Building a Five-Star CAM Business Without Burning Out the People Behind It
How a people-first philosophy, paired with the right technology,
helped one founder scale while protecting his team and values.
Mike Romo doesn’t love the term property management. “What we really do is community, which is the people,” he says.
That philosophy has guided the growth of Five Star Management, now overseeing roughly 4,500 doors across California and Texas. But
as the company scaled, one of the industry’s most difficult responsibilities—collections— became a growing operational and compliance challenge. By pairing CINC Systems with Axela Technologies' modern approach to collections, Five Star found a way to reduce delinquencies and stress, and continue growing without
losing sight of the priorities that mattered most.
How It Started
An unexpected entry into community association management nearly two decades ago, prompted by a career pivot from the escrow and title world during the 2008 housing market downturn, quickly turned into a long-term career for Five Star Management founder Mike Romo. Over the years, he worked his way from community management into executive leadership, taking on more responsibility—and more hours. “When I walked in the door, my son said, ‘What are you doing here?’ And I said, ‘What are you talking about? I live here.’ And he said, ‘Well, you’re never home for dinner.’”
In 2017, Five Star Management was born to create a more human CAM company that prioritized service, trust, and balance. Growth quickly followed, bringing new layers of complexity, particularly around collections. Operating in California requires navigating strict laws, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), where missteps are costly. As Five Star expanded into Texas, that complexity grew, with new state-specific legislation to manage—all while preserving the human touch that had defined the company from the start.
How It’s Going
Before switching to CINC, Five Star was feeling the strain of outdated systems and inconsistent support. When it came time to choose a new platform, Mike knew his team needed a long-term partner with a clear vision, strong customer service, and an all-in-one, integrated approach that could support a growing company.
That’s where things clicked. With CINC as the operational hub and Axela’s Easy Collect integrated to modernize collections, Five Star found a way to tame the complexity. CINC’s cloud-based platform and built-in training resources minimized the learning curve. Meanwhile, Axela brought speed, transparency, and consistency to collections. Boards can log in and see exactly where accounts stand, and homeowners can manage payment plans on their own. The result is a workflow that’s more automated, easier to manage, and built to support compliance as Five Star expands.
Impact By The Numbers
With CINC’s Cephai AI platform—white-labeled internally as NICO—Nabo has “They usually start the collections process within 48 to 72 hours. With an attorney, it can be weeks before anything actually goes out.”
- Mike Romo, Founder, Five Star Management
CINC × Axela:
A Better Way to Work
Real-time visibility into collections activity for managers and boards
Automated outreach and escalation based on configurable thresholds
AI-generated summaries of calls, emails, and account activity for
faster understanding
Self-service payment options that reduce manual follow-ups
and negotiations
A transparent, auditable collections process that supports
compliance across states
A single, integrated platform that connects accounting, operations,
and collections
The Bigger Picture
Mike has seen firsthand how easily community management can become reactive, transactional, and exhausting. His years of experience have shaped a clear belief: the work matters, and so does how it’s done. For him, success means supported teams, stronger communities, and a more human approach to an often misunderstood industry.
With CINC and Axela streamlining day-to-day operations behind the scenes, Mike can focus on what drew him to this work in the first place: supporting people and changing the way HOAs are experienced and perceived. It’s a model built for growth and longevity—one that allows Five Star to set a higher standard without burning out the teams that make it shine. “We get to touch individuals’ lives on a daily basis, and we get to, sometimes, change the outcome of their day. So let’s make it a positive one.”
Inspired by Five Star’s approach?
Across the industry, CAMs are rethinking how work gets done so teams can reduce friction and focus more on community. With CINC as the operational foundation and Axela seamlessly integrated for collections, you don’t have to choose between growing your management company and showing empathy to your homeowners.