Multifamily Tech Gurus

Kerry W. Kirby

The Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series brings you the latest real-world experiences of PropTech innovator Kerry W. Kirby and technologist James W. Lancaster. Kerry and Jimmy live on the technology side of the multifamily housing industry. Kerry has built an award-winning company, 365 Connect, the multifamily industry's leading innovator in AI-driven marketing, leasing, and resident engagement platforms, that he founded over two decades ago, and Jimmy leads product development at the company. Together, they are on the frontline of managing their team of developers, customers, and all the craziness in-between.

  1. 5d ago

    The Great Consolidation: Why Less Software is Becoming More Valuable

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they explore why the multifamily industry is entering a new era where success is no longer measured by the size of a technology stack, but by how well that technology works together. For years, operators solved new challenges by adding more software, more vendors, and more point solutions. Today, many are discovering that each additional platform introduces more complexity, training, integrations, and operational friction. In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy examine why leading property management organizations are rethinking their approach to technology. Rather than chasing the longest feature lists, they're prioritizing streamlined workflows, connected systems, and platforms that simplify operations rather than complicate them. The discussion explores how fewer applications can often produce better business outcomes by improving user adoption, reducing duplicate processes, eliminating data silos, and creating a more consistent experience for onsite teams and residents alike. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "The software with the longest feature list rarely wins. The software that removes the most friction usually does. Every unnecessary application, duplicate workflow, and disconnected process steals time from your teams and attention from your residents. The companies that simplify their technology ecosystem won't just operate more efficiently—they'll build organizations that are faster, more agile, and better prepared for whatever comes next." Resources: Multifamily housing operating models are being rewritten.

  2. Aug 6

    The Searchless Future: From Keywords to Conversations

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they explore one of the most significant shifts in the history of the internet: the transition from keyword-based search to AI-powered conversations. For more than two decades, businesses optimized their digital presence around search engines, rankings, and clicks. Today, consumers are increasingly replacing traditional searches with conversational AI, asking questions and receiving instant, personalized answers that are fundamentally changing how information is discovered. In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy examine how this transformation is reshaping digital marketing, content strategy, and online visibility. As AI platforms become the first stop for research and decision-making, websites are evolving from destinations designed to attract clicks into trusted knowledge sources that power AI-generated recommendations. The conversation explores why structured content, digital authority, and continuous publishing have become more important than ever in an era where discoverability depends less on keywords and more on context. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "The future of discovery won't be won by the companies with the most keywords—it will be won by the organizations that provide the most trusted answers. As the internet moves from keywords to conversations, the communities that build authority, create meaningful content, and establish themselves as reliable sources of information won't simply rank higher—they'll become part of the conversation itself." Resources: Artificial intelligence is powering a new era in multifamily housing.

  3. Jul 30

    The Visibility Advantage: Winning the New Discovery Economy

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they explore why visibility has become one of the most valuable competitive advantages in multifamily housing. As renters increasingly discover communities through search engines, social media, maps, and AI-powered discovery platforms, traditional digital marketing strategies are no longer enough. In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy discuss why websites, SEO, and social media can no longer operate as independent marketing initiatives. Instead, they must function as a unified visibility engine that continuously expands a community's digital footprint. The conversation examines how high-performance, WCAG-certified websites, AI-optimized content, and autonomous social media publishing work together to create a compounding effect that strengthens discoverability and increases engagement across both traditional search and emerging AI-driven platforms. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "Visibility has become the foundation of modern leasing performance. Renters no longer discover communities through a single search—they encounter them across search engines, social media, maps, reviews, and AI-driven discovery platforms. The companies that continue treating these as separate marketing channels will struggle to compete. The future belongs to organizations that build a unified visibility engine where every digital touchpoint works together." Resources: Leverage the power of artificial intelligence to stay in front of vacancies.

  4. Jul 23

    AI Infrastructure: Building The Next Competitive Advantage

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they explore why the biggest impact of artificial intelligence isn't just in the products companies build—it's in how those products are created. Across the software industry, organizations are redesigning product development around AI-powered workflows, prompt engineering, AI orchestration, and human-AI collaboration to accelerate innovation, improve quality, and dramatically shorten development cycles. In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy discuss how AI is evolving from a productivity tool into foundational business infrastructure. Rather than simply helping developers write code faster, AI is reshaping every stage of the software lifecycle—from product planning and engineering to testing, documentation, quality assurance, and deployment. The companies embracing AI as part of their operational infrastructure are building better products, responding to customers faster, and creating a competitive advantage that extends far beyond the technology itself. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "AI isn't replacing people—it's changing what people do. The next generation of successful companies will hire fewer people to perform repetitive tasks and more people to orchestrate intelligent systems. Just as software companies are transforming product development with AI infrastructure, multifamily operators have an opportunity to redesign how communities are marketed, leased, and managed. The competitive advantage won't come from owning AI—it will come from knowing how to build your organization around it." Resources: Experience The Power of Intelligent Automation

  5. Jul 16

    The Easy Target: When The Vendor Becomes The Perfect Scapegoat

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they tackle a common challenge in multifamily operations: the tendency to blame vendors before uncovering the true source of the problem. When leads slow down, occupancy softens, or performance changes unexpectedly, the first assumption is often that a website, marketing platform, or software provider has failed. But is the vendor really the problem—or simply the most visible target? In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy explore why assumptions often replace analysis, how operators can distinguish symptoms from root causes, and why data should always drive decision-making before conclusions are drawn. From competitive intelligence and market conditions to consumer behavior and operational metrics, Kerry and Jimmy discuss the importance of looking beyond the obvious to identify what is truly influencing performance. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "Data doesn't have opinions—it tells a story. The challenge is that too many organizations stop reading after the first chapter. When leads decline or performance changes, the instinct is to blame the nearest vendor rather than investigate broader market dynamics. The companies that lead this industry aren't the ones that react the fastest—they're the ones that ask better questions, uncover the real cause, and solve the right problem." Resources: Tomorrow's Intelligence Built for Today's Renters

  6. Jul 9

    The Attention Economy: Why Visibility Is the New Occupancy Strategy

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they discuss how the multifamily industry has entered a new competitive landscape where occupancy is no longer driven solely by location, amenities, or pricing. Attention has become one of the most valuable assets a community can possess, which is increasingly driven by visibility. In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy explore how the traditional occupancy playbook is evolving from a traffic-generation strategy into a visibility strategy. They discuss why relying on a handful of lead sources or ILS platforms is no longer enough, and how organic search and social media, coupled with SEO, AI discovery, and content creation, now work together to influence leasing performance. The conversation examines how continuous visibility creates momentum that compounds over time, allowing communities to generate awareness, engagement, and trust long before a prospect ever reaches out. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "Occupancy is no longer won at the leasing office—it's won long before a prospect ever reaches out. In today's attention economy, visibility is the first step in every renter journey. Communities that consistently appear across search, social, maps, and AI-driven discovery platforms build familiarity and trust before the competition even enters the conversation. If renters can't find you, they can't lease from you. That's why visibility is no longer just a marketing function—it's an occupancy strategy." Resources: AI-powered social media that creates & posts everywhere.

  7. Jul 2

    The Great Discovery Shift: How AI is Reducing Multifamily's Dependence on ILSs

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they explore one of the most significant shifts happening across the internet today: the rise of AI discovery and the growing displacement of traditional destination websites. Platforms that once dominated information discovery are seeing shifting traffic patterns as consumers increasingly turn to AI-powered tools for instant answers rather than clicking through multiple sources. In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy discuss how AI discovery is reshaping the way information is surfaced, consumed, and trusted. As users move from searching to asking, the value of structured content, authoritative information, and discoverable digital assets is increasing dramatically. The conversation examines how websites are evolving from static destinations into knowledge sources that help power AI-generated responses, recommendations, and discovery experiences. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "For decades, websites existed primarily to attract clicks. Today, they serve a much bigger purpose—they fuel discovery. As AI shifts consumers from searching to asking, the communities that create useful content, answer real questions, and maintain a strong digital presence won't just rank better in search engines—they'll become the sources that AI relies on to guide renter decisions. In the AI era, content isn't just marketing anymore. It's visibility infrastructure." Resources: Tomorrow's Intelligence Built for Today's Renters

  8. Jun 25

    Apartmentalize 2026: Networking, Noise, and Name Badge Flips

    Join Kerry W. Kirby and Jimmy Lancaster, the masterminds behind the Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series, as they recap Apartmentalize 2026 in New Orleans and share their observations from the multifamily industry's biggest annual event. From packed networking opportunities and after-hours conversations to the expo floor and a nonstop wave of vendor pitches, this candid discussion explores the challenges, opportunities, and evolving dynamics shaping today's conference experience. In this episode, Kerry and Jimmy explore a noticeable shift many attendees and exhibitors observed throughout the event: lighter traffic on the trade show floor, increasing competition for attention, and an ever-growing number of vendors competing for a limited pool of potential buyers. As technology providers, suppliers, and service companies continue flooding industry events, the conversation examines whether conference economics, attendee behavior, and buyer expectations are evolving faster than the traditional trade show model. Kerry and Jimmy's Words of Wisdom: "The warning sign isn't lighter booth traffic—it's the economics behind it. When more vendors continue entering the market while buyer participation remains relatively flat, the value equation starts to break down. Conferences were built to connect solution providers with decision-makers, but increasingly they risk becoming ecosystems where vendors market primarily to other vendors. The industry must rethink how events create value, because sustainable growth won't come from adding more exhibitors—it will come from creating better connections." Resources: The Road Show: Where you will find us next.

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About

The Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast Series brings you the latest real-world experiences of PropTech innovator Kerry W. Kirby and technologist James W. Lancaster. Kerry and Jimmy live on the technology side of the multifamily housing industry. Kerry has built an award-winning company, 365 Connect, the multifamily industry's leading innovator in AI-driven marketing, leasing, and resident engagement platforms, that he founded over two decades ago, and Jimmy leads product development at the company. Together, they are on the frontline of managing their team of developers, customers, and all the craziness in-between.

Information

  • Creator
    Kerry W. Kirby
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    115
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Multifamily Tech Gurus