2025 Ones To Watch - Rising Stars: Marisa Stafford, Port Property

“Marisa is a powerful new leader in our property management company, Port Property. Since joining us in the fall of 2024, she now oversees 1,200 units across four portfolios. Marisa has excellent people skills and knows how to build and motivate high- performing teams. She’s also extremely skilled at customer service-and leads by example, always taking the time to be with residents and listen to their needs.” - John Laliberte, CEO at Reveler

What’s one challenge you’ve overcome in your career so far, and what did it teach you? Being a young woman in a position of authority. When I first became a property manager, I was the youngest person on my staff. I had a team of seven reporting to me, including a few older maintenance men. I learned that working hard, proving to them you deserve your position, and a willingness to get my hands dirty was the way to win them over. For example, if they said, “I can’t move this washing machine because I don’t have another person”, I would say, “I’m on my way, we’ll move it together.” I learned that you can’t ever ask someone to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself.

Who has played a pivotal role in your development, and how have they influenced you? I had a vice president I worked for in a previous company, Laura Boule. She changed my life. She is a consummate professional in the industry and well known in Boston. She was such a mentor. She didn’t just compliment me and cheer me on; she took the time to invest in me. She would often take me aside and say “hey, there’s something I want to show you” and then spend hours training me. She genuinely wanted to see me grow and succeed. She was an amazing example, always conducting herself with the utmost professionalism. I sincerely attribute where I am today to her.