Keen On Rentals is thrilled to welcome Ruve Naidoo as our new Business Development Manager. Ruve brings extensive experience in Auckland property, and we recently sat down with him to learn why he is excited about his new role.
How would you describe the business development role?
For me, business development is as much about improving and refining the service you offer as it is about growing the business through gaining new customers. It requires wearing many hats throughout the day, something every small business owner will relate to. Property investors are business owners too, so it is great to have that common ground when speaking with them about the services we offer.
How did you become a Business Development Manager?
I grew up in a small business household in Pukekohe. My Dad owned a commercial maintenance business, and most dinner table conversations felt like business meetings. But in all honesty, I did not show any early inclination toward business. I found my way back to it at twenty-three when I opened my first residential construction company. I had an interest in property but no knowledge of building, which required real grit and innovative thinking. After spending time in the entrepreneurial trenches and occupying a director seat myself, I realised business development is where I feel most like myself.
Have you worked in property management before?
I have unofficially worked in property management by looking after my family’s private property portfolio. My parents have always seen the long-term value in property investment and still own the first home I built for them. We manage the properties as a small team, so I understand the level of work required to do it successfully. Property managers, like small business owners, need to switch between multiple skill sets throughout the day. Sometimes you are hosting viewings at rental properties; other times you are figuring out the most cost-effective way to repair a drainpipe – the scope of work is infinite.
What drew you to Keen On Rentals?
I could not be more excited to join the team at Keen On Rentals, they were definitely a major draw for me. Property rental management requires a huge amount of patience and precision. When I met with Niqui Keen, our director, and the team for the first time, they exuded a real sense of calm, but I could tell immediately they were highly experienced and thought leaders in the industry. It makes my role as their Business Development Manager easy because I am communicating a service delivered by people I inherently believe in. It is also very telling to meet the kind of owners who trust them to manage their properties, many of them are highly experienced investors who trust Keen On Rentals as an essential service provider for their property portfolio.
What do you enjoy about living in Auckland City?
I lived in my first CBD apartment while at university and have recently moved back to the central city. Auckland has changed during that time, and continues to develop in exciting, global ways. Many areas look and feel very different from what was on offer twenty years ago. We have new precincts, an eclectic dining scene, and more to come. What has not changed, and what I enjoy most, is the blend between urban development and New Zealand’s natural landscape. Seeing the water stretch out to Rangitoto Island and the city skyline on my afternoon run along Tamaki Drive is still a surreal feeling.