Letter From the Future: Todd Reid From DK Rentals

Mistakes? He’s made a few, but he’s since become quite the innovator.

If I could turn back time to when I started DK Rentals in 2007 in Atlanta, I would first hire a business coach before I hired anyone else.

I hired a coach later in the game, but you wouldn’t believe how much more profitable we’ve been in the eight years since. I was a member of Business Network International (BNI) at the time and got that tip from one of the members, someone who was willing to share their expertise, their knowledge, and, above all, give.

It’s all about giving. As they say, givers gain, and I love to give when I go to those meetings because so many have done the same for me.

Get involved, go to National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) conferences, and don’t make excuses like “I’m too busy” or “I can’t afford it.” The reality is that, if you’re too busy and can’t afford it, that’s even more reason to go: You’ll learn new ways to solve those problems.

And, if you go to a conference and you pick up one thing, one little nugget of knowledge, and you implement it, that’s going to more than pay for that conference many times over.

I Was the Biggest Obstacle to My Success

When it comes to success, I couldn’t get out of my own way. I wasn’t very focused on my business. I was chasing a lot of rabbits, looking at doing a big monster hotel resort in the Bahamas, and looking at working in Puerto Rico with a pharmaceutical company. These were all “sexier” industries and took a lot of my time and energy.

I learned a lot. But in the meantime, this little property management business that I wasn’t focused on at all consistently helped me pay the bills.