Alosant Innovator Series: Recent Episodes
Alosant
The Alosant Innovator Series features one-on-one conversations with April LaMon, Co-Founder and CEO of Alosant, and her trusted experts. Discussions include invaluable insights from a diverse group of forward-thinking and well-respected leaders in real estate development, PropTech, lifestyle marketing and more. Each episode is designed to inspire, educate and provide key takeaways from the brightest minds in the industry.
Bob Cardoza, Chief Operating Officer of FirstService Residential, discusses his journey from consulting to executive leadership and the vision guiding the future of community management.
He reflects on the creation of FirstService Residential Development Advisors, his transition into the COO role, and how strong partnerships, culture, and a focus on prosperity shape long-term success. Bob also highlights the company’s three-year operational evolution, including investments in AI and new technology platforms, while emphasizing that people remain at the heart of everything FirstService Residential does.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Introduction.
01:10 The value of building trusted partnerships in new business initiatives.
08:47 Why early planning is essential for sustainable community development.
13:48 Leadership transitions shaped by mentorship and personal guidance.
19:00 Balancing prosperity, culture, and career opportunities.
24:57 The role of technology and innovation in shaping the future.
30:17 Building consistency and scalability through a unified brand and platform.
35:13 Success as a result of passion for the work and the people involved.
38:38 Advice on career growth, patience, and surrounding yourself with the right people.
Resources Mentioned:
Bob Cardoza
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-cardoza-818aa09/
FirstService Residential | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/firstservice-residential/
FirstService Residential | Website
http://www.fsresidential.com
Urban Land Institute
https://uli.org/
Thank you for listening to “Communities Connected: A Land and Lifestyle Podcast by Alosant.” If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star review and subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any future episodes.
You can find more about Alosant on our LinkedIn page and alosant.com
ResidentExperience #MasterPlannedCommunities #Proptech #LifestyleManagement
About the Host:
April is the CEO and Co-Founder of Alosant. She is an experienced entrepreneur and real estate technology expert with an innate curiosity for consumer behavior. Alosant-powered apps make it easy for users to stay informed and engaged, offering solutions to connect with everything their community has to offer.
We feature Sara Carbonell, Director of Marketing for Amblebrook Gettysburg of Crown Community Development, in a thoughtful discussion on creating vibrant communities where active adults thrive. With more than two decades in homebuilding and years of experience shaping lifestyle-driven developments, Sara shares how Amblebrook blends resort-style amenities, resident-driven programming, and meaningful partnerships to foster a dynamic, connected culture.
From lifelong learning initiatives and intergenerational collaborations to innovative wellness programs, Sara highlights how Amblebrook has become more than a neighborhood. It is a place where residents can flourish, connect, and reinvent their lifestyles.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Introduction.
01:34 The community benefits from the diverse experiences residents bring.
05:42 The environment fosters connection and lifelong learning.
11:06 Partnerships with health providers expand wellness options.
13:17 Collaboration with local institutions enriches community life.
19:09 New amenities continue to enhance resident opportunities.
20:49 Immersive programs give prospects a deeper sense of the community.
24:55 Inspiration comes from industry exposure and personal influences.
29:14 Curiosity and openness create opportunities for professional growth.
Resources Mentioned:
Sara Carbonell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saracarbonell/
Crown Community Development | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/crown-communites/
Crown Community Development | Website
https://crowncommunities.com/
International Builders’ Show (IBS)
https://www.buildersshow.com
Mel Robbins Podcast
https://www.melrobbins.com
“People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54985743-people-we-meet-on-vacation?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Thank you for listening to “Communities Connected: A Land and Lifestyle Podcast by Alosant.” If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star review and subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any future episodes.
You can find more about Alosant on our LinkedIn page and alosant.com.
ResidentExperience #MasterPlannedCommunities #Proptech #LifestyleManagement
Erica Sinner, Founder and CEO of Ladies in Land, shares how she is creating a space for women in the land and homebuilding industry to learn, grow, and find community. She reflects on her journey from sales and marketing to land acquisition, and how her passion for education sparked the launch of a movement that is rapidly expanding across the country.
Ladies in Land is built on the values of education, representation, and inclusion. Erica discusses the importance of building confidence through knowledge, creating safe environments where professionals can ask questions, and ensuring women have visible roles in panels, publications, and leadership. She also shares her long-term vision for scaling the organization, integrating with universities, and shaping the future of land and development.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Introduction.
02:16 The founding story and inspiration behind creating an alternative to traditional networking.
05:19 The role of education in fostering confidence and professional growth.
09:50 The organization’s three core pillars: education, representation, and inclusion.
15:18 Accessibility through virtual participation and shared resources across markets.
19:33 Strategic partnerships that amplify representation and industry visibility.
22:50 Long-term vision for university integration and broader industry impact.
27:44 Advice for younger professionals on continuous learning and asking the right questions.
30:24 The importance of creating a safe space to share both successes and failures.
Resources Mentioned:
Erica Sinner
https://www.linkedin.com/in/esinner/
Ladies in Land | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ladies-in-land-inc/
Ladies in Land | Website
http://www.ladiesinland.com
Zonda
https://www.zondahome.com/
Thank you for listening to “Communities Connected: A Land and Lifestyle Podcast by Alosant.” If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star review and subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any future episodes.
You can find more about Alosant on our LinkedIn page and alosant.com.
ResidentExperience #MasterPlannedCommunities #Proptech #LifestyleManagement
In this special episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we revisit one of our most popular conversations: the origin story of Newfield. Originally featured in Episode 29, this re-air of our interview with Dan Grosswald, Division President of Mattamy Homes SE Florida, explores the inspiration behind Newfield—a small-town-style development rooted in agriculture, community, and intentional design.
But first, we sit down with Monaca Onstad, President and CEO of OnPlace, who leads the placemaking efforts at Newfield. Monaca shares how the community has evolved, the success of spaces like the Harvest House, and the ways local partnerships are helping shape Newfield into a thriving destination. She reflects on what makes the community work—from long-term community building to its unique programming.
Monaca also recently sat down with Dan Grosswald on an episode of Smith Lane, where they dove deeper into their shared vision for Newfield. Listen to that conversation here.
Whether you're discovering Newfield for the first time or revisiting its journey, this episode captures the power of vision, place, and people.
About Dan
Dan Grosswald is a highly accomplished senior executive with over thirty years of demonstrated achievements in homebuilding and land acquisition operations. His winning strategy combined with exceptional leadership skills have a proven track record for driving profit growth, market share, revenue and customer loyalty with diversified product and services knowledge and effective P&L management experience in multiple markets for both start up and high growth organizations.
Currently serving as Division President with Mattamy Homes overseeing homebuilding and land acquisition operations for their southeast Florida region, Dan has also served in leadership roles for Lennar, CalAtlantic, Standard Pacific, and Toll Brothers.
Dan attended the University of Florida for his bachelor’s degree and earned his MBA in Finance from Florida Atlantic University.
Connect with Dan
Mattamy Homes
About Monaca
Monaca is a nationally recognized community relations and lifestyle executive with a passion for building community in the residential and commercial real estate markets. She has more than 20 years of sales and operations experience in the real estate industry with the last several years focused on driving new home sales and leasing efforts through placemaking, community relations, and lifestyle programming. During her time with Lakewood Ranch, Monaca helped move the community from the 4th best-selling community in the U.S. to the #1 best-selling community in the U.S. for all ages.
Recognized as the best lifestyle director in the U.S. in 2018 by the National Association of Home Builders Sales and Marketing Council. Ranked among the top 4 lifestyle directors in the country in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Monaca holds a bachelor's degree in business management and a master's degree in marketing.
Connect with Monaca
OnPlace
In this episode, we sit down with Anja Seng, Manager of DesignLens at John Burns Research & Consulting’s New Home Trends Institute team, for a conversation about how long-term consumer and societal trends are shaping the future of homebuilding.
Anja shares how NHTI’s research helps the industry stay aligned with evolving homeowner needs. We explore how her team blends qualitative and quantitative methods to uncover actionable insights—and how those findings are shared across the industry. Our conversation covers everything from shifting family dynamics and economic pressures to the lasting impact of remote work.
Rooted in research, NHTI empowers the industry to stay ahead of the curve. Anja reflects on the value of the NHTI community’s collaborative culture, the importance of embracing curiosity, and what’s ahead for both NHTI and DesignLens.
Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on how research and community come together to shape what’s next in housing.
About Anja
Anja serves as the Manager of DesignLens at the New Home Trends Institute where she tracks and analyzes the most successful, innovative homes and communities nationwide. Her goal is to bridge the gap between what consumers want and what they're being offered and uncover trends that will shape the future of residential design. Her primary responsibilities include managing DesignLens, a comprehensive database and publication featuring over 900 of the best residential projects, and overseeing NHTI's five councils—curated groups of industry leaders committed to solving housing's greatest challenges and innovating for what's next. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Strategic and Corporate Communication and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from Chapman University.
Connect with Anja
John Burns Research & Consulting
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we're joined by Evan Harney of Pahlisch Homes, a regional homebuilder in the Pacific Northwest that's redefining the homebuying experience through their user-centric platform, Wayfinder. Evan shares how they approach the process with the same level of customization you might expect when buying a Ford truck—empowering buyers to configure their future homes, explore finishes, and envision life in their space.
Rooted in the values of innovation, intentionality, and a servant’s heart, Pahlisch Homes relies on customer feedback to shape a digital journey that supports homeowners from initial inspiration through post-sale engagement. Evan also discusses how leading with values has attracted like-minded collaborators, and how thoughtful technology can bring meaningful change to antiquated aspects of the homebuying industry.
Join us for a conversation at the intersection of technology and customer care.
About Evan
Evan Harney is an innovator that is driven by developing solutions that delight customers. With deep experience and leadership in a variety of real estate arenas and a passion for technology, Evan has focused on creating PropTech solutions to enhance the customer experience, first as an entrepreneur and now with Pahlisch Homes.
As the Director of Software Development at Pahlisch Homes, Evan spearheads the development of groundbreaking customer experiences at Pahlisch Homes, including Wayfinder, its revolutionary app designed to transform the home-buying journey for Pahlisch Homes' customers.
Outside of work, you might find Evan on a variety of adventures that involve exploring the mountains around Bend, Oregon by foot, mountain bike or snowboard. He is also an avid tennis player and captains several USTA teams in Central Oregon.
Connect with Evan
Pahlisch Homes
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we’re joined by BJ Jones, CFO at Southstar, to explore the evolving intersection of technology and community development. From the recent success of Mayfest to the long-term vision for Southstar’s flagship project, Mayfair, BJ shares insights into how his team is redefining the development process.
BJ discusses how adopting tools like Salesforce has transformed Southstar’s operational mindset, allowing for a more scalable, platform-based approach to development. This tech-forward strategy has enhanced everything from internal processes to how they support community engagement events like Mayfest, which utilized the Alosant App to improve attendee experience and streamline communication.
Throughout the conversation, BJ emphasizes the critical balance between leveraging innovative technology and fostering relationships with municipalities, builders, and future residents. He reflects on the challenges and opportunities in real estate, particularly as an industry that tends to be slower in adopting new tech.
Tune in as BJ shares his approach to balancing technology with the power of local connection to create lasting communities.
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
About BJ
BJ works at the intersection of finance and technology. His responsibilities include debt structuring, capital procurement, planning and budgeting, investor relations and reporting, and administration and design of Southstar’s core accounting and CRM systems. BJ holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Florida and is a certified Salesforce administrator and developer. And he applies his well-developed logic and analysis abilities to Southstar’s strategic financial efforts for new and existing communities.
BJ lives in Georgia with his wife and three children. His loves also include chess and Gator football. BJ is a member of Urban Land Institute and served on the Board of Directors for Helping One Guy, a nonprofit helping men in times of life-changing crisis.
Connect with BJ
Southstar
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we’re joined by Aaron Crawford, founder of Pipsy—a software company focused on automating the day-to-day operations of land developers. By centralizing massive amounts of data and building tools and reports around it, Pipsy helps developers make better decisions faster and stay ahead of their daily challenges.
Aaron walks us through what developers can expect during onboarding with Pipsy. He also dives into how the platform streamlines municipal reporting compliance and tracks realtor performance, bringing automation into areas that are often manual. Everything at Pipsy, Aaron emphasizes, is designed through the lens of one: Does this help the developer?
The conversation looks ahead at the future of software in land development. Aaron shares how Pipsy is developing AI, including a custom GPT-style bot, to answer developer-specific questions like, “When will I run out of 50-foot lots?” He also previews an exciting open-source initiative aimed at standardizing communication between builders and developers, offered free to help move the industry away from outdated processes.
Tune in for a deep dive into the evolving intersection of technology and land development.
Curious to learn more about the value of AI for land development? Read The Rise of AI for Land Development in Real Estate Tech.
About Aaron
Aaron Crawford is a software engineer and entrepreneur from Houston, Texas, reshaping the land development industry with cutting-edge technology. As the founder of Pipsy, an AI-powered digital assistant, Aaron has streamlined operations for over 100 master-planned communities. Pipsy automates lot inventory, sales reporting, analytics, business intelligence and daily tasks, enabling developers to focus on growth while enhancing efficiency.
Rooted in Houston’s thriving land development sector, Aaron’s passion for engineering and problem-solving drove him to create Pipsy, a platform that empowers the industry with reliable, AI-driven solutions. His technical expertise and innovative mindset have made Pipsy a trusted name, delivering actionable insights and operational excellence. Aaron’s leadership continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, constantly evolving Pipsy to meet the sector’s changing demands.
Connect with Aaron
Pipsy
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we’re joined by Kate Pourhassanian, Principal and Chief Operating Officer of Unscripted Interior Design. She shares the story of launching Unscripted with her two sisters and how their 2020 rebrand sparked a deeper commitment to storytelling within their designs.
Kate discusses how every project begins with a simple question: What is the best solution for this opportunity, and how do we want people to feel in this space? That lens of empathy and intention guides everything at Unscripted. Rather than chasing trends, Kate explains how the team leans into what’s timeless and deeply personal, grounding their design in the end user's needs.
Throughout the conversation, Kate shares how this philosophy comes to life, from a wellness retreat center in Sedona to her experience working with Toll Brothers—all approached with a spirit of curiosity. She also dives into emerging conversations in the industry, like dog parks, natural play areas for children, spaces for digital detox, and reimagining 55+ communities.
Kate reminds us that interior design isn’t just about what looks good—it’s about creating environments that support how people want to feel. This episode is a powerful exploration of design as a tool for enhancing everyday life with meaning and heart.
About Kate
Kate Pourhassanian is Principal and Chief Operating Officer of the award-winning, nationally recognized interior design firm, Unscripted Interior Design. Parlaying over 17 years of sales, marketing, and trend development within the international beauty industry into the creative discipline of interior design, Kate brings fresh perspective to the home building and development sector. Fusing an educational background in spiritual formation and international beauty-brand education and development, Kate has a passion for the intersectionality of personal growth and the creative workplace. Additionally, Kate is the current Chair of HBA Metro Denver’s Council board, advisory member of the SMC Board and the Board of Directors for the International Enneagram Association, where Kate integrates these disciplines through coaching and speaking engagements, and with her team at Unscripted.
Connect with Kate
Unscripted Interior Designs
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we welcome Phil Myrick, placemaking expert and CEO of Phil Myrick LLC. Guided by the concept of “life first and then buildings,” Phil is known for his ability to dig beneath the surface and understand what makes a place magnetic.
Throughout the episode, Phil walks listeners through his approach to designing spaces that invite connection. He shares his step-by-step method, beginning with imagining the kind of life and energy you want to see in a space. From there, it's about identifying goals for the experience and crafting a program of behaviors.
Phil also shares real-world examples, including his work on Pearl in San Antonio—a dynamic redevelopment of a former brewery that has become a beloved spot for locals. With its curated mix of dining and retail, the Pearl demonstrates how authenticity and intentional design can create a win-win for both community and development. He also highlights successes in places like Laguna Beach and introduces the concept of triangulation—how placing three appealing elements close together can organically foster connection.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in a deep dive into placemaking, featuring detailed examples and thoughtful discussion.
About Phil
Phil Myrick is former CEO of Project for Public Spaces and a leading expert in placemaking and creating collision spaces. Applying decades of research into how people interact with their environments and each other, Phil helps his clients to create vibrant places, destinations, districts, and developments. As a 20-year veteran of PPS, he has worked with a diverse and international spectrum of municipalities, nonprofits, universities, cultural destinations, and mixed-use developments.
Phil’s impact is illustrated by the long list of awards to his clients coming from leading organizations like the Urban Land Institute, the American Planning Association, and the American Institute of Architects. Some of his hallmark public space projects are Discovery Green in Houston, Times Square, and the Canalside waterfront in Buffalo. His work with Harvard and the University of Texas has helped to strengthen campus social life and spark the informal interactions that are so important to the exchange of ideas.
Connect with Phil
Phil Myrick LLC
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we sit down with Kevin Kelley—architect, author, and co-founder of Shook Kelley, a strategic design firm with over three decades of experience.
Kevin has dedicated his career to analyzing places and their impact on society. His book, IRREPLACEABLE: How to Create Extraordinary Places That Bring People Together, explores these themes in depth, making this conversation essential for anyone whose business revolves around place.
April and Kevin discuss the evolution of design and perception management, shifting from architecture as object-making to creating community-oriented spaces. Kevin shares his philosophy of "scene-making," comparing architecture to filmmaking, where foreground, midground, and background work together to evoke emotions and engage the senses.
A key theme of the discussion is the role of sensory experience in shaping human connection to space, arguing that traditional placemaking often neglects the biological and emotional factors influencing how people interact with their surroundings.
Their conversation also delves into Kevin's "black bag" metaphor—the idea that people bring their stresses, anxieties, and aspirations into a space, and design should acknowledge these human factors. Kevin also introduces the concept of a "social bonfire"—spaces designed to bring strangers together and foster cooperation in an increasingly transactional world.
Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on how, by prioritizing social proof and analyzing human nature, placemakers can craft environments that truly resonate.
About Kevin
Kevin Ervin Kelley, AIA, is a principal of Shook Kelley, a strategic design firm he cofounded in 1992 with Terry Shook, FAIA, in Charlotte, NC. Since 2002, Kevin has headed the firm's Los Angeles office and has worked with a team of Perception Managers and Experience Designers. Kevin holds two degrees in architecture from the University of NC at Charlotte and has spent much of his career developing a process that combines business, science, and design into one integrated approach he calls perception design. Kevin’s specialty is getting inside the minds of consumers to determine how the physical environment affects their behaviors, perceptions, and purchase decisions.
Kevin has worked closely with the executive leaders of many well-known companies, such as Harley-Davidson, Whole Foods, Kroger, Kraft, Harris Teeter, Cadbury, The J.M. Smucker Company, Gelsons, Northgate Markets, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), The Cleveland Orchestra, NFL teams, and USAA in their efforts to develop new kinds of immersive brand experiences that have the power to convene people in places. He has also worked with many global cities and urban districts, such as the City of Makati, South End, Third Street Promenade, Beverly Hills, etc.
He has been an adjunct professor at Harvard University for 11 years and at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for six years, teaching design, branding, and consumer behavior.
Connect with Kevin
Shook Kelley
Kevin’s Book
This episode of the Alosant Innovator Series features a panel of thought leaders in lifestyle programming. Together, they share insights on the evolving role of lifestyle in communities, from fostering a sense of belonging to securing resident buy-in for sustainable programming.
The panel explores how developers are increasingly recognizing the value of well-curated lifestyle experiences. They highlight the critical role of lifestyle professionals in guiding residents—from their initial home selection to long-term community engagement.
The conversation also delves into the growing importance of wellness initiatives, the impact of lifestyle on home sales, strategies for building anticipation before a community launch, and approaches to navigating emerging lifestyle trends.
The episode concludes with advice for those looking to enter the lifestyle industry, underscoring the need for passion, adaptability, and a deep understanding of community dynamics.
About The Panelists
Amanda Arnold, Vice President of Lifestyle at OnPlace
With a track record of leadership in the lifestyle space, Amanda leads OnPlace’s lifestyle operations across the country. She is passionate about creating and fostering community, and is on a mission to elevate the lifestyle industry through effective communication and training.
OnPlace
Erin Contino, Communication & Creative Services Manager at Rancho Mission Viejo
With twelve years of experience in strategic integrated communications, Erin brings an innovative and results-driven approach to the lifestyle property management industry. In her role as Communications & Creative Services Manager at Rancho Mission Viejo, she oversees three unique brand entities and help design and promote over 250 events each year, including 12 large-scale signature gatherings. Her approach is all about building strong teams, aligning strategic goals, and creating experiences that exceed expectations.
Rancho Mission Viejo
Karlien Cordier, Division Lifestyle Director for Toll Brothers
Karlien is a specialist in people and experience curation, boasting more than 14 years of extensive experience within the event industry. Her approach to events is marked by curiosity, innovation, and a resolute commitment to challenging conventions. By diligently seeking to comprehend individuals, products, and brands through collaborative efforts with multidisciplinary teams, she has successfully crafted events that authentically convey the values of the products and brands they represent, while fostering communities and ecosystems that align with the shared values and objectives of the community at large.
Toll Brothers
Lauren Brown, Lifestyle Program Director at Brighton Corporation
Lauren Brown has been shaping the landscape of lifestyle communities for almost 7 years as the Lifestyle Program Director for Brighton Corporation. From launching their inaugural Lifestyle community to spearheading the growth of the Brighton Lifestyle brand, Lauren has played a key role in their evolution. She's now leading the charge as Brighton expands into Pinnacle, its first master planned lifestyle community, building upon their successful foundation in 55+ communities.
Brighton Coporation
Monica Hollins, Founder and President of Outside The Box Consulting
Monica Hollins draws on over two decades of industry expertise in her current roles. She previously served as National Director of Lifestyle Services Consultant at Associa (2023-2024) and has been working as a strategic advisor in the position of Chief Wellness Experience Officer since May 2024. In this role, she specializes in build-to-rent communities and implements the Zeal for Living Pillars throughout their wellness communities.
Outside The Box Consulting
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we sit down with John Darby, CEO and Chairman of the Board of The Beach Company, a fifth-generation real estate development company based in Charleston.
John shares the company’s origin story, beginning with his grandfather acquiring land to build affordable housing for WWII veterans—an early example of The Beach Company’s commitment to community investment. Today, the company operates in 27 cities, managing construction, brokerage, master-planned communities, and mixed-use developments. Notably, John details how the company continues their legacy of giving back by supporting nonprofits at both groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies in the communities they build.
A standout example of The Beach Company’s work is Kiawah River on Saint John’s Island. To differentiate the development from well-established neighboring communities, John explains how they embraced the natural landscape and partnered with local farmers. He explains how features like a farm stand and a “goatery” helped weave agriculture into the community’s identity. John also shares key decisions, such as choosing a boutique hotel over a large-scale resort, ensuring the development remains true to the existing character.
We also discuss the success of Kiawah River’s Southern Living Idea Home, which attracted over 20,000 visitors and highlights the unique lifestyle they are cultivating. John shares key lessons learned from the project, from managing construction traffic to fostering seamless integration between hotel guests and residents. He also discusses how the Alosant App, with an impressive 80% adoption rate in only 4 weeks, is helping solve these challenges.
Join us for this insightful conversation as John Darby shares how The Beach Company is redefining community development while honoring its legacy of thoughtful investment.
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we sit down with Mike Swanson, Co-Founder of Alosant. Throughout the episode we explore Mike’s journey to the company and delve into the origin and purpose of DataBridgeAI, a new product from Alosant.
Mike shares valuable insights from his diverse career—spanning the music industry, medical research, and ultimately co-founding Alosant. A common thread throughout his journey is a passion for developing innovative solutions that foster connections between people.
Mike explains that Alosant was founded out of a desire to solve core community challenges. Inspired by Paul Johnson of Rancho Mission Viejo, Mike and April sought to leverage technology to enhance, rather than replace, in-person connections. This philosophy continues to guide Alosant’s work as they identify friction points in communities and use thoughtful technology-based solutions to resolve them.
A key part of the conversation focuses on AI and its role in the industry. Mike emphasizes that tech companies should never push businesses to adopt AI in ways that feel inauthentic or conflict with their established operations. Instead, AI should be used to develop agreed-upon solutions that truly serve residents and community teams.
This segues into Mike introducing the latest innovation at Alosant: DataBridge AI. This tool leverages AI to mine data, connecting residents with experiences they’ll love. By consolidating siloed data across the homebuilding, land development, and property management teams, DataBridge AI connects residents with meaningful, curated experiences.
Throughout the episode, gain valuable insights and philosophies on the industry from an innovative thinker, and explore Alosant’s new resident-centered, data-informed solutions.
About Mike:
Michael Swanson is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Alosant Inc., a premier real estate technology company based in Bozeman, Montana. Established in 2018 alongside business partner April LaMon, Alosant specializes in creating mobile-first platforms that enhance lifestyle experiences within master-planned communities. Their flagship product, Alosant ResX, serves over 120 real estate communities nationwide, connecting more than 350,000 residents, prospects, and commercial partners.
Swanson brings over 15 years of building technology to foster human connection at large enterprises such as University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Atlantic Records, Warner Music Group and more.
Swanson’s commitment to fostering authentic connections within communities is evident in Alosant’s mission to build technology that brings real people together, creating a true sense of belonging.
Connect with Mike:
Alosant
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, April LaMon sits down with Tom Marchant, Co-Founder of Black Tomato, to explore his journey in redefining travel and hospitality.
Black Tomato was born from a desire to offer travelers more than just a destination—it’s about delivering experiences and evoking feelings. Tom explains how the company’s approach emerged from a market gap: while travelers may not always know where they want to go, they often know how they want to feel.
The company thrives by challenging antiquated travel industry conventions. Tom underscores the value of fostering a culture of curiosity and innovation and approaching everything with an unconventional mindset. He describes the concept of "adjacent opportunities," where you explore alternative approaches just beyond conventional methods.
We also dive deep into the topic of feeling, with Tom explaining how their company is driven to craft experiences rooted in how people want to feel. April draws parallels between Tom’s insights and the homebuilding and placemaking industries, emphasizing how marketing homes could focus not just on features like square footage but on the emotions and experiences they offer. They explore ways to help prospective buyers connect how they want to feel with how a home can provide that feeling.
This conversation challenges listeners to move beyond commodification and traditional industry approaches, fostering a mindset of innovation, curiosity, and deeper connections to how people want to feel.
About Tom:
Tom Marchant is co-founder of tailormade luxury tour operator Black Tomato, launched in 2005 with the aim to inspire and foster emotional connectivity through the power of remarkable travel experiences. Described by Harper’s Bazaar as “having a finger on the pulse of travel that is incomparable,” his experience shaping the business globally has enabled a deep understanding of different markets. Tom’s innovative mindset has been lauded across the luxury travel sector, including the past six years as a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist in addition to holding a number of influential board positions at prestigious brands targeting UHNWs/HNWs including Six Senses and Kerzner International.
With an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for travel instilled from a young age, Tom has been leading Black Tomato’s business development, marketing and creative strategies for the past 20 years, working alongside his fellow co-founder James Merrett on driving the company’s successful growth. A creative ethos and obsession with innovation has led to Tom and the brand being consistently named best in class, including Inc’s Best in Business 2024 list, Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2024, Travel + Leisure World’s Best Tour Operator 2024, and Robb Report Travel Masters Awards 2024 as Master of Luxury, Travel. He also frequently speaks at global conferences and academic institutions such as Harvard Business School, sharing his expertise on travel innovation and trends, and is regularly featured in podcasts, broadcast segments, and key publications, including The New York Times, Vogue, Bloomberg, Condé Nast Traveler, and the Financial Times.
Connect with Tom:
Black Tomato
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we sit down with A’Lisa Ozment, Founder and CEO of Architectural Plan Review (APR). With over 25 years of experience, A’Lisa shares how her fascination with homebuilding led to entrepreneurship. She founded APR, a company that manages architectural control for master-planned residential communities.
A’Lisa highlights APR’s role as a liaison between developers and builders, ensuring the developer's vision is maintained throughout the building process. She underscores the importance of approaching architectural control as collaborative rather than punitive, to create beautiful and valuable communities for homeowners.
We dive into her passion for technology and innovation, including the development of APRTrac — an interactive dashboard that keeps developers and builders aligned while tracking crucial elements, such as homeowner modification requests. Looking ahead, APR continues to evolve, with APRTrac 3.0 promising enhanced builder reporting and interactive mapping features.
A’Lisa also offers advice from her career about embracing opportunities and the importance of jumping into new endeavors. Join us for an inspiring conversation about innovation, technology, and building communities with value.
About A’Lisa:
A'Lisa Ozment is the founder and CEO of Architectural Plan Review (APR), where her team ensures high-end, master-planned communities maintain their architectural and aesthetic vision throughout development. Partnering with top developers and builders across the US, the APR team provides all aspects of architectural control management including the creation of Design Guidelines, detailed plan reviews, and inspection of completed homes. APR is the leader in leveraging technology to streamline the architectural control processes and enhance transparency with their in-house platform, APRTrac.
Starting as a customer service admin for an Austin homebuilder and later serving on the architectural board for Steiner Ranch, A'Lisa gained invaluable experience that inspired her to launch APR in 2000. APR has since grown to 17 team members with clients in four states. APR's latest innovation, APRTrac 3.0, will provide an even cleaner dashboard experience along with enhanced features. Coming in 2025!
"I’m passionate about using architectural control to maintain the vision and value for residential communities while driving innovation and excellence in our field through the use of technology."
Connect with A’Lisa:
Architectural Plan Review
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, Tara Trevino, Director of Customer Operations at Alosant, explores the top community trends of 2024 and how the Alosant app is driving them forward.
Learn how resident-created content transforms engagement and how app-enabled gear garages make outdoor living more accessible. Tara also highlights the growing emphasis on wellness, with popular amenities like pickleball courts and bocce tournaments supported by the Alosant app for reservations. You'll also discover how augmented reality and interactive maps enhance community trail networks and how "retail moments" redefine local shopping experiences—all through the Alosant app.
Tune in for valuable insights into how the Alosant app is shaping communities as we move into 2025.
About Tara:
I graduated with my MBA in 2011 from Lamar University. I began my career in Marketing and Sales. I moved to Dallas in 2017 and joined the startup community, specializing in Customer Operations for early stage tech. I fell in love with Customer Operations and creating solutions for new businesses and products. I joined Alosant in April 2024 as Director of Customer Operations and moved to Bozeman this year with my wife, son and our three cats!
Connect with Tara:
Alosant
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, Scott Snodgrass, founder of Meristem Communities, shares his evolution from a farmer to a leading voice in the agrihood movement.
Scott discusses the development of Indigo and its innovative approach to creating a community that supports diverse family structures while incorporating agriculture through features like edible landscaping.
The conversation also emphasizes purpose-driven, people-centered community development and the importance of relationships in creating meaningful work.
Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on reimagining the intersection of agriculture and community living.
About Scott:
Scott is a founding partner of Meristem Communities, a Houston-based real estate development firm committed to creating Places for People™ with mindful, fine-grained developments. Meristem is a resiliency-focused developer whose guiding principles create human-centric design by thoughtfully, sustainably, and holistically connecting the land and its natural resources with people.
Scott is an innovative entrepreneur and former farmer who leads with respect for the land and the environment, carefully strategizing an interconnected resilience of all systems—natural, human, and built. His vision has always been to create neighborhoods that honor and nurture local ecosystems, empowering people to live a more holistic way of life with renewed appreciation for their natural surroundings. This vision is being brought to fruition in Indigo, one of Meristem’s first developments in the suburbs of Houston, designed with a foundational connection to agriculture and built around a human-scale working farm and pasture. The Meristem belief is that it's the sum of a thousand small decisions that create more engaging, more interesting, and more livable neighborhoods.
Alongside his work at Meristem, Scott works collaboratively with developers and consultants to create unique and exceptional agricultural amenities (agrihoods) within master-planned communities through Agmenity. He has become a thought leader in the national agrihood movement, regularly speaking on the topic at regional and national conferences. Scott is a member of several community organizations including the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and most recently contributed to their 2018 ULI Agrihood Report. Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from The University of Texas at Austin.
Connect with Scott:
Meristem Communities
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we are joined by Sarah Phelps, Director of Astronaut Experience at Blue Origin.
Sarah discusses her career journey, from designing exclusive community experiences at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana, to curating world-class experiences for those pursuing the dream of commercial space travel at Blue Origin.
Sarah explains how she crafts a 5-star experience that balances the wonder of being an astronaut with the practical realities of space travel. She describes each stage of the astronaut journey and shares her key decisions in the design process to ensure an unforgettable experience.
We also explore how the principles Sarah applies at Blue Origin are relevant across various industries, including real estate. Sarah emphasizes the importance of establishing community, whether you are purchasing a home or traveling into space.
This episode offers invaluable insights into designing dream experiences from someone who is turning science fiction into reality.
About Sarah
Sarah Phelps is Director of Blue Origin’s Astronaut and Customer Experience team for New Shepard, New Glenn, Space Systems, and Lunar Development. She has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles at luxury hotels and resorts around the country and brings deep experience in experiential and transformational travel, including more than 13 years at the Yellowstone Club and additional experience in education, nonprofits, and all-inclusive resorts.
Deeply passionate about creating life-changing customer experiences, Sarah developed the New Shepard customer experience and led the design, build-out, and establishment of Astronaut Village at Launch Site One. Her singular focus is providing world class service to the astronauts who make Blue Origin’s mission possible. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and lives in Kent, WA with her daughter, Sydney. She’s active in the local Kent community as a school volunteer and coach for various levels of youth basketball and volleyball.
Connect with Sarah
Blue Origin
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we speak with Nick Smoot, Chairman & CEO of Aesop Industries Inc., about his approach to human and economic development.
Nick’s work focuses on addressing the psychological and emotional needs of residents through sentiment mapping. This process helps design amenities that foster connections and a sense of purpose within the community. He advises developers to move beyond the traditional “live, work, play” model by incorporating opportunities for “learning” and “creating.” This approach strengthens personal connections through events such as fireside chats and coffee and contemplation sessions.
In the episode, Nick offers practical insights for developers and lifestyle managers on implementing these strategies to achieve outcomes such as job creation and increased property values. Tune in to understand how Nick’s vision addresses the evolving needs of the American Dream.
About Nick
Nick Smoot is a visionary community builder, entrepreneur, author, and international speaker focused on rethinking social, civic, and economic systems for the modern world. With a deep commitment to fostering innovation and human flourishing, Nick has dedicated his career to creating environments where individuals and cities can thrive.
His journey began at the age of 13 when he organized mentorship programs for underprivileged children, igniting a lifelong passion for leadership and community development. By his early 20s, he had expanded his impact globally, delivering leadership training and working with NGOs to inspire the next generation of change makers.
As a serial entrepreneur, Nick co-founded and sold three mobile tech startups and became a prominent figure in the startup ecosystems of Philadelphia and Los Angeles. His work caught the attention of the Milken Institute, where he was invited to join their global Young Leaders program, collaborating with top business leaders and policymakers to address global challenges.
Nick's unique perspective, shaped by his upbringing in small-town America and experience in both grassroots movements and high-level economic discussions, led him to create the Innovation Collective. This grassroots system mobilizes citizens to become lifelong learners and innovators, bridging the gap between corporate social responsibility and economic development. His work has been implemented around the world, earning national awards and recognition from Brookings, Bloomberg, and Milken Institute.
Nick’s current projects are housed under Aesop Industries which is a modern approach to human and economic development company made up of a consulting firm, a city building social network, a real estate development company, and a venture fund. His work blends appreciative inquiry, behavioral psychology, and inclusive innovation, positioning him as a leading voice in shaping the future of cities and communities globally. His book is called Better: Rethinking our social, civic, and economic systems and can be found on Amazon.
Connect with Nick
Aesop Industries Inc.
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, we feature Callie Friedman, the Vice President of Operations at OnPlace, for an inside look at the experience of using Alosant’s ResX app. Callie oversees the Welcome Center for Sunterra, a 1,039-acre master-planned community in Katy, Texas. She shares how Alosant’s ResX app enhances the experience for potential buyers by providing clear information all in one place and how it helps integrate newcomers into Sunterra's unique community culture.
Connect with Callie:
linkedin.com/in/callie-friedman-b0153714a
onplace.life/
sunterratx.com/
The home buying experience is inherently stressful. In the current market, various factors impact the homebuyer's emotions and the outcome of the purchasing experience.
In Episode 35 of the Alosant Innovator Series, we revisit conversations with industry experts on how to approach the home buying experience, highlighting insights about what drives decision-making and how to approach the process through the lens of the buyer.
You’ll hear from industry leaders like Paul Johnson, Barbara Wray, Jeff Shore, Lita Dirks, and Deborah Blake as they break down the opportunities to enhance the home buying experience.
Listen to the full episodes:
Ep. 1: The future of community development
Ep. 17: Who's buying homes right now, & what matters most to them.
Ep. 18: Simpler is righter, remove friction to simplify the home buying process.
Ep. 22: Design decisions that shape the emotional readiness of homebuyers
Ep. 33: Deborah Blake talks about opportunities in today's active adult market
Episode 34 of the Alosant Innovator Series features Grant Syth, Principal at Bridger Land Group.
Grant takes us on a journey from his roots in his family’s construction business to pioneering the Blackwood Groves development in Bozeman.
Leveraging the design, lifestyle and experience principles learned while at Discovery Land, Grant and the Bridger Land Group team focuses on applying those principles to the broader market rather than exclusively for the top 1%.
Grant provides insights into navigating geography and raising capital in emerging markets. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing patience to achieve success in projects where the goal is to create something unique and enduring, rather than following transient trends.
Welcome to Episode 33 of the Alosant Innovator Series! We're joined by Deborah Blake, Principal at The Ipsum Group. With decades of experience in 55+ active adult real estate development, Deborah shares her thoughts on the market and how it is evolving.
Today’s 55+ buyers are less interested in “retirement” than “what’s next”. Deborah explores the value of doing thorough research that may reveal opportunities for relevance, like enabling self-funded passion projects, encouraging giving back and incorporating ‘“Blue Zones” inspiration.
Deborah and April begin by talking about the "Baby Boomer" generation. They dive into why these folks aren't all the same and break up some common stereotypes about them. The latest 55+ adults are shaking up the traditional retirement scene, and Deborah is perfectly positioned to stay on top of these changes.
Deborah digs into why it's crucial to focus on more than demographics. She explains the importance of understanding their interests and needs. Using examples from Amblebrook, in Gettysburg, PA, she shares real-world wellness partnerships and amenities using biophilic design principles.
Connect with Deborah
Learn more about The Ipsum Group
Episode 32 of The Alosant Innovator Series delves into the world of real estate marketing with Jaimee Reinertsen, Principal & Creative Director at SparkFire Branding.
With a rich background in marketing, specifically in real estate and MPC branding, Jaimee brings a wealth of experience and invaluable insights into understanding the psychology of real estate consumers.
Throughout the episode, Jaimee passionately describes herself as a storyteller, emphasizing her dedication to documenting the distinctive stories of communities and their members. This approach serves as a powerful strategy to connect with potential customers on a deeper level.
Jaimee sheds light on the unique challenges faced by real estate marketers. She shares her perspectives on the tools they deploy to overcome these challenges and explains how and why they work.
Episode 31 of the Alosant Innovator Series spotlights John Marlin, the Founder & CEO of MA Partners.
In this episode, April and John dive into MA Partners' newest project, Elevon. John chats about the details of the land planning process, giving us some great insights on how they're putting together a variety of home designs and amenities that could suit folks from all walks of life.
John walks us through his early years prior to forming MA Partners, from humble beginnings in Melbourne FL to providing much needed development support in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. He shares being drawn to entrepreneurship at an early age, his fearless approach to tackling new challenges and value from a strong mentor.
John shares his passion for creating spaces that embody the spirit of community. His commitment to instilling a profound sense of community and capturing the essence of where people live shines through in this conversation about Elevon.
About MA Partners
About Elevon
The 30th episode of the Alosant Innovator Series features Lesley Deutch, Managing Principal at John Burns Research and Consulting. Lesley has more than 25 years of consulting experience - working across a wide spectrum of the real estate industry.
Lesley stresses the importance of understanding the demographics of your potential customers, and providing amenities tailored to them. She goes on to share stories demonstrating how this approach has given her and her consulting clients a competitive advantage.
Lesley also shares her perspective on the state of the real estate market in 2024.
Click above to listen on your platform of choice.
Connect with Lesley:
Connect on LinkedIn
Learn more about John Burns Research and Consulting
Episode 29 of the Alosant Innovator Series features Dan Grosswald, Division President SE Florida at Mattamy Homes.
Dan lays out the vision of Newfield and its unique features for residents, as well as some of the obstacles they’ve faced along the way and how they overcame them.
Dan unpacks some of the planning, programming, product segmentation, and community outreach efforts that are making the project feel like a natural addition to the community at large.
Websites:
- https://newfieldfl.com/
- https://newfieldfarm.com/
- https://kc-trails.com/
Instagram:
- https://www.instagram.com/newfield_fl/
- https://www.instagram.com/newfield_farm/
- https://www.instagram.com/kc_trails/
Facebook:
- Newfield: https://www.facebook.com/NewfieldFL
- Newfield Farm: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089714036423
- KC Trails: https://www.facebook.com/KCTrailsFL
In episode 28 of the Alosant Innovator Series, April is joined by Mark Kehke, Chairman & Founder of Pacific Ventures Management, LLC.
Pacific Ventures is a fully integrated real estate development and operating company focused on residential and mixed-use communities of scale. They have a long history of developing some of the greatest communities in the West.
Mark describes their process to drive value through creativity and execution. More specifically he shares how they built a strong track record and reputation for successfully replacing developers of partially developed master planned communities on behalf of their capital sponsor.
Check out Pacific Ventures Management, LLC here
The 27th episode of the Alosant Innovator Series is a special episode, which features a compilation of segments from previous podcast guests. In every episode, April asks her guest, “What advice would you give to your 25-year-old self?” Episode 27 highlights and showcases some of the very best answers to that question from the first 26 episodes.
We chose 5 guests to highlight, but there is so much more wisdom contained in the answers from all of the guests we’ve hosted since launching the podcast. If you like what you hear, we encourage you to go back in our episode catalog and find more valuable insights.
Find the full episodes for each of the highlighted guests below.
Rick Severance- Ep. 5: Designing one of the fastest selling master planned communities in the U.S.
Fred Balda- Ep. 7: Fred Balda talks straight about the market, values, and leadership.
Mollie Carmichael- Ep. 10: Mollie Carmichael discusses the impact of VR on master planned communities
Craig Collin- Ep. 23: Craig Collin grapples with macro housing trends leading into 2024
Christina Acuña- Ep. 25: Decentralized approach to development gains traction
Jim Dobbie is founder and CEO of Zeal for Living, a real estate development company focused on creating rental Wellness Living Communities for all ages.
Jim shares examples of the Zeal approach from simple lighting choices that can alter the quality of sleep to smart appliances that warn of maintenance needs before significant problems can occur.
He goes on to elaborate on the challenge of embracing new technology in the face of rapid innovation.
Click below to listen to the full conversation.
Episode 25 of the Alosant Innovator Series features two guests, Tom Woliver, co-president of Oxland Group and Christina Acuna, owner & founder of Paper Lot Marketing.
Before digging into the details about what has made the Painted Tree and Two Step Farm communities so successful and inspiring, April, Tom & Christina discuss how vital their outsider perspectives were when re-envisioning the old-school models surrounding community planning.
Tom and Christina both share lots of wisdom around lessons that they’ve learned so far with their communities, new approaches they’re trying out, and general life advice.
In Ep. 24 of the Alosant Innovator Series, April is joined by Jennifer Cooper, Founder of Evolution Marketing and Fractional CMO.
Jennifer fell in love with the home building industry as a teenage, obsessed with interior design. Purchasing a home being a major decision, she finds great joy in being a part of that journey with people.
Jennifer partners with top home builders in the country as a Fractional CMO, delivering strategic planning and results-oriented marketing.
Listen to the full episode to learn today’s home marketing best practices, how to best stage a model home, and how the Design Center is still providing value.
In the 23rd episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, April speaks with Craig Collin, President and COO of Tavistock Development Company.
Craig firmly believes that he and his team are curating not just homes, but communities and lifestyles for their residents to assimilate to.
In the episode Craig speaks to housing affordability macro trends and the exponentially expanding technological advancements in PropTech and the importance of adapting with them.
In the 22nd episode of the Alosant Innovators Series, April speaks with Lita Dirks of Lita Dirks & Co.
Lita is an interior designer passionate about creating positive emotions with potential homebuyers, and creating a deep desire to live there. That is what Lita Dirks & Co. has been doing successfully for more than 25 years.
They discuss design, marketing, branding, and merchandising principles implemented when decorating model homes, and how subtle creative decisions can shape the emotional experience of homebuyers. No piece of furniture is randomly oriented. Mirrors are placed so shoppers can envision themselves in the home. It's not trickery - it's strategic interior design intended to evoke emotional reactions from potential customers, bringing them closer to making the purchase.
Lita reminds us that it's important to not lose sight of the forest through the trees. The main reason that she does the work that she does is to support people. Individuals who are all at unique stages of their home-buying experiences, and are seeking emotionally supportive and comforting sellers rather than cold salespeople.
Connect with Lita
Learn more about Lita Dirks & Co.
Connect with Lita on LinkedIn
In the 21st episode of the Alosant Innovators Series, April LaMon speaks with Jenna Louie, Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations.
Ivory Innovations seeks to promote the most compelling ideas in housing affordability by working across sectors, providing monetary awards for groundbreaking innovations and leveraging its network and resources. The organization seeks to find and boost the profiles of innovative housing entrepreneurs, and to bring their ideas into the mainstream.
Jenna has worked an enriching career furthering Diversity, Equity & Inclusion across multiple industries. She has found a home, and a passion, working to increase housing affordability with Ivory Innovations.
April and Jenna discuss all of the key initiatives that Ivory Innovations focuses on. Topics include:
- Engaging students & interns to create passion for housing affordability in future generations
- The Ivory Prize: a prize given to various innovative entrepreneurs and businesses with revolutionary housing ideas
- Providing Education resources to developers
- Past Ivory Prize Winners and what they've already contributed
This episode is full of insights and tips regarding how developers can strive to close some housing gaps and create a more equitable and inclusive housing environment in our communities.
Jenna encourages listeners to utilize the innovation database on their website which contains the collection of innovative ideas and businesses from applicants who have participated in the Ivory Prize competition over the years. You can find it at https://ivoryinnovations.org/database.
Episode 20 of the Alosant Innovator Series features a conversation between host April LaMon and Jane Arthur-Roslovic, CEO, Co-Founder at Treplus Communities.
Based in Columbus Ohio, Treplus Communities offers newly-evolving living options to active adults.
Jane describes how, often, their residents have owned their own homes for decades, and cash in the equity they’ve built to downsize. She shares some historical context to explain how our society has changed the definition of “senior care” many times, and how Treplus Communities is redefining it again through a for-rent model.Listen to the full episode for new perspectives on senior care in the modern day and Jane’s passion for acquiring real estate for the purpose of building communities and connections.
In this episode, host April LaMon, Co-founder and CEO of Alosant is joined by Matt Thornhill, Founder of Cozy Home Community.
Matt has spent his career understanding the behavior of older adults. Matt ran a think tank called The Boomer Project, where he helped big companies like Nasa, Hersheys, and Google understand the boomer generation.
In 2020 Matt founded Cozy Home Community. Back in 2016, senior care facilities began reaching out to Matt to understand older adults better. Through the research and interaction with these facilities, Matt saw an opportunity to do senior living differently.
Matt saw the senior care industry as bifurcated, with no product for the massive middle. It was clear to Matt that the future of senior living was to provide it as a service. His vision is to build homes for older adults that bring individuals together and bring services to that community.
Listen to the full episode to learn more about the first Cozy Home Community going beginning construction this fall, how senior care facilities and universities are looking to leverage the concept, and the creative approach Matt takes to accelerate human connection amongst residents through the Get Cozy profile.
Connect with Matt
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattthornhill/
Learn more about Cozy Home Community: https://www.cozyhomecommunity.com
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, host April LaMon is joined by Jeff Shore, Founder at Shore Consulting Inc.
Jeff dives into decision-making theory and how it applies to selling homes and the home-buying process. Jeff details how he architects the home buying process around conscious decisions that the buyer makes in order to focus their decision making, avoid fatigue, and make sure they get what they want.
Listen to the full episode for a slew of tips, insights, and practices on how to minimize decision fatigue, create space for mental reset, and foster more trust with your buyers.
Sales & Marketing Summit 2023
Check out Jeff’s 17th Annual Sales and Marketing Summit being held in Nashville July 25-27. Tickets are still on sale for the premier event for new home sales & marketing professionals. Get Your Ticket Today.
Connect with Jeff
Learn More about Shore Consulting, Inc
Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn
About Shore Consulting
Shore Consulting, Inc. is a company specializing in consumer psychology and customer experience training programs for homebuilders. Using these modern, game-changing techniques, Jeff Shore’s clients delivered over 145,000 new homes generating $54 billion in revenue last year.
This episode of the Alosant Innovator Series features a conversation between host April LaMon and Barbara Wray, SVP of Strategic Growth at Wick Marketing.
Barbara recently completed a study of homebuyers who purchased in the last 15 months as interest rates began to rise. The study takes an in-depth look at the attitudinal landscape of who’s buying right now and why.
In this conversation, Barbara breaks down what made them buy, insights from their purchase experience, and how we can better connect with prospects.
On June 29, Barbara will be sharing the full results of the study plus more insights on Beyond Buyer Profiles & Demographics: Who Is Buying Homes Now and Why. We highly recommend tuning in to this conversation. Learn more and register for the webinar below.
Beyond Buyer Profiles & Demographics: Who Is Buying Homes Now and Why
June 29 @ 9am PST
Location: Zoom
Join us as we unpack the results of our brand-new study of homebuyers who purchased after interest rates began to rise. Hear what motivated them to buy anyway and about their homebuying experience overall. Importantly, learn how you can leverage those insights with the prospects in your pipeline now and in the months ahead.
Click here to register
The latest episode of the Alosant Innovator Series features a conversation between host April LaMon and Dan Hutson, Head of Marketing at Priya Living. Dan and April discuss a new way of thinking about aging for Baby Boomers.
In this conversation, Dan challenges the industry to think differently about the lived environment for Baby Boomers. Dan's passion for this population is evident as he brings many powerful insights to how we understand the needs of seniors. With the human life expectancy on the rise, Dan explains what could be the future of designed environments for seniors to feel fulfilled, inspired, healthy, and creative. Dan calls the industry to action to mix the real estate and experience angles of senior living to provide a more unique experience for Baby Boomers in their last 30 years of life.
Priya Living focuses on combining culturally-relevant elements of their Indian-American target audience with what’s relevant to people later in life. In addition to a physical lived experience, Priya Living offers products and services that serve key emotional needs of those living in their third stage of life.
Connect with Dan
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn
Learn more about Priya Living
Presented By Alosant Azul
The Alosant Innovator Series is presented by Alosant Azul, the scalable access control platform that seamlessly allows your residents to explore your entire community without ever needing a key fob. Learn how and why you should have mobilized access control for your community.
Welcome back to the Alosant Innovator Series. In our 15th episode, host April LaMon is joined by Pfilip Hunt, Partner at Wrathell Hunt & Associates.
In this episode, Pfil demystifies special district financing options for master planned communities, and talks more specifically about why developers leverage these tools, the upside for those involved in said project, and more.
Special Districts are a way for developers to fund public infrastructure like bridges, roads, water, and infrastructure using tax-exempt municipal bonds.
If you’re a developer exploring different financing options, Pfil describes this tool is most appropriate when you have a heavy infrastructure cost spread across many units (minimum thresholds approx. 300 resident units, 300-400k sqft on a commercial project).
Wrathell Hunt & Associates are working on a few large-scale urban infill projects in the Miami area, of which include Midtown Miami and Miami Worldcenter.
Looking ahead, Wrathell Hunt & Associates have their sights set on creating a CDD law in the legislature of Georgia and Tennessee and get these financing tools available for developers in those states to foster more development.
Connect with Pfil
LinkedIn
Wrathell Hunt & Associates
In episode 14, host April LaMon is joined by Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki, Principal + Storyteller at tst ink llc.
Teri discusses the key insights and takeaways from the America at Home Study, which directly tested consumer sentiment considering COVID-19 to understand the design changes consumers want in homes and communities.
Teri spends her time working with developers, builders, entrepreneurs, and placemakers to try and connect with what matters to people most, then leverage those insights to design homes and communities.
Listen to the full episode to learn more about how the insights from the America at Home Study are fueling the future of home building and communities.
About tst ink
tst ink exists to motivate everyone to see the “so what factor” in the little things and turn those observations into places and experiences that make the world a better place. Teri’s work has been featured in major business media including USA Today, Forbes, Washington Post, and numerous industry and trade media. She is a frequent and engaging public speaker and facilitator comfortable on big stages at national events and in custom-designed focused workshops.
Connect with Teri
teri@tst-ink.com
www.tst-ink.com
America at Home Study website: https://www.americaathomestudy.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-slavik-tsuyuki-400b273/
Welcome back to the Alosant Innovator Series. In episode 13, host April LaMon is joined by Peter Dennehy, VP of Customer and Market Insights at Brookfield Properties.
April and Peter discuss ‘geographic mobility’ and the trends he observes within Brookfield communities on where people are moving, and why, after the pandemic. Peter recently presented at the New Home Trends Summit hosted by John Burns Research & Consulting, where he spoke on migration trends and their impact on growing markets.
In addition to geographic mobility, Peter and April discuss the introduction of Gen Z buyers to the home buying market and how product within master planned communities is being designed to accommodate this emerging generation of buyers.
Connect with Peter
Learn more about Brookfield Properties
Connect with Peter on LinkedIn
In episode 12 of the Alosant Innovator Series, Richard Martz joins host April LaMon for a conversation on the future of Complete Communities, LWLP's newest landmark project in Collingwood, and how the teams at LWLP identify anchors and big moves to transform projects.
Richard has spent over 15 years strategizing, planning and leading LWLP's large-scale developments, complex anchor deal-making and specialty leasing efforts through North America on a diverse range of LWLP's mixed-use and legacy projects.
Listen to the full episode for an engaging conversation on the future of communities, strategy behind identifying key pillars of a project, and much more.
Enjoying the Alosant Innovator Series? Be sure to leave us a review!
Connect with Richard
Email Richard
Learn more about LWLP
Follow LWLP on LinkedIn
Welcome back to the Alosant Innovator Series. For the second episode in Women’s History Month, host April LaMon is joined by Christen Johnson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Johnson Development Corp.
Christen and April discuss the future of collaboration between marketing and development teams, JDC’s commitment to sustainability and how that translates into community design, and finally how Johnson Development Corp is leveraging technology like community branded apps to extend their brands and activate resident engagement.
Since starting her current position in 2016, Christen has seen the collaboartion between development and marketing change drastically. Years ago, land development teams would hand over projects after they were complete, and marketing would have to fill in the gaps.
Now a new standard for the future exists, in which the most successful communities craft a story, a fabric in which residents are excited to be a part of and represent. This expectation catalyzed development, lifestyle, operations, marketing, and other key teams to collboarate before stakes go in the ground to ensure that all pillars of the project are connected, creating this succinct experience for the home shopper, guest, and resident.
Christen’s favorite part of her role is bringing sketches and early ideas to life, knowing that people and their families will enjoy the community for decades to come.
When asked about the role of technology throughout JDC’s communities, Christen was quick to acknowledge that the use of tasteful, usable, relevant technology at communities is what ignities lifestyle, programming, and operations.
JDC communities leverage community branded apps that bring everything from events, dinner reservations, digital access credentials, info, and much more all into one branded mobile app.
Connect with Christen
Connect with Christen on LinkedIn
Learn more about Johnson Development Corp.
Welcome back to the Alosant Innovator Series. In our tenth episode, host April LaMon is joined by Mollie Carmichael, Principal at Zonda, for a conversation on the intersection between research and home building, and how virtual reality and the metaverse is forever changing the way homes are shown, bought, and sold.
It is with no doubt that mentions of the Metaverse and Virtual or Augmented Reality have consumed much of the internet since COVID-19. Introduced to VR from her son, Mollie discusses her take on how VR has and will continue to shift how homes are shown, bought, and sold. For master planned communities, Mollie sees a large opportunity for master planned communities to build virtual environments where potential residents can walk the community, explore amenities, view model homes, and more right from their desktop of VR headset.
For the potential resident Mollie sees how, through the proper application of VR, confidence can be instilled and the decision to buy can be de-risked by providing a life-like, easy to navigate experience that is accessible on any device. The efficiency and accessibility that virtual reality provides the real estate industry is grand, and since the start of COVID Mollie has seen a shift towards the attention that leading firms are placing on integrating VR into their marketing and sales strategies.
About Mollie
Mollie began her career in development, then home building, before finding a role grounded in consulting that combines her development and home building experiences with her passion for consulting and market research. For the past 16 years as a Principal at Zonda, Mollie works on consumer research, strategy, planning, finance, advisory, and much more. Mollie’s commitment to primary research has cemented her expertise in providing firms with the knowledge they need to be successful.
Connect with Mollie
Connect with Mollie on LinkedIn
Learn more about Zonda
Listen to Mollie's podcast
In Ep. 9 of the Alosant Innovator Series, host April LaMon is joined by Dave Gilmore, CEO of DesignIntelligence.
Amongst a breadth of engaging topics discussed throughout the episode, the conversation revolved around a new challenge that will face the housing market. Dave labels the challengers to the industry the Massive Middle.
10,000 new people in the United States turn 65 everyday. With medicine and science enhancing life expectancy, this generation will live longer than ever before. Longer lifespan will affect their decision as to where they will live in the later parts of their life. The Massive Middle generation is also the wealthiest, with billions of dollars in equity tied up in real estate, some assets of which that don’t have a mortgage.
In the conversation Dave talks about the Great Opportunity for the Massive Middle, and how they are primed to unlock wealth through liquidating the equity they have in their homes and relocating to Active Adult, senior communities, and assisted care.
Dave sees an opportunity for the industry to create affordable, accessible, and high quality products for this generation. He predicts a shift in the accessibility of amenities and services to residents, calling it the Rise of Proximity - the reintegration of services closer to home, in this case within the community. Communities will now build acute care facilities within its plan to provide more accessible care to residents. Subtle yet impactful changes to the resident experience that Dave mentions in the episode include more places for residents to walk and recover in shade throughout popular walking trails.
Listen to the full episode to hear Dave and April talk more about the challenges the industry will face with the Massive Middle, the Rise of Proximity, and much more.
About DesignIntelligence
DesignIntelligence is made up of a series of business units such as media groups, a research organization, strategic advisory group, capital advisors group, and more.
The Design Futures Council is a think tank organization that brings together people multiple times a year and discuss the future of the built environment across a series of themes.
The DesignIntelligence Leadership Institute is focused on an expansive set of curriculum that is brought to firms on the redefining and understanding of leadership.
Connect with Dave Gilmore
Connect with Dave on LinkedIn
Listen to This is DesignIntelligence Podcast
In Ep. 8 of the Alosant Innovator Series, host April LaMon is joined by Debra Wyatte for a conversation on the importance of connecting brand pillars to all aspects of a project, challenges the industry may face with Gen Z buyers entering the market, and more.
President of WE Consulting, Debra explains how she works with communities to examine and align many aspects of the project with their brand pillars. She also discusses how she helps communities measure and analyze this work.
Visit the Alosant Innovator Series to read more.
In episode 7 of the Alosant Innovator Series, host April LaMon is joined by Feed Balda. President of Hillwood Communities since 1992, Fred is instrumental in providing leadership in operations, acquisitions, design, and. development at Hillwood. Fred's experience in development spans more than 100 master-planned communities across 13 states and two countries. He is dedicated to thoughtful placemaking -- designing and developing communities that inspire a sense of belonging amongst community members and creates long lasting value for everyone involved. Read the full show summary at www.alosantinnovatorseries.com/episode7
Welcome back to the Alosant Innovator Series. In the first episode of season 2, April LaMon is joined by Tom Hoban Owner at Kitson and Partners.
Mission, Vision, and Today at Babcock Ranch
Tom and the many teams working at Babcock Ranch are collectively inspired by the mission of creating great places to live that enrich the lives of those who live there. In this episode, Tom discusses how these teams are collaborating to elevate the innovation throughout new development at Babcock Ranch and how they are successfully facing the challenge of building a town for the future.
Tom has been involved at Babcock Ranch since the inception of the town planning in 2005. Since then, he has seen the plan evolve into one of the largest and most innovative communities in the world. Today, Babcock Ranch is over 18,000 acres with more than 20,000 homes. Seeing first time home buyers and families choose Babcock Ranch continues to validate the grand vision “they” had for the future back in 2005. Babcock Ranch continues to deliver an unprecedented experience to residents through solar power, fiber internet, a school system, the first autonomous shuttle service, and more.
Innovation at Babcock Ranch
In 2019, Tom went to the executive team at Kitson & Partners and proposed an event that would soon shift the attitude around innovation at Babcock Ranch. Innovation Summit, first held in 2019, was designed to bring the best and brightest in home building together to discuss new ideas for building practices, technology, and more.
A positive byproduct of the first Innovation Summit in 2019 came Innovation Way. Innovation Way is a street in Babcock Ranch dedicated to showcasing homes of the future. Forging partnerships with the largest home builders in the country enabled Babcock Ranch to expand what is feasible with the model homes, putting on display cutting edge features.
The next Innovation Summit will be held in the spring of 2023, and will be more comprehensive to include topics of home building like the last summit, and also include areas of focus on common area, infrastructure, technology, and parks and place.
Connect with Tom
Learn more about Babcock Ranch
Learn more about Kitson and Partners
Connect with Tom on LinkedIn
In this episode, host April LaMon is joined by Rick Severance, Division President at Wellen Park, Mattamy Homes.
Rick discusses how he and the team at Wellen Park are building one of the fastest growing, most environmentally conscious communities in the country. He also discusses how collaboration, fresh perspectives and high energy are key components to designing a multi-generational community that can withstand the test of time.
Rick joined the Wellen Park team just over three years ago and brings a wealth of industry knowledge with him. His mission: infuse energy, rebrand and create diversification. Rick believes the best master-planned communities in the country are those that have true diversification including single family homes for purchase, multi-family communities for rent, the right mix of healthcare, schools, commercial interest, amenities and a connection to the natural environment. Within the first 90 days of his tenure, he and his team had a plan for Wellen Park’s town center in place.
Rick speaks to the importance of quality and why it's at the core of their design process. Whether that means investing more to create a better retail mix or creating “aha” moments that feel distinctive and special, Rick always prefers to err on the side of quality.
Rick shares his perspective on designing communities around hallmark features. In the case of Wellen Park, building the community around solar technology was essential. He also discusses how he and his team are creating a community that fosters walkability and encourages alternative modes of transportation like bikes, golf carts, electric vehicles and even kayaks.
Rick is a trusted voice in the industry and has often been commended for creating a collaborative and energetic environment during design charrettes. He prides himself on creating an environment where it is safe to express new ideas and even disagree. He encourages others, particularly junior-level executives, to have the confidence to “speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.” This cooperative approach has added tremendous value to these hands-on planning meetings.
About Wellen Park
Wellen Park is a mixed use, master planned development on Florida’s West Coast. Formerly land that was used for cattle ranching and citrus, the land has been transformed today into one of the most advanced, environmentally friendly and interactive communities in the country.
About Rick
Rick finds inspiration everywhere! From traveling around the world to public art and unique branding, Rick believes imitation is the greatest form of flattery. While he’ll never duplicate what’s been done, he often seeks to create his own unique spin on a great idea.
Connect with Rick
Connect with Rick on LinkedIn
Learn more about Wellen Park
Learn more about Mattamy Homes
In this episode, host April LaMon is joined by Nicole Godfrey, Global President at Runway.
Nicole discusses the origin story of Runway amidst the financial crisis of 2008, how Runway is leveraging the metaverse to create virtual, immersive home buying experiences and how PropTech can empower consumers when buying a home.
About Runway
Runway is an international, award-winning inventory management and sales and marketing tool partnering with leading community developers and home builders. Runway solves the most complex back office challenges faced by the industry and delivers incredible home shopper experiences that increase sales velocity and conversion rates. Runway is privately held and was established in Melbourne, Australia in 1997.
The metaverse, and the new immersive homebuying experience
In Australia, developers sell land directly to consumers, followed by builders selling home designs to those same consumers. That means there are two separate transactions, each with different contracts. In order for a builder to generate leads, they must put together detailed virtual house and land packages outlining all details and expenses. This process can be time consuming, inefficient and can often lead to mistakes.
Upon entry into the US market, Runway quickly recognized the challenges of that process and in turn, developed a series of configurable algorithms to allow builders to create thousands of these packages within minutes. Runway’s cutting-edge technology creates dollar-perfect packages that are compliant with all rules and design guidelines. Builders can generate a PDF and publish these virtual packages to websites and major portals within hours rather than weeks.
By eliminating that manual, repetitive effort, Runway has been successful in getting builders what they need faster, more efficiently and from a single source of data.
Typically, only builders and sales teams have had access to these virtual packages, however in 2018, Runway released the first version of Homebuyer, a program that enables consumers to access, build, and customize these virtual packages for their home. Through confidence in their market pricing and integrity of their data, Runway is able to empower consumers with key information and allow them to customize their home with precise detail.
Connect with Nicole
Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn
Explore Runway:
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, host April LaMon is joined by Greg Wagner, Assistant General Manager at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, MT.
Greg discusses how the world-class team at Moonlight Basin is using innovative technology such as the newly implemented Alosant Access Connector™ to enable residents to access amenities and spaces with the ease of their smartphones. He also shares how living in Montana keeps him inspired.
Greg moved from Santa Monica, California to Big Sky almost ten years ago to join the team at Moonlight Basin. With extensive experience as a PGA Golf Professional, Greg combines his passion for marketing and business with his competitive nature to create success throughout Moonlight Basin.
Here are some highlights from his conversation with LaMon:
How Moonlight Basin leverages innovative technology to enhance the member experience
Moonlight Basin strives to provide an authentic, hospitable experience to members, residents, and guests of the community— technology enables them to do that.
In 2020 Moonlight Basin launched its Moonlight Member App powered by the Alosant ResX™ Community Branded App Platform. The app was originally used by members to access club information, book reservations and easily locate contact information for club staff. However, last year, Moonlight Basin implemented the Employee User Role, offering all staff members access to important content such as the community’s handbook, schedules, urgent messages, community values and more. As members roam the property, staff is now better equipped to answer questions and provide direction seamlessly.Greg discusses how these little touches go a long way, and how the flexibility of the Alosant ResX™ Community Branded App Platform. allows the Moonlight Basin team to elevate the member experience.
The Newly Implemented Alosant Access Connector™ at Moonlight Basin
Moonlight Basin and Alosant partnered to redesign how members and guests access amenities and spaces throughout the community. With the technical expertise of local provider SAV Digital Environments based in Bozeman, MT, Moonlight Basin is the first community to have fully integrated access control throughout every building in the community. Members, residents, and guests can now shake their smartphone to access ski lockers, gym and pool access points and much more.
In this episode, Greg shines light on the entire process from the many benefits of discontinuing its fob access system to the tremendous cost savings the new technology has afforded the community. He explains the collaborative nature of the system and how it encourages the partnership with trusted vendors to maintain the system.
Where Greg finds inspiration
Being in the company of a world class team helps Greg continually get excited about new challenges and ideas. He credits his team at Moonlight Basin for always striving for the best.He stays curious and is consistently looking for opportunities to improve the overall experience at Moonlight Basin for staff, members, residents and guests.
Connect with Greg
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn
Learn more about Moonlight Basin
The Alosant Innovator Series is excited to release Ep. 2 with another esteemed guest. In this episode, host April LaMon chats with Monaca Onstad, President and CEO of OnPlace, a placemaking firm that specializes in community strategy, amenity planning, and lifestyle design.
They discuss the intentionality that she and her team use to design resident-centric amenities, her successful career in community lifestyle marketing and what she sees on the horizon for the industry.
Onstad has over a decade of experience in community lifestyle management and recently launched OnPlace in 2022, which combines her passion for lifestyle and community planning.
Connect with Monaca
Connect with Monaca on LinkedIn
Visit OnPlace
In this episode of the Alosant Innovator Series, Paul Johnson sits down with host April LaMon to discuss his notable career in community development, how residential lifestyle trends are changing in a post-COVID world, and what he sees on the horizon for the industry.
Johnson has over 25 years of experience in building, planning, and developing some of the leading master-planned communities in the country including Ladera Ranch and Rancho Mission Viejo in Southern California. From the start of his career, Johnson has always believed in the core values of having fun and building communities that are financially feasible, sustainable, and innovative.
In this episode, Johnson speaks to the power of those around you. He accredits the innovation at Ladera Ranch and Rancho Mission Viejo to the legacy of the ownership and the teams that challenge themselves to innovate and enhance the resident experience in unprecedented ways.
Connect with Paul and Rancho Mission Viejo
Connect with Paul on LinkedIn
https://www.ranchomissionviejo.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rancho-mission-viejo/
Thanks for listening to the Alosant Innovator Series. In this episode we learn more about the host of the Alosant Innovator Series, April LaMon
April is the CEO and Co-Founder of Alosant, and is an experienced entrepreneur and real estate technology expert with an innate curiosity for consumer behavior. Together with Co-Founder Michael Swanson, the duo has pioneered the creation of purpose-built software that connects real estate developers and their communities with residents, prospective home buyers and local businesses. Alosant-powered apps allow users to seamlessly engage with their community by providing a solution that helps them stay informed while receiving relevant content.
Prior to launching Alosant, LaMon served as a marketing executive for global companies – such as PepsiCo., Kraft Foods Group and Armstrong World Industries. In 2012, she co-founded Lead InSite, a provider of active adult/senior living industry online research behavior, with Swanson. The company’s expertise in data analytics and predictive personalization led to an opportunity to develop a fully functional mobile app to meet the needs of Rancho Mission Viejo, a lifestyle-rich master-planned community in Southern California. Alosant, the residential experience platform, was officially launched in 2017.
Listen to the full episode to learn more about April. Learn more about the Alosant Innovator Series by searching Alosant.com/innovatorseries
The Alosant Innovator Series features one-on-one conversations with April LaMon, Co-Founder and CEO of Alosant, and her trusted experts. Discussions include invaluable insights from a diverse group of forward-thinking and well-respected leaders in real estate development, PropTech, lifestyle marketing and more. Each episode is designed to inspire, educate and provide key takeaways from the brightest minds in the industry.
Listen to the Alosant Innovator Series wherever you listen to podcasts, and learn more at www.alosant.com/innovatorseries