host, the more insight you collect about what the market is actually thinking — what owners worry about, what investors misunderstand, what residents care about next.
Other voices help you refine your own.

They surface new angles, new stories, and new language that keeps your content relevant without you ever chasing ideas.

When you start recording with people instead of just for them, you stop running out of topics and start running toward collaboration.

That’s how you turn your content into an ecosystem instead of an obligation.

With time, you’ll start to notice something subtle but powerful:

• Your voice will change. You’ll speak with more confidence.
• You’ll move from reactive to proactive communication.
• You’ll become the visible, steady presence your clients rely on.

And once you’ve built that muscle, everything else becomes easier… whether it’s nailing your elevator pitch, speaking in public, or even editing videos in a pinch.

This framework is your starting line. It’s how you begin building the muscle today.

If you’re ready to turn that muscle into a strategic advantage, Jen’s session at NARPM Nationals is where you get the complete work plan.

See you in Orlando.

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Pablo Gonzalez,

Chief Evangelist at Vendoroo