In this episode, Andrew Bowen is joined by Misty Sanford, who successfully made the leap from multifamily marketing executive to co-founder of one of North Texas’ most recognizable craft breweries: Manhattan Project Beer Company. Recorded inside the brewery’s podcast studio, Misty and Andrew unpack what it means to break free from multifamily’s gravitational pull — and what lessons cross over between beer and buildings.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why brand consistency matters more than ever in commoditized industries
• How building a “badge brand” in beer applies to apartment branding
• Why you can’t outsource your vision — in beer or in business
• How to think about company brand vs. asset brand in multifamily
• What multifamily can learn from distributor relationships in the beer industry
• The value of internal storytelling and operational alignment
• Community building lessons from the taproom
• How data and merchandisers shape retail strategy — and why ILSs might be your shelves

Guest Info:
Misty Sanford
Co-Founder
Manhattan Project Beer Company
Website: https://www.manhattanproject.beer

Host:
Andrew Bowen
ApartmentJedi.com | https://www.apartmentjedi.com

Renewals are having a moment. In this episode, Andrew Bowen is joined by Darcey Forbes of Renew to examine the shift in multifamily toward prioritizing resident retention. Drawing on two decades of industry experience and current market data, Darcey breaks down what’s driving this movement, why it’s more than a temporary trend, and how operators can build better renewal strategies across technology, culture, and communication.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What’s fueling the rise in renewal conversion rates across the industry
• Why retention is no longer a side conversation — it’s the strategy
• How centralized and specialized teams are changing the game
• The power of forecasting vs. just measuring renewal performance
• Why “automate the routine, humanize the exceptions” is the new operations mantra
• The evolving loyalty opportunity in multifamily (and what we can learn from hotels)
• How budgeting should reflect the true financial impact of retention
• The friction points that are holding back renewal performance today

Guest Info:
Darcey Forbes
Industry Principal
Renew
Website: https://www.heyrenew.com

Host:
Andrew Bowen
ApartmentJedi.com | https://www.apartmentjedi.com

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Renew.
• UDR earnings commentary on lifetime value
• ApartmentJedi.com

In this episode, Andrew Bowen sits down with Mike Whaling, founder of multifamily marketing agency 30 Lines, to explore how agentic AI is transforming marketing — and why content strategy matters more than ever. From zero-click search to corporate branding and centralized marketing, Mike breaks down how operators, marketers, and even asset managers can better position themselves for the next evolution of leasing.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why agentic AI is already shaping renter behavior
• How zero-click search is disrupting traditional SEO
• Why content marketing is more important than ever (and how to do it right)
• The real difference between leasing and locating
• Why every community amenity should have its own content page
• How centralized roles (like event planners) can drive both retention and ancillary revenue
• The missed opportunity of corporate branding in multifamily
• What property managers can learn from hotels and auto dealerships

Guest Info:
Mike Whaling
President & Founder
30 Lines
Website: https://www.30lines.com

Host:
Andrew Bowen
ApartmentJedi.com | https://www.apartmentjedi.com

Mentioned in the Episode:

• 30 Lines
• ApartmentJedi.com
• U-Haul Migration Trends Report