Strata Manager of the Month

Thursday, 22nd December 2011

Daniel Linders, Group Managing Director, Strata Choice

Most people mistakenly believe strata management is about bricks and mortar. It's not. It's about people, and managing their needs, dreams and financial aspirations.

Most people mistakenly believe strata management is about bricks and mortar.  It's not.  It's about people, and managing their needs, dreams and financial aspirations.

Daniel Linders knows this, and has built a strong business around providing personalised service to strata owners.

Service is in the company's DNA.  That's why the Strata Choice mantra is "The people people".

When you know the history of the company you understand why respect and family values are the foundation blocks for the business.  Daniel's mother Maria was astute enough to invest in property, then competent enough to manage all the related strata issues; so competent, in fact, that other owners began asking her to look after their investments.

That was the 'light bulb' moment.

With strata management in its infancy, Maria studied hard and became a licensed strata manager, founding Linders Strata Management in 1984.  Her headquarters was the family home in Lane Cove, and her 'nerve centre' was the kitchen, where business matter very handled with the same aplomb as the delicious Italian meals she prepared for her family.

To spread the word about her nascent services, Maria enlisted Daniel.  "I must have been 14 or 15..."

"I don't think I really understood what mum did, but it was the way she gained work."

And to this day, word-of-mouth and referrals are still the lifeblood of the business, which in 2008 created Strata Choice with leading Sydney based strata management firm, Strata Associates.

Just like its bold red and blue corporate colours, Strata Choice is being noticed by a growing number of property owners and developers.  It has an impressive portfilio of residential, commercial, retirement and community clients, a staff of more than 60, three branches and strong prospects of expanding into other Sydney suburbs.

Among its prestigious managements are The Bennelong, Regency Hyde Park, Altair, Highgate, Kings Street Wharf and Cyprus Lakes Golf Resort.  "While we are experienced at these large complex developments we are happy to work with any size strata," said Daniel, who is an active member of Strata Community Australia (NSW) where he has served on the Board of Directors and still sits on the strata management chapter, education committee and ethics sub-committee.

"We pride ourselves on managing relationships more so than managing property."

But the management of people is not just confined to clients.  All staff at Strata Choice are treated as members of the family, with most decisions made as a collective.

"We have various work groups who decide on pertinent issues within their areas of expertise.  I'm on most of these...although they keep me off the social committee," Daniel laughed.

This egalitarian approach extends to Daniel's open-plan office space where not even he has a private domain.  "There are no closed doors here," said Daniel, who has a Masters of Business Administration from Macquarie Graduate School of Management and holds a Diploma of Business in Real Estate.  "I really enjoy the personal interaction, being a sounding board for ideas, mentoring staff, and being part of the team."

Daniel's older brother Geoff - a qualified electrician - is also a director of the company, and established its building facilities management division.  Geoff's technical expertise enables him to solve construction, maintenance and technologically-related problems which individual owners, Owners Corporations and developers confront from time to time.  Not surprisingly, the brother share a special bond that guides Strata Choice on a cohesive course.

Daniel readily acknowledges that today's issues surrounding strata are much more diverse and complex than could have been envisaged when the laws were first devised in NSW in the early 1960s.

"We now have some ageing strata buildings that need to be redeveloped for modern, higher-density living, but balancing the wishes of each owner against the overall good of he community is emotive.  It's a contentious debate that must be had by the various layers of Government charged with administering strata's rules and regulations."

"every week an average of twenty two new strata schemes are registered in this State alone*, so our industry has a vital role to play in the way future generations live."

For information about Strata Choice ph: 1300 322 213 or visit the website at www.stratachoice.com.au


* Department of Lands and Property Information NSW

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