Showcasing the power of simplicity

Sam Khalef, the Founder of MyBos - Powerfully Simple talks to REM Times about his expansion into the Middle East

Building management nearly a decade ago was a lot more different than what we see today. Since then the management industry across the world has evolved massively. And technology has played a huge role in this evolution. However, those who have been in the business for more than a decade will tell you that this was not an easy transformation.

Sam Khalef, the Founder of MyBos - Powerfully Simple has experienced it on a personal level. After all, it was when he was amidst the complexity of managing a three-tower complex of 500 units that he and a college mate embarked on creating a platform that can simplify things on the job. Interestingly, the software was not approved by the management company as they didn't see the need for it back in 2012. But that didn’t dampen his entrepreneurial spirit. He believed that this was the future for the industry and within two years MyBos - Powerfully Simple was on its way to becoming a million-dollar company. A simple and well-developed system, MyBos has been changing how the interactions between Building Managers and stakeholders of strata-run assets. Today, more than ever, having a system like MyBos is a must in any new high-rise residential complex as it keeps the integrity of the role of a Building Manager together.

Today, the software is operating in 5 different countries. And has recently expanded to the Middle East’s built environment. In a conversation with Megha S Anthony, Sam Khalef tells her how similar and different the two markets are and how MyBos has been able to cater to both. “Our core value is in our brand name MYBOS - Powerfully Simple. Keeping the software powerful with plenty of features yet easy to work with has been embedded in our DNA, providing a powerful tool for managers, strata, developers, and residents to easily manage their property via our software has been core to our success,” he explains.

With so many large developments in the Middle East, the market has been a very attractive one for MyBos. “We noticed many accounting and community platforms on the market however a large segment of the facility management arm has been left open. We are looking at closing this gap and providing a simpler and easier way of managing property,” he adds.

However, having a presence in 5 different countries, Sam explains how the demands of each of the regions are different. “For example, Dubai has been huge on integration, and I am talking everything from Instagram, Facebook, and Uber to your enterprise CRM such as NetSuite, Salesforce you name it. Australia, on the other hand, is not on the same and is more looking at remote FM and smart integration primarily with BTR and existing accounting players for strata and property managers. And New Zealand is more focused on community and FM arms while Singapore and Asia have been more interested in BMS, Data and language integrations,” he explains.  

Talking about the evolution of the FM/Community Software industry as a whole, Sam says that the very perception of software has changed. “If I take it back to 2012, I would say that the biggest evolution was initially trying to convince community/building managers in adopting software which at that stage was a very paper-based industry. Fast-forward, now 10 years, it’s quite rare for me now to come across a manager not knowing the benefits and need of utilising good software. The demands have also changed from a facility platform into resident/community management and accounting. Integration and smart BMS systems with artificial intelligence and data are not just the latest buzzwords in the industry, but I believe that this is where our industry is headed,” says Sam.