Unlocking Doors

Texas Apartment Education Foundation (TAAEF)
  • 3.7 (3)
  • CAREERS

Unlocking Doors is a Texas Apartment Association Education Foundation (TAAEF) podcast series focused on career growth and advancement in the Texas rental housing industry. It highlights real career stories, lessons learned, and practical advice from professionals across multifamily housing. The purpose of the podcast is to inspire jobseekers, early‑career professionals, and those exploring career paths in the Texas apartment industry by showcasing real journeys and the many ways people enter and grow in the field. Hosted by Christy Rodriguez, with Judwin Properties and the immediate past-TAAEF President. 

Episodes

  1. Unlocking Doors: Building a Career in Apartment Maintenance with Coby Racine

    1D AGO

    Unlocking Doors: Building a Career in Apartment Maintenance with Coby Racine

    Unlocking Doors is a new podcast dedicated to exploring career growth and advancement in the Texas rental housing industry. This series showcases the diverse opportunities within multifamily housing, the unique career paths professionals have taken, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you're new to the industry or looking to take your career to the next level, Unlocking Doors offers valuable insights, inspiring stories, and expert advice to help you open the next door in your professional journey. On this episode you'll hear from Coby Racine, an Assistant Maintenance Supervisor with Camden. Coby started in the industry through a maintenance apprenticeship program and has taken been excited to grow so quickly in this industry while learning and doing something that he loves.

    21 min
  2. Unlocking Doors: From Leasing Assistant to COO with Danny Perea

    MAR 27

    Unlocking Doors: From Leasing Assistant to COO with Danny Perea

    Unlocking Doors is a new podcast dedicated to exploring career growth and advancement in the Texas rental housing industry. This series showcases the diverse opportunities within multifamily housing, the unique career paths professionals have taken, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you're new to the industry or looking to take your career to the next level, Unlocking Doors offers valuable insights, inspiring stories, and expert advice to help you open the next door in your professional journey. On this episode you'll hear from Danny Perea with Tropicana Properties out of El Paso. Danny serves as the Chief Operating Officer and has 20+ years in the industry, even without a college degree.

    22 min
  3. Unlocking Doors: From Retail to Running a Business with Makenna Caffey

    MAR 20

    Unlocking Doors: From Retail to Running a Business with Makenna Caffey

    Unlocking Doors is a new podcast dedicated to exploring career growth and advancement in the Texas rental housing industry. This series showcases the diverse opportunities within multifamily housing, the unique career paths professionals have taken, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you're new to the industry or looking to take your career to the next level, Unlocking Doors offers valuable insights, inspiring stories, and expert advice to help you open the next door in your professional journey. Makenna Caffey began her career in retail at Buc-ee’s while attending college and discovered the apartment industry through a temporary leasing role that quickly turned into a long-term career. In just five years, she advanced from leasing professional to community manager, proving how leadership, customer service skills, and a willingness to grow can open powerful doors in multifamily.

    26 min
  4. Unlocking Doors: From Coaching to Sales and Multifamily with Derek DeVries

    MAR 13

    Unlocking Doors: From Coaching to Sales and Multifamily with Derek DeVries

    Unlocking Doors is a new podcast dedicated to exploring career growth and advancement in the Texas rental housing industry. This series showcases the diverse opportunities within multifamily housing, the unique career paths professionals have taken, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you're new to the industry or looking to take your career to the next level, Unlocking Doors offers valuable insights, inspiring stories, and expert advice to help you open the next door in your professional journey. Derek DeVries shares how he transitioned from a 15-year career in education and coaching into multifamily construction sales, proving that leadership and relationship-building skills translate powerfully into the rental housing industry. In this episode of Unlocking Doors, he reflects on mentorship, association involvement, and why initiative and strong relationships are the keys to long-term success in multifamily.

    22 min
  5. Unlocking Doors - Leadership, Service, and the Human Side of Multifamily with Mike Rust

    MAR 4

    Unlocking Doors - Leadership, Service, and the Human Side of Multifamily with Mike Rust

    Unlocking Doors is a new podcast dedicated to exploring career growth and advancement in the Texas rental housing industry. This series showcases the diverse opportunities within multifamily housing, the unique career paths professionals have taken, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you're new to the industry or looking to take your career to the next level, Unlocking Doors offers valuable insights, inspiring stories, and expert advice to help you open the next door in your professional journey. In this episode of Unlocking Doors, Mike Rust—Vice President and partner at Highland Commercial Properties and the 2026 President of the Texas Apartment Association—shares how his military background shaped his leadership approach and the unique journey that led him to the multifamily industry.

    24 min
  • 5 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Unlocking Doors is a Texas Apartment Association Education Foundation (TAAEF) podcast series focused on career growth and advancement in the Texas rental housing industry. It highlights real career stories, lessons learned, and practical advice from professionals across multifamily housing. The purpose of the podcast is to inspire jobseekers, early‑career professionals, and those exploring career paths in the Texas apartment industry by showcasing real journeys and the many ways people enter and grow in the field. Hosted by Christy Rodriguez, with Judwin Properties and the immediate past-TAAEF President. 

Information

  • Creator
    Texas Apartment Education Foundation (TAAEF)
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Unlocking Doors
  • Show Website
    Unlocking Doors