Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Michael Scott McCain.
Dr. McCain, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in a neighborhood that is now referred to as Baldwin Hills. I went to Crenshaw High School in South Los Angeles, California. While I was in school, I loved how close-knit our community was and the culture that surrounded it. I appreciated spending time in my neighborhood, admiring all the character and historical value unique to my community. However, I always wondered why it seemed as though no one was interested in cleaning up the hood to help improve the aesthetics of the community. I wished I had the power to somehow upgrade everyone’s home and make the portion of LA that I knew, a more desirable place to live and increase the pride of ownership for the residents in my neighborhood.
I graduated from Crenshaw High School in 2001. I began attending college at Cal State Los Angeles during the summer of 2001. I received a phone call that summer that would change my life forever. I was invited to interview at a company that had a position come available that needed to be filled immediately. I took a 3-hour bus ride to Newport Beach, where I was given an opportunity to work for a mortgage lender, Express Capital Lending. During my career in mortgage lending, I worked for some awesome companies including First American Lending and Countrywide Home Loans where I met some impactful mentors who helped me understand the real estate industry from the inside out. When the mortgage industry collapsed in 2007, I was devastated and began regretting my decision to take a hiatus from school.
At the top of my game, I was underwriting home loans and developed an appreciation for numbers. Armed with the tools I developed in the mortgage industry, I decided to go back to school and get my degree in finance with a minor in accounting, to develop a better understanding of how to use money as a tool in business. I went to one school during the day and took online courses at another school in the evenings. I was exhausted! But I was also a parent. As a child raised in a single-parent home, there was no greater motivating factor than setting an example for my son. I was determined to beat the odds and did everything in my power to avoid becoming another statistic from the inner city.
I began getting temporary work with Robert Half International and worked hard to get noticed. I earned a spot on the Salaried Professionals team at Robert Half International. I was quickly placed with Hines Property Management where I got the opportunity to meet Mr. Gerald Hines. I was inspired! From that moment forward, I knew this was the industry I wanted to serve.
Mr. Hines’ business savvy encouraged me to go back to school and learn more about business. I got my M.B.A. and loved all that I learned in the program at the University of Phoenix. It was challenging; however, I was able to apply the information I was learning in real time and use what I was learning in an industry that I absolutely loved.
When it was time to leave Hines Property Management, I got a call from my grandmother who still lived in Los Angeles. It was a call no grandchild wanted to receive. My beloved grandmother was diagnosed with bladder cancer and asked me if I would move back to help take care of her and assist with caring for my uncle, who suffered a severe brain injury as a result of being a victim of a botched drug deal in 1991 during the height of the crack epidemic. Without hesitation, I agreed to help.
My property management family at Optimus Properties in Century City was very supportive and accommodated me during this difficult time. Before my grandmother passed away, I asked her to for some life advice. She told me “Life was full of surprises.” Boy was she right. I decided I wanted to honor my grandmother by helping my community. My first order of business was to help educate the youth in the inner city. So, I wrote a book to help spark interest about the importance of becoming financially literate, including the benefits of investing in real estate.
While working for Lazer Properties in Beverly Hills, I would periodically visit libraries to learn more about the property management industry to enhance my knowledge and skillset about the field. I was underwhelmed with the lack of studies devoted to the industry. I decided it may be a good idea to do my own research to help identify some of the digital marketing challenges, potential opportunities, and strategies landlords can use to leverage their investment portfolios to optimize profits.
During my academic journey to earn my doctorate, I began working for Mabry Management under the tutelage of real estate attorney Howard Weinberg. I take pride in working as an intrapreneur at Mabry Management. I currently embrace the dual role of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the company. We manage a little more than 3,000 units across California and are in negotiations to bring a few hundred more units under management this month. Not bad for a kid from the Crenshaw district, My grandmother was right, life truly is full of surprises.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing in life worth doing is ever easy. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Some of the challenges along the way include sacrificing family time and having to forego events that were important to people around me. Being the only black person at the companies I worked in was challenging at times. Understanding how to navigate in Corporate America also took some getting used to. I embraced the struggle, and as a result, I know how to navigate with poise in uncomfortable situations. As you can tell by the drive of some of the greats that came from my community, such as John Singleton, James Harden, and Nipsey Hussle, struggle is a commodity that induces success. We communicate differently, handle conflict differently, and have a different types of hunger. It’s all part of what creates a mindset to succeed.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love what I do. I was always told that I need to leave things better than I found them. So, I operate with that in mind. As a man, I make it my business to ensure I move with integrity to set an example for the people who rely on my leadership. As a real estate professional, I make it a point to embody what I believe in.
The properties that I manage reflect what I believe. The buildings in my portfolio are safe, clean, profitable, and professionally managed. Tenants who we interact with are treated with respect and appreciate my attention to detail. The investors that trust us to manage their assets understand that I am personally invested in making sure their legacy is upheld through the standard of quality that I require.
I am known for providing my personal touch when it comes to making sure property is managed with purpose. What sets me apart from others is that I am relentless. I will devote my last breath to making sure I win and the people around me win. I make no excuses; I take no excuses.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Books that have helped me do my best in life include:
1. 10 To Get In: The Ten Laws of Financial Literacy for Young Aspiring Millionaires
2. The 50th Law of Power
3. Never Split The Difference
4. The Alchemist
5. The Richest Man In Babylon
6. Start With Why
7. I Am That I Am: Change The Story You Tell Yourself
8. The 4 Hour Work Week
9. Think Like A Monk
10. The Tipping Point
Podcasts that help me do my best in life Include:
1. Hustler To Entrepreneur
2. How I Built This
3. Stuff You Should Know
4. Ted Talks Daily
5. Earn Your Leisure
6. The School Of Greatness
7. On Purpose
8. Money Is A Mind Game
9. Masters of Scale
10. Duct Tape Marketing
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mabrymgmt.com
- Instagram: @michaelscottmccain
- Facebook: @michaelscottmccain
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/
michaelscottmccain - Twitter: @michaelsmccain
- Youtube: @michaelscottmccain
- Other: https://www.10togetin.com/blog
Image Credits
Roneshia McCain
