Key takeaways
What property managers can take from Sean’s approach
- Embrace change, or lead it. Sean says change is constant in property management, from budgets to technology to tenants, and people who dislike it won’t last.
- Treat criticism as an opportunity. Even when you don’t agree with feedback, step back, think about it, and work on it anyway.
- Give your team room to grow. Sean avoids micromanaging and tries to stay consistent, so his team knows what to expect and isn’t afraid to bring him problems.
- Keep the property in good repair. Leasing teams are the drivers and property managers build the car. A cracked tile or chipped wall tells a prospective tenant nobody cares.
- Downtown recovery takes everyone. Competing landlords, banks, schools, and the city are working together on safety, cleanliness, and spaces that bring people back.
About the guest
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Sean Kirk
Director, Property Management, Canderel
Sean oversees Edmonton City Centre for Canderel. He started in shopping centres as a tenant coordinator, worked his way up to property manager at Southgate Centre, and spent five years as general manager of Sherwood Park Mall. He holds a Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge and an RPA, sits on the BOMA Edmonton board, and serves on the steering committee of Edmonton’s Downtown Recovery Coalition.
Episode summary
In this episode
Jared Sarbit talks with Sean Kirk, Director of Property Management at Canderel, who oversees Edmonton City Centre. Sean fell into the industry through a job at Yuk Yuk’s comedy club, then worked his way from tenant coordinator to general manager at Edmonton-area shopping centres before joining Edmonton City Centre.
Sean shares Canderel’s story, the traits that helped him move up, and how he gives and receives feedback. He talks about his education and designations, serving on the BOMA board, and his work with Edmonton’s Downtown Recovery Coalition on safety, cleanliness, and the new downtown entertainment zone.
He also covers how he prioritizes repairs, where technology and AI fit into security and operations, the role sustainability will play, and what he looks for in a janitorial partner for a large mixed-use site.
Chapters
- 0:00Episode preview
- 1:26Introducing Sean Kirk
- 1:44The story of Canderel
- 3:43From a comedy club to Edmonton City Centre
- 9:56Traits behind his success
- 12:47Giving and receiving feedback
- 15:22Education and designations
- 19:54Serving on the BOMA board
- 22:43The Downtown Recovery Coalition
- 26:38Bringing people back downtown
- 28:12Why clean spaces matter
- 29:23Communicating with stakeholders
- 31:24Prioritizing repairs and upgrades
- 33:44Technology and AI
- 36:17Trends shaping property management
- 38:48Advice for aspiring property managers
- 41:09Managing a complex downtown property
- 43:57What he looks for in a janitorial company
- 45:46The property he would love to manage
- 47:27Book recommendations
Jump to a chapter (20)
- 0:00Episode preview
- 1:26Introducing Sean Kirk
- 1:44The story of Canderel
- 3:43From a comedy club to Edmonton City Centre
- 9:56Traits behind his success
- 12:47Giving and receiving feedback
- 15:22Education and designations
- 19:54Serving on the BOMA board
- 22:43The Downtown Recovery Coalition
- 26:38Bringing people back downtown
- 28:12Why clean spaces matter
- 29:23Communicating with stakeholders
- 31:24Prioritizing repairs and upgrades
- 33:44Technology and AI
- 36:17Trends shaping property management
- 38:48Advice for aspiring property managers
- 41:09Managing a complex downtown property
- 43:57What he looks for in a janitorial company
- 45:46The property he would love to manage
- 47:27Book recommendations
From the conversation
Transcript excerpts
If you don’t like change, get out of this business.
Sean KirkPlay from 10:54
Even though in some cases we might be competing against each other, we’re all united in the fact that… the downtown needs to be better.
Sean KirkPlay from 0:30
You just want to be the person that management looks at first when there’s an opportunity.
Sean KirkPlay from 40:02
Managing a busy mixed-use property in Edmonton?
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 is Canderel?
Canderel is a Canadian real estate company founded in Montreal. Sean Kirk says it now has more than 650 employees, offices across Canada, and about 80 million square feet of owned and managed property, with services in investment management, development, property management, sustainability consulting, and leasing.
What is Edmonton's Downtown Recovery Coalition?
It is a group of downtown stakeholders, including landlords, banks, schools, and the city, working together to help downtown Edmonton recover after the pandemic. Its focus includes safety and security, keeping the area clean, and supporting new spaces like the downtown entertainment zone.
What does Sean Kirk look for in a janitorial company?
For a large site, he looks for a company that can handle large-scale facilities, trains and treats its staff well to reduce turnover, and puts customer service first, since shoppers will approach anyone in uniform with questions.
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