Customer Success Story: Stratabase
- Urbanise Team
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 11
From 16 to 86 Owners Corporations: How Stratabase Tripled Its Portfolio and Kept Headcount Lean with Urbanise Strata Management Software
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Founders: Richard Reid and Charlie Xu
Team: 2 founders + 4 part-time staff (equivalent to 1 FTE)
Portfolio: 86 Owners Corporations / 1,244 Lots
Growth Goals: Double portfolio in the next 12 months
The Challenge: Zero Handover, High Ambition
When Richard Reid and Charlie Xu acquired Stratabase in April 2023, they inherited a portfolio of 16 Owners Corporations with no operational handover or formal training. The previous management simply provided login credentials and departed, leaving Richard and Charlie to rebuild from the ground up while maintaining high client service standards and preparing for ambitious growth.
"Urbanise is incredibly intuitive. It's easy for a strata manager to come in and just use it, as it’s clearly been built for strata managers," Richard said. Charlie added, "Urbanise is so easy for people learning from scratch."
Their learning curve included one memorable night processing 400 invoices until 4 AM. But their grit paid off. In just two years, they’ve grown to 86 Owners Corporations and over 1,200 lots.
Scaling Through Smart Automation
A key enabler of this rapid growth has been Urbanise's powerful automation.
Having both used legacy systems in previous businesses, Richard and Charlie had firsthand experience with how time-consuming and error-prone routine strata management tasks could be. They recalled budgeting processes that required downloading financials, populating spreadsheets, and manually re-importing data, tasks that could easily consume 30 minutes or more per property.
With Urbanise already in place at Stratabase, they were relieved to discover a platform that eliminated many of these manual steps.
"Now it takes minutes. We approach budgeting with relish rather than with anxiety," Richard said.
Highlights:
Portfolio Growth: From 430 to 1244 lots
Efficiency: Budgets take minutes instead of 30+ minutes
Fee Notices: Automated instead of taking 1–2 days per quarter
Arrears & Communication: Streamlined workflows reduce admin burden
Lean Operations: Tripled their business with just 1 additional FTE, still with extra capacity
"Urbanise lets us grow without fear. We don’t worry about breaking our processes with scale" says Richard Reid
Financial Precision and Time Savings
Urbanise's financial management tools, particularly for budgeting, reporting, and arrears management, have been pivotal in enabling Stratabase's impressive scale.
"Legacy systems required spreadsheets and manual imports. With Urbanise, I can prepare a budget in five minutes," Richard explained.
He also praised the quality of the outputs:
"Annual reports are professional-grade. As a former chartered accountant, I can confidently say they meet the highest professional standards.
Richard and Charlie estimate that tasks which previously consumed multiple days are now virtually hands-off, freeing up valuable time for business development and proactive strata management activities.
Support That Stands Out
Beyond the software, Urbanise's dedicated support team has emerged as a major differentiator for Stratabase.
"Andrew and the team are responsive and committed," Charlie affirms. "When I bring my laptop to conferences, they’re happy to spend time with me and answer any questions I might have."
"You can have great software, but without great people, it doesn't work. Urbanise has both," Richard says.
This unwavering support fosters a strong relationship, eliminating any consideration for switching providers.
"While have looked at and assessed other strata software systems, we've never seriously considered switching from Urbanise. The product is great. The people make it exceptional."
Empowered to Focus on What Matters Most
Stratabase's success isn't solely reliant on technology; it's the intelligent combination of smart systems with a highly personalised, human touch:
Direct Access: Every owner has direct mobile and email access to the founders.
Proactive Site Visits: Larger properties receive weekly visits.
Rapid Response: Demonstrating their commitment, Richard highlights a recent call he received on a Friday night, "One resident reported their garage gate not working on a Friday night. We had our garage door company go out first thing the next morning. By 8am Saturday morning, it was fixed. We sent a message via our WhatsApp residents group advising them that it was fixed and five people replied that they didn’t know it was broken! Our goal is seamless OC management."
Relationship-First Business Development: A significant portion of their growth stems from strong word-of-mouth referrals within trusted communities, driven by Charlie's exceptional relationship-building skills. They specialise in taking on complex properties with existing issues, resolving them effectively, and generating additional billable work.
Looking Ahead: Doubling Again and Beyond
Stratabase aims to double its portfolio again in the next 12 months. And Urbanise is a key platform in their growth strategy.
"Urbanise enables us to scale faster, with minimal overhead. It will enable us to bring on more properties and delay major staffing costs until absolutely necessary."
Richard and Charlie are proud advocates for Urbanise:
"It takes a team to manage an owners corporation – from great trades to committed staff. And, of course, outstanding software and support. Urbanise enables us to spend time where it matters: with owners, committees, and solving problems that AI can’t," Richard concludes.
"We're proud to say we use Urbanise. It’s not just the platform, it’s the people behind it that make the difference."
Discover the Urbanise Advantage
If you're ready to streamline operations and unlock growth without adding overhead, it's time to see what Urbanise can do for you.
About the Founders
Richard Reid and Charlie Xu bring decades of experience and entrepreneurial vision to Stratabase.
Richard is a seasoned executive and former chartered accountant who has held C-suite roles across multiple industries, including leadership positions at Jim’s Group and Melbourne Body Corporate Management (MBCM). His expertise in financial governance and operational efficiency has helped lay a solid foundation for Stratabase’s scalable growth.
Charlie, originally introduced to the strata sector through Richard, is a powerhouse business developer with a track record of building strong relationships, particularly within Melbourne’s Chinese-Australian building community. His ability to connect, earn trust, and deliver solutions has been pivotal in driving new business.
Their professional partnership spans more than a decade and combines financial discipline, growth strategy, and customer-centric thinking, all of which underpin the success of Stratabase.
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