Dive in to learn about the owner of MoveZen Property Management, Ralph Hunter, and his long-time Senior employee Jordan Davey as they teach us about running and growing a business.
About Ralph Hunter
Owner and CEO, Ralph Hunter, grew up in Wilmington, NC knowing what it meant to work for what he wanted. He learned about business through instinct, trial, and error. As a young child, he wanted a Michael Jordan jersey from his local K-Mart more than anything. His mom encouraged him to save up so he started his own lawn-mowing business. This small initiative showed him he was more than capable of working and achieving his goals. As a young adult, he found his passion in real estate through his work experience at Victory Beach Vacations. He spent many years there and left in 2008 to start his own business. The market was less than ideal but challenges like these were fun for him. He loved a good challenge. MoveZen Property Management was founded in Wilmington but quickly grew. Today, MoveZen Property Management has properties all over North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
“Ralph is extremely smart and business savvy. He loves learning and teaching anyone who will listen.”
Meet Jordan Davey
Jordan Davey, the East Carolina University alumni who has been with Ralph since it was just the three of them sharing a small office in Raleigh. She joined the team after leaving her corporate job and hasn’t looked back. She says the best part about leaving corporate is that her days are filled differently and she can form a strong bond with her customers. She said that while working for Ralph she has learned more than she ever could have at any corporate job. Now located in Florida she has found a new passion in digital marketing in the small business community.
“There (corporate) I was stagnant. I was just a number, the clients were a number, and I felt like I was suffocating. In the few months after I joined MoveZen Property Management I learned more than I could have ever learned at my corporate job and reignited my passion for the job.”
Q & A with Jordan Davey
What do you think is the most important part of running a business?
After years with MoveZen Property Management, I would say that in this current economy it is more important than ever to make sure your employees are taken care of. Staffing is a challenge but I would say that managing your company and making sure you and the employees are always in constant growth is challenging but worth every minute. Customer service should also be a top priority for any business. Customers want fast answers and the endless digital queue without ever speaking to a real person is frustrating. Lastly, it is important to stay connected and in tune with your local community’s wants and needs. Ralph stays connected through his charity work and donates $10,000+ to various NC charities each year.
What brought MoveZen Property Management to the Raleigh area?
Ralph was looking to grow and wanted a challenge. With Raleigh being the state capital it seemed perfect for him. We moved here after the housing market crash in 2011 with just the three of us and now we have 16 employees and manage over 400 homes in just this area. Now Ralph is looking for the next challenge.
How do you balance work and life outside of work?
Ralph makes it so easy. He ensures we have time for a life outside of work, the key is making sure he does. Ralph is all of our biggest cheerleaders and our team works together to make sure we all take time off. He’s always pushed all of us to ride our bikes or somehow enjoy being outside, on the clock, to improve our mental and physical health.
Who do you think is his inspiration?
Ralph loves to read so that list is ever growing but foundationally his mom plays a huge role. He was raised by a single mom and watching her initiative and “go-getter” attitude inspires him to this day.
What is a major event that changed the path of the company?
I would say Covid and opening our Charlotte, NC office has really changed the company. Covid was hard. Moving our work completely online came with a learning curve but has led to so many more opportunities for the business and the employees just like the Charlotte office did. When it took off it brought in more income, growth, and opportunity to create more roles. Now we have a larger staff, can expand our initiatives, and are bringing our services to other states!
Professionally, What are you most proud of?
We are all so proud of what we have accomplished. Watching this company grow from 4 to 16 employees, 2 to 5 cities, and now 3 states, is truly humbling to be a part of.
What advice can you offer to other business owners?
I would say to always provide excellent customer service even if you are short-staffed and overwhelmed. I would also advise business owners to keep up the research on their competition, this will help them stay one step ahead.
Plug it!
We never charge homeowners a dime until their property is rented. This being said I want to offer a coupon to any readers and homeowners, with us your first month of management is free! We manage single-family homes, apartment complexes, and work to increase ROIs for everyone. For more information check out this link
