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- Peter Lohmann's Mailing List - Issue #21
Peter Lohmann's Mailing List - Issue #21
A bunch of annoying affiliate links, really?
HoldCo Conference
Will I see you at HoldCo Conf this weekend? Come over and say hi!
Stuff I Actually Use [Warning: Affiliate Links]
I thought I would share some of my favorite software & products in this week's newsletter. Everything you see here is something I am actively using or subscribed to, and paying for with my own own money. Yes, these are affiliate links - but this is stuff that genuinely makes my life better or I wouldn't bother sharing it with you.
My new favorite email tool is Mailman. Mailman sets up your gmail account to work like, well, mail. I configured mine to deliver emails only 3x a week at 6pm. This way I can actually focus on what I'm doing instead of being distracted by a constant influx of new emails demanding my attention. If you listened to the special episode of my podcast discussing my 5 weeks off work, toward the end I talked about my dopamine addiction to email that I was able to break when away from work. Mailman is helping me stay on the wagon. You can even set up VIP senders & keywords that come through immediately.
There's only one written periodical that I pay for - The Operator's Handbook. 4x a year I get what is basically a small book, each chapter written by a different operator on strategies and tactics they are using to grow their business, serve customers, increase efficiency, and more. The upcoming issue is going to have a long article by yours truly on how we use Notion at RL Property Management to stay sane. Use code PETERL2022 for 10% off.
Everyone needs a business credit card. Why not have the best? I did a bunch of research on points, bonuses, and all the other benefits that credit card companies throw around these days. In the end I settled on the Chase Ink Business Preferred, and 3 years later I can confirm it's an amazing card. If you use this link, you can pick from 100,000 bonus points or $750 cash back. Seriously a great deal that if you own a business and haven't taken advantage of (even if you don't plan to use the card long-term), it's really worth doing.
Do you dread running payroll? I don't because Gusto is seriously amazing (and affordable). Ask anyone who uses it, don't take my word. If you have more than one W-2 employee and you're not using Gusto, you're in for a treat. It's just that much better than all the other SMB payroll options. And - if you're using remote talent - you can pay them directly from Gusto instead of using Wise or another service. Seriously, go sign up.
Other tools we use as a core part of our business:
RingCentral for phones. Very powerful.
Airtable for data & a ton of other stuff
Showmojo for self-showings & agent scheduling ($50 credit at this link)
One more - if you're looking to get some bonus points for a new personal credit card, I have an Amex Platinum and it's pretty great. 100k signup bonus if you use this link. That's like $1,500 in points btw.
OK, enough of that!
Special Podcast Episode: How I Took 5 Weeks Off
A bonus episode of my podcast dropped late last week - all about how I took over a month away from my business, what I learned, and why I did it. Andy VandenBerg generously offered to interview me for an extra special 1-hour episode, and I think he did a great job. Go listen here (links to all the different podcast players are there).
We're on a mid-season two week break from Owner Occupied - but I got special permission to syndicate 2 episodes that I was a guest on through the feed! So check those out if you like hearing me talk property management.
Closing Thoughts
Lots of discussion about this Tweet below, if you click through to the comments. My opinion is that we're going to see this come to pass, and soon, even if these particular bills don't become law. It's already the law in Minneapolis and a few other cities. Only a matter of time until the states decide to get involved. Obviously it's a horrible idea - it would only make the tenant selection process even more unfair and subjective.
Saw this on a FB group:
California State Legislature is working on passing a law that would make the use of credit scores illegal for rental housing providers to use. AB 2203 and SB 1335 would prohibit landlords from using credit reports for screening.
— Peter Lohmann (@pslohmann)
7:46 PM • Jul 21, 2022
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This newsletter is sponsored by the Owned and Operated Newsletter. John Wilson writes a weekly newsletter all about running, growing, and acquiring small businesses. If you enjoy what I write, I have no doubt you’ll love his newsletter. My favorite recent article? The Real Cost of Doing Business: Opportunity Cost. Thank you to Owned and Operated for sponsoring this issue of Peter Lohmann’s Newsletter.