The Evolution of a Strata Manager – From Administrator to Strategic Advisor

My journey in strata management began in the late 1990s, when most people had no idea what we actually did. It’s fair to say we weren’t seen as professionals—just someone you called when the bins weren’t collected or the garage door stopped working. Prestige? Definitely not. If anything, we were somewhere between the meter reader and the “buzzers are broken again” guy.

The work was highly manual, with paper files, physical diaries, posted notices, and fax machines—OMG, remember the fax? That screeching dial tone was the soundtrack of our lives. Technology hadn’t yet entered the scene in any meaningful way. There were no apps, no portals, no AI bots helping you chase arrears. Processes were built on routine, repetition, and a lot of handwritten notes that would mysteriously disappear when you needed them most.

But even in those early days, I saw the potential for more. I was drawn to the complexity of the role—how it wove together legislation, property infrastructure, people management, and community wellbeing. (Though, to be honest, ‘wellbeing’ wasn’t even a word used back then.) The job really felt like twelve careers wrapped in one—none of which were adequately explained in the job description. At its core was a very human purpose: to help people feel safe, secure, and heard within their shared homes.

The industry was much smaller, less structured, and surprisingly personable. I remember calling ISTM (now SCA NSW) and having a proper chat with Bruce about a tricky situation or if things got really curly, I’d call the Fair Trading Strata Hotline and hope for the best. There were no knowledge portals or templates—just your gut, your network, and maybe a bit of duct tape if the situation really called for it.

Starting my own business? That was a mix of excitement and fear. I worked out of a spare room by day, pulled beers at night, and slowly built something from scratch. It took a year before I could quit the pub and go full-time. Growth was steady—fueled by word of mouth and the odd black-and-white ad in the free weekly paper.

The shift from administrator to advisor didn’t happen overnight. It came with long hours, steep learning curves, and a dawning realisation that clients wanted more than a noticeboard update. They were seeking guidance, foresight, and someone who could navigate the mess when plans went sideways—which they inevitably do in strata.

What started as a job managing trades and tracking levy notices evolved into a role that demanded strategy, negotiation, and the ability to steady a room when tensions run high. Clients weren’t just calling to report issues—they were seeking help to plan major remedial works, navigate building defects, secure loan financing, and balance short-term affordability with long-term asset preservation. Somewhere along the way, strata managers pulled up a seat alongside lawyers, auditors, and engineers. And guess what? We belonged there.

Of course, there were times I wanted to shut up shop—usually right after every major legislative review, or worse, those terrifying “you could be sued” TED Talk-style convention sessions. There I’d sit, nervously scribbling down every clause I didn’t yet know by heart and imagining worst-case tribunal scenarios. But once the panic wore off, it always triggered my default setting: pivot and adapt. Change the process. Improve the system. Update the templates. And keep going—just with a little more caution and a lot more conviction.

Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of “only in strata” moments. There was the man who rang the emergency line on Boxing Day about a leaking Sydney Water meter—bless. The resident who couldn’t sleep due to persistent bedroom noises from the neighbours. The anonymous complaint about inappropriate business activity in Unit 1 (you can guess). I’ve been asked to climb onto a roof during a superstorm, and—my personal favourite—someone once called to request that I “please stop the rain.” If only! These moments, comical as they are, highlight something deeper: the trust clients place in us. We’re no longer the afterthought—we’re the first call when things go wrong, and increasingly, the first call to help things go right.

Naturally, there were challenges too. I’ve faced bullies and threats, carried the weight of the business through personal adversity and public crises, and led my team through the fog of COVID-19. My first client loss devastated me—I cried, regrouped, and came back stronger. These hard-earned lessons shaped who I am and how I lead.

Today, strata management is unrecognisable from the job I started with. We’ve gone from physical ledgers and carbon copy receipt books to cloud-based systems, digital meeting packs, and streamlined workflows. Now it’s all apps, AI tools, offshore support, and more logins and two-factor authentications than anyone asked for—plus the ever-present fear of accidentally hitting “reply all.” The pace is faster, expectations are higher, and the need for professionalism has never been more critical.

And perhaps most rewarding of all, we’ve grown as an industry. We’ve moved from competitors to collaborators, from shared offices to shared wisdom. We’re raising the standard—together. I’ve leaned into the advisory side of the role—mentoring new managers, contributing to legislative working groups, and helping shape policies around insurance disclosure, commission rebates, and conflict-of-interest registers. Integrity isn’t just a value—it’s embedded in our workflows, from how we structure agency agreements to how we speak with committees about risk and accountability.

The shift from administrator to trusted advisor wasn’t about a new title—it was about thinking differently. It meant moving from ticking boxes to helping schemes make long-term decisions about asset management, compliance, and community culture. These days, I don’t just coordinate—I coach, I explain legislation, and sometimes I mediate disputes with empathy and firmness, all in the name of better community outcomes.

Where to from here?

The evolution of me as a strata manager is still going strong. I’ve gone from the “everything girl” to the “leading lady,” and now I’m on a mission to spread the word. If we want to attract the next generation, it’s time to show up at every high school Careers Day and tell it like it is: strata management is complex, dynamic, and unexpectedly rewarding. (And yes, you’ll occasionally be asked to stop the rain—but hey, it’s never boring.)

I wrote this from the heart and based on 25 years lived experience in the industry. There would also be indirect reference to:

Strata Community Association (NSW) – https://nsw.strata.community (formerly ISTM)
NSW Fair Trading – Strata Schemes – https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-property/strata-andcommunity-
living
Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) – https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050
Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 (NSW) – https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/
sl-2016-0501