The BS Narrative
Scroll through LinkedIn and you’ll see the same tired story: smiling teams, “thriving” businesses, and managers who apparently have it all together.
Reality check – behind those curated posts, many strata managers (not all, as there are some good companies who do the right thing by their teams who I have only admiration for) are drowning under unmanageable portfolios.
This isn’t just a workload issue. It’s a culture problem, and it’s wrecking everything:
(1) Customer service tanks because managers can’t give clients the attention they deserve.
(2) Reputations can quickly deteriorate – both for the business and the individual strata manager. That is unfair on the individual working in a “system.” I recently declined an opportunity because I knew the strata manager assisting the owners corporation. I corrected a few misconceptions about them and offered some general advice to the strata committee, which resulted in the manager and their business being given another 3–6 months to demonstrate improvement.
(3) Mental health nosedives, leading to burnout and churn.
Why This Matters
The industry loves to preach “professionalism” and “client care”, but if your team is overloaded, those words are meaningless. Owners corporations notice when service slips. They notice when calls aren’t returned, compliance deadlines are missed, and managers sound exhausted. They also notice when their is a demonstrated improvement in service both three months before and after an Annual General Meeting, especially when there is an agency agreement up for renewal!
That glossy LinkedIn post? It won’t save you from reputational damage.
The Myth We Need to Kill
“You can’t disconnect without losing clients.”
Wrong. You can, and you should. The real risk isn’t setting boundaries; it’s pretending everything’s fine while your team burns out.
The Culture Behind the Chaos
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: some businesses are prioritising image over integrity. Profits over wellbeing. They’re pushing managers to handle portfolios no one could realistically manage, then celebrating “success” online.
This isn’t leadership – it’s short-term thinking. And it’s killing credibility.
What Needs to Change
1. Portfolio Sizing
Stop loading managers with 1.5 to 2 times the work of a normal role – it’s not sustainable. You can throw support teams, AI tools, and fancy systems behind them, but strata management is still customer service at its core. Clients want that personal connection with “my strata manager”. 80% of the new business I get is because the strata committee cannot connect with their strata manager who is overrun in an overrun portfolio.
And here’s the kicker: and I know of one business that won’t agree with the above – but your former clients (and team members) are already telling you the truth as they walk out the door and your business quarter-on-quarter downsizes. Wake up! You have good people relying on you to make decisions that help them support their own family.
2. Transparency
Be honest about capacity and service levels. Clients value truth over spin, every single time.
3. Support Systems
Invest in tech and admin support so managers can focus on what matters, client relationships and compliance. Your best strata managers are also your best at customer service. They either have it, or they don’t.
I’ll hire the customer service star over the “great strata manager” with zero EQ. I can teach strata, but I can’t teach someone to care.
4. Culture Reset
It’s time to move from an “always on” mentality to an “always honest” one. Healthy teams deliver better service, but that starts at the top. Leaders, many of whom have little or no strata management experience or are long removed from the realities of the industry, need to get out of their echo chambers and reconnect with the frontline. That said, some of the best leaders I know in strata have never managed a portfolio themselves. The difference is, they stay engaged, listen, and lead with humility. It’s not about your résumé – it’s about your willingness to understand what your team and clients actually experience. Stop prioritising optics and start valuing your people. If you want genuine results, lead with transparency, humility, and a willingness to listen. The culture you set is the service your clients receive.
Final Word
I wrote this because people keep coming to me with the same concerns. For many, these issues are the reason they’re ready to walk away – from their employer, from the industry, or to start something of their own. That tells you everything you need to know about the state of play.
I’m here as an advocate for a better strata industry. This isn’t just a blog; it’s part of a bigger conversation we need to have.
I don’t pretend to have every answer. But I do know corporate strata. I understand the mindset – especially in businesses staring down the reality of losing commission income in the next 12–18 months. And let’s be honest: those cosy third-party arrangements – ownership in brokerages, preferred contractor deals – are next in line for the scrutiny they’ve deserved for years.
Work-life balance isn’t a perk. It’s survival.
I’m not actively hiring for Bettr right now, but the talent knocking on my door speaks volumes. These are smart, capable people desperate to escape a culture that looks like rainbows on the outside but feels like a leaking roof on the inside. It holds up, until the storm hits. Then the cracks are impossible to ignore.
So, here’s the message:
-If you’re a strata manager, speak up.
-If you’re a business leader, fix the culture before the damage becomes permanent.
Because here’s the truth: your brand isn’t your LinkedIn feed—it’s the experience your clients and your team live every single day.
Yours in strata,
JM
What’s your take? Are overloaded portfolios killing service and culture? Email me at jm@bettrstrata.com.au, or drop me a DM on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or X.