From Education to Lifestyle Director: Margaret Wang’s Relationship-Building Career Path

Anthony Codispoti (00:01)
Welcome to another edition of the Inspired Stories podcast, where leaders share their experiences so we can learn from their successes and be inspired by how they’ve overcome adversity. My name is Anthony Cotaspodi and today’s guest is Margaret Wang, Director of Amenity and Lifestyle Operations at Live Unlimited. They are a hospitality and amenities management firm who designs and manages fitness, wellness, concierge, and lifestyle experiences

residential. With more than 500 team members nationwide, Live Unlimited brings five-star hospitality to everyday living through activated amenity spaces, curated programs, expert staffing, and white glove service. Under Margaret’s leadership, communities under her care at Live Unlimited have launched vibrant community programs and secured partnerships with high visibility brands in the industry.

The firm was recently highlighted as a 2025 top workplace and its portfolio now spans New York, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, and beyond. Margaret herself is a Women in Construction Ambassador and serves on the Advisory Council for the National Association of Asian American Professionals. Now, before we get into all that good stuff,

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Margaret Wang (02:21)
Good morning, Anthony. Thank you for having me.

Anthony Codispoti (02:24)
So Margaret, as I look at your career, I see that you have held a number of roles, communications, writing, marketing, leadership roles across a variety of industries. It seems to me like you are a great example of, some people are rarely just one thing. Can you kind of connect the dots for us? What led you from education into PR and then into real estate?

Margaret Wang (02:51)
Sure. ⁓ I think overall what drives me is my curiosity. So I have many interests and if I find a space that I’m curious, a topic, a person, a path, whatever, if I’m curious about it, I’m going to pursue it. And I think that has been the driving force that landed me in various roles in various industries. ⁓ And also the relationships I’ve built. ⁓

contribute, I feel that relationships have contributed significantly to my successes when I look back. So I always love roles that are client facing, high visibility. I love knowing that I’m making an impact and making a ⁓ real difference in the community, a visible impact. So I think those industries had made sense for me wanting to begin an education and then moving into PR and real estate. Those are industries where there are ⁓ high visibility roles and

⁓ in me in exploring each of those spaces, I always want to focus on being fully present and bringing my whole self to whatever the endeavor is that I’m working through. And in that, I will oftentimes connect with different professionals, perhaps in different industries who ⁓ ignite new curiosities within me. And so those relationships will lead me to pursue areas that I had not previously thought of.

And so in that way, that’s kind of how I carved my path from education to PR to real estate telecoms and beyond.

Anthony Codispoti (04:22)
So I want to hear a little bit more about the relationships. In my understanding that relationships with your coworkers who maybe went on to other endeavors helped to open up doors and ideas for you down the road, or was it more the folks that you were interacting with from a client perspective?

Margaret Wang (04:42)
It’s really all of the above. So ⁓ during my short stint within the educational system back in Philadelphia, I had met some people who thought that the presence, the energy that I brought into the room could really be a great strength if I wanted to explore PR, ⁓ marketing events and all that. And I did end up having an internship with that space, found that I really loved it. And so that led me to explore that path.

as another example when I did end up in the marketing and events ⁓ capacity for a real estate firm, relationships that I’ve made ⁓ through partnerships or collaborations on various initiatives resulted in me wanting to explore a sales role. And so for the first time, I was recruited to join a sales team and from there really loved being

able to dive into consultative sales. So in each role I’ve held, it’s allowed me to blossom within that specific work environment as well as outside of it. And being a highly collaborative person myself, ⁓ placing heavy emphasis on partnerships and conversations with whoever crosses my path has always led me towards newer, bigger, better things to explore.

Anthony Codispoti (06:02)
So I’m curious when you took that first sales role, how did it fit initially? Like, how did you take to it? Was it like, ⁓ this is what I was meant to do all along? Or did you feel a little bit like fish out of water until you figured out sort of the learn the ropes, so to speak?

Margaret Wang (06:22)
A little bit of both. There’s definitely

each time you step into a new role, a new chapter, a new environment, you have to adapt to it. There are going to be areas where your strengths and skills and personality are clearly aligned. And then there are other areas where you have to make sure you are adaptable and you remain a coachable individual in order to succeed. ⁓

whatever your quota, your goals may be within that organization. So I certainly felt that my speaking skills, overall communication skills, ability to identify nurture relationships was tremendously helpful. But there’s a lot of pressure in sales. You have to really understand how to manage your time, your own personality. The personality is many different people around you, whether they are your prospects or your leadership team or your peers. ⁓

it’s

a common goal, but there are many different avenues you need to tackle on a daily basis. So ⁓ I think that learning how to adjust to a high stress, fast paced environment was something I needed to consistently coach myself through and find others who may be able to support me and coach me through that. ⁓ So you never feel like you’re going alone. So finding community each time you step into a new role is also very important.

Anthony Codispoti (07:40)
Can you think of a specific example as you were learning the ropes and the sales role there, where you kind of maybe fell on your face a little bit and you had to learn from it, kind of pick yourself up, dust yourself off?

Margaret Wang (07:54)
Yes, I think when you’re in a sales role, any sales professional can attest to the fact that you grow to have very tough skin.

can’t really be a sensitive soul in the sales space because you are dealing with rejection all the time. There are going to be people around you with very abrasive personalities. ⁓ You have to be able to pivot quickly. And so I had to really learn how to let things slide, how to manage my own emotions daily. And it’s very important to understand how not to hold on

to the different energies, especially if there are negative energies that are coming at you on a daily basis, hour by hour, minute by minute. You have to be able to detach, log off emotionally, know when to do that, and be able to bounce back. So when you consistently navigate that ebb and flow,

you build consistently, you’re able to consistently build more confidence and inner strength and more emotional balance.

Anthony Codispoti (09:06)
Can you think about a specific example?

Leave names out of it, but kind of walk us through what happened. This is how we learn from each other, right?

Margaret Wang (09:12)
Hahaha

Right, I’m trying to think of an example that would be pretty relevant. ⁓ Well, there was

There was a deal that I was working where I was energized and excited about it because I love any time I get to approach something ⁓ with an educational path. So ⁓ any time you are advising a prospect or a client on how products or services may align with their visions and needs, it’s always been very helpful for me to stick to educating them, advising them rather than an aggressive sales tactic.

Obviously

different environments require different approaches. And so with this group of individuals, conversations were flowing well. I was getting positive feedback and it seemed like it was going to be a win, not an easy win, but a win. Things were moving along successfully on track. But there was one individual who seemed to not like my personality. It could have been other things as well. There for some reason, this individual was a detractor and

insisted on looking at every angle through a very negative lens. He may have had his own visions and needs and goals that may not have aligned with the broader group. Maybe he was more invested in his own desires than the team’s goals. Whatever reason it was, it was a consistently combative environment that I was walking into. So in short,

ended up walking away from that deal without being able to close it. But it did not feel like a failure.

entirely because I had gotten such great strong positive feedback from the majority of the group on how I was able to establish trust and then placing their trust in me to educate them on products and services and exploring their desires, goals and visions that really cemented a positive relationship with many of the individuals and through humor, through

trying to find elements in common, whatever sparse areas there may have been with this individual who was a tricky individual, I was at least able to diffuse some of the combativeness and negativity each time that I had to interact with him. ⁓ And so even though it was not a deal closed, I did not walk away feeling like a failure or thinking that it was a waste of time.

Anthony Codispoti (11:56)
I mean, good for you to be able to sort of take away the positives from that. Because anybody who’s been in a sales role knows, yeah, it’s painful when, especially when you think you’re headed down a good path and the deal falls apart. But you were able to sort of put another tool in your tool belt. Like, OK, now I’ve got more experience with how to deal with somebody who’s difficult. I sort of take the high road. I use a little bit of humor. And as evidence of that being effective, sort of the rest of the people in the group.

built a lot of trust with, you know, had a good relationship with there. So I think that’s, that’s a great example of, you know, how that can work. So let’s fast forward a little. So when you first began managing condos and co-ops, I think this was back in 2007, what did that role look like? What were your day to day responsibilities there?

Margaret Wang (12:45)
It was a very adventurous time, I think, when you’re managing New York City real estate, especially in multi-dwelling residential environments. No two days are the same. ⁓ Anything could be happening. You’re dealing with communities that have hundreds of households. ⁓ My day-to-day focus largely on collaborating with board members. ⁓

vendors, building staff, and you have multiple projects going on at any given time. You are managing finances, maintenance, operations, community affairs, building staff, and also outside vendors. So you are…

You’re very emotionally invested in some ways. are a lot of given the size of the communities, you’re also forming personal relationships. So you have to make sure that you’re not conflating the two. ⁓ So no two days are the same. It’s a lot of emotional management when you’re dealing with that number of people. But

So many lessons learned, ⁓ knowing how to manage your own emotions, manage your time, successfully deliver information ⁓ in a way that is well received by all parties. So you really have to understand the personalities in front of you, your own communication style versus their communication styles, and making sure that info reporting, project status updates are all being received in a way that it needs to.

Anthony Codispoti (14:17)
That’s helpful. Thank you for sharing that. How did you discover this lifestyle director role and explain to us what that traditionally is?

Margaret Wang (14:27)
So that space over the years, it’s been…

growing as a necessity almost. So I first discovered the role early in 2024 due to a relationship I had with a senior level leader who orbited the space within real estate management and hospitality. I think over the years, boards, developers, managing agents are seeing the need for lifestyle teams because

It’s a way to implement a true differentiator to positively impact the bottom line of our property. And essentially, lifestyle teams of people oftentimes won’t even realize are kind of the powerhouses driving communities. They are positively contributing towards resident retention, elevating residents’ lifestyles on a daily basis. ⁓ And so you’re really adding a human touch to a multi-dwelling residential environment that can otherwise feel a little bit sterile with

all of the different governing bodies that are on site at a condo, co-op or rental building, commercial properties and whatnot.

Anthony Codispoti (15:36)
And so how did the opportunity specifically at Live Unlimited come about?

Margaret Wang (15:41)
So I had kept ⁓ many rewarding, healthy relationships throughout my career trajectory. And ⁓ the individual who initially alerted me to such a role was someone I had worked with throughout the real estate world. And it ⁓ felt to her like my strengths, skills, my personality would be well aligned for something that was ⁓ high visibility, client facing, and ⁓ knowing that I was someone who really

enjoyed roles that would allow me to flex my strengths in a creative aspect and be able to communicate on various projects, ⁓ different initiatives and different categories. I was connected to Live Unlimited and from their conversations were very attractive to me. And here I am.

Anthony Codispoti (16:36)
So we talked a little bit in the intro about what Live Unlimited does, but can you break it down for us in sort of simple terms? Because this is a concept that prior to us connecting, I was not familiar with. And so I suspect that’s the case for a lot of our listeners too.

Margaret Wang (16:51)
Mm-hmm.

Sure. So Live Unlimited is a hospitality and amenity management firm. are growing across North America. Currently, I believe we are retained at over 200 properties with luxury properties, mid-luxury properties, both residential and commercial. So in short, we support developers, boards, owners, managing agents in elevating the daily lives of residents and guests.

I guess you could say on the experiential front, that’s where you see our cultural lifestyle events programming come to life. We are activating all of the spaces, all the amenity spaces within our property, ⁓ whether that is a health club, wellness studios, children’s playroom, rooftop penthouse clubs. And so these, the lifestyle programming,

significantly increases the opportunity to enjoy third spaces, we call it, places for community and connection. And on the consultative side, ⁓ we conceive of design, implement ⁓ health equipment. We can support developers in

how to optimize spaces in general, advise them on what is most desirable, the types of wellness spaces. ⁓ It may be something as simple as package rooms, which are always needed. ⁓ And so it’s certainly a way to implement a differentiator that will allow a property to have leverage over their competitors.

Anthony Codispoti (18:34)
So let me see if I understand this correctly and help fill in the blanks where I’m missing things. So you go to a large ⁓ apartment complex and ⁓ you say, hey, I think we can do a better job over here with the fitness space. And from our experience managing over 200 properties, here are some things that we’ve seen are really attractive for folks. And it’s like, look over here. There’s an empty space here that’s not really being utilized. How about we set up a

package room over here. Or it seems like a lot of your guests have kids. Maybe there’s a kids play room that we put in here. Or maybe there’s a ⁓ restaurant or that’s probably a bit too involved. But maybe like you have like a I don’t know a popcorn and beer hour once a week. Am I kind of getting there? Help me out.

Margaret Wang (19:23)
Yes, you’re right on track. I think these days you see many properties focus on having the space, ⁓ having amenity spaces, higher square footage that almost becomes par for the course these days. But having lifestyle teams on site to oversee these spaces, officially activate them and really showcase for the community how residents can interact on a daily basis with these beautiful spaces. ⁓

That’s a true differentiator, allowing residents to feel like these expansive common areas are an extension of themselves and their own households. It creates a more intimate feel. ⁓

having that type of interaction allows them to feel like they’re really coming home. They’re coming home to the community. They can view their condo or co-op or rental building environment as a sanctuary. It’s not just, you’re not confined to the four walls of your unit. There’s so much for you to enjoy and incorporate into your daily life and daily joy.

Anthony Codispoti (20:27)
You’ve used the phrase a couple of times, activate the spaces. Can you say more about what that means?

Margaret Wang (20:33)
Sure. ⁓

developing visions on how residents can enjoy their environments. So if you have a beautiful wellness studio, you have the space, it’s clean, it’s peaceful, but you’re not quite sure how residents will enjoy utilizing it most, we may come in and say, well, you maybe having a sound bath session here or an acupuncture session here ⁓ or massage therapy.

And you experiment, lifestyle teams are kind of the front line when it comes to resident relationships. So we’re going to develop relationships, ⁓ engage in dialogue, fully understand the demographics. And part of the significance of having lifestyle teams on site is being able to fully understand the community that you’re building. Maybe you have as a developer or a board, you have a vision of the type of community you are building towards, but perhaps that is not

the direction that things are moving in as people are actually moving in. So having lifestyle teams be a voice for the residents, resident advocate, creating that relationship there, you’ll have a better understanding of your demographics, what they need and want, and what types of activities they are energized to engage in.

Anthony Codispoti (21:55)
What is the ideal time for you to get involved with the client? Is it while the property is being designed and thought of and developed or does it traditionally happen afterwards?

Margaret Wang (22:07)
I would say it would be ideal if the Life’s Health team were able to join the conversation.

during the very beginning phases. So all teams are on the same page. You are building relationships with each other, the onsite teams, your managing agent, the ownership team, sales and marketing, the building staff. So you have your you’re clearly paving a road together. You have a collaborative vision and everyone understands the values and the visions moving forward. That certainly creates a solid cohesion. ⁓

to have important conversations and make important decisions as you go. But certainly at any given point, you may have a board or managing agent who has never explored on-site lifestyle teams and they see how their neighbors are able to retain their resident community base or ⁓ other individuals in the neighborhood who are so excited to come home where they’re constantly talking about the events activations at their location and you may want to start to explore. So at any given point,

And you can explore, bring in a lifestyle team, experiment with ⁓ different types of activations, large and small. And I don’t doubt that communities will see what a positive ripple effect it has on their community.

Anthony Codispoti (23:28)
Tell us about some of these positive ripple effects. Is it the ability to charge higher rents, know, better margins? Is it just sort of reduce that ⁓ tenant turnover? Are there other benefits that they see?

Margaret Wang (23:42)
Both of those are certainly goals depending on what type of building you are, ⁓ what category, what type of community you’re trying to foster. But I think overall, lifestyle teams implement that human touch that is often lacking. ⁓ There are many communities that are absolutely gorgeous, ⁓ filled, and you know it’s a vibrant community, but not everyone is.

connected to each other or they lack the opportunities to connect. You could be in a beautiful, expansive 200 unit community and maybe you’re coming home and you don’t see your neighbors, you don’t have the opportunities to engage in conversation and you feel that while the amenities spaces are available to you, maybe they feel a little bit sterile. So.

Having the human touch there softening up the environment a bit, providing opportunities and encouraging the resident base to come out, enjoy their environments and also connect with each other really emphasizes the desire for the third space and for having an extension of space that they can enjoy while maintaining the privacy at home.

Anthony Codispoti (24:57)
Can you give us a couple more examples of some things that you guys do? As I hear you talking about this, Margaret, you know, it’s been a long time since I’ve lived in an apartment complex. And it kind of reminds me of what the dorms when I was back in college eons ago used to try to have the RAs do they put together these programs, and they were all well intentioned, but most people weren’t really interested in listening to somebody come and talk about stress or whatever it was that they were doing.

It seems to me like what you guys are doing is a similar concept, but like on steroids, like actually figuring out like what it is that people want and brings them in and draws them together. But I think it would help me and probably our listeners if we get just kind of go through a couple of other specific examples of the kinds of things that you guys do.

Margaret Wang (25:46)
Sure, so events can include neighborly mixers, industry panels, ⁓ health and wellness activities and events, ⁓ events that showcase dining and nightlife around the community. ⁓

Anthony Codispoti (26:04)
Can you get be more specific? Like what is it like a wellness event? Or what does it mean to, you know, explore the, you know, the, the nightlife around the complex?

Margaret Wang (26:14)
Sure, so one example that comes to mind was a very well attended wellness expo that my team and I produced. ⁓ It was a lot of fun because we were able to get various vendors on site and have residents be connected to different brands, different vendors and communities off site, brought them on site so residents could engage.

in person. This included having a sound bath in our wellness studio, breath work and meditation in another space, having ear seating and acupuncture available, bringing in different ⁓

different brands for desserts, light bites, hors d’oeuvres. And we also had a session for young professionals ⁓ for headshots. So there was a variety of activities and ⁓ avenues to explore. And this really brought together the community at one of our marquee clients known as Monogram New York. So it’s a 200 unit residential luxury condo in Midtown Manhattan. And given the location, the community is very

diverse ⁓ in age range, in cultural backgrounds and professional backgrounds. So having such a diverse community to work with is so much fun. Being able to curate what’s going to be on an event’s agenda is equally as energizing because you have so many different personalities you know you can cater to. And communities are great at giving feedback. They may come to you proactively and say we may want to explore more of the arts and culture.

Avenue. And so we’ve had a pop-up art galleries ⁓ discussions on film history. ⁓ And so you get to know the community and ⁓ you have the opportunity to gauge in conversation on a daily basis and you collect the data. ⁓

You can also identify what’s trending around town. And you explore, can take an experimental approach. And so that was one example where we had really strong feedback and resident and guest attendance. And it was a great time.

Anthony Codispoti (28:22)
And so are these events traditionally free for the residents to participate in like you get some sort of a budget from the complex itself.

Margaret Wang (28:31)
Yes, traditionally that is how it would go. Ownership teams like to offer these ⁓ as a differentiator for the community base. This is how we elevate their daily lives. This is how communities have an edge of their competitors. They’re able to allow their residents to say, our

our community connects us to so many different lifestyle brands and supports us in explorations and culture and the arts. And so it’s very desirable from the resident lens.

Anthony Codispoti (29:01)
How

many units, how many properties are under your watch and your portfolio?

Margaret Wang (29:07)
So I have mostly one large client who I am working with on site here, which takes up the majority of my focus. This is Monogram New York that I mentioned. We are a 200 unit luxury condo. And so it’s been great fun. And we do have a team that is

all over the region. So there are different personalities. My colleagues come from many different backgrounds, mostly hospitality professionals. And so we always contribute to each other’s initiatives and projects ⁓ and make sure we have a solid multi-pronged strategy, if you want to call it, to ensure success for the various communities in our portfolio.

Anthony Codispoti (29:54)
And in the time that you’ve been there, Margaret, how has your role specifically evolved?

Margaret Wang (30:00)
I would say it has evolved in many ways. ⁓ I wear many hats, as I’m sure many of my colleagues in lifestyle space do. ⁓ It’s been great fun having the opportunity to work so closely with various teams like sales, marketing, PR, property management. So I’ve learned a lot, been able to contribute to many different initiatives that are outside of my lifestyle focus. And it’s also been a lot of fun being able to secure various partnerships ⁓ with wellness brands.

dining and nightlife and really expose both our lifestyle and concierge teams as well as our resident bases to many different partnerships and relationships. ⁓ And I hope that this is how the path continues. Being able to consistently grow and expand my perspective is most exciting to me.

Anthony Codispoti (30:57)
How do you guys separate yourselves from the competition? What makes you different?

Margaret Wang (31:02)
I don’t think we have many competitors in this space that you can compare to us like for like. I think that

We have a very holistic approach and we’re sort of a one-stop shop for developers, owners and boards. ⁓ We have, like I mentioned a little bit earlier, the experiential side, the consultative side, and our team members are, like I just mentioned, are, majority of them do come from hospitality. So when you take that type of experience, skills and strengths, when you are dealing with or navigating

the hospitality landscape as a frontline member and you take that and you apply it to residential and commercial properties, those skills and experience become invaluable. So having a voice for the residents, having that human touch, being able to soften an environment within residential commercial spaces. I think people often see concierge teams, guest advocate teams in the travel industry and they don’t ⁓ often realize

how easily and how successfully it can be applied to residential environments.

Anthony Codispoti (32:15)
And do you typically work exclusively on site then?

Margaret Wang (32:19)
Typically, yes, most of my days are spent on site. That’s where I’m most effective. I’m continuing to nurture relationships between the multiple teams I work alongside, as well as the resident base, of course.

Anthony Codispoti (32:20)
Yeah, okay.

So are you like very popular with the resident base? Cause you’re like always there setting up all these cool free things for them to do.

Margaret Wang (32:40)
I guess you could say that, yes, people know who I am. They know where to find me and they don’t shy away from

Anthony Codispoti (32:46)
You’re like Mrs. Claus. I love it. What’s a specific initiative that you’re particularly proud of? Something that you’ve rolled out there.

Margaret Wang (32:48)
Ha ha!

I guess I’m lucky to say there are many projects I’ve been involved with that I’m proud of, but I’m probably seeing

the great positive turnouts at the large scale events. One that remains top of mind is the wellness expo we spoke of earlier, being able to conceive of a vision and then executing that and drawing the type of individuals that you want through the door and seeing them visibly enjoy themselves and providing positive feedback ⁓ that in itself is so rewarding and knowing. And this is what I kind of mentioned the very beginning of our conversation when you know you’re making a

positive impact and the positive results are visible, that’s such a driving force. And you continue to build from there. We’ve had this great success here. How do we continue to expand on it going forward? How do we continue to collect even more data and refine this or pivot away from X, and Z? ⁓ So being able to build things ⁓ and execute successfully on it, ⁓ I think I would say very proud of that.

Anthony Codispoti (34:03)
Yeah. How about one that maybe didn’t go so well, an event or an initiative where you had high hopes for it and kind of fell flat for one reason or another.

Margaret Wang (34:13)
Very luckily for me, I don’t think I’ve seen, and it might happen, ⁓ but thus far nothing has fallen flat, I wouldn’t say. wouldn’t say we’ve seen anything. I wouldn’t say struck out, no. mean, it’s kind of hard to strike out when you are perpetuating fun.

Anthony Codispoti (34:22)
You haven’t struck out a single time.

Margaret Wang (34:34)
You know, this isn’t like other roles I’ve had where there’s a hard deadline. A quoted to me, you have to close a deal. You have to get that signature on paper. This is very different. And so with my main focus being ⁓ to create community and connections, it’s hard to fail at that completely. ⁓ But there are certainly scenarios that were learning experiences, ⁓ you know.

There was a time where it was a good problem to have. We had exceeded guest count and realized that we need to start staffing ⁓ more proactively so that we can ensure the integrity of the space is maintained. When people are having fun, you might get broken bottles here and there out on the terraces. Things like that can be a serious safety hazard. So you have to make sure you’re proactively thinking ahead. ⁓

And again, having too large an event that’s too well attended is always a good problem to have. But there are always scenarios that pop up that allow us to say, okay, let’s do better here. Let’s be more proactive in this corner and that corner.

Anthony Codispoti (35:48)
And so it’s sometimes it’s just you on site there. And other times when you’re running a larger event, you kind of bring in some other team members to help you coordinate that.

Margaret Wang (36:01)
Yes, it can happen that way. ⁓ The on-site teams are definitely smaller, ⁓ more focused on that specific community when you’re on-site, but it’s a very collaborative environment throughout our organization. We are in constant communication with each other, taking insights from each other, learning from each other’s events, strategies. And so there’s always a colleague, peer that you can.

You can ping and say, I might need your insight. I might need your physical presence in some way to support. And for each location, there are various teams on site. I think it’s ⁓ exceptionally important for lifestyle teams to make sure they’re working hand in hand with their on-site maintenance staff, their resident managers and superintendents. ⁓

having interpersonal relationships, especially when you’re working on site together is crucial because you’re essentially governing a small town. So you have to make sure that you’re aligned in step. You have a united front at all times to tackle all types of challenges that come at you.

Anthony Codispoti (37:11)
Why don’t some of these apartment buildings do this in house themselves?

Margaret Wang (37:20)
I think that on-site teams typically have a very similar track. They may traditionally come from only the property management angle or only the maintenance expertise angles. So it can be hard for team members who are so ⁓ immersed in their…

years of experience on one track to pivot and have the soft skills that are often needed and required to be a successful lifestyle team. You have to make sure that you are very comfortable maintaining several relationships across different avenues. You have to make sure you’re okay being.

the main point of contact for various initiatives. ⁓ And so it’s kind of a balance of which teams have strengths and hard skills versus soft skills. And if you are an onsite team, whether your ownership, the managing agent or the maintenance team, you are so inundated in your daily tasks, you may not have the bandwidth at all to be curating events or

consulting on design of a space. it can be a lot for all teams. So it’s good to have team members who are devoted to specific causes to be a successful overall environment.

Anthony Codispoti (38:52)
It also occurs to me that one of the advantages that Live Unlimited brings is the experience of all the other lifestyle managers who have experience testing out different initiatives at their properties. And so you guys can share notes. It’s like, hey, I’m thinking about doing this. we did something like that and we threw this in on top of it and it really made it successful.

Margaret Wang (39:16)
You’re absolutely right. team, the reach of our team is wide. The variety of personalities certainly adds to the positive experiences. And we each bring our own network of relationships. And when we’re able to connect each other in times of need, ⁓ that’s all the more ⁓ ways to bolster success.

Anthony Codispoti (39:39)
Where do you see Live Unlimited going, Margaret? What’s the future horizon?

Margaret Wang (39:45)
I think there’s unlimited potential for our organization in this space and the path that we’re on. We’re seeing more and more how crucial lifestyle teams are in terms of positively impacting a property’s bottom line, elevating brand image, resident retention, and satisfaction. Oftentimes, you see individuals these days who are very willing to forego

a larger size unit in favor of a development or community that’s going to focus on having that human touch, a community that is lifestyle driven so they can provide this third space as we call it for people to connect and feel truly that they’re in a safe home environment. So I think the organization and the space will continue to expand as it becomes more more attractive to builders.

Anthony Codispoti (40:39)
Hmm. Are there any initiatives that you’ve kind of had bouncing around in the back of your brain that you haven’t had the chance to execute on yet that you would love to?

Margaret Wang (40:50)
of course, said tons. mean, there are ideas that come about all the time. I personally, I would love to dive more into the wellness space just to bring a variety of holistic approaches because we are in such a big city.

Anthony Codispoti (40:56)
Give us a big one.

Margaret Wang (41:08)
high octane environment here. So for me personally, this and a lot of this comes from my own experience and my own likes and dislikes. But for me, I love any opportunity I get during my busy, fast paced days to disconnect. ⁓

to recalibrate, to ground and balance myself. I think that we have a lot of very successful professionals, athletes, creative individuals, and I think they could all benefit from more.

from exploring a variety of different wellness and holistic approaches. So I would love to continue to bring more sound bath sessions, ⁓ reiki sessions if possible, more acupuncture sessions, ⁓ different breath work facilitators, and allow people an outlet to physically decompress when they walk in the door at the end of their day.

Anthony Codispoti (42:02)
Okay, I have to ask, because I’ve never heard of it before, what is the sound bath?

Margaret Wang (42:07)
So sound healing is when a facilitator uses, I mean, they could use a variety of instruments. Typically they will be crystal singing bowls or perhaps they are singing bowls made of different metals. They can use things like tuning forks, rain sticks. And this is largely derived from ancient Eastern culture, Asian.

communities, African communities, there’s a whole history to dive into. But it positively impacts your brain waves and kind of resets your frequency. So this is something that you’re interested in. And I think anyone who’s interested in exploring different meditative approaches, the calming techniques, grounding techniques would find a sound healing session to be very beneficial. And it’s

It’s so fun to learn about the different instruments, the different practitioners, how they came about having this as their main focus. And you really, you truly do feel it. It’s such a healing vibration throughout the space.

Anthony Codispoti (43:20)
You know, from all the work that you’ve done with all kinds of different people, you’re talking about, you know, coordinating between different teams and whatnot, I’m curious, something maybe about human psychology, do you feel like you’ve learned from the work that you do?

Margaret Wang (43:34)
Yes, yes, I love this question. think with all the roles I’ve held, I’ve definitely gained pretty interesting insight into human psychology, given the abundance of individuals I speak to, navigate on a daily basis. And I think I would say that managing emotions,

is almost more effective than actually solving the problem that someone has brought to you. So as a very minor example, perhaps you’re dealing with a resin or a guest who’s had a long and stressful week and the straw that breaks the camel’s back is.

their masseuse is an hour delayed, now they can’t have that meditative hour, or their floral arrangements have been lost. And it’s just the last thing they need, they lose it. So they come to you, they’re very emotional. And so perhaps allowing them the safe, non-judgmental space to simply express themselves and let their emotions run its course, ⁓ you can easily diffuse a situation just by, it sounds cliche, but you know, just by being

a softer presence, listening to them, letting them release. ⁓ And then you can tackle the actual problem. But just by giving them that time and that space to let out their frustrations immediately immediately diffuses the situation rather than the both of you kind of unraveling in the tension of things.

Anthony Codispoti (44:58)
let them know that they’ve been heard. ⁓

Margaret Wang (45:00)
Yeah, exactly.

You know, they have pent up anger and frustrations from various scenarios throughout the week. So maybe this is the one time they can actually let it out. So why

Anthony Codispoti (45:09)
Yeah.

Margaret, what’s a particularly challenging thing that you’ve had to overcome in your life, whether personal or professional?

Margaret Wang (45:19)
I think that, I mean, I’ve definitely had many challenges. think we all have something that comes to mind in the moment is the fact that for

many years I was kind of a high functioning anxious person. ⁓ I’ve also met many people who similarly struggled with anxiety but it seemed like their anxiety crippled them. was debilitating for them. Luckily for me or unluckily I was kind of the opposite in order for me to well I thought I was managing my anxiety in order for me to to manage it I had to be productive but it really

didn’t, it wasn’t solving or helping anything long term. ⁓ So I think when I entered my years in consultative sales, although it was a great adventure for me those years, those years did cause my anxiety levels to really feel out of control to the point where symptoms were manifesting physically and I knew that something had to be done. I had to find a way to solve this for myself. ⁓

because it wasn’t like I was going to leave my professional environment. That would have been the only other solution at the time. that from there began my journey into self-care. But it was really so much more than that. ⁓

you know, diving into really what was the root cause of my own anxiety. What were my triggers? Where were my wounds? How do I learn how to manage this thing that seems like an overwhelming monster? And so I explored many things. And again, this goes back to what I was talking about earlier, having found an interest ⁓ in holistic therapies like reiki, acupuncture, meditation, breath work.

That was, I feel like that was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. If for the first time I was exploring my inner realm, which is not something I had ever explored. Everything was like an external output for me, you know, being able to dive into work, being able to dive into social endeavors, different types of external relationships while not taking care of anything that was happening internally. And so now that I know that I constantly encourage people to do that. People around me who are experiencing challenging times, always ask them, have you

investigated your emotions, you know what’s going on internally, why are things triggering you, and that’s really the best way for you to understand yourself, manage your emotions, and then you immediately, well maybe not immediately, it’s an ongoing process, this healing process, but you do for sure see how it’s a positive ripple effect on your work.

your relationships across all avenues and yourself, you you begin to build a new higher level of self-esteem, ⁓ more solid confidence ⁓ in your decisions and who you are in your voice. So.

I would say that I won’t say that I have solved for my anxiety. think everyone has anxiety. It comes up at some point. It would be very strange if one didn’t experience that. But it is something that is very manageable for me now versus prior years where it felt like this overwhelming ⁓ enemy that I didn’t know how to combat. So I feel like I did it for myself.

Anthony Codispoti (48:40)
Yeah.

I appreciate you sharing all that. There’s different levels of anxiety, right? There’s a, I’m a little bit anxious. I’m going to be doing this podcast interview today. And that’s just your body and your mind’s way of saying, hey, I just want to do well. I’m sure that I’m on my toes and I’m giving my best here. ⁓ And then there’s what you’re talking about, where it was just crippling. It was overwhelming. was physical manifestations. I’m curious to better understand, Margaret, how you took those first steps.

in your healing process. Was there a therapist you talked to that kind of turned you on to some of these ideas? Was it friends giving you ideas? Were you Googling for solutions?

Margaret Wang (49:20)
Yeah, was a lot of research. It just was born out of desperation, I think. ⁓ I just could not deal with having panic attacks, anxiety attacks in the middle of my day, unexpected. You it would just be like throwing a wrench into my day when I had everything perfectly planned out hour by hour. And then you suffer this emotional attack. And it’s it was just crazy. I just got to the point where I said this needs to stop. have

figure this out. And so from there, I just did a lot of research. I did begin with talk therapy. ⁓ But I really dove into exploring as many different paths as I could. So from my own research, I narrowed down a few different things that I wanted to try, which were the modalities I spoke of earlier, the Reiki of meditation and breath work. And each time I tried something, I would explain my challenges and the facilitator or practitioner would enlighten me to a different ⁓

path that I should explore. so being able to find that community was helpful in itself. I had people who I could speak to vulnerably about this and not feel ashamed or embarrassed because they knew they had come from similar spaces, similar backgrounds, and they found themselves to their current paths ⁓ just in the way that I had.

Anthony Codispoti (50:32)
So it makes a lot of sense why you’re so excited to bring more of these wellness concepts into your communities because you’ve seen how helpful it can be for you. You want to be able to offer those kinds of solutions and assistance to others.

Margaret Wang (50:47)
Absolutely. And it’s something that majority people just don’t think about, know, people and mostly people don’t have time, I suppose, you know, you’re so busy as parents, as professionals, as athletes or whatnot, you’re focused on immediate needs in front of you. And so your inner realm, your emotional mental wellness is often left on the back burner. So if I can at least introduce the concept to people around me and be an advocate in this way, that would that would make me feel good.

Anthony Codispoti (51:15)
That’s really cool. So you’ve tried a lot of these different modalities. Are there ones that are part of either a daily or weekly routine for you that you still find to be really helpful?

Margaret Wang (51:28)
Yes, certainly. ⁓ All of the above, although I’ve kind of consolidated it. So I guess on an everyday basis, I journal frequently. ⁓ And a lot of times it may just look like me taking out pen and paper and writing a simple list. So just the act of writing things down, it’s kind of like a physical dump.

of emotions and thoughts that I’ve been carrying throughout the day. Sometimes I’ll simply make a list of five emotions that I felt or five challenges that I are or.

Anything that’s been annoying me that I was carrying out throughout the day. So the act of writing it down, it doesn’t mean I’m taking that much time to really reflect and write an essay about what’s happening. It could be a simple list and that helps me remove that agitation from my mental space. It’s now on paper, it’s gone. I can start the next day with a clean slate. Meditation and breath work, same thing. When I began my…

a quality healing journey. I was attending meditation sessions that were 30 minutes long to two hours long. Nowadays, ⁓ I certainly don’t have time for that as often. So my meditative practice can simply be

five minutes, maybe three minutes, maybe it’s when I’m in my Uber or on the train and I just check in with myself. Am I feeling good to tackle the day? Do I have any hesitation? Are there any lingering emotions? What is it? Why is it there? Can I manage this throughout the next eight hours? What do I need to do to get myself ⁓ primed and feeling optimized? ⁓ And focusing on breath work.

Also similar, it’s not as extensive as a process as many people think. Sometimes people think these tools add to your day when they’re already so crunched on time. But again, it’s really just a couple of minutes here and there. You can go hide in the bathroom for 60 seconds, take some long deep breaths, you will come out feeling a little bit better than you had when you walked in. So those three are definitely…

in my daily practice. ⁓ Even if I know I’m going into a combative meeting, do some breath work, check in with myself. So these very small habits you can easily incorporate and then it’ll just become a part of your operating system.

Anthony Codispoti (53:48)
So the meditations that you do, ⁓ lots of different styles of meditations, it sounds to me like you’re just kind of getting your brain into a quieter place and then sort of evaluating where your day is and where you need to go. Is that right?

Margaret Wang (54:03)
Yeah, yeah, pretty much I’m trying to disconnect from all the noise and make sure that I’m in a head space even for those few minutes where I’m fully with myself. I’m recognizing.

Here I am, I’m sitting in this nice and comfortable chair, ⁓ checking in with myself to see what types of emotions are kind of dominating in the moment. ⁓ Maybe taking note of them and not particularly doing anything about it, but just simply noting which emotions are there makes things manageable. ⁓

It’s kind of just a pep talk for myself to make sure that I am at least grounded before I go into a situation. So I’m not letting any of those dominating emotions take over in dialogue.

Anthony Codispoti (54:48)
I’m so glad that you shared your approach to meditation because I think for so many people they’ve tried it and the style that they’ve tried is well I’m supposed to clear my mind and you know as soon as you tell people don’t think about anything what happens all these thoughts come flying in and they think they’re failing and they get frustrated and they’re like well this doesn’t work this isn’t for me but you’ve just highlighted that there’s more than one way to skin a cat here.

Margaret Wang (55:13)
Yeah, definitely. And I think for anyone starting out, that’s why it’s so helpful to attend sessions in person, to have a facilitator or practitioner so they can coach you through these things so you understand what it looks like as you begin to incorporate these habits into your life. And yes, meditation, I think people have these grand ideas around it, and it can be grand, but on an everyday basis. ⁓

It’s really just taking note of what’s happening within you. ⁓ That very small step is enough to be able to allow you to move more successfully towards successful meditation practices.

Anthony Codispoti (55:52)
I

liked that. I’m glad that you shared that. How about your superpower, Margaret? What’s your superpower?

Margaret Wang (55:58)
I hope, I think that I have spent enough years and time studying my own communication styles ⁓ and taking note of the various personalities I’ve navigated to be able to say that perhaps communication is what I would consider my superpower. And I think ⁓

I don’t know that I can say I’ve completely mastered it. think mastery is a lifetime of effort. But I have received consistent positive feedback on my speaking skills, my communication skills when it comes to relationships and being a part of something bigger, a part of a project initiative. And it’s, I think.

I feel it’s simply because I’m very mindful and intentional of what I want to say and how I say it. So I think by nature, I’m actually quite direct in my communication. And I’ve learned over the years that many people can find that abrasive. It’s not received well. And so you have to remain adaptable. You have to learn that there are many different communication styles. People will receive your information very differently, even though you’re telling three different people the same

content, each different person can receive it differently based on your delivery. ⁓ And so because the roles I’ve held hinge on relationships and community and connections, I’ve had many years to learn this and refine this and hopefully others around me will also agree that I’ve become successful in this way.

Anthony Codispoti (57:41)
Margaret, we mentioned in the intro that Live Unlimited has been named a 2025 top workplace. Why do you think that is?

Margaret Wang (57:51)
I certainly think it has to do with our core values, are boldness, innovation, safety, partnerships, all of those align very well with my own core values. And I think anyone who’s coming into the organization and feels aligned with these core values or want to champion it, that’s what’s going to raise morale, foster that collaborative environment, leave room for innovative thinking and allow people to operate creatively for.

problem solving. ⁓ So I think the type of culture that the organization has consistently tried to refine and to champion over the years is what resulted in such an award.

Anthony Codispoti (58:35)
We also mentioned that you are an ambassador for women in construction and on the advisory council for the National Association of Asian American professionals. Why is it important for you with your busy life, busy schedule to get involved in sort of these extracurriculars?

Margaret Wang (58:58)
I love being involved in extracurriculars because I think…

And this is again, something I spoke about probably earlier on in the conversation. I love being in a state of growth and expansion. I think it’s very important to have a very well-rounded outlook on life, on yourself, ⁓ on whatever endeavors you’re pursuing. So I think ⁓ you can be very successful in your current position in the professional space, but you need to continue to expand yourself outside of that, pursue all of your interests, all of your curiosities. And you also, I

I

think it’s important for everyone to give back. You’ve gained all your successes for a reason. Yes, it’s because you put in the effort, the time, the care, but there are people around you who have supported you and kind of lifted you up. So I think finding and building community is crucial. In order to do that, you need to contribute. So there’s a saying I love, and I do not remember who coined it, but it goes something like everyone.

is looking for a village, but no one wants to be a villager. And I think that’s very, very important. You have to contribute if you want to receive the type of support that you might need. ⁓ And the National Association of Asian American Professionals, was something ⁓ that was very rewarding for me to be able to contribute in various ways to elevate other community members. ⁓

who may not feel as seen or who may be experiencing challenges, ⁓ whether it’s age discrimination, racial discrimination, gender discrimination. ⁓ And so whatever strengths and skills and tools I have in my toolbox, I love to know that I can positively impact someone somewhere.

Anthony Codispoti (1:00:50)
like that a lot. How about let’s talk continue talking about outside of work. What’s your favorite hobby? Your favorite pastime?

Margaret Wang (1:00:58)
I have many, but…

I I would say I do love being outdoors, so I’m hiking and biking as often as possible. I love heading to the Hudson Valley, exploring the trails throughout. I feel so lucky living where I live and not just New York City, which is my favorite city in the world, but also being in this location, it gives me access to trails in upstate New York, New Jersey, Long Island. So it’s ⁓ such a great corner to be in. And I think being

The reason I love being outdoors so much is the feeling of resetting and being able to ground yourself in a dense, heavy forest. It’s such a juxtaposition to the fast-paced, constant buzz of city life, which I also love.

Anthony Codispoti (1:01:45)
Love it. I’ve just got one more question for you today, Margaret. But before I ask it, I want to do three things. First of all, anybody who wants to get in touch with Margaret Wang from Live Unlimited, you can search for her LinkedIn profile. We’ll also have a link to that in the show notes. But if you’re listening on the move and you can’t look at the show notes, just go to LinkedIn, search for Margaret Wang, Live Unlimited, and you’ll find her.

Also, as a reminder, if you want to get more hospitality employees access to therapists, doctors and prescription meds that as paradoxical as it seems, actually increases the company’s net profits, reach out to us at adbackbenefits.com. And if you’re enjoying the show, a quick comment or review on your favorite podcast app goes a long way towards helping others discover our show. So thank you for taking a quick moment to do that right now.

Last question for you, Margaret. A year from now, what is something specific that you hope to be celebrating?

Margaret Wang (1:02:47)
specific I feel like would be hard to answer but I guess I hope to be continuing to celebrate my growth. ⁓ feel…

Like I’m in very heavy into a building phase right now. There are so many different interests and avenues I want to pursue professionally. want to make sure I continue to elevate myself, my reputation, my work. So in a year from now, hopefully I will look back and can continue to say, wow, I had this idea and I executed. ⁓ look at all these great relationships and partnerships I’ve continued to build. So if I can do that in the next year, that would make me feel like it was a year.

Well lit.

Anthony Codispoti (1:03:29)
I like that. I’m going to push just a little bit. Is there maybe a specific skill that you would like to enhance or I don’t know a particular relationship that you would like to develop or further nurture?

Margaret Wang (1:03:44)
Yes, yeah, definitely. I hope to meet and find more mentors, ⁓ maybe mentors outside of my industry. think that would be very interesting and very helpful. feel I’ve been very lucky to have mentors within the industries that I’ve navigated, but perhaps it would be helpful and rewarding to speak to mentors maybe in creative industries. And I would love to really hold myself

to working on my writing more. ⁓ I’ve always been a writer. I’ve taken on freelance projects from time to time, but a lot of times life just gets in the way of creative endeavors, I feel. ⁓ So I have various manuscripts in the past few years. I’ve said I’m going to get back to it, focus on it, and I haven’t. ⁓ So hopefully this next year I can chip away at that and make some progress.

Anthony Codispoti (1:04:40)
I like it. Margaret Wang from Live Unlimited. I want to be the first to thank you for sharing both your time and your story with us today. I really appreciate you.

Margaret Wang (1:04:49)
Thank you for this conversation. This was so much fun. I appreciate it.

Anthony Codispoti (1:04:53)
Folks, that’s a wrap on another episode of the Inspired Stories podcast. Thanks for learning with us today.