Every home has a story, and so does every career. Jonathan Austin joined Concert Properties in 2008 and discovered a passion for storytelling through marketing. Today, as Senior Project Marketing Manager, he combines design, creativity and strategy to helps bring our communities and projects to life.
You started at Concert Properties as a Corporate & Community Relations Assistant and are now Senior Manager of Marketing. What has that journey been like, and what moments stand out along the way?
It has been an incredible journey. Fresh out of business school with a marketing degree in hand, I was looking for my first “grown up” job. As a longtime design and architecture enthusiast, the opportunity to work for a developer held a unique appeal. I began in corporate communications and soon my role expanded to include corporate marketing. After working my way up to Corporate Marketing and Communications Manager, I was given the opportunity to challenge myself by shifting my focus to condominium marketing in 2016. That area of the company had interested me for years, especially for the degree of creativity involved.
One of the most memorable years for me was 2020 — and not for the reason you might expect. I helped launch three very different condominium projects: a luxury waterfront building on the Seawall in Vancouver, a seniors’ project in Victoria and a skyscraper in an emerging Toronto neighbourhood. Juggling such a diverse range of products, locations and target audiences in one year taught me a great deal.
What do you think sets Concert Properties’ brand and culture apart in the industry?
I believe it is the commitment to honesty, integrity and always doing the right thing that most sets Concert Properties apart.
When I tell people where I work, I often hear they consider the company to be “one of the good ones” in the real estate industry. That means a lot to me, as it’s important to be part of a company whose values align with my own.
Looking back on your years at Concert Properties, how has the company changed the most in your eyes?
When I first joined the company, HR, IST and Office Services were all overseen by one person, Cheryl MacRae. How she managed to handle it all I’ll never know. Since then, the company has built greater depth and sophistication across every area, including these support functions, which are now overseen by dedicated teams.
How have you advanced professionally since you’ve been with Concert Properties?
While I graduated with a solid theoretical foundation in marketing, there is no substitute for real-world experience. I’ve had tremendous mentorship at Concert Properties as well as the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the other areas of the real estate industry.
The company has also strongly supported my continuing education, enabling me to broaden my skills. I’ve completed a graphic design program at Emily Carr, taken courses at UBC on social media, studied advertising copywriting at Langara College and completed digital marketing training at Brain Station. These learning opportunities have given me the confidence to take on more responsibilities in my role.
What advice would you give someone just starting out at the company?
Ask a lot of questions. Concert Properties’ diverse operations take time to fully understand, so it’s important to be patient with the learning process and never hesitate to ask for help.
The company spans just about every aspect of real estate development and management — from land acquisition, development, sales and marketing, construction and customer service to asset and property management. If there’s an area or topic I want to learn more about, there’s always someone to turn to.
Tell us about your favourite memory at Concert Properties.
After more than 17 years with the company, it’s a particularly tough question. But the moment that first comes to mind was our co-founder David Podmore’s retirement event last year. I had the honour of speaking on stage, sharing stories and reflecting on his incredible impact.
I remember telling him the lessons I had learned and how I would strive to make him proud in the years to come. His reply — that I already had made him proud — meant a great deal coming from someone I respect so deeply.
Outside of work, what inspires your creativity or keeps you motivated?
Photography has been a lifelong passion. I especially enjoy bringing my camera on road trips, not just to capture the moment but also for the post-production work where I enjoy the challenge of achieving a particular look.
I’m also an avid digital scrapbooker. Whether it’s a design detail, a poster, a building or a photograph that speaks to me, I’ll often take a photo or save the image as possible inspiration for a future project.