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What Causes Business Growth? How GC Realty Became One Of The Fastest Growing Companies in America

Published: April 24, 2023 | Updated: October 31, 2023
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GC Realty & Development, LLC owner, Mark Ainley, talks about how their property management business became one of the fastest-growing companies in the country.

We recently sat down with Mark Ainley of GC Realty & Development, LLC  to discuss how successful businesses can use specific, fundamental business practices.

GC Realty & Development, LLC continues to exemplify what’s possible in the property management industry. The 19-year-old company was listed among Inc.’s 5,000 Fastest-Growing Companies for four years in a row and is now targeting $20 million in annual revenue. It manages 1,200 buildings around the Chicago area, 20% on the commercial and industrial side, and 80% on family residences. GC Realty & Development, LLC manages many of the older buildings Chicago is best known for, so the team deals with a lot of capital improvement expenses.

Mark is managing broker, partner, and founder of GC Realty & Development, LLC, which is, first and foremost, a real estate service. Property management has flowed naturally from this company’s beginning as a real estate service.

Mark has built a successful, robust reputation with Chicago real estate investors because he invests in both local residential and commercial markets. He has renovated and stabilized over 500 properties with an ownership stake. He’s also the co-host of Chicago’s only real estate investing podcast, Straight Up Chicago Investor, which just passed 180,000 downloads and 175 episodes. The podcast was actually started as an expense line item and has grown into marketing that pays for itself with profit.

Mark also co-hosts Chicago’s AM560 Real Estate Revealed radio show and has been featured on CNBC’s TV show, The Deed. Mark has been a featured guest on numerous podcasts, too, including Bigger Pockets and the Real Estate Money School.

Mark’s true passion is providing value, and the number one sales and marketing goal of GC Realty & Development, LLC is to provide value for people. Leads and customers naturally follow because of this.

In our conversation, Mark shared his expertise on how to see amazing growth, namely by positioning the business with pricing, using the right marketing tactics, assembling the dream team, and standing by a few business non-negotiables.