Career Spotlight: Stephanie Coble

In my mid-twenties, I was a single mom working in car sells and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. A friend from college had gotten into the industry and reached out to see if I would be interested in interviewing for a leasing consultant position. Little did I know at the time, but that interview would launch me into the start of a career path that I never could have imagined. That was 13 years ago and I have never looked back!

As we all know in this industry, it is ever changing, properties are selling,  life moves us to different places, and I have been through it ALL! In my time in this industry I have been through 8 property sells/acquisitions, worked at anything from an A+ property to a D, been through 3 renos, a lease up, and moved from the Charlotte market to the Raleigh Market. I have also obtained my CAM, become a notary public, and become a peer coach. I have also had the honor of being selected to be a part of the 2024 TAA Leadership Lyceum program, the 2025 NAA Advocacy Academy and the 2026 AANC Leadership Lyceum program. My heart truly lies in my involvement with the apartment associations and the volunteer and advocacy work that we do there. I am currently on the Board of Directors for the TAA, the PAC President for the TAA and on the Government Affairs Committee for the TAA and AANC, as well as on the PAC boards at the AANC. I honesty could probably go on for a whole other paragraph of things I've been a part of or learned in the last 13 years, but these are some of the big highlights 

When I started in the industry I learned to quickly adapt and have always naturally been a high achiever, which worked to my benefit as I have moved from leasing, to assistant, and then during the pandemic was promoted to my first community manager role at a lease up in Cary, NC. I later went on to run a community that went through renovation and then simultaneously took on a 2nd site that was under renovation as well. And while it could be completely exhausting, and sometimes I probably pushed myself a little too much, it was by far the most rewarding experience of my career to wrap those 2 projects up successfully! 

I am currently settled back into the 592-unit, multi-site community that I was promoted out of as the Assistant Manager and am now back as the Sr. Multi-Site Community Manager. It truly feels like such a full circle moment to be back at the flagship community that launched me from assistant into my CM role 5 and half years ago! As I look to the future, I cannot wait to see what is in store next as I continue to grow within my company, my career and the apartment association! 

What advice do you have for someone just starting in your field:

Jump in feet first! This is absolutely a job that can take you anywhere! If this is something you want to genuinely try to make a career, I highly recommend taking the time to immerse yourself in your local and state apartment association! Properties, companies, and people will come and go, but the relationships and knowledge you can gain from your involvement with the apartment associations will be invaluable! There are SO many branches to property management, and it is so much more than just showing someone an apartment and trying to get the lease. I have many friends that started off leasing and now working in our same industry in marketing, revenue management, accounting, talent training, and the list goes on! There are so many hats we were in this industry and so many doors that can be opened if you are willing to hop in and give it a try!