May 12th, 2010

Inside Onboard: Meet Ira Monko

By Jackie Berg, Marketing Specialist

Although he is technically an Implementation Engineer, Ira’s wide-ranging expertise on, well…pretty much anything, is invaluable to Onboard in many ways. Read on to find out about his upcoming Habitat for Humanity trip to Poland, his favorite photography experiences, and more.

"One of the biggest challenges Onboard faces is defining itself. Onboard is a lot of things to different people." -IM

OB: Where are you from and where do you live now?
IM: I’m a military ‘brat’. I was born in Frankfurt, West Germany while my parents were stationed at Giessen. Growing up I moved every 6 to 30 months. In the Army if you aren’t being transferred you aren’t being promoted.  This lifestyle has carried into my adult life as well. I enjoy experiencing new places and meeting new people. I am often asked how I managed moving so often growing up, yet to me I wonder how people could stand growing up in one place.

OB: What does your role at Onboard entail?
IM: I am an implementation engineer. I have over a decade of experience working as a consultant developing custom software solutions. In that time my client base has been all over the place, however my approach has been consistent. With any client engagement the first step is to understand their business. And by that I mean understand what they offer, how they provide value, and what their current pain points are. Once I feel I am on the same level as they are I then begin the process of suggesting ways we can use technology to either increase revenue or decrease costs. It’s that simple. I am a firm believer of the K.I.S.S. principle. In the end I’ve always seen my job as more of a problem solver than a ‘coder’.

OB: Can you talk a little bit about your upcoming Habitat for Humanity trip?
IM: On May 22 I am headed to Gliwice, Poland (a town 60 minutes Northwest of Krakow) to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village project for a couple of weeks. I will be joining a team of volunteers from our around the world. Not only will we be living in dormitory on a Polish university campus but we will be working alongside both college students, as every Polish university graduate is required to complete a certain number of volunteer hours, as well as future habitats of the homes because they too are required to complete a certain number for volunteer hours to receive a home. In addition to the physical equity provided by each new home owner, they are ‘awarded’ a 20 year interest free loan on their new property. This means they not only helped build the house but they are also required to follow through long term to own it. This aspect of encouraging ownership and responsibility is what attracted me to Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village Program.

OB: Tell us a little bit about your photography.
IM: I started photography in high school developing and printing my own black and whites as the sports editor for our yearbook. It wasn’t until several years ago as digital caught on that I started to get serious again. I currently freelance shooting for Timeout NY, helping local actors and models build their portfolios, Realtors selling property, and a couple of other commercial clients.

OB: What was your favorite shoot to date?
IM: My most memorable shoot to date was the opportunity I had to work with a young man while working with the Heart Gallery of America program in Tampa, FL. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a lot of gifted and talented people in my ‘career’ as a photographer. But I must say that this young gentleman showed up with an enthusiasm and energy that has been unmatched. I can only hope that I made nearly as much as a positive impression as he left with me. This is a great program and I encourage everyone to get involved where possible.

OB: Any strange photog stories to share?
IM: No comment.

OB: What is something people may be surprised to learn about you?
IM: Um…see above.

OB: What is the most challenging aspect of working in the real estate technology space?
IM: The uncertainty of the real estate market has definitely contributed to companies being cautious in adapting to cost-saving technologies. I find myself in conversations with people today about executing strategies which we identified 4-5 years ago. I am not suggesting that our clients take the financial risk of being first to market with certain strategies. What I try to convey is how the right implementations can actually make a company money.

OB: Who is Onboard?
IM: I think one of the biggest challenges Onboard faces is defining itself. Onboard is a lot of things to different people.  Essentially we aggregate lots of data and tie that data to geographies. That in itself isn’t groundbreaking. What makes Onboard special, and invaluable is our culture. This is something which is difficult to convey on a brochure but is immediately apparent when you step into our office. Whether you are a ‘small’ or ‘large’ client you will receive the full attention of everyone involved to ensure you reach the most success possible. At the end of the day, we are only as good as our clients.

Tags: Inside Onboard.

April 15th, 2010

Inside Onboard: Meet Dave Kott

By Jackie Berg, Marketing Specialist

Dave Kott joined Onboard’s team as a Relationship Manager at the beginning of the year. These are his insights on today’s housing market and how being a Red Sox fan at Onboard is working out for him.

"It is in all of our best interests to come up with strategic and well thought out solutions for our clients." -DK

OI: What does your role entail?
DK: My role is a complex one. As a Relationship Manager not only am I responsible for knowing the temperature of my clients’ businesses, but how to “diagnose” and “treat” those temperature readings. For me if it’s a warm reading it usually means that Onboard content and services are extremely core to the client’s business and we are offering consultations to help grow our client’s business. A cold reading is just the opposite in terms of being core to their business and I must make sure that the communication line is open and that we are making sure that the client is receiving value from us above and beyond the content we delivered to them. Of course there are varying degrees in between, but you get the idea.

OI: What are some of the challenges?
DK: I need to always think of how certain individuals within our company can offer their expertise on any given subject matter. Knowing when and how often to bring these resources to the table is challenging, since time is money and people are busy, but ultimately it is in all of our best interests to come up with strategic and well thought out solutions for our clients. I alone can not make it all happen for a client, but as a team we are capable of bringing out the best solutions for our clients which will further our growth and development as a company.

OI: How did you manage to get a job at Onboard as a Red Sox fan?
DK: I think it was because I didn’t hide the fact and maybe Onboard saw this as a golden opportunity to gang up on a BoSox fan. Also, I feel most companies with an entrepreneurial spirit attract a type of person who seeks a challenge and an ability to take on additional responsibilities quickly, and I hope this was a small part in their decision.

OI: Tell us a little bit about where you’re from and where you live now.
DK: I grew up outside of Boston (yes as a Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, and Pats fan), but managed to live in Wisconsin, Virginia, NJ, NYC, and now Long Island.

OI: What is a typical day at Onboard like for you?
DK: Never a dull a moment and always interactive with both our internal teams and clients. I love it and it’s what I have been doing for the past 15 years.

OI: What is one thing you’d like to see happen in the 2010 marketplace?
DK: I would like to see home sales surge over the next couple of months, and in the long run return to a more stable pattern of growth. I think we are heading in the right direction since I read that the pending homes Sales index for February was 97.6 and was 17% ahead of the index in February last year. I’m not sure what percentage of this growth is coming from the tax credit, but overall I see this as a very good sign for the industry. I think we will know exactly where we are when the May index is released, since this is typically a strong month for the industry and the numbers will not include the tax incentive.

Tags: Inside Onboard.

April 9th, 2010

Inside Onboard: Meet Tahisha George

By Jackie Berg, Marketing Specialist

The latest in the hot seat is Tahisha George, who works closely with client implementations and our core content as a Product Support Specialist.

"Being able to successfully answer clients' questions about our data and services as well as helping to grow their businesses is very gratifying." -TG

OI: What is a typical day like for you at Onboard?
TG: There is no “typical” day which makes working at Onboard so great. Each day can include either getting our new clients on board, delivering our content updates, supporting our internal or external clients, or all of the above. It can be full of challenges but just as rewarding at the same time.

OI: Tell us a little bit about where you’re from and where you live now.
TG: My family is from the Caribbean Island of Trinidad but I was born and currently live in Brooklyn, NY.

OI: What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?
TG: Playing with my 16 month old son and watching him discover and try new things. Just love being his mom!

OI: What is something people may be surprised to learn about you?
TG: I love to write and I hope to one day write the next great American novel. Or something that resembles it.

OI: What is the most rewarding part of your day?
TG: Definitely supporting and working with all our clients. Being able to successfully answer their questions about our data and services as well as helping to grow their businesses is very gratifying.

OI: What makes Onboard unique?
TG: The people that work here. I think each of us are hard-working, dedicated, determined, and we just enjoy being here and the work that we do. It’s a awesome team to be a part of.

Tags: Inside Onboard.

March 10th, 2010

Inside Onboard: Meet Kim Prior

By Jackie Berg, Marketing Specialist

How well do you know the team behind the scenes of content delivery and implementation to top real estate, publishing, and technology companies? In the Inside Onboard series, you will get to know our specialists and more about how we are working to innovate on behalf of our clients. First up is Kim Prior, Director of MLS Market Development.

"The real value is in being so much more than just a widget, a product, a vendor..." -KP

OB: What does your role entail?
KP: Building relationships with MLS executives and the MLS community. Understanding current challenges and opportunities with the goal of improving agent/member services and the MLSs sustainable profitability. Because Onboard is also a leading IDX provider, I educate MLSs to the full scope of what we do (and what’s possible) and liaison with our MLS acquisition team to ensure all parties are in sync when we identify opportunities for Onboard to provide products and services to an MLS or an MLS technology company – whether that’s for member services, consumer facing websites or enhancing search functionality. I work closely with our in-house sales team to accomplish that.

OB: Tell us a little bit about where you’re from and where you live now.
KP: I was born and raised in Northern NJ and moved to Northern California in 1999 for career advancement. Life in Northern California is very different from life in the NJ/NY area. There’s an emphasis on outdoor activities due to the mild year-round climate and 7/8 months of sunshine. I get bored easily, so the diversity of NorCal keeps me interested. I enjoy snowy fun in Lake Tahoe, the dramatic Monterey coast, the bounty of the Napa Valley, the contemporary buzz of San Francisco and the quiet majesty of the Coastal Redwood Forests. That’s not even mentioning the fun little towns you can accidentally stumble upon during a random weekend drive.

OB: What are you passionate about?
KP: My amazing 3-yr old son Hudson West – he’s brilliant! Outgoing, funny, energetic and very snuggly. We do everything together – our favorite date is the Farmer’s Market. Also, cooking and gastronomy: I am a gourmet cook and I’m a natural (no cookbooks). I have been told “open a restaurant” by everyone (not exaggerating) who eats my food – and I feed a lot of people! My signature dish is a creme brulee french toast strata with orange blossom syrup. And yes, my son cooks with me – he pulls up his little stool and smells all the herbs and ingredients. His favorite? Keffir lime.

OB: How has your former real estate and business development leadership experience shaped your role at Onboard?
KP: I worked with a very large Regional Brokerage in marketing, public relations and e-commerce divisions for nearly ten years. I am intimate with the Realtor DNA, the challenges that face Brokers and, the arsenal that’s required to recruit and retain the best and brightest. I also have significant experience working with analytics and MLSs – so I understand the unique and challenging role that an MLS has with the Brokers/members, the public and the data. Pulling all of those together in my Onboard role means that I can provide experience, insight, foresight and some empathy when it’s called for! I understand that things aren’t always black and white and can provide sensible, scalable solutions.

OB: What is the biggest challenge facing MLS associations today?
KP: Change and evolution. And, because every MLS is a little different (cultural, philosophical, organizational/hierarchical, business model, etc.) change and evolution means something different to each and every one of them. When we look at how technology, information and innovation has impacted our world (people, places, things) and bring that down to our particular business, it typically translates to two words: ACTION NOW.

OB: What value can Onboard bring to today’s MLS?
KP: Onboard’s “job” as an innovator has always been to stay ahead of the consumer curve. We help our clients navigate through change by innovating great things and having the implementation expertise to pull it off quickly and effectively. When we work with an MLS at the strategic level, we assess the whole picture. Evaluating the environment, the consumer and the possibilities. We find new, unexpected ways of doing “expected” things and great things happen. We grow. We meet the needs of consumers and agents. The real value is in being so much more than just a widget, a product, a vendor…it’s bringing experience, incredible depth of data and technology to the table. It’s about the ability to build something fantastic together and then, seeing it grow…for a long time.

Tags: Inside Onboard.