Key takeaways
Lessons on kindness, curiosity, and operations
- Bring solutions, not problems. Margaret presents two or three options for every challenge, so at least one gets implemented and her confidence grows.
- Treat budgets like your own wallet. Clients notice and appreciate a property manager who spends their money carefully.
- Make space for kindness in every conversation. Tenants will forget the numbers, but they will always remember how you treated them.
- Learn how your buildings work. Go to every lunch and learn, meet your building operators regularly, and let them teach you.
- Get to know your property accountant. They can show clients the value of your operational work in the numbers that matter to them.
About the guest
MG
Margaret Gorska
Property Manager, Epic Investment Services
Margaret is a property manager with Epic Investment Services in Calgary, managing properties in Alberta and Manitoba. She came to property management from logistics, including serving as director of logistics for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and managing an RCMP facilities portfolio in Alberta. She holds her RECA licence and is one exam away from her broker licence.
Episode summary
In this episode
Margaret Gorska came to property management through logistics, including the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and an RCMP facilities portfolio, before a recruiter spotted the word facilities on her LinkedIn profile. She now manages properties in Alberta and Manitoba for Epic Investment Services.
She explains her approach of asking forgiveness rather than permission, why she always arrives with solutions, and how she mentors people around her. She also shares why kindness matters in tenant relationships, how she stays close to building operations, and where technology helps and where it falls short.
Margaret covers the security challenges facing smaller properties, her advice for aspiring property managers, what she looks for in a janitorial company, and the books that shaped her career and finances.
Chapters
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:50About Epic Investment Services
- 2:59Margaret’s path into property management
- 6:52Ask for forgiveness, not permission
- 9:03Bringing solutions, not problems
- 11:09Her current portfolio
- 14:35Successful tenant relationships
- 16:53Operational excellence
- 19:11Technology and the human touch
- 22:05Security challenges
- 27:34Advice for property managers
- 31:05What she looks for in janitorial
- 37:06Dream property
- 40:56Book recommendations
Jump to a chapter (14)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:50About Epic Investment Services
- 2:59Margaret’s path into property management
- 6:52Ask for forgiveness, not permission
- 9:03Bringing solutions, not problems
- 11:09Her current portfolio
- 14:35Successful tenant relationships
- 16:53Operational excellence
- 19:11Technology and the human touch
- 22:05Security challenges
- 27:34Advice for property managers
- 31:05What she looks for in janitorial
- 37:06Dream property
- 40:56Book recommendations
From the conversation
Transcript excerpts
I have already come across the same tenant three times in the city at three different property management companies and they’ll never remember the numbers that we worked with but they will absolutely remember how you treated them…
Margaret GorskaPlay from 0:08
There’s always space for kindness in every conversation, especially with tenant relationships.
Margaret GorskaPlay from 0:25
Take the time to meet with your building operators on a regular basis. I cannot say this enough. Listen to them. They know what they’re doing. Let them teach you.
Margaret GorskaPlay from 1:02
Want a janitorial team that respects its people?
We’ll walk your building with you and send a written cleaning scope and price. Free, no obligation.
Read the conversation
Full episode transcript
Show transcript
Paste the edited transcript here.
FAQ
Questions about this episode
What does Margaret look for in a janitorial company?
She starts with recommendations from trusted property managers and invites strong vendors to her tenders. Then she looks at how a company treats its employees, because cleaning staff are tenant facing and do their best work when they feel respected. Low turnover is a good sign.
Why does Margaret value relationships with cleaning staff?
Cleaners see parts of a building that property managers never will. They can flag safety concerns, like too many appliances in a kitchen, before they become problems. Margaret makes surprise visits and learns staff names to build that trust.
What books does Margaret recommend?
The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, which she says helps people understand how successful people got where they are.
More episodes from the podcast
Adam Ludgate of Cirkuit: How Smart Sensors Are Changing Building Operations
Adam Ludgate of Cirkuit explains how wireless sensors catch water leaks within minutes, why insurers are starting to pay attention, and where older buildings should start.
Marty Connelly: 45 Years of Family, Integrity & Condo Management Leadership
Marty Connelly shares what 45 years of family-run condo management in Calgary taught him about responsiveness, hiring, and keeping a personal touch across 100+ properties.
Maria Bartolotti: Resilience, Leadership & Building One of Calgary’s Leading Condo Management Firms
Maria Bartolotti of New Concept Management on nearly leaving the industry, educating condo boards, preventing burnout, and recruiting Alberta’s next condo managers.