Ideamensch Interview with Tammy McNaught

What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?

My daily routine is an essential part of setting myself up for a productive and fulfilling day. It all starts when I wake up at 6:15 am and take 10 minutes to meditate. I love using the Breethe app because it always helps me focus on turning negative thoughts into something positive. This simple practice helps me get into the right mindset to tackle the day ahead.

After my meditation, I grab a cup of coffee and jot down three things for which I am grateful. This helps me maintain a positive mindset and focus on the good things in my life. Next, I outline my goals for the day. It is important for me to maintain a work-life balance, so I always have two business goals and one personal goal. I also email these lists to myself, so they’re always in my inbox as a constant reminder of what I want to achieve.

Exercise is also a crucial part of my morning routine. I make sure to dedicate 45 minutes to physical activity. This helps release endorphins, boost my energy levels, and drive me to tackle whatever comes my way.

At the end of the day, when I look at my to-do list and see all the tasks I’ve accomplished, I feel a fantastic sense of accomplishment. It’s incredibly motivating and inspires me to make the next day just as productive. For me, my morning routine reduces stress, provides consistency, and brings clarity to my mind. I believe these rituals promote productivity, creativity, and focus, helping me set the tone for a successful day.

The undeniable connection between my morning routine and my ability to accomplish tasks efficiently is a testament to the power of establishing a solid daily routine.

How do you bring ideas to life?

As a visual learner, I find it helpful to “picture” creating images of my ideas as it helps me learn and remember more clearly. If I can “see” it, we can make it happen, which is why I always start with writing down my ideas on a notepad to better visualize them. The next step is immersing myself in extensive research through books, webinars, blogs, and any available resources that can deepen my understanding and ensure that it is an idea I want to explore.

Once I feel confident about the idea, I share it with my father, my team, and my mentors who have been a crucial part of this exciting journey with me. I listen to their input and feedback to help the idea grow and potentially become our next million-dollar achievement. I believe collaboration and open communication are key to bringing any idea to life.

What’s one trend that excites you?

I’m excited about adopting AI-driven technologies in my business, personal life, and the world. We take pride in our personalized approach when engaging with potential and existing clients. However, we also recognize technology’s immense benefits, which became even more apparent during the pandemic, as it allowed us to work remotely and ensure uninterrupted operations.

While embracing AI, I still aim to maintain the personal touch that is so crucial in business. This means continuing to have phone calls, virtual meetings with clients, and in-person staff gatherings. But alongside this, I am genuinely excited about incorporating AI to complement and expand our services, heightening efficiency, and convenience for everyone involved. For instance, we’re utilizing AI by offering virtual tours of our properties available for lease or sale. These virtual tours cater to individuals with impaired mobility, travel constraints, foreigners, expats residing abroad, and anyone with internet access. This inclusive approach allows a wide range of prospective and existing clients to explore our offerings from the comfort of their homes. It amplifies the advantages of intelligent tools by increasing our offerings and expanding access to the public. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

What is one habit that helps you be productive?

My morning routine has been instrumental in keeping me productive. It has become my cornerstone to staying mentally fit, motivated, inspired, and focused on my goals. By remembering my mission each day and prioritizing my “Attack List,” I am constantly on track and working towards my goal. I want the end of the day to feel as productive as the beginning of the day so I am fully prepared for success in the days to come. This drive fuels my motivation and helps me maintain focus, paving the way for a fulfilling journey toward accomplishing my goals.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I am from a generation of “you work hard and put in long hours, and you will succeed. You arrive before your boss, and you leave after your boss. It’s all about appearance.” Looking back, I realize that this was a flawed concept. I wish I had understood the importance of working smarter, not just harder, as it would have helped me achieve my goals in less time. That’s why I am committed to maintaining a healthy work-life balance and prioritizing results over the appearance of working long hours. Taking care of our personal lives is crucial, as it greatly affects our work productivity and positive state of mind. I share this advice with my sons and employees, and genuinely believe I reap great rewards from living it

Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.

I believe that if you’re too comfortable in what you’re doing, you’re not truly passionate. Passion drives us to challenge ourselves and innovate continuously. Comfort can lead to complacency, while true passion can push us to strive for excellence and growth, ensuring we never settle for mediocrity.

What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?

Understand your business and know how to read your financials. You cannot grow your business without comprehending what is working and what is not. This understanding allows you to spot opportunities to propel your business to the next level while eliminating lost leaders. Once you learn those, don’t be afraid to make necessary changes. Examine and fortify the productive methods and systems. Diminish or remove the ineffective ones. Surround yourself with positive energy and ideas people who embrace change. Creative, adaptable people can help you determine what that next level should look like.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?

I dedicate 15 minutes of my day to taking a refreshing walk or engaging in some stretching exercises. This simple act helps me refocus and maintain my mental well-being. It’s important to prioritize our mental fitness because it dramatically impacts our ability to recover and get back on track. When we are mentally fit, we bounce back quicker from setbacks, but if we neglect our mental health, the negative effects can linger for longer than they should.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?

Building a strong culture for my company. Adopting an outdated and fearful approach in which employers expect employees to feel fortunate to have a job is counterproductive and detrimental to fostering a positive and thriving environment. Building a culture that creates loyalty and employee buy-in not only results in high productivity but also increases staff retention. Frequent turnover is the silent killer of a business. This also speaks volumes for potential clients, employees, and vendors. Our culture is about collaboration, gratitude, and relationships; our success rate of client, employee, and vendor retention is our reward. It keeps us motivated to get out of bed and do our best work each day.

What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?

Early on in my career in a more product-oriented role in the retail sector, we launched a product that we thought could leverage the current trends created by a few other brands at the time. However, this product line failed to achieve the projected success because we misread our brand’s unique market and demographic needs. This experience reshaped my approach, emphasizing the need for meticulous preparation, comprehensive market research, and staying true to your customer rather than following trends for the sake of it. At BanCal, I now apply this philosophy across all our initiatives, even in our service-oriented industry, ensuring we deliver value and meet client needs effectively.

What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Having spent decades growing our portfolio and leading BanCal Property Management, I firmly believe the best business idea is one that never stops evolving. For instance, at BanCal we evaluate the company periodically to assess our performance and competitive position. When I saw an opportunity in the market, we adapted, grew, and expanded our services to investors in the Bay Area. We created a clear direction for the team and stakeholders, and made strategic changes across operations, services, and marketing to match this growth. This mindset of continual improvement is what propels an idea forward.

What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

Our management platform, AppFolio, has been our most productive tool yet. It is a fully integrated property management software system that we can take on the go. Whether we’re on-site, identifying issues, capturing photos, or submitting maintenance requests, AppFolio enables us to perform these tasks in real-time. Everyone has access to this system so nothing can fall through the cracks. With everyone on the same page and utilizing AppFolio’s features, we can stay organized and efficient, and provide top-notch service to our clients.

What is the best $100 you recently spent?

Green Chef! As a business owner, I don’t have much time for cooking, and I’m not exactly a chef either. I used to spend a lot of time eating out because I lacked creativity when it came to menu ideas. However, I knew a healthy diet was important for me, and that’s why Green Chef has been amazing. Now, I order a Green Chef box for the week and look forward to cooking and eating at home more than ever. It’s a one-stop shop for everything I need to make a delicious healthy meal, and it couldn’t be easier.

Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?

The Wall Street Journal has been a great tool to connect me to what is happening outside my bubble in San Francisco. The world is changing globally and nationally, impacting my life and business. Staying informed and understanding these changes helps me prepare better for their impact on my industry and personal life.

What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?

I recently enjoyed “Ted Lasso” for its warmth and humor. The series excels in showcasing the importance of developing relationships that enhance teamwork and collaboration, fostering a positive work culture. Its insightful portrayal of leadership and empathy resonated deeply with me, and every character is a joy to watch!

Check out the interview here.