#WeAreVTS: Senior Broker Success Manager Katelynn Klingler on Staying Curious
The VTS team consists of folks with a diverse set of personalities, talents, and perspectives, and we want you to meet them! That’s why we’ve created this #WeAreVTS blog series to highlight some of the many outstanding people we have at VTS, get a closer look at the dynamic lives they have, and continue to create an environment where each VTSer can be their authentic self.
Over the next few weeks we'll be highlighting members of our Customer Success organization. Without further ado, here's our interview with Katelynn Klingler, Senior Broker Success Manager!
In a sentence or two, can you explain what you do here at VTS?
Hey Louisa! I’m a Senior Broker Success Manager and I advise brokers that use VTS products on workflows and best practices to make sure they’re successful using those products. I work with some of the best and brightest brokers in the business.
Where are you based right now?
I’m based in San Francisco, California.
Can you describe your professional journey and how it led you to VTS?
My professional journey started when I joined The CREATE Fellows Program, a CRE professionals program run in collaboration with San Francisco State University and CRE organization alliance partners such as BOMA, NAIOP, and IREM. It was a year-long program that gave me exposure to real estate professionals who actively work in the industry. I learned about the different career paths you can take in commercial real estate and developed the essential soft skills to be successful in CRE. I’m still involved with CREATE to this day as Chairperson and board member.
From there, I got my first role in real estate at JLL where I was a Property Associate for over two years. During my time there I was intrigued by the world of PropTech because I knew it would be important to my role and the world of real estate.
When I came across an opportunity at VTS later on, I knew it would be a perfect fit for me because of my interest in PropTech. I thought that VTS had a really interesting corner of the market due to the diversity of the product offering. We aren’t just on one side of the business - we have asset management, leasing, marketing, property management, and tenant experience products. It is very diversified, so I knew it would be a good company to work for.
What excites you about what you do at VTS? Is there a moment in your time here that made you especially proud to work at VTS?
Something that excites me about my role is how flexible it is. I get the opportunity to work on projects that will help me with my role, but might not fit cleanly into a job description. For example, I work cross-functionally with the marketing team to develop a monthly broker newsletter. It’s a really exciting project for me and something that I love working on as part of my day-to-day!
Beyond that, it’s inspiring to hear about how VTS is a game-changer in a broker’s daily workflow. Seeing the excitement brokers have about implementing VTS products is really cool!
On to more personal topics - what was your dream job growing up?
My dream job changed a lot growing up based on my interests at any given time! It varied from wanting to be an astronomer, to wanting to be a marine biologist because I loved the Monterey Bay Aquarium. At one point I also wanted to be a pilot and an astronaut. The sky was really literally the limit for me!
What do you like to do in your free time? Any hobbies?
I love to adventure around the San Francisco Bay Area in my free time. It's really beautiful to explore. There are so many different places to hike and amazing food spots. I like to make a day out of going for a hike and then finding a local food spot to try. I also have a collection of house plants I tend to in my free time. Here’s a picture of part of my house plant collection!
What’s your advice for someone who wants to be in a role similar to yours?
My advice for someone who wants a role similar to mine would be to understand some skills that I use in the role every day:
- Being driven and a self-starter is essential because becoming a well-rounded Broker Success Manager takes a lot of work. To operate efficiently in this role requires a balance of product expertise, business acumen, a fundamental understanding of how CRE operates, and much more.
- Problem-solving is important because the needs of the brokers can change from day to day. You have to dig deep and see how you can service them or support them.
- Presentation skills and being prepared are important skills in this role. The ability to explain complex concepts simply also goes a long way.
- Lastly, being curious is key, as a lot of the best parts of my role have come from digging deeper into what interests me. I accomplish this by doing discovery to find out more internally and externally.
