📘 Episode Summary In this premiere episode of the Tough Talk series from Student Housing Insight, host John Barr (Director of Leasing & Innovation, The Dinerstein Companies) sits down with JT Bailey, VP and GM of Student at RealPage. Together, they dive into the nuances of AI integration in student housing, the importance of keeping human interaction at the forefront, and the irreplaceable value of site-level experience. JT reflects on his journey from leasing desks to product development at RealPage, delivers a bold “spicy take” on AI, and shares some nostalgic chaos from turn season—including flying furniture. This episode kicks off a full summer series of candid conversations with industry leaders recorded live at the Interface conference.
⏱️ Time-Stamps
00:00:00 – Introduction + Sponsor Message from Campus Technologies
00:01:30 – About Student Housing Insight & Ambassador Program
00:03:00 – Guest Intro: John Barr from Dinerstein
00:04:00 – The Innovation Role Explained
00:06:30 – Exploring Site Team Challenges & Testing New Tech
00:08:00 – Ambassador Content Creation + Tough Talks Series Concept
00:10:00 – Preview of Upcoming Interviews in the Series
00:17:00 – JT Bailey Interview Begins
00:20:00 – JT’s Role at RealPage & Focus on CRM Integration
00:22:00 – “Spicy Take” on AI in Student Housing
00:25:00 – Why Human Connection Still Matters
00:26:30 – Turn Season Nostalgia & JT’s Wildest Turn Story
00:28:00 – Advice to Young Professionals in the Industry
00:30:00 – The Power of Speaking Up & Career Exploration
00:33:00 – Reflections from Wes Deese & Preview of Next Episode
🙌 Episode Sponsor Campus Technologies For nearly 25 years, Campus Technologies has been the go-to provider for fast, reliable internet infrastructure in student housing. Their solutions go far beyond basic connectivity, offering fully managed IT services and support tailored to the unique demands of student living environments.
🖱️ Download their latest white paper or learn more at campustechnologies.com
🔗 Resources & Mentions
Student Housing Insight Ambassadors – Learn more: StudentHousingInsight.com
Shop Talk Webinars – Sign up: ShopTalk.info
BISNOW Student Housing Summits – Bisnow Events Page
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