School of Life

Gretchen Walker, RentCafe Reach

By Erica Rascón on May 20, 2020 in People

There is a common saying that every lesson you need in life, you learn in kindergarten. A few fortunate people, like Gretchen Walker, get to learn those lessons again through the eyes of a professional adult. As a team leader with Yardi RentCafe Reach services and an active member of a Montessori community, Walker regularly takes her lessons from the classroom to the conference room.

The far-reaching benefits of work-life balance

The RentCafe Reach team is a digital marketing agency for Yardi clients using RentCafe websites. Clients can take advantage of add-on features such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), social posting and reputation management. Walker enjoys her work with the team and the company for three major reasons.

“Corporate culture at Yardi is collaborative, transparent and family-oriented,” reflects Walker. “It’s collaborative because everyone is willing to help, no matter what! I’m consistently impressed with the ease at finding answers by asking around. It’s transparent because Yardi’s open-door policy allows for anyone and everyone to know what’s going on with the company from the top down.”

“Lastly, and importantly, I believe Yardi is family oriented.  The work-life balance here allows for employees to excel in both areas. I can be an engaged team member and parent without pressure to choose.”

South Coast Montessori: lessons for life

Yardi’s work-life balance has made space for Walker to serve as a founding board member of South Coast Montessori School. The school stands on the grounds of a previous Montessori school. For the last three years, Walker and her peers have worked hard to revive, redefine and remarket the new entity.

In addition to her role as a board member, Walker serves on the fundraising committee and volunteers regularly as a class mom. It’s a lot of work on top of a full-time career, but Walker knows it’s worth the effort.

“Montessori helps to raise good humans,” she says. “The method takes a child-lead approach to learning. Some misconstrue this as a free-for-all, but Montessori teachers establish clear expectations and guidelines to lead children toward success and a feeling of accomplishment. Each day, kids build practical life skills and confidence in themselves. I’ve noticed that my children come home smarter and more capable than when we dropped them off—even my youngest who is barely two!”

“I’ve learned that kids are capable of doing much more than we give them credit! I tend to want to help with everything but given the chance to be independent in action and in thought, my kids far exceed my expectations. I think this is true for people of all ages.”

“Secondly, my work with Montessori emphasizes the importance of organization and communication. Constant communication and engagement is key to running a successful fundraising campaign, a successful school and a successful team with Yardi.

From the classroom to Yardi (and back)! 

Walker’s role on the fundraising committee has informed her work with Yardi in several ways. As a fundraiser, she encounters challenges that would have made the old Gretchen uncomfortable. Now, she is better prepared for challenges in the school and in her career.

“I use those experiences to coach my team in how to have tough conversations with clients. This is important when something didn’t go exactly as planned or a custom change on the website is going to cost more than originally quoted, for example,” she said. “Being transparent with your clients for the good, bad and ugly and setting clear expectations will keep everyone happy and satisfied.”

She’s also invested in hiring quality teammates and then letting them shine. “Montessori has taught me that hiring the right people is key, and then backing off to allow those team members to do their jobs without breathing down their necks. Trust the team you’ve built. Allow them to be successful by their own right and only guide them as necessary. It’s Montessori values for adults and it works.”

Discover more Yardi employees who are making a difference in their communities.