Latest / The Inspired Stories Podcast / From Education to Lifestyle Director: Margaret Wang's Relationship-Building Career Path

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From Education to Lifestyle Director: Margaret Wang's Relationship-Building Career Path · The Inspired Stories Podcast

0:04
Welcome to another edition of the Inspired Stories podcast,
0:08
where leaders share their experiences so we can learn from
0:11
their successes and be inspired by how they've overcome
0:14
adversity. My name is Anthony Kotaspodi and
0:17
today's guest is Margaret Wang, Director of Amenity and
0:20
Lifestyle Operations at Live Unlimited.
0:23
They are a hospitality and amenities management firm who
0:27
designs and manages fitness, Wellness, concierge and
0:31
lifestyle experiences for residential.
0:35
With more than 500 team members nationwide, Live Unlimited
0:38
brings five star hospitality to everyday living through
0:41
activated amenity spaces, curated programs, expert
0:45
staffing and white glove service.
0:48
Under Margaret's leadership, communities under her care at
0:51
Live Unlimited have launched vibrant community programs and
0:55
secured partnerships with high visibility brands in the
0:58
industry. The firm was recently
1:00
highlighted as a 2025 Top Workplace and it's portfolio now
1:06
spans New York, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina,
1:10
Florida and beyond. Margaret herself is a Women in
1:14
Construction ambassador and serves on the Advisory Council
1:18
for the National Association of Asian American Professionals.
1:23
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All right, back to our guest today, the lifestyle Director of
2:20
Live Unlimited, Margaret Wang. Thanks for making the time to
2:22
Share your story today. Good morning, Anthony, and thank
2:24
you for having me. So Margaret, as I look at your
2:28
career, I see that you have held a number of roles,
2:31
communications, writing, marketing, leadership roles
2:35
across a variety of industries. It it seems to me like you are a
2:40
great example of some people are rarely just one thing.
2:47
Can you kind of connect the dots for us?
2:49
What led you from education into PR and then into real estate?
2:53
Sure. I think overall what drives me
2:57
is my curiosity. So I have many interests and if
3:02
I find a space that I'm curious, a topic person, a path,
3:05
whatever, if I'm curious about it, I'm going to pursue it.
3:08
And I think that has been the driving force that landed me in
3:12
various roles in various industries.
3:15
And also the relationships I've built.
3:17
I contribute. I feel that relationships have
3:21
contributed significantly to my successes when I look back.
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So I always love roles that are client facing high visibility.
3:31
I love knowing that I'm making an impact and making a a real
3:35
difference in the community visible impact.
3:37
So I think those industries had made sense for me wanting to be
3:41
getting an education and then moving into PR and real estate.
3:44
Those are industries where there are high visibility roles.
3:48
And in me, in exploring each of those spaces, I always want to
3:53
focus on being fully present and bringing my whole self to
3:58
whatever the endeavor is that I'm working through.
4:00
And in that, I will often times connect with different
4:05
professionals, perhaps in different industries who ignite
4:09
new curiosities within me. And so those relationships will
4:13
lead me to pursue areas that I had not previously thought of.
4:17
And so in that way, that's kind of how I carved my path from
4:21
education to PR to real estate, telecoms and beyond.
4:25
So I want to hear a little bit more about the relationships in
4:28
my understanding that relationships with your Co
4:32
workers who maybe went on to other endeavors helped to open
4:36
up doors and ideas for you down the road.
4:38
Or was it more the folks that you were interacting with from a
4:43
client perspective? It's really all of the above.
4:46
So during my short stint within the educational system back in
4:53
Philadelphia, I had met some people who thought that the
4:57
presidency energy that I brought into the room could really be a
5:00
great strength if I wanted to explore PR, marketing, events
5:05
and all that. And I did end up having an
5:07
internship with that space, found that I really loved it.
5:11
And so that led me to explore that path.
5:13
As another example, when I did end up in the marketing and
5:17
events capacity for a real estate firm, relationships that
5:22
I've made through partnerships or collaborations on various
5:26
initiatives resulted in me wanting to explore a sales role.
5:32
And so for the first time, I was recruited to join a sales team
5:35
and from there, really loved being able to dive into
5:39
concentrative sales. So in each role I've held, it's
5:42
allowed me to blossom within that specific work environment
5:46
as well as outside of it. And being a highly collaborative
5:50
person myself, placing a heavy emphasis on partnerships and
5:56
conversations with whoever crosses my path has always led
5:59
me towards newer, bigger, better things to explore.
6:05
So I'm curious when you took that first sales role, how did
6:10
you, how did it fit initially? Like how did you take to it?
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Was it like, oh, this is what I was meant to do all along?
6:18
Or did you feel a little bit like fish out of water until you
6:21
figured out sort of the learn the rope, so to speak?
6:24
A little bit of both. There is definitely each time
6:26
you step into a new role, a new chapter, a new environment, you
6:30
have to adapt to it. There are going to be areas
6:33
where your strengths and skills and personality are clearly
6:36
aligned. And then there are other areas
6:38
where you have to make sure you are adaptable and you remain A
6:42
coachable individual in order to succeed, whatever your quota,
6:46
your goals may be within that organization.
6:49
So I certainly felt that my speaking skills, overall
6:53
communication skills, ability to identify, nurture relationships
6:58
was tremendously helpful. But there, there's a lot of
7:02
pressure in sales. You have to really understand
7:04
how to manage your time, your own personality.
7:07
The personality is many different people around you,
7:09
whether they are your prospects or your leadership team or your
7:13
peers. Everyone's working towards a
7:15
common goal, but there are many different avenues you need to
7:18
tackle on a daily basis. So I think that learning how to
7:24
adjust to a high stress, fast-paced environment with
7:27
something I needed to consistently coach myself
7:30
through and find others who may be able to support me and coach
7:34
me through that. So you never feel like you're
7:37
going alone. So finding community each time
7:39
you step into a new role is also very important.
7:42
Can you think of a specific example as you were learning the
7:45
ropes and the sales role there, where you kind of maybe fell on
7:49
your face a little bit and you had to learn from it, kind of
7:53
pick yourself up, dust yourself off?
7:57
Yes, I, I think when you're in a sales role, any sales
8:00
professional can attest to the fact that you, you grow to have
8:05
very tough skin. You can't really be a sensitive
8:09
soul in the sales space, in the sales space, because you are
8:13
dealing with rejection all the time.
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There are going to be people around you with very abrasive
8:19
personalities. You have to be able to pivot
8:24
quickly. And so I had to really learn how
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to let things slide, how to manage my own emotions daily.
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And it's very important to understand how not to hold on to
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the different energies, especially if they're negative
8:41
energies that are coming at you on a daily basis, hour by hour,
8:45
minute by minute. You have to be able to detach,
8:48
log off emotionally, know when to do that and be able to bounce
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back. So when you consistently
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navigate that ebb and flow, you build consistently, you're able
9:01
to consistently build more confidence and inner strength
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and more emotional balance. Can you think about a specific
9:10
example, leave names out of it, but kind of walk us through what
9:16
happened. This is this is how we learn
9:18
from each other, right? Right, I'm trying to think of an
9:21
example that would be pretty relevant.
9:26
Well, there was there was a deal that I was working where I was
9:34
energized and excited about it because I love anytime I get to
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approach something with an educational path.
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So anytime you are advising a prospect or a client on how
9:47
products or services may align with their visions and needs,
9:50
it's always been very helpful for me to stick to educating
9:55
them, advising them rather than an aggressive sales tactic.
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And obviously different environments require different
10:01
approaches. And so with this group of
10:04
individuals, conversations were flowing well, I was getting
10:07
positive feedback and it seemed like it was going to be a win.
10:11
Not an easy win, but a win. Things were moving along
10:13
successfully on track, but there was one individual who it seemed
10:19
to not like my personality. It could have been other things
10:24
as well. There, for some reason, this
10:26
individual was a detractor and insisted on looking at every
10:32
angle through a very negative lens.
10:36
He may have had his own visions and needs and goals that may not
10:40
have aligned with the broader group.
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Maybe he was more invested in his own desires than the team's
10:48
goals. Whatever reason it was, it was a
10:50
consistently combative environment that I was walking
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into. So in short, ended up walking
10:58
away from that deal without without being able to close it.
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But it did not feel like a failure entirely because I had
11:07
gotten such great strong positive feedback from the
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majority of the group on how I was able to establish trust and
11:16
them placing their trust in me to educate them on products and
11:20
services and exploring their desires, goals and visions.
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That really cemented a positive relationship with many of the
11:27
individuals. And through humor, through
11:33
trying to find elements in common, whatever sparse areas
11:39
there may have been with this individual who was a tricky
11:41
individual, I was at least able to diffuse some of the
11:45
combativeness and negativity each time that I have to
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interact with him. And so even though it was not a
11:53
a deal closed, I did not walk away feeling like a failure or
11:57
thinking that it was a waste of time.
11:59
I mean, good for you to be able to sort of take away the
12:01
positives from that because anybody who's been in a sales
12:03
role knows that's painful when especially when you think you're
12:07
headed down a good path and you know, the deal falls apart.
12:10
But you were able to sort of put another tool in your tool belt
12:14
like, OK, now I've got more experience without a deal with
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somebody who's difficult, you know, I, I sort of take the High
12:20
Road. I use a little bit of humor and
12:22
as evidence of that being effective sort of the rest of
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the people in the group, you build a lot of trust with, you
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know, you had a good relationship with there.
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So I think that's, that's a great example of, you know, how
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that can work. So let's Fast forward.
12:36
So when you first began managing condos and co-ops, I think this
12:41
is back in 2007, what did that role look like?
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What were your day-to-day responsibilities there?
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It was a very adventurous time. I think when you're a managing
12:51
New York City real estate, especially in multi dwelling
12:53
residential environments, no two days are the same.
12:57
Anything could be happening. You're dealing with communities
12:59
that have hundreds of households.
13:02
My day-to-day focus largely on collaborating with board
13:05
members, vendors, building staff and you have multiple projects
13:12
going on at any given time. You are managing finances,
13:15
maintenance, operations, community affairs, building
13:18
staff and also outside vendors. So you are you're very
13:26
emotionally invested in some ways.
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There are a lot of given the size of the communities, you're
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also forming personal relationships.
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So you have to make sure that you're not conflating the 2.
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So no two days are are the same. It's a lot of emotional
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management when you're dealing with that number of people, but
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so many lessons learned knowing how to manage your own emotions,
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manage your time successfully, deliver information in a way
14:01
that is well received by all parties.
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So you really have to understand the personalities in front of
14:05
you, your own communication style versus their communication
14:08
styles, and making sure that info reporting, project status
14:13
updates are all being received in a way that it needs to.
14:19
That's helpful. Thank you for sharing that.
14:22
How did you discover this Lifestyle Director role and
14:25
explain to us what that traditionally is?
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So that space had over the years, it's been growing as a
14:37
necessity almost. So I first discovered the role
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early in 2024 due to a relationship I had with a senior
14:44
level leader who orbited the space within real estate
14:48
management and hospitality. I think over the years Boris
14:53
developers, managing agents are seeing the need for lifestyle
14:57
teams because it's a way to implement a true differentiator
15:04
to positively impact the bottom line of our property.
15:07
And essentially lifestyle teams of people often times won't even
15:11
realize are kind of the powerhouses driving communities.
15:15
They are positively contributing towards resident retention,
15:20
elevating residents lifestyles on a daily basis.
15:23
And so you're really adding a human touch to a multi dwelling
15:27
residential environment that can otherwise feel a little bit
15:30
sterile with all the different governing bodies that are on
15:33
site at a condo, Co-op or rental building commercial properties
15:36
and what not. And so how did the opportunity,
15:40
specifically at Live Unlimited, come about?
15:44
So I had kept many rewarding healthy relationships throughout
15:49
my career trajectory. And the individual who initially
15:54
alerted me to such a role with someone I had worked with
15:57
throughout the real estate world.
15:59
And it felt to her like my strengths, skills, my
16:03
personality would be well aligned for something that was
16:08
high visibility, client facing. And knowing that I was someone
16:13
who really enjoyed roles that would allow me to flex my
16:19
strengths in a creative aspect and be able to communicate on
16:24
various projects, different initiatives and different
16:27
categories. I was connected to Live
16:30
Unlimited. And from there, our
16:32
conversations were very attractive to me.
16:37
And here I am. So we talked a little bit in the
16:40
intro about what Live Unlimited does, but can you break it down
16:45
for us and sort of simple terms, because this is a concept that
16:49
prior to us connecting, I was not familiar with.
16:51
And so I suspect that's the case for a lot of our listeners too.
16:55
Sure. So Live Unlimited is a
16:59
hospitality and amenity management firm.
17:01
We are growing across North America.
17:04
Currently, I believe we are retained at over 200 properties
17:09
with luxury properties, mid luxury properties, both
17:12
residential and commercial. So in short, we support
17:17
developers, boards, owners, managing agents in elevating the
17:22
daily lives of residents and guests.
17:25
I guess you could say on the experiential front, that's where
17:28
you see our cultural lifestyle, events, programming come to
17:31
life. We are activating all the
17:34
spaces, all the amenity spaces within a property, whether that
17:39
is a health club, Wellness studios, children's playroom,
17:44
rooftop penthouse clubs. And so these, the lifestyle
17:50
programming significantly increases the opportunity to
17:56
enjoy third spaces. We call it places for community
17:59
and connection. And on the consultative side, we
18:03
conceive of design, implement health equipment.
18:08
We can support developers in how to optimize spaces in general,
18:14
advise them on what is most desirable, the types of Wellness
18:18
spaces. It may be something as simple as
18:22
package rooms, which are always needed.
18:25
And so it's it's certainly a way to implement a differentiator
18:31
that will allow a property to have leverage over their
18:35
competitors. So let me see if I understand
18:39
this correctly and help fill in the blanks where I'm missing
18:42
things. So you go to a large apartment
18:46
complex and you say, hey, I think we can do a better job
18:52
over here with the fitness space.
18:55
And from our experience managing over 200 properties, here's some
18:58
things that we've seen are really attractive for folks.
19:01
And it's like, oh, look over here, there's an empty space
19:04
here that's not really being utilized.
19:05
How about we set up a package room over here?
19:08
Or it seems like a lot of your guests have kids.
19:10
Maybe there's a kids play room that we put in here or maybe
19:13
there's a a restaurant or it's probably a bit too involved.
19:18
But maybe like you have like a, I don't know, a popcorn and beer
19:22
hour once a week. Am I kind of getting there?
19:25
Help me out. Yes, you're right on track.
19:28
I think these days you see many properties focus on having the
19:34
space, having amenity spaces, higher square footage that
19:39
almost becomes par for the course these days.
19:42
But having lifestyle teams on site to oversee these spaces,
19:46
officially activate them and really showcase for the
19:49
community how residents can interact on a daily basis with
19:52
these beautiful spaces, that's a true differentiator.
19:56
Allowing residents to feel like these expansive common areas are
20:01
an extension of themselves and their own households.
20:04
It creates a more intimate feel. Having that type of interaction
20:09
allows them to feel like they're really they're really coming
20:12
home. They're coming home to the
20:13
community. They can view their condo or Co
20:16
opera rental building environment as a sanctuary.
20:19
It's not just. You're you're not confined to
20:23
the four walls of your unit. There's so much for you to enjoy
20:26
and incorporate into your daily life and daily joy.
20:30
You've used the phrase a couple of times.
20:32
Activate the spaces. Can you say more about what that
20:35
means? Sure, developing visions on how
20:41
residents can enjoy their environments.
20:44
So if you have a beautiful Wellness studio, you have the
20:48
space, it's clean, it's peaceful, but you're not quite
20:52
sure how residents will enjoy utilizing it most.
20:57
We may come in and say, well, you know, maybe having a sound
21:01
bath session here or an acupuncture session here or
21:06
massage therapy and you experiment.
21:10
Lifestyle teams are kind of the front line when it comes to
21:13
resident relationships. So we're going to develop
21:15
relationships, engage in dialogue, fully understand the
21:19
demographics. And part of the significance of
21:23
having lifestyle teams on site is being able to fully
21:27
understand the community that you're building.
21:29
Maybe you have as a developer or a board, you have a vision of
21:32
the type of community you are building towards, but perhaps
21:35
that is that is not the direction that things are moving
21:39
in as people are actually moving in.
21:41
So having lifestyle teams be a voice for the residents,
21:44
resident advocate, creating that relationship, there you'll have
21:48
a better understanding of your demographics, what they need and
21:51
want, and what types of activities they are energized to
21:55
engage in. What is the ideal time for you
22:00
to get involved with the client? Is it while the property is
22:03
being designed and thought of and developed, or does it
22:06
traditionally happen afterwards? I would say it would be ideal if
22:12
the lifestyle team were able to join the conversation during
22:18
very beginning phases. So all teams are on the same
22:22
page. You are building relationships
22:24
with each other, the on site teams, your managing agent, the
22:27
ownership team, sales and marketing, the building staff.
22:30
So you have you're, you're clearly paving a road together.
22:35
You have a collaborative vision and everyone understands the
22:39
values and the visions moving forward.
22:41
That certainly creates a solid cohesion to have important
22:45
conversations and make important decisions as you go.
22:48
But certainly at any given point, you may have a board or
22:52
managing agent who has never explored on site lifestyle teams
22:57
and they see how their neighbors are able to retain their
23:00
resident community base or other individuals in the neighborhood
23:05
who are so excited to come home where they're constantly talking
23:08
about the events, activations in at their location.
23:11
And you may want to start to explore.
23:13
So at any given point you can explore, bring in a lifestyle
23:17
team, experiment with different types of activations, large and
23:22
small. And I I don't doubt that
23:26
communities will see what a positive ripple effect it has on
23:29
their community. Tell us about some of these
23:32
positive ripple effects. Is it the ability to charge
23:36
higher rents, you know, better margins?
23:38
Is it just sort of reduce that tenant turnover?
23:42
Are there other benefits that they see?
23:44
Both of those are certainly goals depending on what type of
23:48
building you are, what category, what type of community you're
23:52
trying to foster. But I think overall lifestyle
23:56
teams implement that human touch that is often lacking.
24:02
There are many communities that are absolutely gorgeous filled
24:06
and you know, it's it's a vibrant community, but not
24:10
everyone is connected to each other or they lack the
24:14
opportunities to to connect. You could be in a beautiful,
24:18
expansive 200 unit community and maybe you're coming home and you
24:22
you don't see your neighbors, you don't have any opportunities
24:25
to engage in conversation and you feel that while this how
24:30
many spaces are available to you?
24:32
Maybe they feel a little bit sterile.
24:34
So having the human touch there, softening up the environment a
24:39
bit have providing opportunities and encouraging the resident
24:42
base to come out, enjoy their environments and also connect
24:45
with each other really emphasizes the the desire for
24:51
the third space and for having an extension of space that they
24:55
can enjoy while maintaining the privacy at home.
25:02
Can you give us a couple more examples of some things that you
25:05
guys do as I hear you talking about this, Margaret, you know,
25:08
it's been a long time since I've lived in an apartment complex
25:11
and it kind of reminds me of what the dorms when I was back
25:15
in college eons ago used to try to have the RA's.
25:18
Do they put together these programs and they were all
25:22
well-intentioned, but most people weren't really interested
25:25
in listening to somebody come and talk about stress or
25:28
whatever it was that they were doing.
25:30
It seems to me like what you guys are doing is a similar
25:33
concept, but like on steroids, like actually figuring out like
25:36
what it is that people want and brings them in and draws them
25:40
together. But I think it would help me and
25:42
probably our listeners if we get just kind of go through a couple
25:45
of other specific examples of the kinds of things that you
25:48
guys do. Sure.
25:49
So events can include neighborly mixers, industry panels, health
25:57
and Wellness activities, and events, events that showcase
26:03
dining and nightlife around the community.
26:07
Can you get be more specific like what, what is it like a
26:10
Wellness event or what does it mean to you know, explore the
26:13
you know, the, the nightlife around the the complex?
26:16
Sure. So one example that comes to
26:18
mind was a very well attended Wellness Expo that my team and I
26:22
produced and was a lot of fun because we were able to get
26:26
various vendors on site and have residents be connected to
26:30
different brands, different vendors and communities off site
26:35
brought them on site so residents could engage in
26:39
person. This included having a sound
26:42
bath in our Wellness studio, breath work and meditation in
26:45
another space, having ear seating and acupuncture
26:48
available, bringing in different different brands for desserts,
26:55
light bites, hors d'oeuvres, and we also had a session for young
26:59
professionals for headshots. So there was a variety of
27:05
activities and avenues to explore and this really brought
27:09
together the community at one of our marquee clients known as
27:13
Monogram New York. So it's a 200 unit residential
27:16
luxury condo in Midtown Manhattan.
27:19
And given the location, the community is very diverse in age
27:24
range, in cultural backgrounds and professional backgrounds.
27:28
So having such a diverse community to work with is so
27:31
much fun. Being able to curate what's
27:35
going to be on an events agenda is equally as energizing because
27:39
you have so many different personalities you know you can
27:40
cater to. And communities are are great at
27:43
giving feedback. They may come to you proactively
27:45
and say we may want to explore more the art, arts and culture
27:50
Ave. And so we've had a pop up art
27:52
galleries, discussions on film history.
27:58
And so you get to know the community and you have the
28:04
opportunity to gauge in conversation on a daily basis
28:08
and you collect the data. You can also identify what's
28:13
trending around town and, and you explore, you can take an
28:16
experimental approach. And so that was one example
28:19
where we had really strong feedback and resident and guest
28:22
attendance and it was, it was a great time.
28:24
And so are these events traditionally free for the
28:28
residents to participate in? Like you get some sort of a
28:30
budget from the complex itself. Yes, traditionally that is how
28:35
it would go. Ownership teams like to offer
28:38
these as a a differentiator for the community base.
28:42
This is how we elevate their daily lives.
28:45
This is how communities have an edge of their competitors.
28:48
You know, they're able to allow the residents to say, well, our,
28:52
our community connects us to so many different lifestyle brands
28:56
and supports us in explorations and culture and the arts.
29:00
And so it's very desirable from the resident lens.
29:04
How many units, how many properties are under sort of
29:08
your watch and your portfolio? So I have mostly one large
29:14
client who I am working with on site here which takes the
29:18
majority of my focus. This is Monogram New York that I
29:21
mentioned. We are a 200 unit luxury condo.
29:25
And so it's been, it's been great fun and we do have a team
29:32
that is all over the region. So there are different
29:37
personalities. My colleagues come from many
29:40
different backgrounds, mostly hospitality professionals.
29:43
And so we always contribute to each other's initiatives and
29:47
projects and make sure we have a solid multi pronged strategy, if
29:52
you want to call it, to ensure success for the various
29:55
communities in our portfolio. And in the time that you've been
29:58
there, Margaret, how has your role specifically evolved?
30:03
I would say it has evolved in many ways.
30:06
I wear many hats, as I'm sure many of my colleagues in
30:09
lifestyle space do. It's been great fun having the
30:13
opportunity to work so closely with various teams like sales,
30:16
marketing, PR, property management.
30:19
So I've learned a lot, been able to contribute to many different
30:23
initiatives that are outside of my lifestyle focus.
30:27
And it's also been a lot of fun being able to secure various
30:30
partnerships with Wellness brands, dining in nightlife and
30:35
really expose both our lifestyle and concierge teams as well as
30:39
our our resident bases to many different partnerships and
30:46
relationships. And I hope that this is how the
30:51
path continues. Being able to consistently grow
30:55
and expand my perspective is most exciting to me.
31:00
How do you guys separate yourselves from the competition?
31:02
What makes you different? I don't think we have many
31:07
competitors in this space that you can compare to us like for
31:11
like. I think that we have a very
31:15
holistic approach and we're sort of a one stop shop for
31:20
developers, owners and boards. We have like I mentioned a
31:24
little bit earlier, the experiential side, the
31:26
consultative side and our team members are like I just
31:31
mentioned, they are a majority of them do come from
31:34
hospitality. So when you take that type of
31:38
experience, skills and strengths, when you are dealing
31:43
with or navigating the hospitality landscape as a front
31:46
line member and you take that and you apply it to residential
31:49
and commercial properties, those skills and experience become
31:52
invaluable. So having a voice for the
31:57
residents, having that human touch, being able to soften an
32:00
environment within residential commercial spaces.
32:03
I think people often see concierge teams, guest advocate
32:06
teams in the travel industry and they don't often realize how
32:12
easily and how successfully it can be applied to residential
32:15
environments. And do you typically work
32:18
exclusively on site then? Typically, yes.
32:23
Most of my days are spent on site.
32:25
That's where I'm most effective. I'm continuing to nurture
32:29
relationships between the many of the multiple teams that work
32:31
alongside as well as the resident basic course.
32:36
So are you like very popular with the resident base?
32:38
Because you're like, always there, setting up all these cool
32:40
free things for them to do. I guess you could say that yes,
32:44
people know who I am, they know where to find me and they don't
32:47
shy away from that. You're like Missus Claus.
32:51
I love it. What's a specific initiative
32:54
that you're particularly proud of, Something that you've rolled
32:57
out there? I guess I'm lucky to say there
33:01
are there are many project I've been involved with that I'm
33:04
proud of, but I'm probably seeing the great positive
33:08
turnouts at the large scale events.
33:12
One that remains top of mind is the Wellness Expo we spoke of
33:15
earlier. Being able to conceive of a
33:18
vision and then executing that and drawing the type of
33:22
individuals that you want through the door and seeing them
33:25
visibly enjoy themselves and providing positive feedback.
33:29
That in itself is so rewarding and knowing, and this is what I
33:33
kind of mentioned the very beginning of our conversation.
33:36
When you know you're making a positive impact and the positive
33:39
results are visible, that's such a driving force, you know, and
33:44
you continue to build from there.
33:45
We've had this great success here.
33:47
How do we continue to expand on it going forward?
33:49
How do we continue to collect even more data and refine this
33:53
or pivot away from XY and Z? So being able to build things
34:00
and execute successfully on it, I think I would say very proud
34:05
of that. Yeah, how about one that maybe
34:08
didn't go so well? An event or an initiative where
34:11
you had high hopes for it and kind of fell flat for one reason
34:15
or another. Very luckily for me, I don't
34:18
think I've seen and and it might happen, but thus far nothing has
34:23
fallen flat. I wouldn't say I wouldn't you.
34:25
Haven't struck out a single time.
34:28
Wouldn't say struck out, no. I mean, it's, it's kind of hard
34:31
to strike out when you are perpetuating fun.
34:37
You know, this isn't like other roles I've had where there's a
34:41
hard deadline a quoted to me, you have to close a deal, you
34:44
have to get that signature on paper.
34:45
This is very different. And so with my main focus being
34:50
to create community and connections, it's, it's hard to
34:55
fail at that completely, but there are certainly scenarios
35:02
that were learning experiences. You know, there was a time where
35:08
it was a good problem to have. We had exceeded guest count and
35:12
realized that we need to start staffing more proactively so
35:18
that we can ensure the integrity of the space is maintained.
35:22
When people are having fun, you might get broken bottles here
35:26
and there out on the terraces. Things like that can be a
35:29
serious safety hazard. So you have to make sure you're
35:32
proactively thinking ahead. And again, having too large an
35:38
event that's too well attended is always a good problem to
35:41
have. But there are always scenarios
35:43
that pop up that allow us to say, OK, let's do better here.
35:47
Let's be more proactive in this corner, in that corner.
35:52
And so it's sometimes it's just you on site there and other
35:57
times when you're running a larger event, you kind of bring
36:00
in some other team members to help you coordinate that.
36:04
Yes, it can happen that way. There are.
36:07
The on site teams are definitely smaller, more focused on that
36:12
specific community when you're on site, but it's a very
36:15
collaborative environment throughout our organization.
36:18
We are in constant communication with each other, taking insights
36:21
from each other, learning from each other's events, strategies.
36:25
And so there's always a colleague, A peer that you can,
36:31
you can ping and say, I might need your insight, I might need
36:34
your physical presence, you know, in some way to support.
36:37
And for each location, there are various teams on site.
36:41
I think it's exceptionally important for a lifestyle teams
36:44
to make sure they're working hand in hand with their on site
36:48
maintenance staff, their resident managers and
36:50
superintendents. Having interpersonal
36:54
relationships, especially when you're working on site together
36:57
is crucial because you're essentially governing a small a
37:02
small town, you know? So you have to make sure that
37:05
you're aligned and step, you have a united front at all times
37:09
to tackle all types of challenges that come at you.
37:13
Why don't some of these apartment buildings do this in
37:18
house themselves? I think that on site teams
37:25
typically have a very similar track.
37:28
They may traditionally come from only the property management
37:34
angle or only the maintenance expertise angles.
37:38
So it can be hard for team members who are so immersed in
37:45
their years of experience on one track to pivot and have the soft
37:53
skills that are often needed and required to be a successful
37:56
lifestyle team. You have to make sure that you
37:59
are very comfortable maintaining several relationships across
38:04
different avenues. So you have to make sure you're
38:07
OK being the main point of contact for various initiatives.
38:15
And so it's kind of a balance of which teams have strengths and
38:20
hard skills versus soft skills. And if you are an on site team,
38:25
whether you're ownership, the managing agent or the
38:27
maintenance team, you are so inundated in your daily tasks,
38:31
you may not have the bandwidth at all to be curating events or
38:37
consulting on design of a space. So it's it, it can be a lot for
38:44
all teams. So it's it's good to have team
38:48
members who are devoted to specific causes to be a
38:51
successful a successful overall environment.
38:55
It also occurs to me that one of the advantages that Live
38:58
Unlimited brings is the experience of all the other
39:03
lifestyle managers who have experienced testing out
39:07
different initiatives at their properties.
39:09
And so you guys can share notes, It's like, oh, hey, I'm thinking
39:12
about doing this. Oh, we did something like that
39:15
and we threw this in on top of it and it really made it
39:17
successful. You're absolutely right.
39:20
Our team, our the reach of our team is wide.
39:23
The variety of personalities certainly adds to the positive
39:27
experiences and we each bring our own network of
39:30
relationships. And when we're able to connect
39:32
each other in times of need, that's, you know, all the more
39:39
ways to bolster success. Where do you see Live Unlimited
39:43
going, Margaret? What's What's the future
39:45
horizon? I think there's unlimited
39:48
potential in for our organization in this space and
39:53
the path that we're on. We're seeing more and more how
39:57
crucial lifestyle teams are in terms of positively impacting a
40:01
property's bottom line, elevating brand image, resident
40:05
retention and satisfaction. Often times you see individuals
40:10
these days who. Are very willing to forgo a
40:14
larger size unit in favor of a development or community that's
40:18
going to focus on having that human touch, a community that is
40:23
lifestyle driven so they can provide this third space, as we
40:26
call it, for people to connect and feel truly that they're in a
40:31
safe home environment. So I think the organization and
40:35
the space will continue to expand as it becomes more and
40:39
more attractive to builders. Are there any initiatives that
40:44
you've kind of had bouncing around in the back of your brain
40:48
that you haven't had the chance to execute on yet that you would
40:51
love to? Oh, of course, tons.
40:54
I mean, there are ideas that come about all the time.
40:57
I, I, I would love, I would love to dive more into the Wellness
41:04
space just to bring a variety of holistic approaches because we
41:08
are in such a big city, it's a high octane environment here.
41:12
So for me personally, this and a lot of this comes from my own
41:15
experience and my own likes and dislikes.
41:17
But for me, I love any opportunity I get during my
41:22
busy, fast-paced days to disconnect, to recalibrate, to
41:27
ground and balance myself. I think that we have a lot of
41:32
very successful professionals, athletes, creative individuals,
41:37
and I think they could all benefit from more from exploring
41:43
a variety of different Wellness and holistic approaches.
41:45
So I I would love to continue to bring more sound bath sessions,
41:50
Reiki sessions if possible, more acupuncture sessions, different
41:55
breath work facilitators, and allow people an outlet to
42:01
physically decompress when they walk in the door at the end of
42:04
their day. OK, I have to ask because I've
42:06
never heard of it before. What is the sound bath?
42:10
So sound healing is when a facilitator uses, I mean they
42:15
could use a variety of instruments.
42:16
Typically they will be crystal singing bowls or perhaps they
42:21
are singing bowls made of different metals.
42:25
They can use things like tuning forks, rain sticks, and this is
42:30
largely derived from ancient Eastern culture, Asian
42:39
communities, African communities, there's, there's a
42:42
whole history to dive into, but it positively impacts your brain
42:47
waves and kind of resets your frequency.
42:52
So this is something that you're interested in.
42:54
And I think anyone who's interested in exploring
42:56
different meditative approaches, the calming techniques,
43:00
grounding techniques would find a sound healing session to be
43:05
very beneficial. And it's, it's so fun to learn
43:08
about the different instruments, the different practitioners, how
43:10
they came about having this as their main focus.
43:16
And, and you really, you truly do, you do feel it.
43:19
It's it's such a healing vibration throughout the space.
43:22
You know, from all the work that you've done with all kinds of
43:25
different people, you're talking about, you know, coordinating
43:28
between different teams and whatnot.
43:30
I'm curious, something maybe about human psychology.
43:34
Do you feel like you've learned from the work that you do?
43:36
Yes, yes, I love this question. I think with all the roles I've
43:40
held, I've definitely gained pretty interesting insight into
43:45
human psychology given the abundance of individuals I I
43:49
speak to navigate on a daily basis.
43:52
And I think I would say that managing emotions is almost more
43:59
effective than actually solving the problem that someone has
44:02
brought to you. So as a very minor example,
44:06
perhaps you're dealing with a resin or a guest who's had a
44:08
long and stressful week and the straw that breaks the camel's
44:12
back is their masseuse is an hour delayed.
44:16
Now they can't have that meditative hour or their floral
44:20
arrangements have been lost and it's just the last thing they
44:23
need. They lose it.
44:24
So they come to you. They're very emotional.
44:27
And so perhaps allowing them the safe, non judgmental space to
44:31
simply express themselves and let their emotions run its
44:34
course. You can easily diffuse the
44:37
situation just by, it sounds cliche, but you know, just by
44:41
being a softer presence, listening to them, letting them
44:44
release, and then you can tackle the actual problem.
44:49
But just by giving them that time and that space to let out
44:53
their frustrations immediately, immediately diffuses the
44:56
situation rather than the both of you kind of unraveling in the
44:58
tension of things. Let them know that they've been
45:02
heard. Yeah, exactly.
45:04
You know they have pent up anger and frustrations from various
45:07
scenarios throughout the week, so maybe this is the one time
45:10
they can actually let it out, so why not?
45:14
Margaret, what's a particularly challenging thing that you've
45:16
had to overcome in your life, whether personal or
45:19
professional? I think that, I mean, I've
45:24
definitely had many challenges. I think we all have something
45:28
that that comes to mind in the moment is the fact that for many
45:33
years I was kind of a high functioning anxious person.
45:38
I I've also met many people who similarly struggled with
45:42
anxiety, but it seemed like their anxiety crippled them.
45:47
It was debilitating for them. Luckily for me, or unluckily, I
45:51
was kind of the opposite. In order for me to well, I, I, I
45:55
thought I was managing my anxiety.
45:58
In order for me to to manage it, I had to be productive, but it
46:03
really didn't. It wasn't solving or helping
46:05
anything long term. So I think when I entered my
46:11
years in concentrative sales, although it was a great
46:14
adventure for me those years, those years did 'cause my
46:19
anxiety levels to really feel out of control to the point
46:22
where symptoms were manifesting physically and I knew that
46:26
something had to be done. I had to find a way to solve
46:29
this for myself because it wasn't like I was going to leave
46:34
my professional environment. You know, that would would have
46:36
been the only other solution at the time.
46:38
So I that from there began my journey into self-care.
46:45
And but it was really so much more than that, you know, diving
46:48
into really what was the root cause of my own anxiety?
46:52
What were my triggers? Where were my wounds?
46:55
How do I learn how to manage this thing that seems like an
46:59
overwhelming monster? And so I explored many things.
47:02
And again, this goes back to what I was talking about
47:03
earlier. Having found an interest in
47:08
holistic therapies like Reiki, acupuncture, meditation, breath
47:12
work, that was, I feel like that was the best thing I could have
47:16
ever done for myself if for the first time, I was exploring my
47:20
inner realm, which is not something I had ever explored.
47:24
Everything was like an external output for me.
47:26
You know, being able to dive into work, being able to dive
47:28
into social endeavors, different types of external relationships,
47:32
while not taking care of anything that was happening
47:34
internally. And so now that I know that I
47:37
constantly encourage people to do that, People around me who
47:41
are experiencing challenging times, I always ask them, have
47:43
you investigated your emotions? Do you know what's going on
47:46
internally? Why are things triggering you?
47:48
And that's really the best way for you to understand yourself,
47:52
manage your emotions. And then you immediately, well,
47:54
maybe not immediately, it's, it's an ongoing process, this
47:58
healing process, but you do for sure see how it's a positive
48:03
ripple effect on your work, your relationships across all avenues
48:08
and yourself. You know, you begin to build a
48:11
new higher level of self esteem, more solid confidence in your
48:16
decisions and who you are and your voice.
48:19
So I, I would say that I, I won't say that I have solved
48:24
from anxiety. I think everyone has anxiety.
48:26
It comes up at some point. It would be very strange if one
48:28
didn't experience that. But it is something that is very
48:32
manageable for me now versus prior years where I felt like
48:36
this, this overwhelming enemy that I didn't know how to
48:41
combat. So I feel like I do it for
48:44
myself. I appreciate you sharing all
48:46
that. Yeah.
48:47
There's different levels of anxiety, right?
48:48
There's a, oh, I'm a little bit anxious.
48:50
I'm going to be doing this podcast interview today.
48:53
And that's just your body and your mind's way of saying, hey,
48:56
I just want to do well. I want to make sure that I'm on
48:58
my toes and I'm giving my best here.
49:00
And then there's, you know, what you're talking about where it
49:02
was just crippling. It was overwhelming.
49:04
It was, you know, physical manifestations.
49:07
I'm curious to better understand, Margaret, how you
49:10
took those first steps in your healing process.
49:14
Was there a therapist you talked to that kind of turned you on to
49:17
some of these ideas? Was it friends giving you ideas?
49:20
Were you Googling for solutions? Yeah, it was a lot of research.
49:24
It just was born out of desperation.
49:27
I think I just could not deal with having panic attacks,
49:31
anxiety attacks in the middle of my day, unexpected, you know, it
49:34
would just be like throwing a wrench into my day when I had
49:38
everything perfectly planned out hour by hour.
49:40
And then you suffer this emotional attack and it's, it
49:43
was just crazy. I just got to the point where I
49:44
said this needs to stop. I have to figure this out.
49:48
And so from there, I just did a lot of research.
49:49
I did begin with talk therapy, but I really dove into exploring
49:55
as many different paths as I could.
49:57
So from my own research, I narrowed down a few different
50:00
things that I wanted to try, which were the modalities I
50:02
spoke of earlier, the Reiki and meditation and breath work.
50:06
And each time I tried something, I would explain my challenges
50:08
and the facilitator or practitioner would enlighten me
50:11
to a different path that I should explore.
50:15
And so being able to find that community was helpful in itself.
50:21
I had people who I could speak to vulnerably about this and not
50:24
feel ashamed or embarrassed because they knew they had come
50:26
from similar spaces, similar backgrounds, and they found
50:29
themselves to their current paths just in the way that I
50:33
had. So it makes a lot of sense why
50:36
you're so excited to bring more of these Wellness concepts into
50:41
your communities because you've seen how helpful it can be for
50:44
you. You want to be able to offer
50:47
those kinds of solutions and assistance to others.
50:50
Absolutely. And it's, it's something that
50:52
majority people just don't think about.
50:54
You know, people and mostly people don't have time, I
50:56
suppose. You know, you're so busy as
50:59
parents, as professionals, as athletes or what not, you're
51:02
focused on immediate needs in front of you.
51:04
And so your inner realm, your emotional, mental Wellness is
51:08
often left on the back burner. So if I can at least introduce
51:11
the concept to people around me and be an advocate in this way,
51:15
that would that would make me feel good.
51:18
That's really cool. So you've tried a lot of these
51:21
different modalities. Are there ones that are part of
51:25
either a daily or weekly routine for you that you still find to
51:29
be really helpful? Yes, certainly all of the above,
51:33
although I've kind of consolidated it.
51:37
So I guess on an everyday basis, I journal frequently and a lot
51:44
of times it may just look like me taking out pen and paper and
51:47
writing a simple list. So just the act of writing
51:50
things down, it's kind of like a physical dump of emotions and
51:54
thoughts that I've been carrying throughout the day.
51:57
I sometimes I'll simply make a list of five emotions that I
52:01
felt or five challenges that are, or anything that's been
52:05
annoying me that was carrying out throughout the day.
52:07
So the act of writing it down, it doesn't mean I'm taking that
52:11
much time to really reflect and write an essay about what's
52:15
happening. It could be a simple list and
52:16
that helps me remove that agitation from my mental space.
52:20
It's now on paper, it's gone. I can start the next day with a
52:24
clean slate. Meditation and breath work.
52:27
Same thing when I began my, I'll call it a healing journey, I was
52:32
attending meditation sessions that were 30 minutes long to two
52:36
hours long. Nowadays it's we certainly don't
52:40
have time for that as often. So my meditative practice can
52:44
simply be 5 minutes, maybe 3 minutes.
52:47
Maybe it's when I'm in my Uber or on the train and I just check
52:50
in with myself. Am I feeling good to tackle the
52:53
day? Do I have any hesitation?
52:55
Are there any lingering emotions?
52:57
What is it? Why is it there?
53:00
Can I manage this throughout the next 8 hours?
53:03
What do I need to do to get myself primed, feeling
53:07
optimized, focusing on breath work, also similar.
53:12
It's not as extensive as a process as many people think.
53:15
Sometimes people think these these tools add to your day when
53:20
they're already so crunched on time.
53:22
But again, it's really just a couple minutes here and there.
53:25
You can go hide in the bathroom for 60 seconds, take some long,
53:29
deep breaths. You will come out feeling a
53:31
little bit better than you had when you walked in.
53:34
So those three are definitely in my daily practice, even if I
53:40
know I'm going into a combative meeting, do some breath work,
53:42
check in with myself, you know, so these very small habits you
53:46
can easily incorporate and then it'll just become a part of your
53:49
operating system. So the meditations that you do,
53:54
lots of different styles of meditations, it sounds to me
53:57
like you're just kind of getting your brain into a quieter place
54:00
and then sort of evaluating where your day is and where you
54:03
need to go. Is that right?
54:05
Yeah, yeah, pretty much. I'm trying to disconnect from
54:09
all the noise and make sure that I'm in a headspace even for
54:13
those few minutes where I'm fully with myself.
54:16
I'm recognizing here I am. I'm sitting in this nice and
54:20
comfortable chair, checking in with myself to see what types of
54:25
emotions are kind of dominating in the moment.
54:28
Maybe taking note of them, taking note of them and not
54:31
particularly doing anything about it, but just simply noting
54:34
which emotions are there makes things manageable.
54:39
And it's kind of just a a pep talk for myself to make sure
54:43
that I am at least grounded before I go into a situation.
54:46
So I'm not letting any of those dominating emotions take over
54:49
and dialogue. I'm so glad that you shared your
54:52
approach to meditation because I think for so many people,
54:55
they've tried it. And the style that they've tried
54:58
is what I'm supposed to clear my mind.
55:00
And you know, as soon as you tell people don't think about
55:03
anything, what happens? All these thoughts come flying
55:06
in and they think they're failing and they get frustrated
55:08
and they're like, well, this doesn't work.
55:10
This isn't for me. But you've just highlighted that
55:12
there's more than one way to skin a cat here.
55:15
Yeah, definitely. And I think for anyone starting
55:18
out, that's why it's so helpful to attend sessions in person, to
55:22
have a facilitator or practitioner so they can coach
55:24
you through these things so you understand what it looks like as
55:27
you begin to incorporate these habits into your life.
55:30
And yes, meditation, I think people have these grand ideas
55:35
around it and it can be grand, but on an everyday basis, it's
55:41
really just taking note of what's happening within you.
55:46
That very small step is enough to be able to allow you to move
55:51
more successfully towards successful meditation practices.
55:54
I. Really like that, and I'm glad
55:55
that you shared that. How about your superpower,
55:58
Margaret? What's your superpower?
56:01
I, I hope, I think that I have spent enough years and time
56:08
studying my own communication styles and taking note of the
56:18
various personalities I've navigated to be able to say that
56:23
perhaps communication is what I would consider my superpower.
56:27
And I think, I don't know that I can say I've completely mastered
56:33
it. I think mastery is a lifetime of
56:36
effort. But I have received consistent
56:39
positive feedback on my speaking skills, my communication skills
56:43
when it comes to relationships and being a part of something
56:47
bigger, a part of our project initiative.
56:50
And it's I, I feel it's simply because I'm very mindful and
56:56
intentional of what I want to say and how I say it.
56:59
So I think by nature, I'm actually quite direct in my
57:02
communication. And I've learned over the years
57:05
that many people can find that abrasive.
57:07
It's not received well. And so you have to remain
57:10
adaptable. You have to learn that there are
57:13
many different communication styles.
57:15
People will receive your information very differently.
57:18
Even though you're telling three different people the same
57:22
content, each different person can receive it differently based
57:25
on your delivery. And so because the roles I've
57:28
held hinge on relationships and community and connections, I've
57:34
had many years to learn this and refine this.
57:37
And hopefully others around me will also agree that I've become
57:41
successful in this way. Margaret, we mentioned in the
57:45
intro that Live Unlimited has been named a 2025 Top Workplace.
57:52
Why do you think that is? I certainly think it has to do
57:56
with our core values, which are boldness, innovation, safety,
58:01
partnerships. All those align very well with
58:03
my own core values. And I think anyone who's coming
58:06
into the organization and feels aligned with these core values
58:08
or want to champion it, and that's what's going to raise
58:13
morale, foster that collaborative environment, leave
58:17
room for innovative thinking, and allow people to operate
58:21
creatively for problem solving. So I think the type of culture
58:27
that the organization has consistently tried to refine and
58:31
to champion over the years is what resulted in in such a
58:37
award. We also mentioned that you are
58:43
an ambassador for Women in Construction and on the Advisory
58:47
Council for the National Association of Asian American
58:51
Professionals. Why is it important for you with
58:53
your busy life, busy schedule to get involved in sort of these
58:58
extracurriculars? I love being involved in
59:01
extracurriculars because I think, and this is again,
59:05
something I spoke about probably earlier, earlier on in the
59:07
conversation, I love being in a state of growth and expansion.
59:10
I think it's very important to have a very well-rounded outlook
59:14
on life, on yourself, on whatever endeavors you're
59:18
pursuing. So I think you can be very
59:21
successful in your current position in the professional
59:24
space, but you need to continue to expand yourself outside of
59:28
that, pursue all of your interests, all of your
59:31
curiosities and you also, I think it's important for
59:35
everyone to give back. You know, you've, you've gained
59:38
all your successes for a reason. Yes, it's because you put in the
59:42
effort, the time, the care, but there are people around you who
59:45
have supported you and kind of lifted you up.
59:47
So I think finding and building community is, is, is crucial.
59:52
And in order to do that, you need to contribute.
59:55
So there's a saying I love and I, I do not remember who coined
59:58
it, but it goes something like everyone is looking for a
1:00:02
village, but no one wants to be a villager.
1:00:05
And I think that's very, very important.
1:00:06
You have to contribute. Tribute if you want to receive
1:00:09
the type of support that that you might need and the National
1:00:14
Association of Asian American Professionals.
1:00:16
That was something that was very rewarding for me to be able to
1:00:21
contribute in various ways to elevate other community members
1:00:30
who may not feel a scene or who makes be experiencing
1:00:35
challenges, whether it's age discrimination, racial
1:00:39
discrimination, gender discrimination.
1:00:43
And so whatever strengths and skills and tools I have in my
1:00:46
toolbox, I love to know that I can positively impact someone
1:00:50
somewhere. Like that a lot?
1:00:54
How about let's talk? Continue talking about outside
1:00:57
of work. What's your favorite hobby?
1:00:58
Your favorite pastime? I have many, but I guess I would
1:01:05
say I I do love being outdoors, so I'm hiking and biking as
1:01:08
often as possible. I love heading to the Hudson
1:01:12
Valley, exploring the trails throughout.
1:01:15
I feel so lucky living where I live and not just New York City,
1:01:19
which is my favorite city in the world, but also being in this
1:01:22
location, it gives me access to trails in upstate New York, New
1:01:25
Jersey, Long Island. So it's such a great corner to
1:01:30
be in and I think being the reason I love being outdoors so
1:01:34
much is the feeling of resetting and being able to ground
1:01:38
yourself in a dense, heavy forest.
1:01:40
It's it's such a juxtaposition to the fast-paced, constant buzz
1:01:45
of city life, which I also love love.
1:01:48
It I've just got one more question for you today,
1:01:51
Margaret. But before I ask it, I want to
1:01:52
do three things. First of all, anybody who wants
1:01:54
to get in touch with Margaret Wang from Live Unlimited, you
1:01:58
can search for her LinkedIn profile.
1:02:00
We'll also have a link to that in the show notes.
1:02:02
But if you're listening on the move and you can't look at the
1:02:06
show notes, just go to the LinkedIn, search for Margaret
1:02:09
Wang Live Unlimited, and you'll find her.
1:02:12
Also, as a reminder, if you want to get more hospitality
1:02:15
employees access to therapists, doctors and prescription meds
1:02:19
that, as paradoxical as it seems, actually increases the
1:02:23
company's net profits, reach out to us at at backbenefits.com.
1:02:28
And if you're enjoying the show, a quick comment or review on
1:02:31
your favorite podcast app goes a long way towards helping others
1:02:36
discover our show. So thank you for taking a quick
1:02:38
moment to do that right now. Last question for you, Margaret.
1:02:42
A year from now, what is something specific that you hope
1:02:45
to be celebrating? Specific I feel like would be
1:02:51
hard to answer, but I guess I, I hope to be continuing to
1:02:56
celebrate my growth. I feel like I'm in very heavy
1:03:02
into a building phase right now. There's so many different
1:03:05
interests and avenues I want to pursue professionally.
1:03:07
I want to make sure I continue to elevate myself, my
1:03:10
reputation, my work. So in a year from now, hopefully
1:03:13
I will look back and can continue to say, wow, I, I had
1:03:18
this idea and I executed look at all these great relationships
1:03:22
and partnerships. I, I've continued to build.
1:03:24
So if I can do that in the next year, that would make me feel
1:03:28
like it was a year well lived. I like that.
1:03:33
I'm gonna push just a little bit.
1:03:35
Is there maybe a specific skill that you would like to enhance
1:03:39
or I don't know a particular relationship that you would like
1:03:43
to develop or further nurture? Yes, yeah, definitely.
1:03:49
I hope to meet and find more mentors, maybe mentors outside
1:03:54
of my industry. I think that would be very
1:03:56
interesting and very helpful. I've had, I feel I've been very
1:04:00
lucky to have mentors within the industries that I've navigated.
1:04:03
But perhaps it would be helpful and rewarding to speak to mentor
1:04:08
mentors maybe in creative industries.
1:04:11
And I, I would love to really hold myself to working on my
1:04:19
writing more. I've always been a writer.
1:04:21
I've taken off freelance projects from time to time, but
1:04:25
a lot of times life just gets in the way of creative endeavors, I
1:04:28
feel. So I have various manuscripts in
1:04:32
the past few years I've said I'm going to get back to a focus on
1:04:36
it, and I haven't. So hopefully this next year I
1:04:39
can chip away at that and make some progress.
1:04:43
I like it. Margaret Wang from Live
1:04:45
Unlimited, I want to be the first to thank you for sharing
1:04:48
both your time and your story with us today.
1:04:50
I really appreciate you. Thank you for this conversation,
1:04:53
this was so much fun, I appreciate it.
1:04:56
Folks, that's a wrap on another episode of the Inspired Stories
1:04:58
podcast. Thanks for learning with us
1:05:00
today.