After four years of partying and compensating with all-nighters, the inevitable weight of adult responsibilities looms around the corner, a terrifying prospect for many college students. Luckily for fresh graduates, emerging into the harshness of the real world doesn't have to be a blinding reality slap: Justin Kling and Michael Pottern's company, Apartment Savvy, LLC, can help soften the blow of the transition from college living to grown-up housing.
One might conjure images of graying hair and all the other qualities associated with a middle-aged business entrepreneur when making mental connections with the words "apartment broker." Twenty-somethings Pottern and Kling, however, buck this trend with a surge of modern innovation. Their college careers have barely had time to gather dust, allowing them to more closely relate to their younger clientele. Fraternity brothers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the two followed different paths after graduation, dreams that fizzled out and left them with the bare bones of their next entrepreneurial endeavor: a passion for business and the perseverance to work seven days a week to pursue it.
The idea of an apartment-hunting business grew into a legitimate possibility and finally a reality as the reunited pair set off on the careful development of Apartment Savvy. From their modest start and limited funds, Pottern and Kling have worked tirelessly to build Apartment Savvy from a 250-square-feet office into a million-dollar business. "It started with just the two of us," recalls Kling. "But with luck, hard work and a five-year plan, it became what it is today." Apartment Savvy has been chiseled and fine-tuned into the shape they envisioned, but they say there is still a long way to go.
Savvy connects young adults to agents who look for the perfect locations and qualities (such as free services) to ease clients into the whirlwind of apartment hunting. "We're not hardened by the industry," Kling said. "It's easier to understand where they're coming from and match people with what suits them." Being new to the game hasn't slowed down Pottern and Kling, but rather helped them to interact on the same level and relate to the personal needs of their many clients.
Apartment Savvy is not destined to become stagnant in the market pool, but rather to expand and continue to thrive. The partners emphasize the importance of understanding the market and focusing on what your strengths are when trying to break into business, a key ingredient in the formula to their success. "Know what your core competencies are and work from there," Pottern advised. "Do something you're passionate about." Anticipating the ins and outs of the system and thoroughly knowing the Chicago area has allowed Pottern and Kling to stand out in a field in which many others have already cut their niche.
Learning from their own experiences, Kling and Pottern saved a little wisdom to impart on those students still neck-deep in loans. They stress the importance of not downplaying debt or assuming it will simply evaporate after college when a dream job immediately falls into students' laps. Putting away even $100 a month will significantly decrease chances of drowning in an overwhelming heap of financial woe later on. They also don't advocate for pursuing one's own business venture directly after college, but rather first focusing on learning the ropes and what it means to really work hard. "The first few years are paying your dues and getting involved in the industry to learn the best practices and to understand the dynamics of a company," Pottern said. "Keep your options open and get experience. Other people are the greatest source of knowledge."
But the most practical advice that applies to most after college endeavors? Stay connected to your peers. College is not only a place for friendships, but networking. Look where it got Pottern and Kling.
Apartment Savvy not only connects clients with an apartment that matches their needs, but also stands as an example for students that perseverance is a stronger factor than age. Young as they may be, Kling and Pottern took an existing idea and made into their own successful enterprise.
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