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In this landmark episode of the Vacation Rental Success Podcast, Heather Bayer is joined by Steve Schwab, the Founder and CEO of Casago, at a truly pivotal moment - not just in his personal journey, but in the history of the vacation rental industry. As Casago steps into a groundbreaking merger with Vacasa, Steve reflects on the path that led him here and the deeply held leadership values that have shaped the company's evolution. From climbing rooftops in Rocky Point, Mexico, to becoming the driving force behind a national franchise brand, Steve's story is anything but typical. In this conversation, he opens up about the early moments that launched his career, the foundation of the ORANGE Credo that anchors Casago's culture, and what it means to scale a values-based business without losing its soul - especially in the wake of one of the industry's biggest mergers to date. If you're thinking about growth, culture, or the future of professional property management, this episode delivers both heart and strategy in equal measure. Revolutionize Your Employee Onboarding with THRIVE Essentials: Faster Training, Stronger Teams, Better Results! Discover how THRIVE Essentials accelerates onboarding for new property management staff, boosting performance and reducing turnover. >> THRIVE Essentials Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/VRS610
In this special episode of Good Morning Hospitality, we are joined by Steve Schwab, the founder and CEO of Casago, to discuss Casago's monumental $128 million acquisition of Vacasa, a previously publicly traded property management company. Steve shares insights into how this bold move will reshape vacation rental management by transitioning Vacasa to a franchise model. He dives into his journey from starting Casago 25 years ago to building a business centered on owner satisfaction. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this special episode of Good Morning Hospitality, we are joined by Steve Schwab, the founder and CEO of Casago, to discuss Casago's monumental $128 million acquisition of Vacasa, a previously publicly traded property management company. Steve shares insights into how this bold move will reshape vacation rental management by transitioning Vacasa to a franchise model. He dives into his journey from starting Casago 25 years ago to building a business centered on owner satisfaction. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, and Brandreth Canaley break down three of the biggest headlines in travel and hospitality this week. Vacasa's special committee officially rejected Davidson Kempner Capital Management's improved acquisition bid of $5.75 per share, calling it “not reasonably likely” to result in a superior proposal compared to the current Casago-led offer. With the shareholder vote looming, this move may bring an end to the takeover drama. Expedia Group is also making waves with a renewed focus on its B2B travel tech strategy. In a recent Q&A on Skift, company leadership highlighted their efforts to simplify the messaging around their B2B offerings and strengthen relationships with partners like banks, loyalty programs, and large-scale travel distributors. And over at Airbnb, the platform is doubling down on its policies around off-platform bookings and fee transparency. A new policy update reinforces that all required fees must be disclosed at the time of booking and that moving guests off the platform is a serious violation. From M&A tension to evolving tech strategies and policy updates, this episode dives into the forces shaping the guest and operator experience in 2025. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, and Brandreth Canaley break down three of the biggest headlines in travel and hospitality this week. Vacasa's special committee officially rejected Davidson Kempner Capital Management's improved acquisition bid of $5.75 per share, calling it “not reasonably likely” to result in a superior proposal compared to the current Casago-led offer. With the shareholder vote looming, this move may bring an end to the takeover drama. Expedia Group is also making waves with a renewed focus on its B2B travel tech strategy. In a recent Q&A on Skift, company leadership highlighted their efforts to simplify the messaging around their B2B offerings and strengthen relationships with partners like banks, loyalty programs, and large-scale travel distributors. And over at Airbnb, the platform is doubling down on its policies around off-platform bookings and fee transparency. A new policy update reinforces that all required fees must be disclosed at the time of booking and that moving guests off the platform is a serious violation. From M&A tension to evolving tech strategies and policy updates, this episode dives into the forces shaping the guest and operator experience in 2025. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hotels are using identity marketing to reduce OTA dependence and reclaim direct bookings, while Casago's surprising bid for Vacasa sparks debate on investment strategies. Hear how industry leaders are navigating tech, service, and growth in the evolving rental landscape.Are you new and want to start your own hospitality business?Join our Facebook groupFollow Boostly and join the discussion:YouTube LinkedInFacebookWant to know more about us? Visit our websiteStay informed and ahead of the curve with the latest insights and analysis.
U.S. tariffs introduced by President Trump may indirectly affect the travel industry by increasing costs and strengthening the dollar, potentially deterring international visitors and raising expenses for hotel owners. Travel leaders like United Airlines and Accor have already reported declines in international travel to the U.S., citing negative perceptions and rising tensions as contributing factors. Meanwhile, vacation rental company Vacasa has endorsed a lower buyout offer from Casago and Roofstock over a higher bid from hedge fund Davidson Kempner, leading to legal scrutiny and an upcoming shareholder vote. Tariffs Won't Be a Direct Hit on Travel - But They Can Still Hurt Europeans Are Cutting U.S. Summer Trips Due to 'Bad Buzz', Accor CEO Says Inside the Vacasa Bidding War — The Unfolding Battle Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
This week on Good Morning Hospitality, Wil Slickers, Brandreth Canaley, and Michael Goldin break down the biggest headlines shaking up the industry. Vacasa has received an unsolicited acquisition proposal—what does this mean for the struggling vacation rental giant, and what could this mean for Casago, who announced a strategic merger before the new year? Meanwhile, Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) CEO, Glenn Fogel, says travelers aren't willing to pay more for sustainable travel, despite industry narratives pushing eco-conscious initiatives. The team unpacks what this means for hospitality businesses and whether the green premium is more myth than reality. Tune in for unfiltered insights and a data-driven look at what's really happening in hospitality. --- This episode is brought to you by Fido! Say goodbye to headaches with Fido's reliable services for vacation rentals. From trash bin management to junk removal and property inspections, Fido keeps your properties guest-ready and stress-free. Learn more at getfido.com ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on Good Morning Hospitality, Wil Slickers, Brandreth Canaley, and Michael Goldin break down the biggest headlines shaking up the industry. Vacasa has received an unsolicited acquisition proposal—what does this mean for the struggling vacation rental giant, and what could this mean for Casago, who announced a strategic merger before the new year? Meanwhile, Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) CEO, Glenn Fogel, says travelers aren't willing to pay more for sustainable travel, despite industry narratives pushing eco-conscious initiatives. The team unpacks what this means for hospitality businesses and whether the green premium is more myth than reality. Tune in for unfiltered insights and a data-driven look at what's really happening in hospitality. --- This episode is brought to you by Fido! Say goodbye to headaches with Fido's reliable services for vacation rentals. From trash bin management to junk removal and property inspections, Fido keeps your properties guest-ready and stress-free. Learn more at getfido.com ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to the first episode of 2025! We're diving into the most prominent hospitality and travel headlines to start the new year. First, we continue to explore Casago's game-changing $128 million acquisition of Vacasa and what this means for the vacation rental landscape. This will be a fun one for us to get Brandy's take! Next, we discuss the massive $365 million funding round that propelled Hostaway to a $925 million valuation, highlighting the growing demand for tech solutions in the travel and rental markets. Finally, we take a closer look at the joint venture between Lark Hotels and Life House, a partnership poised to reshape the boutique and lifestyle hotel industry. Tune in as we break down these stories and what they signal for the future of hospitality in 2025! ---- This episode is brought to you by Fido, the newest GMH partner! Say goodbye to headaches with Fido's reliable services for vacation rentals. From trash bin management to junk removal and property inspections, Fido keeps your properties guest-ready and stress-free. Learn more at getfido.com — Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM podcast network and a Hospitality.FM Original. If you like this podcast, then you'll also love Behind The Stays with Zach Busekrus, which comes out every Tuesday & Friday, wherever you get your podcasts! This show is structured to cover industry news in travel and hospitality and is recorded live every Monday morning at 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST. So make sure you tune in during our live show on our social media channels or YouTube and join the conversation live! Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible, and if you have any press you want covered during the show, fill out this form! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to the first episode of 2025! We're diving into the most prominent hospitality and travel headlines to start the new year. First, we continue to explore Casago's game-changing $128 million acquisition of Vacasa and what this means for the vacation rental landscape. This will be a fun one for us to get Brandy's take! Next, we discuss the massive $365 million funding round that propelled Hostaway to a $925 million valuation, highlighting the growing demand for tech solutions in the travel and rental markets. Finally, we take a closer look at the joint venture between Lark Hotels and Life House, a partnership poised to reshape the boutique and lifestyle hotel industry. Tune in as we break down these stories and what they signal for the future of hospitality in 2025! ---- This episode is brought to you by Fido, the newest GMH partner! Say goodbye to headaches with Fido's reliable services for vacation rentals. From trash bin management to junk removal and property inspections, Fido keeps your properties guest-ready and stress-free. Learn more at getfido.com — Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM podcast network and a Hospitality.FM Original. If you like this podcast, then you'll also love Behind The Stays with Zach Busekrus, which comes out every Tuesday & Friday, wherever you get your podcasts! This show is structured to cover industry news in travel and hospitality and is recorded live every Monday morning at 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST. So make sure you tune in during our live show on our social media channels or YouTube and join the conversation live! Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible, and if you have any press you want covered during the show, fill out this form! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The travel industry is poised for growth in 2025, with Skift Research predicting a 9% increase in global travel spending, led by a 14% surge in India. However, challenges such as rising labor costs and slow economic growth in Europe and China could temper progress. Meanwhile, Accor is expanding its luxury offerings, including launching the ultra-luxury Orient Express brand, and Casago's acquisition of Vacasa signals shifts in the vacation rental market, with plans to sell local operations and establish franchise agreements. Here's Skift's Global Travel Outlook 2025 Accor is beefing up its luxury portfolio More details about vacation rental management company Casago's agreement to acquire Vacasa Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
In this impromptu New Year's Eve episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Michael and Wil discuss the groundbreaking news of Steve Schwab, founder of Casago, acquiring Vacasa. This acquisition marks a significant shift in the short-term rental industry, valued at 128 million, and reflects a new franchise model approach. Michael and Wil anticipate further insights from Steve Schwab and his team once regulatory clearances are met, and this will be the first podcast he joins after announcing the news. Make sure to tune into our first episode of 2025 on January 6th to cover more of the news that happened over the holidays and as we continue to watch the plot unfold! Headline Links: Skift: https://skift.com/2024/12/30/casago-to-acquire-vacasa-for-128-million-and-take-it-private/ Business Wire: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241230370238/en/Premier-Vacation-Rental-Brands-Casago-and-Vacasa-Announce-Strategic-Merger — Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM podcast network and a Hospitality.FM Original. If you like this podcast, then you'll also love Behind The Stays with Zach Busekrus, which comes out every Tuesday & Friday, wherever you get your podcasts! This show is structured to cover industry news in travel and hospitality and is recorded live every Monday morning at 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST. So make sure you tune in during our live show on our social media channels or YouTube and join the conversation live! Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible, and if you have any press you want covered during the show, fill out this form! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this impromptu New Year's Eve episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Michael and Wil discuss the groundbreaking news of Steve Schwab, founder of Casago, acquiring Vacasa. This acquisition marks a significant shift in the short-term rental industry, valued at 128 million, and reflects a new franchise model approach. Michael and Wil anticipate further insights from Steve Schwab and his team once regulatory clearances are met, and this will be the first podcast he joins after announcing the news. Make sure to tune into our first episode of 2025 on January 6th to cover more of the news that happened over the holidays and as we continue to watch the plot unfold! Headline Links: Skift: https://skift.com/2024/12/30/casago-to-acquire-vacasa-for-128-million-and-take-it-private/ Business Wire: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241230370238/en/Premier-Vacation-Rental-Brands-Casago-and-Vacasa-Announce-Strategic-Merger — Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM podcast network and a Hospitality.FM Original. If you like this podcast, then you'll also love Behind The Stays with Zach Busekrus, which comes out every Tuesday & Friday, wherever you get your podcasts! This show is structured to cover industry news in travel and hospitality and is recorded live every Monday morning at 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST. So make sure you tune in during our live show on our social media channels or YouTube and join the conversation live! Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible, and if you have any press you want covered during the show, fill out this form! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Vintory Podcast: Top 10 Mistakes. This week, Casago's Steve Schwab joins us to share his vacation rental mistakes, how he learned from each one, and the strategies that helped him grow his rental business.Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesVacation Rental SecretsSteve SchwabCasagoBrooke Pfautz
In this episode of the STR Daily Podcast, we delve into the struggles facing tourism in the Middle East as ongoing conflict impacts Jordan and Egypt's recovery. Plus, we spotlight Casago's remarkable growth, doubling its vacation rental footprint across the U.S. and Mexico. Stay informed with the latest travel and hospitality news and discover actionable insights to navigate this dynamic industry. Are you new and want to start your own hospitality business? Join our Facebook group Follow Boostly and join the discussion: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Want to know more about us? Visit our website Stay informed and ahead of the curve with the latest insights and analysis
In this episode of the podcast, Mateo and John chat it up with Happy Guest co-founders Alex Husner and Kanan Whited. There's something refreshing about this guest portal and the story and psychology behind the app is entertaining and fulfilling. You're gonna want to download this one.Episode Highlights:Guest Introductions: Exciting projects ahead: Alex, a returning guest, shares her excitement about new projects and life post-Casago.First-time guest Kanan Whitehead, co-founder of Happy Guest, joins the show to discuss his journey into vacation rental tech.Kanan's Origin Story: From Amazon to Vacation Rentals: Kanan's background in scaling creativity at Amazon/Whole Foods led him into vacation rental branding and operations. His work at Airbnb led to developing tools that streamline operations for property managers, leading to the founding of Happy Guest.Why Happy Guest was created: Kanan and Alex discuss how Happy Guest was born from a desire to simplify the vacation rental guest experience. Focus on creating a seamless guest journey by improving communication, workflows, and reducing operational burdens for managers.Psychology of the Guest Journey: Happy Guest focuses on the psychology of guest interactions, creating a fun and stress-free experience for both guests and property Upsells Timing: The trend is upsells in the property management space, but upsells are most effective closer to the check-in date rather than at the time of booking.Importance of Guest Communication: Guests prefer to communicate on platforms they are comfortable with (e.g., Airbnb), and property managers should align with those preferences while collecting necessary contact details.Unified Communication: The challenge of disjointed guest communications (email, text, Airbnb messages) can make Airbnb the most consistent touchpoint. The goal is to streamline communication and keep it aligned with the guest's preferences.Gamification: Happy Guest's check-in process includes a gamified element to make it engaging for guests, inspired by the success of platforms like Hopper that have integrated fun, playful design elements.Visual Design and Branding: There is a trend towards minimalist design in tech, but Happy Guest differentiates itself with a more playful, colorful approach. The design aims to make the platform memorable and enjoyable for both property managers and guests.Guest Journey Optimization: Happy Guest emphasizes simplifying the guest journey, from booking to check-in, using technology to make the process intuitive and stress-free for both guests and property managers.Revenue Opportunities: Happy Guest offers upsells such as early check-in or other customizable add-ons. Property managers can increase revenue while saving time through automation.Streamlined Setup: The platform is quick to set up, requiring little ongoing management from hosts. Once implemented, it automates many repetitive tasks, freeing property managers to focus on other responsibilities.Consistency in Guest Experience: Inconsistent messaging and outdated terms across platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, direct bookings) are common pain points. Happy Guest helps property managers streamline and standardize their guest communications across all platforms.No App Download Required: Happy Guest is web-based, avoiding the friction of requiring guests to download an app, which is a significant roadblock for user adoption.Event Participation: Happy Guest is involved in industry events, offering prizes and stays to encourage people to experience the platform firsthand at...
Ça y est, vous venez d'arriver sur votre lieu de vacances et vous êtes prêts à en profiter. Mais attention à ne pas vous faire avoir par les établissements qui vous attendent de pied ferme. Ces lieux nous sont présentés comme typiques, traditionnels, authentiques. Mais en réalité, ils peuvent être parfois factices, mis en scène et destinés à attirer les touristes. La France est concernée. Selon une carte réalisée par la plateforme de voyage Casago, la Tour Eiffel est un lieu à absolument éviter. Les prix des restaurants sont gonflés, et plusieurs produits de contrefaçon sont vendus à la sauvette par exemple. Pour ne plus se faire avoir par ces techniques, voyons ensemble comment les éviter. Comment savoir dans quels lieux ne pas aller ? Et que faire une fois sur place ? Comment faire si je ne veux pas faire beaucoup de recherches ? Écoutez la suite de cet épisode de "Maintenant vous savez". Un podcast Bababam Originals, écrit et réalisé par Samuel Lumbroso. À écouter aussi : Qu'est-ce que le surtourisme ? Qu'est-ce que le tourisme du bien être ? Qu'est-ce que le slow tourisme ? Première diffusion : 2 août 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Book the perfect stay for the whole family in one of Casago's (+1 843 999 2837) finest Myrtle Beach properties! This oceanfront penthouse still has availability dates in June, July, August, and September- make your booking now! Book your stay at: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/8Q4PK5ic Casago Myrtle Beach City: Myrtle Beach Address: 516 Broadway Street Website: https://casagomyrtlebeach.com/472177/
Book a luxurious stay in a Myrtle Beach oceanfront premium condo in Ocean Dunes Tower 1 through Casago for a fun and relaxing holiday just a stone's throw away from popular Grand Strand. See pictures and book your stay at: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/8Q4PK5ic Casago Myrtle Beach City: Myrtle Beach Address: 516 Broadway Street Website: https://casagomyrtlebeach.com/472177/
In this engaging bonus episode of "Alex & Annie, The Real Women of Vacation Rentals," hosts Alex and Annie take you on a journey through their eventful month of January. From industry conferences to unexpected encounters, they share insights, challenges, and exciting plans for Aha Moments, the podcast's parent company. Conference Chronicles: IMN and STR Virtual Summit Dive into Alex and Annie's experiences at industry conferences like IMN and the STR virtual summit for women with Stacey St. John. Explore the diverse crowds, key takeaways, and the need for bridging the short-term rental (STR) and vacation rental (VR) worlds. Alex's Bold Move: From Casago to Full-Time Passion Pursuit Join Alex as she opens up about leaving her job at Casago to pursue her passion for marketing and podcasting full-time. Hear about the fears and challenges she faced, emphasizing the importance of following signs and trusting her instincts. Aha Moments' Vision: Navigating Vacation Rental Success Get an exclusive look into Alex's plans for Aha Moments, the podcast's parent company. Discover her vision to work directly with vacation rental companies and suppliers, helping them uncover their own "aha moments." A Surprise Encounter with David Meltzer Experience the excitement as Alex visits the Blue Wire studio at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Alex shares her initial intention to meet David and potentially have him as a guest on their show. However, to her surprise, she received an email invitation from David himself to attend a mastermind event and a VIP dinner where she had the chance to sit down for an interview with David in the greatest podcast studio in the world. Alex describes the incredible experience of meeting David, as well as other like-minded individuals, and the valuable insights and advice she gained from the event.
In this episode, Alex and Annie are joined by David Angotti, the Chief Evangelist at Guesty, an end-to-end property management software designed for short-term property managers who seek to save time, increase revenue, and grow their businesses. David's journey in the vacation rental industry began after he exited his first company, SpeedyPrep, in 2009. Retirement at the age of 29 quickly lost its allure, so he purchased a few rental properties. This quickly evolved into a property management business from which he also exited. Afterwards, David shifted his focus to launching and managing a book direct business, ultimately leading him to his current role at Guesty.David breaks down the role of Chief Evangelist into two parts. The external part of his role strives to achieve a level of market education and awareness that makes sure Guesty is always part of the conversation when companies are evaluating property management software. The internal part of his role requires him to always have his finger on the pulse when it comes to current market trends and demand, and for him to advocate for both their existing clientele and the total addressable market to make sure that Guesty is always developing in a direction that best serves their market.Guesty is expanding their United States team, adding 40-50 consultative market managers who will serve individual markets across the US. Their purpose will be to ensure that Guesty's onboarding experience is much more refined, and that clients have access to a dedicated support team in their particular market that can serve them at a much higher pace and quality than what the industry is used to. The reason for this expansion is that Guesty is now moving into the traditional vacation rental markets, while their previous market share was typically in urban areas.A big focus of David's work is towards educating the market on how to build the right growth strategies. He considers the marketing agency model to be inefficient for smaller property managers, as great marketing agencies typically have large retainers that are way out of budget for your average property management company, and smaller agencies are less effective than hiring freelancers and contractors to take care of individual projects. Tune into the full episode to learn more about David's journey and expertise!HIGHLIGHTS:00:54 David's Journey Into Vacation Rentals10:22 Improving Your Book Direct UX15:41 How Guesty Helps With Marketing18:42 What Does a Chief Evangelist Do?26:14 Guesty's US Expansion Plan32:20 The Right Approach to Marketing39:42 Building a Recognizable Brand This episode is brought to you by Rev & Research!Connect with David:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie Holcombe
Welcome to a special flashback episode of Alex & Annie! Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the podcast, and we couldn't be more grateful for the road so far, and excited for what's to come!To celebrate, we decided to back the episode where it all started. Fun fact - the first time we tried to record it we needed 3 takes to get it right, as technology was getting the best of us.Here are the original show notes - In this inaugural episode of Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals, we explore the spark that started our journey to making this podcast. We provide a high-level overview of our industry background, and highlight two AHA moments that defined the future of our careers. Topics we cover:Who are Alex & Annie? The importance of having a good mentor Two AHA moments that defined our careersWhere will this journey take us? Vacation Rental Women's SummitThank you for joining us and helping this become a reality. We cannot wait to bring you more exciting stories from the PEOPLE behind the industry. CONTACT ALEX & ANNIEAlexandAnniePodcast.comLinkedIn | Facebook | InstagramAlex Husner - LinkedinAnnie Holcombe - Linkedin
For this November 1st of the Month Bonus Episode, Alex & Annie welcome Lance and Elaine Stitcher - Owners of Seaside Vacations & Sales - a full-service, boutique Vacation Rental company that operates in Chincoteague Island, VA, Ocean City, MD, and Captains Cove, VA. During the VRMA 2023 International Conference in Orlando they became the recipients of the Vacation Rental Management Company of the Year Award and are joining us today to talk about their road to winning this prestigious award.Lance and Elaine understand that to truly provide the best possible guest experience, you need to level up your service and go beyond the industry status quo. One of the ways they've done it is by bringing laundry in-house and including linens as a standard part of their service. This was a costly, uphill battle at first, but now they can proudly say that they're the only vacation rental managers in their market that do this - which takes a huge burden off of the guests shoulders. Spirits are high after the phenomenal VRMA conference in Orlando last week. Compared to last year's event in Vegas, the Orlando venue was much less populated by external parties making it easier to connect with industry peers - which is what vacation rental conferences are all about. This year, the DARM and Women's Summit Conferences are both right around the corner from the VRMA event, and we're expecting a strong follow-up to the Orlando event.When asked about revenue management in 2023, Lance reaffirms that the COVID high season is obviously over, however, they've still seen a 25% growth improvement compared to 2019 which puts them at an over 5% yearly growth rate for the last 4 years. Revenue management is no easy task, especially if it's one of the many hats you wear, which is why Lance considers Rev & Research and Wheelhouse must-haves for their business at this point.With the market no longer being as forgiving as it was during 2020-2021, Lance and Elaine are both focused on making revenue management their superpower. This year, they've learned an invaluable lesson about the importance of getting seasonal pricing right, and the market expectation of flexibility when it comes to cancellations and changes to bookings. Check out the full episode to hear the road that took Seaside Vacations & Sales to the VRMA Vacation Rental Management Company of the Year Award!HIGHLIGHTS:00:00 Lance & Elaine Receive the VRMA Award!02:21 Seaside Vacations & Sales Road To Victory05:03 Bringing Their Laundry In-House10:42 The Value of Conferences17:21 Revenue Management in 202324:52 How Consumers Choose Booking Sites30:52 Why Our Industry Rocks!This episode is brought to you by Rev & Research!Connect with Lance:Website | LinkedInConnect with Elaine:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Join us today for a special FLASHBACK episode with Vanessa Humes as we explore the Top 5 Ways to Drive Direct Bookings! This episode originally aired in September 2022.Original shownotes from September of 2022:Vanessa Humes of ICND joins us today to share the top 5 strategies for building a book-direct vacation rental brand. As we often talk about on the podcast, building your house on someone else's land puts your business in a dangerous position - but where do you begin if you want to take business BACK from the OTAs? Whether you're an experienced manager or just starting out in the industry, Vanessa has great insights and tips that will help you build your business on your own land...because the grass really IS greener, when you water it yourself :) CONTACT VANESSA HUMESICNDLinkedInvhumes@icnd.netCONTACT ALEX & ANNIEAlexandAnniePodcast.comLinkedIn | Facebook | InstagramAlex Husner - LinkedinAnnie Holcombe - Linkedin
In this episode, Alex & Annie are joined by Marcus Räder - Founder & CEO of Hostaway. Hostaway is one of the fastest growing vacation rental management software companies, perfect for those with 5 to 1,000+ listings. They make it easy for you to get more out of your business while spending less time with tedious manual tasks by offering a variety of pre-made software-based solutions. Last time Marcus was on the show, we spoke about what companies really learn as they attempt to grow with investment capital, and this time he's joining us to discuss where our industry is heading in 2024 and beyond.Aside from the fact that Hostaway just raised the biggest venture capital round in vacation rental history at $175 Million USD, the reason why we decided to have Marcus on the show again is because his last year's appearance on here ended up being one of our favorite episodes ever. Between the entrepreneurial and career wisdom, plus the technical topics we discussed - the episode was so good we released it twice. And today's sequel does it justice.When speaking on the prioritization on what to develop for the Hostaway platform, Marcus reveals that their core philosophy stems from the fact that they need to be an all-in-one solution. There's too many moving parts in the day-to-day operations of a property management company to allow decentralization, which is what Marcus realized 7 years ago during the inception of Hostaway. The money trail that goes from renter to property owner is a complex route with many stops, which creates quite a few inefficiencies. Marcus draws a comparison to Amazon - the reason why they're so price efficient is because they remove a variety of steps from the money trail including logistics and wholesalers, allowing for true efficiency to be achieved. This same Amazon-esque philosophy is what he applies to how Hostaway serves their clients.Marcus speaks on the success of Hostaway being in large part driven by their company culture and hiring methodology. The reason why they've been able to achieve more with a team of 150 then their competitors with teams of 5-600 is due to them being zoned in on hiring the right talent and building a culture of winners. To help facilitate this type of environment, Marcus makes sure to meet with every single new hire, even though at times it might take 3 months to get it set up with his ultra busy schedule.Now that American Express is moving into the vacation rental space with their loyalty program, many speculate on the impact this will have on the market share between hotels and rentals. Marcus brings up a great point that these new programs won't fundamentally change the thinking of a buyer when choosing between a hotel or a rental property, so no impactful uptick is to be expected from this new program.Tune in to the full episode to learn more on how Hostaway has become a true staple in the vacation rental management software space!HIGHLIGHTS:00:00 Recalling Marcus's Previous Alex & Annie Appearance06:17 Hostaway's Development Prioritisation Strategy12:42 Approaching Customer Support The Right Way17:12 Building an International Company Culture Based On Success23:31 Marcus's Global Viewpoint On The 2023 Market29:42 The Impact of AmEx's Arrival To Vacation Rentals36:32 Marcus's Expectations For This Years Conference SeasonThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Marcus:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
On this episode of Alex & Annie : The Real Women of Vacation Rentals, Alex is joined by Veronica Romney, Founder of Rainmaker Residency™ and VeronicaRomney.com. Veronica is a coach of all things marketing and leadership with over 15 years of experience. She puts her marketing skills on display with the two long term rental properties and one short term rental property she owns, and her marketing efforts as a solo contributor have outperformed both agencies and management companies with her holistic understanding on what it means to effectively market both herself and her products.As both owned and social media become more prevalent across every business sector, marketers have to learn how to market themselves first and foremost to unlock better opportunities and own their marketing channels. Here's the problem - marketing yourself is no easy task for conventional marketers who've spent their careers building demand for goods and services. For many, putting yourself out there comes with a lot of anxiety and imposter syndrome, and the way Veronica suggests battling those seeds of doubt is to remember the statistic that 82% of Americans will think positively of a brand if its leaders have their own thought leadership and online presence.Veronica's path to working with influencers such as Tony Robbins, Pete Vargas and Dean Grazioni stemmed from her decision to sell her agency. After 5 years of running ModernMarca with her husband, Veronica was very burned out, and her exit just so happened to be around the same time as Tony Robbins and Dean Grazioni entered into their partnership on a new service which was all about how to monetise your knowledge. Veronica became a client, and the program ended up being a major success with the team behind it looking to follow up by building a public speaking team - on which Veronica won a spot in a 600 applicant competition.The way Veronica got into the short term rental space is by purchasing a second home and converting their townhouse into a rental property. The house she purchased came with $80,000 worth of bookings already made prior to their investment, and it was run by a top tier local property manager. Upon purchase she noticed that the house was badly maintained and came with an archaic, outdated system, which broke her perception of property management companies. To fix this predicament, Veronica reached out to a smaller, more modern local management company and offered a hybrid model - they take care of the operations and property management and she does all the marketing, and so a win-win was born!Tune into the full episode to learn how marketing yourself can open up new and exciting opportunities!HIGHLIGHTS:00:42 How Veronica and Alex Met03:28 Marketing Products vs Marketing Yourself12:32 Veronica's Impressive Resume16:43 Effective Coaching Remotely 20:25 Veronica's Short Term Rental Journey28:15 The Importance of Influencer Marketing32:38 Golden Marketing NuggetsThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Veronica:Website | Linkedin Connect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this episode, Alex & Annie are joined by Syed Lateef of SyedBnb. Syed is a philanthropist, a family man, an exotic car collector, an 8 figure Airbnb Coach, and the CEO of his short term rental company. He currently operates almost 300 units and is looking to add more. Last year his Airbnb business did more than $10,000,000 in revenue - but it was NOT an easy ride.Syed's journey into short term rentals began when he was in the midst of looking for ways to achieve financial freedom, which led him to purchase his first multifamily investment property in 2017. After living in it for a year, he ended up placing it on Airbnb based on a podcast episode he heard, and this move ended up making double the rent value immediately. Then, within 3 months it started making triple the rent value, and so his new business plan was in motion. Fast forward to today, Syed has over 300 units under management, with a majority of his properties being in the Chicago area.COVID was a true challenge for Syed's business. When flights were grounded, regulations came in overnight and Airbnb refunded more than $100,000 worth of Syed's bookings, he was faced with the reality that the lease agreements he had signed were no longer sustainable. After approaching property owners, he gave them 3 potential options - either he moved out of their properties, went into revenue share agreements with them or they could sue him. Even though things were looking grim, most owners agreed to go into a revenue share agreement, and even those who were ready to sue him slowly retracted their positions as they started to understand exactly how crazy the world was becoming.It's no secret that the rental arbitrage model is one that often doesn't work out in the vacation rental space - but that's not the case for Syed's business. The reason why Syed's business model works even though almost all of it is based on rental arbitrage is the fact that he's mostly in urban areas where the rents are much lower. Even though Chicago might seem like a year-round market, Syed reveals that most of their bookings happen during the summer, with him reporting losses between $350,000-$400,000/month during the winter months. When asked about booking windows, Syed mentions that everything has gone last minute in 2023. Between hotels being open again and all the negative press that Airbnb has been getting, Syed's lead times are now on average 5 days, which is very stressful. Another big stress factor for his business is the over-reliance on consistent cash flow. Syed mentions that another freak event like COVID could wipe out their business overnight, which is a tough idea to deal with for any entrepreneur.Tune into the full episode to hear about the rollercoaster of running an Airbnb empire!HIGHLIGHTS00:33 Syed's STR Journey02:32 Working Around Regulations in Chicago04:02 Surviving COVID09:28 Making Rental Arbitrage Work17:26 Syed's Booking Windows in 202328:21 Advice To Get Into Arbitraging 32:52 Finding The Right Airbnb Coach38:06 Syed's Community BuildingThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Syed:Website | Linkedin | InstagramConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In today's rapidly changing job market, it has become increasingly uncommon to encounter individuals who have dedicated an entire decade to a single company. Yet, here we are, thrilled to engage in a captivating conversation with none other than Alex Husner, a true testament to steadfast commitment and professional perseverance. In this episode, we embark on a fascinating journey through Alex's career in the vacation rental sector, delving deep into the remarkable experiences and insights that only a decade-long tenure can offer.As we unravel Alex's story, we'll gain invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs that accompany the decision to depart from a well-established, long-term career. Alex's journey reflects not only the evolution of the vacation rental industry but also the personal growth and adaptability required to navigate the dynamic landscape of modern employment. We'll explore the pivotal moments, the transformative experiences, and the lessons learned along the way, painting a vivid picture of the ever-shifting sands of professional life.Learn more about Alex:As newly appointed CMO for Casago, Alex will be helping grow the reach and exposure of the brand in both B2B and B2C capacities. Casago has more than 22 years of experience in vacation rentals, and has developed a franchise model for outside companies to benefit from our in-house technology, support and distribution. Locally owned businesses are at the heart of this industry, and as a franchise, we are now enabling these companies to compete at a national level while maintaining 100% ownership and control of their business.Alex previously served as CMO for Condo-World for 13 years, a vacation rental business based in North Myrtle Beach, SC that grew from 150 to 500 condos under management during this time and handled sales and marketing for an additional 5,000 affiliate properties across the Southeast.Alex is the Co-Host of Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals, with her partner Annie Holcombe. They share stories from the top leaders in tourism and business and were named as part of the Top 30 Hospitality Podcasts by the Global Hospitality Institute.Alex's Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexohusner/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-o-husner-%F0%9F%8C%8E-1844306/Podcast: https://www.alexandanniepodcast.com/Connect with Veronica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vromney/Master your role, nurture your team, prioritize your well-being, and elevate your marketing leadership. Get your free Rainmaker's Roadmap today and start your new journey towards advancing your career as a leader! http://bit.ly/3DFY6xFIf you found value in today's episode, I would appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review.
Join me for an engaging conversation with Alex Husner, Chief Marketing Officer at Casago, co-host of the engaging Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals Podcast, and a distinguished Member of the Board of Directors at the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA). Alex shares her insights on how professional vacation rental managers operate and how it compares to the short-term rental world. She also reveals a staggering statistic on the amount of direct bookings that professional vacation rental managers achieve. We also discuss the importance of networking, creative ways to drive growth in your short-term rental business, and how Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) can benefit STR owners. If you're serious about growing your short-term rental business, this episode is a must-listen! Key highlights in the episode [02:48] Who is Alex Husner? [05:42] Key differentiators in how a large professional organization operates a short-term rental business vs. individual investors or short-term rental hosts [10:36] What are the current percentages of direct bookings versus bookings through Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) from a professional vacation rental management perspective?” [13:31] Her responsibility as Chief Marketing Officer at Casago [16:20] The importance of networking with other owners and operators [20:06] How can you engage with the local community and drive business growth without an active CVB?” [24:17] The role of a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) and how it can benefit STR owners [27:37] How to identify organizations that can actively promote your short-term rental [30:32] The lightning round [37:06] How to connect with Alex Husner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-o-husner-%F0%9F%8C%8E-1844306 Golden Nuggets Building a network with fellow STR owners and operators helps you steer clear of mistakes and paves the way for a smoother journey. Developing relationships with local organizations allows you to collaborate and brainstorm ideas, fostering win-win scenarios that benefit everyone. Love the show? Subscribe, Rate, Review, Like, and Share! Let's Connect! Follow Alex Husner on; Podcast: https://www.alexandanniepodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-o-husner-%F0%9F%8C%8E-1844306/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexohusner/ Website (Casago): https://casago.com/franchise/ Email:alex@casago.com Follow Stacey St. John on; Website: https://staceystjohn.com/ Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/groups/911671659592801?_rdc=1&_rdr Fire link: https://lnk.to/z4iJAlgs
For this October 1st of the Month Bonus Episode, we have our next edition in the “Spotlight on Exceptional Property Managers'' series, presented by Casago, welcoming Ginger & Hunter Harrelson - Owners of Beachball Properties - a family-owned vacation rental and property management company servicing the Alabama Gulf Coast that offers a premier selection of condos, duplexes, and private homes in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan.Prior to founding Beachball Properties, Hunter was in finance and Ginger was working for a big law firm - which isn't a common mix of backgrounds for founders of vacation rental businesses. The way Beachball Properties began was with Hunter & Ginger cashing out their corporate 401k's, selling their house and boat to purchase a small, local vacation rental business that kickstarted their industry journey.Beachball Properties have grown to over 270 properties under management, and managed to do so within 7 years - which is no common feat!. Ginger & Hunter attribute their growth to their community involvement, building both their personal brands and the company brand on social media, and the fact that they had a scrappy and aggressive marketing strategy from day one in a market where their competitors were not utilizing these channels.One of the biggest mistakes that Beachball Properties made early in their growth journey was coming into the market which had an established 22-23% commission rate from bookings and disrupting the market by offering an 18% commission plan. While it made a ton of sense to take that approach initially, it started a race to the bottom cutting into the profits of all of the local homeowners and property managers.When asked about the biggest challenges that Beachball Properties currently face, Hunter unveiled that In May of 2022, Beachball started building their very own laundry facility which has been an intense and demanding project, but one that is going to be ready soon and will be a gamechanger for them. Ginger speaks on the fact that with over 270 properties under management, they can no longer market themselves as the little guy which means they need to change their messaging - and that will be a difficult task especially since the current messaging is working so well and they have no intentions of losing their existing stream.Check out the full episode to hear the full story of Beachball Properties! 02:02 How Ginger & Hunter Met06:52 How Beachball Properties Came To Be10:43 Being Involved With The Local Community 14:22 Scaling Through Scrappy Marketing26:03 Beachball Properties Biggest Mistake33:48 Ginger & Hunter's Approach to Industry Events38:43 Biggest Challenges In 2023This episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Hunter:Website | LinkedinConnect with Ginger:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Hey listeners, it's throwback time! Today we're looking back at a very special episode from 2022 with Jennifer Hsieh, VP of Homes & Villas by Marriott. Here's a fun fact: Annie had just completed her final interview for the position of Director of Business Development with Jenny just moments before we recorded this episode. A lot has changed since we first started this podcast, and it's fun to reflect on past episodes to see how far we've come; individually, collectively, personally and professionally. We are SO grateful for everyone who tunes in to the show each week – thank you for your support and friendship!Show Notes from original air date October 5, 2022:It was beyond a pleasure to sit down with Jennifer Hsieh, VP of Marriott Homes & Villas, to learn about both the challenges and opportunities Marriott has uncovered by bringing one of the world's largest hospitality brands into the world of vacation rentals. While Marriott International represents 30 hotel brands and 8,000 properties as part of their portfolio, Homes & Villas has presented perhaps the most unique - yet sought after - option for their loyal Bonvoy members.Alex, Annie & Jenny dive into the details of the complexities of growing a start-up in a grown-up enterprise, along with HVMI's position on working exclusively with professional property managers.Jenny shares career insights on her first major role with Target, and then how she worked in various departments in Marriott before moving into her current role to launch HVMI. She is an inspirational leader and one certainly worth following.Find out more about Homes & Villas by Marriott here: https://homes-and-villas.marriott.com/This episode is brought to you by our Premiere Brand Sponsor, Casago, and Co-Sponsor Rev & ResearchCONTACT JENNIFER HSIEHLinkedInCONTACT ALEX & ANNIEAlexandAnniePodcast.comLinkedIn | Facebook | InstagramAlex Husner - LinkedinAnnie Holcombe - Linkedin
Get Paid For Your Pad | Airbnb Hosting | Vacation Rentals | Apartment Sharing
*Save time & money with these Airbnb tools https://getpaidforyourpad.com/airbnbtools/*Grow your short-term rental business https://www.overnightsuccess.io/In today's episode of "Get Paid for Your Pad," I had an enlightening chat with Tom Lyons, diving deep into the complexities of revenue management for property hosts. Tom brought to the forefront the significance of grasping market trends. He shared an intriguing anecdote about how his team once decided to set their prices 20% lower than their competitors, a bold move that was met with skepticism by some property owners. This decision, however, wasn't made in haste; it was based on an informed understanding of market dynamics.Christmas trends were another focal point of our discussion. Tom illuminated a shift observed over the past few years, where the holiday season seems to be divided into two waves. While many competitors offer consistent prices from the 21st to the 31st of December, Tom has noticed a more nuanced trend. The first wave peaks around the 22nd to 24th, then dwindles a bit until the 26th, only to rise again from the 27th to the 31st. Recognizing such nuances, Tom expressed, is vital to strategizing pricing and length of stay.Speaking of length of stay, Tom identified it as a key factor that hosts, especially those with 1 to 25 properties, often overlook. A significant revenue increase can be observed when implementing a length of stay pricing strategy. Tom elaborated that the value of a customer staying five nights is certainly different from one staying two nights. Hence, prices should vary accordingly. He pointed out that tools like Wheelhouse are making strides in this realm, but being ahead of the curve is crucial.Wrapping up our discussion, I touched upon how property presentation, including photos and descriptions, can significantly influence pricing and guest decisions. Tom added that seasonal updates to these elements are beneficial. Moreover, he highlighted the importance of early bird and last-minute discounts to attract bookings.Tom graciously shared that those interested in learning more about CasaGo, the platform he represents, can explore their offerings and even franchise opportunities at www.casago.com. It's a comprehensive solution, supporting everything from revenue to housekeeping and marketing.I genuinely hope this episode provided valuable insights to our listeners. Whether you're new to property hosting or a seasoned pro, understanding your market and being flexible with your strategies can pave the way for success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode of Alex & Annie : The Real Women of Vacation Rentals, Alex is joined by D. Brooke Pfautz, Founder of Vintory - a company that is laser-focused on helping vacation rental managers grow their inventory. Brooke stumbled into the vacation rental space right before the global economic crisis of 2008 when he founded Vantage Resort Realty which quickly grew to 500+ properties under management and became one of the country's largest vacation rental managers. After exiting from Vantage in 2013, Brooke held a couple of positions in the space until launching Vintroy 4 and a half years ago, and he's now helped over 600 companies to grow their inventory.Guests are the lifeline of your vacation rental business, however, too many companies don't have a proactive strategy for acquiring new homeowners and often only tend to this matter once they experience significant churn. Brooke quotes a study they did which showed that an inventory acquisition strategy is 4-6x more impactful than marketing or revenue management, yet vacation rental companies disregard this motion, ultimately leaving a ton of business on the table.Brooke recently published his 2nd book - “Vacation Rental Secrets: The Short-Term Rental Industry's Top Experts Disclose their Biggest Mistakes and Share their Hard-Earned Wisdom”, which features our very own Alex Husner and quite a few recurring guests we've had on Alex & Annie. The inception of the book happened when Brooke was presented with the question of what are 10 biggest mistakes you've made in your journey so far, which then went viral on LinkedIn and had people from all across the industry reaching out to share their mistakes, which Brooke turned into a daily post cadence, which then laid the foundation for the book!Brooke brings up chapter nr. 8 from the book, which highlights a fact about inventory that's been mentioned on the show before and should be reminded to managers more often - disqualification is key to scale. Not all inventory is good inventory, and the negative impact of working with bad owners far outweighs the immediate revenue gain.Tune into this episode to learn how to make inventory your superpower!HIGHLIGHTS:01:15 Brooke's Journey until Vintory04:26 New Property Acquisition Strategies09:26 Choosing The Right Market11:41 The Book is Here!15:42 Brooke's Favorite Mistakes17:15 Culture Index and Predictive Index Integration21:43 Disqualification is Key to Scale26:21 Marketing Your Book Launch29:25 What's on The Vintory RoadmapThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Brooke:Website | Linkedin | BookConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Today joining Alex & Annie is Calvin Tilokee, CEO & Creative Director of Revpar Media - a social media management company that works with hotels and takes a strategic approach to growing your audience and turning them into customers. Calvin has always shined with his sense of humor and ability to create funny, interesting and relatable content. He started with a company Facebook group that was used for sharing memes, and there he was able to put his creativity on display. He moved on to Instagram and started building a holistic social media presence, and from that the business idea began.Calvin has grown his Instagram to over 25,000 followers - which is no small feat for a business account. He attributes his success to a frequent, consistent content publishing schedule which was strategically built to hit people's notifications and feeds during times when social media usage is highest. This strategy grew his account from 4000 to almost 10000, effectively doubling his follower count. Then the pandemic hit, and he grew another 50% when people really needed some comic relief. A common reason why so many business pages fall flat is because they underestimate the investment that needs to be made to make it work. It's pretty standard that social media management and content creation is delegated to an early 20's employee that has a full-time role already and has no real industry knowledge, making it impossible for them to create a piece of content that will attract new customers.When the Airbnb boom happened, Calvin had already spent more than 10 years in the hotel industry so he had a live view of the impact and how it escalated over the years. He lays some wisdom about adapting to new market conditions - with Airbnb, just like with TripAdvisor and any new platform that shows up, legacy industries are often in denial and neglect new advancements until they feel the market shift that is brought on by these new innovations, which is the opposite way of how things should be viewed in order to stay ahead of the curve.When discussing how the hotel industry are looking at vacation rentals and short term rentals from a competition standpoint, Calvin sees that in large metropolitan cities like San Francisco and New York the markets are pretty even and hotels aren't really stressing about the competition, however, in places like Orlando or Palm Springs in which the infrastructure supports rental properties more than hotels - revenue managers need to look into what vacation rentals offer, otherwise they won't stand a chance.Tune into the full episode to learn more on how the hotel industry is making waves on social media!HIGHLIGHTS:02:43 How Calvin Began Making Content06:57 Growing Your Instagram to 5-Digit Follower Counts09:14 Connect With Your Audience by Finding the Common Thread11:25 How to Increase Your Engagement Rate and Why It Matters16:20 Choose The Right Person To Manage Social Media19:25 The Meaning Behind the Dog Logo22:39 Calvin's View of the STR Market31:30 Are Hotels Considering Vacation Rentals When Pricing38:42 The Importance of Sales This episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Calvin:Website | Linkedin | InstagramConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Today joining Alex & Annie is Tony Stancato, Owner-Operator of Book ‘n Gather - a vacation rental management company that helps you get the most out of your vacation rental by helping with optimization and maintenance. He's also the co-host of Michigan Short Term Rentals Podcast, their show is about to hit their 50th episode milestone - so if you're in Michigan, queue their show on your podcast list!Tony's background is in manufacturing - he was in that industry for 14 years prior to pursuing short term rentals as his career. The original idea was to grow their roots in short term rental hotspots like Florida or Tennessee, but as they dug deeper they noticed that it made a lot more sense for them to stick to their current location - Michigan - and they've scaled their business to a dozen properties since.The biggest decision anyone has to make when starting out their journey as an owner/operator of a short term rental property is - where do I begin? Do you start by purchasing the smallest possible property to see if it'll work out, or do you go for a large multi-family expecting higher ROI?Tony mentions that the one thing that helped him the most was having a group of people that would join him in evaluating potential investments and encourage him to make the leap when the right opportunity presented itself. Working up the courage to start this journey, especially if you're a conservative buyer, is never easy - so a strong support system is worth its weight in gold. So your main takeaway should be to stop falling for analysis paralysis, and take the opportunity once it presents itself. Whatever choice you make, things won't be perfect from the get go and you'll have to learn along the way, so the sooner you start the quicker you'll get to where you want to be.When you're a bit further in your STR business road, selecting the right software vendors will be your next big move - and it's one that can drastically improve your life as an owner-operator if done right. Tony suggests that you visit STR conferences as a good source for potential software vendors, as well as be proactive researching new tools through peer-reviewed channels such as social media and social media communities.Tony operates strictly out of Michigan, and has his finger on the pulse when it comes to local regulations. Michigan isn't a conventional STR hotspot, so in many ways they're still learning and developing their legislative approach. In some locations there's a huge disconnect in how decisions are made - at times regulations go from 0-60 overnight, meaning a lot of stress for operators who can go from choosing their own rules to being effectively handcuffed overnight. Tune in for the full episode to learn how to start your own Short-Term Rental Owner-Operator Journey!HIGHLIGHTS:04:25 Where Should You Begin Your STR Journey?06:17 Access to Education in the STR Space09:42 Tony's Tech Stack12:03 Choosing the Right Software Vendors16:30 What STR Conferences Are Missing21:35 Regulations in Michigan25:14 The Importance of Safety RegulationThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Tony:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
On the September 1st of the Month Bonus Episode, Alex & Annie are joined by Sarah Franzen - the ex-Director of Revenue Management & Analytics at Natural Retreats - a luxury vacation rental management company operating in some of America's most iconic destinations. Sarah is here to announce a huge career change - as of today, September 1st, 2023, she's going out on her own and is now the founder of REVZEN.Prior to working in the vacation rental space, Sarah was in education - which perfectly aligns with her decision to become a consultant. Her plan is to utilize her education background and skill set to stand out in the crowd of consultants by truly encompassing the purpose of a consultant - to mentor, guide, and give actionable advice on how to make revenue management your ultimate business advantage.Sarah's A-HA Moment that led her to begin her entrepreneurial journey stemmed from her 8 year tenure in vacation rental revenue management. When she began her journey in her speciality, there really weren't any clear guidelines on what the role entailed, and the tools and technology we have today were non-existent. She had a significant role in creating the building blocks of vacation rental revenue management, which ultimately made her a pioneer of her craft. Building processes and figuring things out as she goes was her everyday life, and during these trials she acquired the expertise, competence and confidence to now make a life changing decision.Then the actual moment happened during a retreat to Kansas City with 3 of Sarah's peers. They made a commitment to form an association for revenue managers that would give them a forum to learn from each other. Sarah is an educator, there's a gap in education - so a perfect fit is born!The information gap in revenue management has tightened over the last few years, yet there's still an astounding amount of property managers and homeowners that have yet to start their revenue management journey. Part of the reason why is because implementing all the new tools and technology available to us today is no easy task. Setting your seasonal rates is a key ingredient in revenue management, but that's really only the beginning. There's no one-size-fits-all answer to what your next steps should be. Distribution, team management, vendor selection - these are just a few of the aspects you could prioritize when looking to achieve revenue management excellence. It comes down to taking a deeper look into your current situation and pragmatically deciding your next move towards an optimized revenue model. An unbiased view is a must have to achieve this, which is why a consultant is the perfect option, as following the advice of a third party is your best chance at making unclouded decisions.Tune into the full episode to learn how to make revenue management into your ultimate business advantage!HIGHLIGHTS:02:04 What Is Revzen about?05:01 Sarah's A-HA Moment09:35 Revenue Management - Where to Start?14:19 Sarah's Business Plan16:11 Choosing the Right Tech Stack and Vendors21:23 Always Be Helping > Always Be Closing25:05 Taking the LeapThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Sarah:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Today, joining Alex & Annie is Justin Ford, the Director of Short-Term Rental Safety & Certification Programs at Breezeway, the leading property operations and services platform for short-term rentals. In October of last year, Breezeway received their Series B Investment of $15 million USD and since then they've successfully scaled to over 150 team members, serving clients such as Lake Tahoe Accommodations, Huswell, Seaside Vacations, and more.Justin's journey to Breezeway began in the United States Coast Guard where he worked with fishery & boating safety. This eventually led him to a career as a yacht captain, managing a yachting fleet for a major credit card company for 11 years until Bank of America acquired their company. In 1997 he had purchased a lake cottage in Maine, which he was actively renting out. As word spread that he's managing the cottage as a source of income for himself, others wanted him to do the same for them and so his business in the short term rental space was born.His first venture that he co-founded, "On the Water in Maine Inc.," grew into the largest vacation rental company in the northeast and is still thriving until this day. During his time growing On The Water in Maine, Justin saw the challenge of educating and enforcing safety guidelines for vacation rentals. His next venture started as a safety checklist, and then evolved into a company called Dwell Safe, and was acquired by Breezeway 4 years ago, where he was retained as a director.Safety regulations are no longer an afterthought. Most incidents once deemed "accidents" are now seen as entirely preventable, placing great emphasis on accountability. While an accountability-based approach is unquestionably an overall improvement over the previous status quo, it does come with some growing pains that Justin and Breezeway actively aim to address.A major issue is that many safety regulations are presented in a convoluted manner, discouraging self-education. The official government safety code is exceedingly complex, requiring a PhD in Safety Sciences to even read. Moreover, there are numerous aspects not covered in the official code, rendering proper implementation overly complicated.Justin's prediction regarding the restructuring of safety codes & regulations for short-term rentals closely follows the trajectory of the hotel industry's regulations over the last 50 years. He anticipates that within less than 5 years, a government-approved definition of short-term rentals will be established, accompanied by a standardized code that will be approved and implemented overnight. This will cause a huge earthquake for short term rental operators, as they'll have to immediately get their properties up to code or face the consequences. Check out the full episode to learn how to stay ahead of the upcoming safety regulations!HIGHLIGHTS:01:31 Justin's Road to Breezeway05:32 How Safety is Viewed in 202307:25 Avoiding Confusion With The Safety Code14:54 Vacation Rental Safety Revolution19:00 The Future of State Legislatures & Building Codes25:14 Justin's Prediction for Safety Enforcement Changes 28:01 The Growing Pain of Insurance for Vacation Rentals34:05 Most Common Occurring Tragedies on Rental Properties37:42 How to Get in Touch with JustinThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Justin:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this episode, Alex & Annie are joined by two recurring guests: Steve Schwab, CEO of Casago, and Matt Landau, Founder of VRMB. Together, they have started a new joint venture called Keystone Retreats.These recurring cohorts aim to help those in the vacation rental industry break through to the next level through creative and educational workshops and events.Last year, Matt was feeling that burnout was creeping up on him.Not being his first rodeo, he knew exactly what the signs are, and decided to start pivoting towards Keystone Retreats - a new venture that would ultimately reignite his passion for the Vacation Rental Industry.Matt decided to join forces with Steve, who has over 22 years of vacation rental industry experience running Casago.Steve describes his time with Keystone Retreats as a real eye opening experience that has taught him how to better serve the vacation rental industry and become an even greater force in our space.Keystone Retreats is all about transformation.Instead of just focusing on just the business side of the vacation rental industry, the real purpose of these events is to help people unlock their north star by collaborating on new, creative projects and stimulating parts of their mind that might have been left unmoved since they were a kid.Steve shared their plan for future Keystone events - they are looking to step up their next iteration by having a clearer vision of what Keystone Retreats is, and constantly improving the value that's brought to the participants.Their next step is to cultivate more amazing thought leaders that will come in to share their journeys, workshops, and transformative paths that will help you break through to the next level.If all of this sounds a little bit fluffy to you, you're not the only one - even our host Alex was a bit skeptical about the creative workshop part of the events, but it ended up being the most memorable and transformative part of her Keystone Retreats experience, and one she fondly recalls to this day.Check out the full episode to learn more on what Keystone Retreats has in store for you!HIGHLIGHTS:01:15 - Matt's Journey with Burnout03:19 - How Steve Joined Keystone Retreats05:58 - The Meaning of Keystone Retreats10:25 - What to Expect in Future Keystone Events14:32 - Should You Indulge in Creative Activities?17:21 - Will Keystone Retreats Attract the STR Industry?23:45 - The World-Class Experience of Keystone RetreatsThis episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Steve:Website | LinkedinConnect with Matt:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Today joining Alex & Annie is Kimberly Miles, Executive Director of the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) - an international, professional trade association of the vacation and holiday rental property management and hospitality industries. Kimberly has been with the VRMA for 2 years, and previously had an impressive 19 year tenure at American Hotel & Lodging Association, where she advanced up to becoming their SVP of Operations.Our very own Alex Husner is also a board member of the VRMA, so on this episode Alex and Kimberly dive into highlighting the role of the Executive Board at VRMA. The 13 leaders that represent the board develop and drive the strategic course for the association and set out their goals and priorities to make sure the organization is always a valuable asset to the vacation rental industry and a true representative of the hospitality space.When Kimberly started with VRMA, they had just held their first in-person meeting since the pandemic. Associations were struggling in a remote world, so Kimberly had her hands full with reigniting the spark of in-person events. Within her first 6 months, she got up to speed with the task at hand and successfully held a staggering 1700 person event in San Antonio. After weathering the storm of returning in-person conferences, in 2022 Kimberly was able to shift her attention to the long-term planning and goals of VRMA and take a more strategic seat in her duties as Executive Director. The approach that the VRMA is taking to their growth strategy is centered around embracing change. The board is focused on adaptability, and their goal is to make sure that everyone in the industry has a place under the VRMA roof. The organization heavily emphasizes education as the best way to grow, and it's one of the reasons why they've become an industry leader.In order to maximize the reach of their educational efforts, the VRMA is always promoting their conferences and events, but they're also cognizant of the fact that not every vacation rental owner is doing this full time, meaning that lower-commitment educational sources like webinars and ebooks get the same amount of attention.There's a huge event on the horizon - The VRMA are hosting their International Conference in Orlando, October 22-25, 2023. The event is hosted at the Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, and Kimberly expects this to be a record breaker - so get your tickets now before they're sold out!!Tune into this episode to learn more about the exciting things that the VRMA have prepared for you, and we hope to see you all in-person in October at the 2023 VRMA International Conference!HIGHLIGHTS:01:58 What Does the Executive Board at VRMA Do?06:01 Kimberly's VRMA Post-Pandemic Onboarding10:03 VRMA's Growth Strategy14:35 Building Your Educational Engine17:15 Partnerships With Other Organizations21:40 What To Expect from the VRMA International Conference in October of 2023This episode is brought to you by Casago and Rev & Research!Connect with Kimberly:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Today joining Alex & Annie is Andy Newman, Founder & CEO of Newman Hospitality - a company that connects Real Estate Investors with high income short-term rental opportunities. Newman Hospitality operates in South Florida, Northern Virginia and Indiana, which at first glance might seem like an inefficient mix of locations, but as it turns out this very approach has given Newman Hospitality the chance to avoid the huge risk factor and seasonal woes of having all of your eggs in one geographical basket. Andy mentions that this strategy blossomed from his banking background, where risk management is everything. Newman Hospitality has been able to retain their workforce year-round, and harvest the fruits of diversification. One interesting statistic that Andy brings up is that by spreading out your properties by at least 50-75 miles, you reduce your climate risk by half - which is a huge advantage in a market like Florida where natural disasters are becoming a common occurrence. How Newman Hospitality came to be was when Andy started his first venture after leaving corporate banking in 2010. He had gotten used to traveling and spending a lot of time in Airbnb's, and he enjoyed the experience so much that he started hosting his friends & family for free. That drove him to the VRMA and hospitality sector in general, on a mission to become a better host. Currently, Newman Hospitality manages 130 properties. As many businesses do, their initial approach was to scale their portfolio as fast as they could, but after a while they started disqualifying and getting rid of properties that weren't up to their standards. Their evaluation process focuses on three key elements - Property, Location and Owner. This has served them better than purely focusing on short term revenue, as disqualification avoids major headaches in the long run and guarantees that the customer experience is consistent in every location.One of their biggest recent strides was becoming part of the Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy network. While anyone can join Airbnb without much effort, Marriott Homes & Villas is a truly exclusive network that requires a good bit of qualification to join, and has been a huge selling point for both renters AND property managers to put their trust in Newman Hospitality. Check out the full episode to learn more on how to turn diversification into your ultimate business advantage!HIGHLIGHTS:07:25 Newman Hospitality's Business Strategy11:02 Airbnb's impact on Newman Hospitality13:40 The Impact of Joining Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy16:32 Pick The Right Channel Partners17:32 Andy's Coaching Career22:40 How Newman Hospitality Scaled25:20 Issues With Regulations30:25 Managing Long-Term Rentals35:50 Running a Family Business39:18 Treat Your Employees RightThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech.Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services.Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Andy:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this episode, Alex and Annie are joined by Dora Du, CMO of WYND - venture-backed startup that has built proprietary sensor technology that helps homeowners take control of the air in their properties. Their first use case is a product line that monitors and improves in-door air quality, and more recently they've released a new product that detects noise and smoke.WYND was founded by MIT engineers and scientists, with their first focus being to create products for the residential market. During COVID, they ventured into the vacation rental space unintentionally - but as more property managers bought their initial line of products, WYND followed the market and have now changed their messaging, approach and product development to be more tailored towards the vacation rental industry.Dora highlights that WYND is playing their role in the automation revolution of the vacation rental industry. With new remote technology becoming more prevalent and the short term rental space being democratized with the Airbnb boom, there's both excitement on the horizon, and also lots of added pressure with the rapid increase in regulations. They know their product line will become less of a “nice-to-have” and more of a “must-have” as HOA's and local governments push for more regulations.When comparing the vacation rental and hotel markets, Dora mentions that the biggest difference is the speed of adaptation and implementation. Selling to vacation rental property managers happens at a much lower volume and with a less complex sales cycle, which puts vacation rentals ahead of the curve in regards to new technology adaptation.Dora goes into detail on how WYND is changing the game for sensor technology, and talks on the many use cases and proprietary value of their product line. They are now developing new AI technology to help people improve their indoor environment by better understanding the air they breathe - which is super exciting.Tune in to the full episode to learn about new technology that might be a great addition to your vacation rentals!HIGHLIGHTS00:30 How WYND Found Product Market Fit08:54 Dora's Career Trajectory11:22 The Difference Between Serving STR's and Hotels13:29 How COVID Kickstarted Vacation Rental Technology Adaptation15:25 How WYND's Technology Works19:30 Dora's A-HA Moment in Her Career20:59 What's Next for WYNDThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech.Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services.Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Dora:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
On the August 1st of the Month Bonus Episode, Alex & Annie welcome the return of Simon Lehmann - CEO and Co-Founder of AJL Atelier, a boutique consultancy that specializes in the international private accommodation and vacation rental industry. The topic of today is the shifting landscape of the short term rental industry, and what the current situation is in different STR hotspots around the world.Simon has a 360 view of the global vacation rental market, as both his consultancy and the clients he serves operate around the world. One of his insights is that international airfares have reached unprecedented levels, while domestic travel has taken a backseat. European economic downturns typically arrive with a delay compared to the US, so this ripple effect is expected to drive down international demand in 2024 and return domestic travel back to status quo.Simon mentions that the current macroeconomic situation with interest rates hiking is making short term rental investments less attractive to investors. The increased cost of capital has even shaken up giants like Airbnb, causing them to decrease the exorbitant fees they had climbed up to over the last few years. This isn't necessarily a bad thing for the industry. With less people treating short term rentals as a goldmine investment opportunity, truly professional operators will have a chance to shine in a less crowded market and regain the market share they possessed prior to the Airbnb boom.The way Simon sees the market shaping is that professional operators are now having a resurgence, as the barrier of entry for a successful short term rental property manager is increasing. He sees professional hosts getting their market share back by integrating the right technology, having better accessibility through book direct vendors, and most importantly - fostering stronger long-term relationships with homeowners. The current downturn isn't affecting every destination equally. The markets that are most damaged right now are 2nd and 3rd tier destinations, with real estate companies reporting unprecedented churn rates as newer operators that placed investments into short term rentals during the Airbnb rise of the last few years are now looking to unload their properties due to shrinking profits. Tune in to the full episode to learn how to navigate the market changes of 2023 and avert future crises!HIGHLIGHTS04:39 The Market Has Softened - What Now?08:43 Which Markets are Most Affected in 202311:01 Cost of Living Crisis in Europe13:24 Climate Crisis - What's Next?16:02 Simon's View of The Bear Market23:28 How Professional Operators are Increasing Their Market Share25:45 Building Trust Through Transparency31:02 Homeowner Generational Changes33:45 Simon's Message for the Remainder of 2023This episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech.Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services.Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Simon:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this episode, Alex and Annie are joined by Mike Reinman, Owner of Casago Kona & Owner/GM of Casago Redwood Coast. Mike sold Redwood Coast Vacation Rentals to Vacasa at the end of 2019. After speaking with Casago CEO Steve Schwab, Mike decided to return to the industry and purchase a STR business in Kona. This is where his partnership with Casago began, and what laid the foundation for his next venture with Casago Redwood Coast.Mike started in the short-term rental industry by converting his garage into a rental space. He then managed to scale this business to a staggering 142 properties before ultimately selling and taking a sabbatical from property management.During his time running Redwood Coast Vacation Rentals, Mike had been approached for a franchise opportunity with Casago, but he ended up going in a different direction. When Mike sold his first STR business, Steve Schwab approached him with the opportunity to purchase a vacation rental business in beautiful Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and so their partnership began.Mike attributes his decision to invest in Casago Kona to the support system that Casago brings to the table for their operators. He had experienced dissatisfaction with the previous software providers and booking vendors he had used, and those experiences made him doubtful of ever wanting to get involved in the vacation rental space again, given the struggle of ensuring operational soundness and profitability.A big selling point for Mike was the community aspect of being a Casago business. Having the ability to confide in other vacation rental owners and get their expertise on how to better run a vacation rental business has been a game changer and brought many new insights to Mike's already astute understanding of the vacation rental industry.Mike's appreciation for the way Casago works with their property managers didn't appear from thin air. When he sold his first business to Vacasa, he wasn't a huge fan of the corporate atmosphere. To be a successful property manager, you must have a broad understanding of various aspects of the business, and Mike didn't feel like this was reflected in the conversations he had with members of the Vacasa team.Tune into this episode of Alex & Annie to hear more insights on what a proper support system can do for your vacation rental business!HIGHLIGHTS:02:01 Mike's Journey to California and the Inception of His STR Business06:58 How Mike Started Evaluating His First Casago Project10:25 The Struggles of Running a STR Business in Hawaii During COVID11:34 How Casago's Support System Closed Mike15:17 Growing Together With Other Successful Property Managers19:25 The Importance of Consistent Coaching25:05 Mike's Experience Working with Vacasa27:42 Mike's Approach to LeadershipThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services. Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Mike:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this episode, Alex and Annie are joined by Alex Shapiro, CEO and Co-Founder of CanMonkey - the very first Trash-To-Curb Service that handles the waste and recycling can duties of your vacation rental properties.CanMonkey started 4 years ago with a business model that's similar to Uber and DoorDash - employing gig economy drivers to ensure a seamless service across 13 different states. What differentiates them from Uber's business model is that they've achieved profitability as a bootstrapped startup, instead of relying on funding and burning through cash.Before Alex made the decision to go all-in, he chose to first see CanMonkey drive results in their local market. Luckily, this market was Scottsdale, AZ - one of the most thriving markets in the rental property space. His A-HA moment was during a meeting with a client who was converting his long-term rental into a short-term rental and had expressed his frustration with his current waste management setup. This conversation unlocked a deal that effectively doubled their business overnight - and Alex knew it was time to fully bet on CanMonkey.The way CanMonkey develops their service has been a key factor in their rapid growth. Alex has always approached product development with feedback and flexibility in mind, letting their clients be the ones who inspire their product strategy and ultimately choose how they're best served.Another key factor has been their sublime approach to marketing. During the conversation with Alex, it's apparent that his wheels are always turning when it comes to new ways to market their business. His approach to finding relevant and fun ways to create social media content stems from conversations he has with clients, and the tidbits that come through during those interactions. He's also not afraid of “poking the bear” and creating campaigns that might receive negative feedback, which can often be a phenomenal strategy to gain brand awareness through a tiny sprinkle of controversy. Tune in to the full episode to learn what it takes to successfully scale a service-based business!HIGHLIGHTS:01:30 - CanMonkey's Go-To-Market Strategy03:16 - The A-HA Moment that Led Alex to Going All-In05:49 - CanMonkey's Main Use Case11:49 - Their Approach to Growth & Product Development15:45 - Building Brand Awareness Through Clever Marketing21:34 - Alex's Roots in the Fortune 50027:14 - The Advantages of Being Bootstrapped31:26 - The Future of CanMonkeyThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services. Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Alex:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this special edition of our “Spotlight on Exceptional Property Managers'' series, presented by Casago, we sit down with Stacy Wesson of Casago Cascara Vacations. Stacy shares her stories and experience in the industry running the family business in Sun River, Oregon that joined forces with Casago in April of 2022.The story of Casago Cascara Vacations for Stacy is one that begins in her early childhood. Her parents opened the business when she was only 5 years old, so she's seen the evolution of every aspect of the business - and now holds the title of General Manager.A little over a year ago, Stacy joined forces with Casago to help streamline the business operations of Cascara Vacations. After 10 years in the industry, Stacy was feeling a bit frustrated with how the local business scene had evolved. New players were arriving in their local market and bullying them with aggressive, high-roller tactics, so a decision was made to get external help. Now, she's seeing huge improvements in aspects such as new technology implementation, vendor selection and competitive analysis. Being part of a community of vacation rental professionals that are all working towards a common goal has been a game changer for their business, and has led Casago Cascara Vacations to see more positive reviews, avoid turmoil with homeowners, and bring solidarity to their internal team through the positive impact seen in their day-to-day operations.Check out the full episode to learn more tips & tricks on how to add efficiency and excellence to your vacation rental business!HIGHLIGHTS:02:30 Stacy's Leadership Philosophy06:42 Navigating Around Bad Regulations and Unhappy Campers12:08 Stacy's Strategy for Avoiding Future Turmoil16:23 What Went Into Stacy's Decision to Join Forces With Casago20:58 The Changes in Casago Cascara Vacations Over the Last Year25:18 Casago's Onboarding & Support Process30:10 The Impact of Proper Training and SupportThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services. Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Stacy:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this episode, Alex & Annie are joined by a panel of experts to help guide you on a pressing topic - How to Explain Changes in Revenue and Bookings to Your Homeowners.2023 is not turning out to be as profitable as expected for vacation rental managers, and naturally this is causing quite a bit of turmoil for property managers, especially those who got into the business during the golden years of 2020-2022.That's why today's Revenue Roundtable features Ben Coleman - Founder of Rev & Research, Vanessa Humes - Director of Sales & Marketing at InterCoastal Net Designs and Lance Stitcher - Broker/Owner at Seaside Vacations and Sales.Some of the great insights discussed in this episode includes proactive, data-driven communication with your homeowners, as well as the importance of making sure you're pricing appropriately for 2023 instead of making decisions like it's still last year.Whether you're an individual property manager feeling the pressure of the current market, or a Vacation Rental company with hundreds of properties under management looking to safeguard your book of business - tune in to this episode to learn from our expert panel on exactly what steps to take to navigate the stormy seas of 2023 and beyond.HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Introducing Today's Revenue Roundtable02:24 Setting Today's Agenda - Revenue is Down, What To Do?04:30 How a Data-Driven Approach Is Becoming a Necessity in This Market08:42 Proactive Account Management is a Necessity & Homeowner Marketing Becoming a Priority13:25 The Value of a Strong Social Presence14:52 More on Proactive, Data-Driven Communication, and the Importance of Staying Ahead of your Homeowner19:10 Understanding Local Market Conditions and Pricing Accordingly20:10 Lance's Approach to Educating Homeowners About Market Conditions22:13 How to Set Expectations for The Upcoming Fall Season24:16 Creating Demand as a Marketing Focus Point26:54 Data As The Ultimate Revenue Team Alignment Tool30:52 Ben's and Lance's Approach to Channels35:05 The Value of Proper Communication Within Your Team36:16 What Topics are Currently Underrepresented within Revenue Teams38:24 Lances Prediction on How Inventory Will Shift From Investments to Residential Properties40:30 Bens Predictions on How The Markets are Changing and his Strategy to Navigate What's Ahead45:02 How To Get In Touch With Today's ExpertsThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services. Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Ben:Website | LinkedinConnect with Vanessa:Website | LinkedinConnect with Lance:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Welcome to Episode 101 of Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals - the celebration of passing the 100-episode milestone.Today, we are joined by Ed the Ghost Host, who's interviewing us about this wonderful journey we've been on since January 2021, and passing us the microphone so we can unveil some new projects and initiatives coming your way.To start, we'd like to thank everyone who has come along for the ride - from our wonderful guests to our plentiful listeners and those who engage with us on social media.We also appreciate those who aren't strangers when seeing us at vacation rental conventions and events. Your support, feedback, and communication mean a lot to us. It has been amazing so far, and there's so much more to come.It's beyond wild that we've been heard tens of thousands of times across six different continents and in almost 30 countries. This was not at all what we expected when we started this podcast two and a half years ago.So, what's next?We're now in the process of writing our first book that will highlight the stories of our guests. It's a passion project we've been thinking about for a long time, and we believe it's time that we create something tangible to further shine a light on the wonders that have been revealed during these 100 episodes.We are beyond excited.One thing is very apparent in our industry - there's a divide between the short-term rental space and the vacation rental space, and we're not fans of that at all.We believe that a unified voice between the two sectors should be the common goal. This will help both industries grow and avoid unwanted regulations, and we're dedicated to doing our part in bringing alignment between these two similar but different industries.We have a list of guests that we would love you to hear from on our show, such as:Marcus Räder from HostawayEd MylettHeather Monahan Rob Greyber from VacasaBill FaethBrian Chesky from AirBnBThis has been a really rewarding journey for both of us. Building our personal brands, beginning and nurturing new friendships, and hearing direct feedback from people we never thought were even listening to us. We're happy, grateful, humbled, and insanely excited for things to come.Stay tuned!00:00 Welcome to Episode 101 - The Celebration of Passing 100 Episodes00:45 Our First “Thank You” of the Episode01:34 Introducing our Guest Host03:37 What's next for Alex & Annie?05:04 Book Announcement!!08:29 New Narratives in the Upcoming Episodes11:28 What can STR's Learn From Our Industry and Vice Versa14:28 Dream Guest List - What To Expect19:05 The Most Rewarding Parts of Our Journey as Hosts22:26 Another Thank You!! This episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services.Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
In this very special anniversary episode, Alex & Annie are joined by Travis Wilburn and Rebecca Lombardo - Co-Founders of The 100 Collection.The 100 Collection is a prestigious evaluation program that recognises exceptional vacation rentals managed by industry-leading companies committed to excellence in hospitality across a multitude of destinations.Travis and Rebecca are huge believers in the value that local brands bring to the vacation rental space and the importance of a “Doyen/Doyenne” - meaning the most well respected and knowledgeable person in their particular space - as the term relates to the absolute best local vacation rental manager.Their approach to adding new members to The 100 Collection is centered around finding the local Doyen/Doyenne. During this evaluation process, the highest esteemed and most trusted local hosts are curated and often unbeknownst to them enter a research and evaluation process to potentially become part of The 100 Collection. The 100 Collection is going live mid-July - so their guest-facing launch is right around the corner!We highly suggest you follow their journey and take the lessons discussed in this episode to heart when building your vacation rental brand.HIGHLIGHTS:00:00 - Welcome to Episode 100!00:50 - How Today's Guests Started The 100 Collection 02:25 - What is The 100 Collection?04:22 - The Meaning of “Doyen”06:43 - How The 100 Collection Evaluates New Members09:15 - The Importance of a Professional Vacation Rental Host11:47 - How They Find a Doyen/Doyenne15:40 - Current 100 Collection Portfolio 18:15 - The Value of The 100 Collection Brand & More On Their Evaluation Process22:43 - How Customers Make Buying Choices & How To Develop a Trustworthy Brand25:50 - When The 100 Collection is Going Live and Their Marketing Strategy31:17 - What's Next for The 100 Collection34:43 - The 100 Collection Potentially Collaborating with VRMA35:58 - The Story of The 100 Collection Brand39:20 - A BIG Thank You to Our Fans!!This episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services. Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Travis:Website | LinkedinConnect with Rebecca:Website | LinkedinConnect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
Welcome back to another exciting episode! Today, we have a special guest, Bart Sobies, who is an expert in vacation rentals and technology. Bart is the visionary behind The Accommodation Show and iBooked.Online. He has a long history of success, starting his first online business at just 15 years old. With his passion for technology, marketing, and investment, Bart has helped many hospitality owners generate extra revenue through direct bookings and digital products. He is also the founder of a thriving Facebook community where over 2000 industry professionals share valuable insights.In this episode, Bart shares practical tips for building a successful website and using direct booking strategies. He draws from his experience in helping restaurants with online ordering to highlight the importance of adapting to changes and recognizing the potential of direct bookings in vacation rentals. As the host of The Accommodation Show, Bart explores how emerging technologies like AI and Chat GPT are shaping the future of the industry. He discusses their impact on thought leadership, provides valuable tips for using Chat GPT effectively, and explores their implications for SEO.Additionally, Bart stresses the significance of building a brand and reducing dependency on booking channels. He shares his best practices for identifying the ideal guest and employing effective communication strategies to foster guest loyalty and drive direct bookings. Join us for an enlightening conversation as Bart Sobies shares his expertise, recommendations, and visionary outlook on the vacation rental industry. Gain valuable insights that will empower you to navigate the evolving landscape and enhance your success as a hospitality owner or manager!Highlights of the Episode:02:21 - Guest Intro: Bart Sobies03:46 – A little bit of history06:10 – Highly encouraged direct booking strategies09:12 – Focus on the audience you can speak to10:42 – Direct bookings or homeowner marketing14:19 – Getting into the vacation rental space19:16 – Chat GPT and where it's taking the industry23:52 – Will it replace original thought leadership?28:36 – Best tips on learning ChatGPT35:21 – How this applies to the future of SEO in the marketing world38:00 – Working with people in vacation rentals40:38 – Not depending on a channel and building a brand49:25 – Tying it all in to the guest experience53:15 – ClosingThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services. Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie's List.Connect with Bart:Website | Linkedin | Facebook | Instagram | 5-Day AI Challenge Connect with Alex and Annie:Alex Husner | Annie HolcombeAlexAndAnniePodcast.com
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