A Cliff Notes Course for Supplier Success Recap

ApartmentsFor’s own Sydney Jamieson, Managing Director and this year’s NCFAA Associate Vice President and Shelley Dehne, NCFAA Secretary and owner of APARTNER Staffing, recently taught our “A Cliff Notes Course for Supplier Success” in Gainesville, FL.

This conversation-based, insightful session was designed to introduce NCFAA's supplier members to one another and equip them with the knowledge and strategies they need to thrive in the apartment industry. From navigating property management relationships to understanding industry etiquette, attendees walked away with actionable skills to support both their business and the success of the apartment communities we serve.

What the Class Covers

The course helps supplier partners:

• Understand how apartment communities are structured and how decisions are made.

• Build stronger, more effective relationships with property management teams.

• Recognize key success metrics and align their services with community needs.

• Avoid common industry “no-no” words and learn the correct terminology to build trust and credibility.

One of the class highlights? When Sydney and Shelley revealed the industry “no-no” words slide. Two participants immediately reacted with: “OMG—we say these all the time, we had no idea!” By the end of the session, they were confidently replacing “complex” with community, “tenant” with renter, and “landlord” with management or ownership.

Why It Matters

Supplier partners play a critical role in keeping apartment associations thriving through their volunteer efforts, participation, and support. This course was our way of saying thank you and investing back into their success. By equipping suppliers with the right knowledge and best practices, we empower them to build stronger partnerships with on-site teams. In turn, that creates more effective collaborations, stronger associations, and meaningful benefits for the entire apartment industry.

Sydney shared:

“The Gainesville market taught me everything I needed to know about being a successful supplier and true partner to apartment management teams—while also giving me space to learn from my early mistakes. This class is designed to share the industry knowledge and etiquette I wish I had from day one.”

We’re proud of Sydney’s leadership with NCFAA this year, grateful for Shelley’s partnership in teaching, and excited for opportunities like this to invest in the growth of our team and our industry partners.