Podcasts about Vrbo

Connect with Tim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-rosolio-434b2a98/ Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/ Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/ — Vrbo just did three things most operators haven't connected yet: it purged 100,000 homes, surveyed 2,000 guests across seven countries, and started rolling out sponsored listings. Put them together and you get the clearest signal yet on where vacation rentals are headed. Tim Rosolio is VP of Vacation Rental Partnerships at Expedia Group, where he leads the supply and host side of Vrbo. He's also a Vrbo host himself. In his return to Behind the Stays, Tim and Zach get into what that survey actually revealed — and it wasn't what the industry has been selling. Quality isn't luxury. It isn't the private chef or the infinity pool. It's accurate photos, verified reviews, a fully stocked shelf, and linens and silverware worth touching. 81% of guests said they'd pay more for a stay they can trust to be consistent. Then there are the sponsored listings landing this summer — a pay-only-if-you-book model that lets hosts buy visibility without gaming the algorithm. Tim explains how it works, why bad operators won't be allowed in, and where it goes across Expedia next. The conversation also covers the "coach up or coach out" program behind the purge, why the future of discovery is personalization instead of a star-rating system nobody trusts, expanded distribution across Expedia's 70,000-business B2B network, and the one fear keeping every VRM up at night: owner retention in a market where 2022 numbers aren't coming back. Reach out to Tim on LinkedIn — he's an open book. —   Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world's top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.   Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of Growth at Journey. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we'd love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

Of all commercial real estate investors, only 3% are women – and when Beth Azor learned that stat, she decided to frickin' change it. In this episode, Erin sits down with the woman affectionately known as The Canvassing Queen®: founder and CEO of Azor Advisory Services, owner of three Florida shopping centers valued at over $75 million, and founder of the Women's Real Estate Investment Summit, where Erin has had the joy of speaking – and riding the famous four-hour bus tour of the town Beth practically owns. Beth's story starts with an $11,000-a-year nonprofit salary and a real estate license she'd had since age 18. It took a boss literally marching her to a bank to co-sign a $50,000 note – on the condition she invest 20% of every commission from then on – to turn a high-earning spender into an investor. Eight LP deals later, she went out on her own as a GP, and today she's the co-GP of a $32 million asset she waited thirteen years to buy. Yes, thirteen. That story alone (Mr. G, the quarterly "no," and the pivot to pure relationship-building) is worth the listen – and so is the one about crashing a utility company's remote HQ with cupcakes. Whether you've never heard the terms LP and GP or you're ready to raise capital for your first deal, Beth breaks the path down into steps any woman can start this week: pick an asset class, find an expert, invest passively first, and watch how it's done. Because as Beth's community proves – 68 women stood up at this year's summit having invested with someone in the room – you don't have to do it alone. Listen in as Erin and Beth discuss: The boss who called her "a freaking idiot" (with love), co-signed her first $50K investment, and made her bank 20% of every commission The stat that lit the fire: only 3% of commercial real estate investors are women – and most inherited it or signed on a husband's guarantee Why "we don't know any other women doing it" is the real barrier – and how the Women's Real Estate Investment Summit is dismantling it LP vs. GP, explained in plain English: preferred returns, refinances, and why LPs end up "playing with house money" Beth's starting playbook: pick your asset class, find an expert, LP first, and watch the GP How GPs raise capital – including the empty Wells Fargo bank deal where Beth raised $3.2M from 22 people in four days Beth's non-negotiable: never invest with a GP who has no skin in the game The 13-year Mr. G story: how persistence plus genuine relationship turned "no, click" into co-GP of a $32M asset The cupcake story: how a Friday-afternoon delivery did what eight men yelling couldn't Women Investor Wednesdays, the March 2027 summit, and how to get in the room About Affectionately known as The Canvassing Queen®, Beth Azor is the founder and CEO of Azor Advisory Services (AAS), a leading commercial real estate advisory and investment firm based in Davie, Florida. As its principal, Beth currently owns and manages three shopping centers in Florida valued at over $75M. She travels the U.S. consulting with, brokering deals for, and training associates in the commercial real estate industry, with clients including Phillips Edison & Co., Brixmor Properties, The Shopping Center Group, Urban Edge Development, DLC Management Group, and Bedrock. Beth is the author of Don't Say No for the Prospect (2019) and The Retail Leasing Playbook (2020), the founder of the Women's Real Estate Investment Summit – on a mission to get more women investing in real estate and growing their families' wealth – and co-founder of the South Florida Independent Retailer Awards®. Her newly created AI bot "Ask Beth" is a compilation of her 900 YouTube videos and 300 podcast episodes. A graduate of FSU, Beth is founder and past Chairwoman of the FSU Real Estate Foundation, past President of HOPE Outreach Center in Davie, and co-founder of 100+ Women Who Care in South Florida. She is a single mom to a superhero movie podcaster and an aspiring pro golfer – and she recently walked 250 miles of the Camino de Santiago across Spain. How to Connect With Beth Azor Website: https://www.bethazor.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethazor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/azoradvisoryservices Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethazor/  Recommended Resources Women's Real Estate Investment Summit – March 3 – 5, 2027, registration opens September; only ~60 of 250 seats left: https://thewomeninvestmentsummit.com/  Women Investor Wednesday podcast – Beth interviews a woman investor every Wednesday (want to be a guest? She wants startup stories, even your first VRBO): https://www.bethazor.com/beths-podcasts/ Don't Say No for the Prospect by Beth Azor: https://www.bethazor.com/product/dont-say-no-for-the-prospect-how-1-went-from-a-sales-rookie-to-a-retail-leasing-rockstar/ The Retail Leasing Playbook by Beth Azor: https://www.amazon.com/Retail-Leasing-Playbook-Beth-Ratzan/dp/0578224208 "Ask Beth" AI bot – 900 videos and 300 podcast episodes' worth of answers: https://www.bethazor.com Happiness & Fulfillment Assessment: https://pursuingfreedom.com/happiness Pursuing Freedom Collective: https://pursuingfreedom.com/collective Get a copy of Pursuing Freedom on Amazon: https://amzn.to/46o7m7z Subscribe to the Pursuing Freedom podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for weekly inspiration and strategies.

Inside BlackRock's (BLK) historic bond deal funding Meta's (META) next data center. Plus, a watchlist of stocks for the pullback… These "non-AI" stocks are thriving… Energy bull should look offshore… Fauci's hearing… The Fed meeting… Tim Cook… And more. In this episode: Fireworks at Fauci's hearing [0:28] Will the Fed surprise the market with a rate hike? [7:06] Inside BlackRock's historic bond deal funding Meta's next data center [11:36] AI is getting hit, but the power thesis is alive and well [12:45] The pullback is creating several opportunities: Stocks to watch [17:39] Several non-AI stocks are trading at 52-week highs—here's why [24:14] Tim Cook should be on Mt. Rushmore of CEOs [29:08] Energy bulls should look offshore [37:21] GM and Ford were smart to get out of EVs [38:55] Our latest private placement deal for Curzio One members [43:10] This stock is perfectly positioned for the future of the film industry [56:15] Today's episode is brought to you by Savvy, the smarter way to book a vacation rental. Travelers save an average of $400 versus Airbnb and VRBO. Your unforgettable family vacation is waiting—and thanks to Savvy, you'll get the rental you want, at the prices you deserve! Savvy.com: Stay smarter. https://www.savvy.com/wsu Did you like this episode? Get more Wall Street Unplugged FREE each week in your inbox. Sign up here: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu Find Wall Street Unplugged podcast… --Curzio Research App: https://curzio.me/syn_app --iTunes: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_i --Stitcher: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_s --Website: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_cat Follow Frank… X: https://curzio.me/syn_twt Facebook: https://curzio.me/syn_fb LinkedIn: https://curzio.me/syn_li

WEBINAR LINK:https://shawnmoore.clickfunnels.com/optiniyvvg89sWant to learn more about Vodyssey or start your STR journey. Book a call here:https://meetings.hubspot.com/vodysseystrategysession/booknow?utm_source=vodysseycom&uuid=80fb7859-b8f4-40d1-a31d-15a5caa687b7FOLLOW US:https://www.instagram.com/vodysseyshawnmoorehttps://www.facebook.com/vodysseyshawnmoore/https://www.linkedin.com/company/str-financial-freedomhttps://www.tiktok.com/@vodysseyshawnmooreCONTACT US:support@vodyssey.comChapters00:00:00 Intro00:00:27 Current economic trends affecting short-term rentals00:03:07 Impact of the World Cup on host city revenues00:05:01 Federal Reserve interest rate outlook and market implications00:16:14 Airbnb split fee model changes and host strategies00:26:44 AI risks, disintermediation, and market trust00:36:21 Guest preferences: Quality over luxury00:43:07 Fundamentals of hospitality: Cleanliness and communication00:46:28 Pricing strategies: Dynamic, launch, optimize, and maximize00:54:00 Using pricing as a marketing tool00:59:58 Wrapping up and next steps

It's been a while, but Myka and Stevie are back and getting the band back together with special guest Mikey B for Episode 346! Tune in as the crew catches up on a packed episode covering:Myka and Stevie breaking down the real estate game, from owner-financed property wins to the realities of getting a real estate license. A deep dive into the co-living space, exploring PadSplit strategies, managing guest expectations, plumbing realities, and handling local neighborhood pushback. The truth about the FIFA World Cup and how shifting market trends and declining rents are impacting short-term and mid-term rentals. Practical insights on leveraging AI and automation to streamline property management and guest communicationInterested in professional management or consulting?Connect with Myka and Steve through their respective management firms:➡️Myka (Sharebnb): ⁠www.sharebnb.com⁠➡️Steven (Argest Rentals): ⁠www.ArgestRentals.com⁠Sign up for PadSplit with Steve's link and get a free 1 on 1 PadSplit strategy call with Stevie Stacks!⁠https://www.padsplit.com/hosts?referral=94AD509A⁠Check out Myka's Podcast: Entrepremarriage – Building wealth without losing the marriage https://www.youtube.com/@EntrepremarriageClick our Link Tree for Podcast News!⁠https://linktr.ee/liveletthrive⁠#airbnb #airbnbhost #shorttermrentals #BRRRR #realestate #turo #homeaway #VRBO #corporatehousing #shareeconomy #podcasts #podcast #liveletthrive #realestateinvesting #airbnbsuperhost #airbnbpodcast #sharebnb #liveletthrivepodcast #biggerpockets #shorttermrentals #directbookings #directbooking #bookdirect

Why is your Airbnb not booking – even when the property looks great?In this episode of Build for Growth, a new Host Planet and Hostfully series, Ikram Mohamed explains the most common reasons Airbnb listings underperform and the practical fixes that can turn bookings around.We cover how Airbnb search ranking works, which host behaviours can push a listing down the results, and what smart dynamic pricing looks like for an everyday host. Ikram also explains how to improve an underperforming listing, why fast guest responses matter, and how to escape the “no reviews, no bookings” cycle.You'll also learn why distribution matters, including the role of Vrbo, Booking.com, and your own direct booking website, before finishing with a clear seven-day action plan to improve your listing.In this episode:- The most common reasons an Airbnb stops booking- How Airbnb search ranking works- Dynamic pricing for everyday hosts- The biggest fixes for underperforming listings- How response speed affects bookings- Breaking out of the no-reviews, no-bookings loop- Expanding beyond Airbnb through Vrbo, Booking.com, and direct bookings- A practical seven-day turnaround planBuild for Growth is a new series from Host Planet and Hostfully, built for vacation rental hosts and property managers who are serious about scaling smarter.

Most operators grow their rental business one contract at a time. Cameron Masters skipped the line and bought his way from 18 units to over 140 in a single deal.In this episode, we sat down with Cam to walk through the whole acquisition, start to finish. He bought a 40 year old management company, one started by a founder of Vrbo, and he shares the exact moves that got it done.Inside this episode:How Cam went from 18 units to 140 plus by buying one companyWhy he skipped the bank and used seller financing plus a friends and family raiseHow he and his partner put in just 30 percent and got the seller to carry the restThe 10,000 dollar move that can save you from a 1 million dollar mistakeThe 35,000 dollar cost he forgot to check, and how it bit him after closingThe room full of bigger operators that made him stop thinking smallIf you have ever felt like real growth is out of reach, this one will change how you think about what is possible.Want to be in the room with operators doing deals like this? Check out the STR Secrets Mastermind: strsecrets.com/applyConnect with Cameron Masters on Instagram: @cameron.masters_New episodes every Monday.

Most operators grow their rental business one contract at a time. Cameron Masters skipped the line and bought his way from 18 units to over 140 in a single deal.In this episode, we sat down with Cam to walk through the whole acquisition, start to finish. He bought a 40 year old management company, one started by a founder of Vrbo, and he shares the exact moves that got it done.Inside this episode:How Cam went from 18 units to 140 plus by buying one companyWhy he skipped the bank and used seller financing plus a friends and family raiseHow he and his partner put in just 30 percent and got the seller to carry the restThe 10,000 dollar move that can save you from a 1 million dollar mistakeThe 35,000 dollar cost he forgot to check, and how it bit him after closingThe room full of bigger operators that made him stop thinking smallIf you have ever felt like real growth is out of reach, this one will change how you think about what is possible.Want to be in the room with operators doing deals like this? Check out the STR Secrets Mastermind: strsecrets.com/applyConnect with Cameron Masters on Instagram: @cameron.masters_New episodes every Monday.

In this Hospitable Town Hall, the team presented data on the success of early check-in and late check-out upsells, which generated significant additional revenue for hosts. They also announced the launch of the Nest thermostat integration, demonstrated improvements to the Tasks app, provided updates on the Vrbo partner connection, and more.

This week, the squad breaks down Norwegian Air's World Cup Instagram stunt that cost next to nothing and generated more brand equity than campaigns with budgets a hundred times the size. Eivind Hammer Myhre, who leads comms and marketing at Norwegian, joins us live to walk through exactly how it happened — the 25-minute brainstorm, the one phone call to get sign-off, and what came after when the whole thing blew up overnight. Then we get into the Ennismore story. Skift's Rafat Ali floated a thought experiment this week that reads less like an op-ed and more like a deal memo left on the wrong desk — a potential distribution and loyalty partnership between Airbnb and Accor's lifestyle hotel subsidiary ahead of a $3.7 billion IPO. Ben, Edwin, and Scott dig into whether the math actually works for owners, who benefits more, and why Wall Street keeps struggling to put a number on cool. And finally — Vrbo is launching sponsored listings. The beta is live. The full rollout is coming. And if you've been around long enough to remember what happened when organic reach died on Meta, you already know where this is going. Scott's spice of the week ties it all together: four stories that seem unrelated until you realize they're all asking the same question. How do you earn trust at scale? And what happens to the brands — and the platforms — that can't figure that out? — This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance — Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 03:18 — Interview: Norwegian Air's Viral Women's Euro Campaign 26:53 — Story #1: Airbnb and Ennismore Hook Up 33:47 — Story #2: The Slow Death of Organic Discovery on Vrbo 39:52 — Story #3: South Korea Could Strip Hotels of Stars for Price Gouging 1:04:47 — Spice of the Week — Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/   Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

Most investors follow the crowd. Bill Faeth prefers to go the other direction. In this episode, Dave Dubeau sits down with short term rental investor Bill Faeth to discuss why today's best opportunities often exist where fewer investors are looking. Bill shares how he evaluates markets, why he focuses on destination properties, and how his marketing strategy extends well beyond Airbnb and Vrbo. They also discuss market regulations, rental arbitrage, tax benefits, appreciation, and why successful investors should understand their long term goals before purchasing any property. If you are interested in short term rentals, this conversation offers a practical look at building a portfolio with intention instead of simply following market trends. Key Topics Finding opportunities in overlooked markets Investing in destination properties Why off platform marketing matters Looking beyond Airbnb and Vrbo The four drivers of real estate wealth Why Bill avoids rental arbitrage Choosing markets with established regulations Building a portfolio that supports your long term goals Guest Information Bill Faeth is a real estate entrepreneur, short term rental investor, hotel owner, educator, and founder of the Build Short Term Rental Wealth community. His portfolio includes destination properties, hotels, and unique vacation rentals across multiple markets. Instagram: @BillFaith73 Facebook Group: Build Short Term Rental Wealth Call to Action Connect with Bill on Instagram at @BillFaith73, send him a direct message with your questions, or join the Build Short Term Rental Wealth Facebook community to continue learning about short term rental investing.

BM's (IBM) worst day in 58 years—is it a buying opportunity? Plus, Fed Chair Warsh's testimony… The odds of a rate hike dropped significantly… Two AI buys… The perfect backdrop for big banks… And Wrap's (WRAP) growing TAM. In this episode: The Rule Symposium was great—with one catch [2:40] Key takeaways from Day 1 of Fed Chair Warsh's testimony [8:34] Why the odds of a rate hike dropped significantly [16:08] IBM just had its worst day in 58 years. Is it a buying opportunity? [20:39] These two power plays are buys on the AI pullback [26:27] The greatest environment ever for big banks [29:34] Wrap's total addressable market just grew by 3x [41:13] Everything included in our new all-in-one investing hub, Curzio Alpha [51:31] Today's episode is brought to you by Savvy, the smarter way to book a vacation rental. Travelers save an average of $400 versus Airbnb and VRBO. Your unforgettable family vacation is waiting—and thanks to Savvy, you'll get the rental you want, at the prices you deserve! Savvy.com: Stay smarter. https://www.savvy.com/wsu Did you like this episode? Get more Wall Street Unplugged FREE each week in your inbox. Sign up here: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu Find Wall Street Unplugged podcast… --Curzio Research App: https://curzio.me/syn_app --iTunes: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_i --Stitcher: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_s --Website: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_cat Follow Frank… X: https://curzio.me/syn_twt Facebook: https://curzio.me/syn_fb LinkedIn: https://curzio.me/syn_li

On this Hospitable Town Hall, the team provided company updates and product announcements. They presented updates on the Task app, discussed progress on the Vrbo integration, announced improvements to owner payouts, and more. Several key updates were shared about Airbnb changes, including the retirement of split fees and the introduction of a new top-rated guest discount.

What the end of the ceasefire means for oil prices—and stocks—through the summer. Plus, the release of the Fed minutes should shake the market… Can Q2 earnings meet Wall Street's huge expectations? … And Saylor is backtracking on Bitcoin. In this episode: Say hello to Frank in Boca Raton [0:19] What the end of the ceasefire means for oil prices [1:26] July will be a rough month for stocks [5:32] The release of the Fed minutes should shake the market [8:29] Can Q2 earnings meet Wall Street's huge expectations? [17:41] Saylor is backtracking on Bitcoin… Why that's good for crypto [26:48] Today's episode is brought to you by Savvy, the smarter way to book a vacation rental. Travelers save an average of $400 versus Airbnb and VRBO. Your unforgettable family vacation is waiting—and thanks to Savvy, you'll get the rental you want, at the prices you deserve! Savvy.com: Stay smarter https://www.savvy.com/wsu Did you like this episode? Get more Wall Street Unplugged FREE each week in your inbox. Sign up here: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu Find Wall Street Unplugged podcast… --Curzio Research App: https://curzio.me/syn_app --iTunes: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_i --Stitcher: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_s --Website: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_cat Follow Frank… X: https://curzio.me/syn_twt Facebook: https://curzio.me/syn_fb LinkedIn: https://curzio.me/syn_li

As marketers reach for AI to explain every new capability, it's easy to overstate its role. Helen Melluish, VP of marketing at Expedia-owned Vrbo, says the hyperlocal targeting behind this summer's travel campaigns runs on traditional data science and machine learning—not AI. Vrbo tracks booking trends by origin and destination market, then shifts local messaging and media spend within a matter of weeks, if not days, once a route or region shows momentum, no AI overlay required. For Melluish, that speed matters this summer: as gas prices push travelers toward drive-to destinations and away from early bookings, Vrbo's data lets the brand chase the shift in real time. AI still plays a role elsewhere at home-rental brand, scaling creative production and handling routine customer service, but it isn't what's driving this particular decision. Dig deeper ~How brands are approaching summer travel with high gas prices and inflation ~Expedia Group's CMO on AI ~AI Marketing Playbook: How marketers are really using AI ~How brands are investing in local marketing—and why it's so important

In this episode, Marcus shares his extensive experience in real estate investing, emphasizing the importance of cash flow, strategic property management, and building strong business relationships. He offers valuable insights for both new and seasoned investors looking to optimize their portfolios and navigate market challenges.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley and Michael Goldin break down who is actually controlling the relationship between a traveler and a booking right now. The conversation opens with the race among Expedia Group, Booking.com, and Trip.com Group to become the trusted infrastructure layer for AI agents and what that means for STR operators who depend on Airbnb and Vrbo for distribution. They also dig into how Airbnb outreached Marriott International on FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States impressions while spending less, what Expedia's shoppable IShowSpeed video says about whether creator marketing actually converts, and what Cabo Verde's 800% surge in U.S. searches teaches operators about turning attention into bookings. This episode is presented by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠StayFi⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bilt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to learn more about their special offer of 50% off for GMH listeners! And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joinbilt.com/gmh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more.

Hosts Angie Sparks and Justin Walter open with a member highlight—Lori's Northern Lights trip to Finland with her son—before diving into a busy news week. Wyndham Rewards is overhauling its award chart to four fixed tiers (5,000–45,000 points/night) starting September 15, 2026, with most hotels expected to stay in the lower tiers. Asiana Airlines will exit Star Alliance on December 16, 2026 as part of its Korean Air merger, though bookings and elite benefits continue as normal until then. One Key Rewards (Expedia/Hotels.com/Vrbo) is making changes effective July 28 that look like a net negative—boosting non-flight earning to 3% OneKeyCash while killing flight earnings and dropping its Hotel Price Guarantee. And Bilt Rewards added Preferred Hotels & Resorts' “I Prefer” program as a new transfer partner as of June 22.On the personal front, Angie's chasing spend on an Alaska business card and two Amex Business Platinum cards (timed conveniently around their Milwaukee meetup payments), plus deposits down for Morocco and golf trip tours—now hunting flights to Ireland for four. Justin knocked out bonuses on a United Explorer and Citi AAdvantage card, celebrated landing a Ritz-Carlton card in the household, and is weighing Delta One vs. AA business class for a Rome trip while a Munich trip hangs in the balance.The main topic tackles whether Delta SkyMiles still deserves its “SkyPesos” reputation, pointing to a string of elevated card offers and Thrifty Traveler Premium alerts suggesting real value can be found with the right search strategy (round-trip searches often price better). They close with a timely tip: burn those credit card credits before June ends—Justin's using his Uber credit on dinner that very night.Where to Find UsThe Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.You can also email us at 101@award.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Late Summer 2026 Meetup in Milwaukee now. award.travel/mke2026Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.  

Revenue strategy always starts with a plan, but the market does not always follow it.A major event may not pace the way it did last year, certain property types may start falling behind, owners may get nervous about open dates, and new channel updates can quickly add more complexity to an already busy season.In this episode of Revenue Reality Check, presented by Beyond, Alex & Annie are joined once again by Julie Brinkman, CEO of Beyond, for a practical conversation about what vacation rental operators should do when revenue plans do not go as expected.Julie breaks down how property managers can respond to soft pacing, underperforming inventory, owner pressure, cancellation policy changes, paid placement opportunities, and shifting demand without jumping straight into reactive pricing decisions.Julie also answers real revenue questions from operators in Nashville, Myrtle Beach, and Park City, covering what to do when a major event underperforms, how to handle inventory that is telling two different stories, and how to help owners understand the strategy when they want rates lowered too soon.We discuss:01:30 - Why revenue backup plans matter during a busy season02:24 - Airbnb cancellation policy changes and what flexibility means for operators05:38 - Direct bookings, OTA visibility, and finding the right channel mix11:24 - VRBO paid placement and why marketing needs to align with revenue16:39 - When a major event weekend does not pace as expected23:46 - When part of the portfolio is falling behind31:28 - Helping nervous owners understand the pricing strategy37:51 -Stop, Start, and Scale: building more proactive revenue plansTune in for this episode of Revenue Reality Check, brought to you by Beyond, and learn how to build better revenue backup plans for the moments when the market does not go according to plan.Connect with Julie:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrbrinkman/ Connect with Beyond:Website: https://beyondpricing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-pricing/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondpricing/ Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-pricing/ #vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #strindustrySend us a message!

In this episode of the Global Investors Podcast, Charles Carillo interviews Dan Rivers, founder of Synergy Stays, a short-term rental revenue management company helping investors and property managers maximize profitability. Dan shares how short-term rental investing has changed, why average Airbnb listings are struggling, and what today's successful STR operators are doing differently. He explains why short-term rentals should be treated as a real hospitality business, not just a real estate investment, and how better pricing, listing optimization, guest experience, amenities, and marketing can help owners increase bookings and revenue. Charles and Dan discuss Airbnb and Vrbo search rankings, revenue management, professional photography, listing titles, amenity optimization, guest avatars, cancellation policies, minimum-night stays, AI tools, five-star reviews, and how multifamily owners may be able to use short-term rentals to increase NOI. Learn More About Dan Here: SynergyStays - www.synergystayslocal.com Connect with the Global Investors Show, Charles Carillo and Harborside Partners: ◾ Setup a FREE 30 Minute Strategy Call with Charles: http://ScheduleCharles.com ◾ Learn How To Invest In Real Estate: https://www.SyndicationSuperstars.com/  ◾ FREE Passive Investing Guide: http://www.HSPguide.com ◾ Join Our Weekly Email Newsletter: http://www.HSPsignup.com ◾ Passively Invest in Real Estate: http://www.InvestHSP.com ◾ Global Investors Web Page: http://GlobalInvestorsPodcast.com/

Most short-term rental owners assume Airbnb and Vrbo handle all of their lodging taxes.They don't.In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Julie Banting Rogers from Avalara to uncover one of the biggest blind spots in the STR industry: lodging tax compliance.Julie explains why thousands of hosts and property managers unknowingly fall out of compliance, how platform-collected taxes actually work, and why failing to file the right paperwork can result in massive penalties, interest, or even liens on your properties.In this episode, you'll learn: How Airbnb and Vrbo handle lodging taxes (and what they don't do)  The difference between state, county, and local lodging taxes  Why many STR operators unknowingly owe back taxes  The costly mistakes property managers make  How to stay compliant without spending hours on paperwork  What every STR owner should know before buying their next property If you own, manage, or are planning to invest in short-term rentals, this episode could save you from an expensive mistake.__Episode Sponsored By:STR SearchSTR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

Welcome to another episode of The AZREIA Show! In this episode, Michael Del Prete sits down with Phoenix realtor, investor, and short-term rental operator Jeremy Holden of Jeremy Holden Real Estate and Holden Family Management to explore the opportunities and realities of investing in short-term rentals. Jeremy shares how he got started with house hacking during the COVID era, earned his real estate license to serve investors better, and built a portfolio of short-term rental properties while navigating a challenging market with higher interest rates. From property acquisition and market analysis to furnishing, guest experience, operations, and revenue management, Jeremy explains why successful short-term rentals require more than just owning real estate. He discusses how investors can research demand, evaluate competing listings, leverage platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, and underwrite deals using realistic projections to minimize risk and maximize returns. Whether you're considering your first short-term rental, looking to scale your portfolio, or wanting to better understand Arizona's evolving STR landscape, this episode delivers practical insights from an investor actively operating in the space. Jeremy also shares updates on industry advocacy efforts and discusses the Phoenix Short Term Rental Forum's upcoming partnership with AZREIA, providing valuable resources for investors looking to stay ahead in this growing sector 01:48 – Jeremy's Background: From house hacking to scaling an STR portfolio 04:42 – Why choose short-term rentals over fixing and flipping or long-term leasing? 06:14 – The Hospitality Factor: Running a short-term rental is running a hospitality business 11:00 – Analyzing the Phoenix & Scottsdale Markets: Fly-in vs. Destination vs. Drive-in markets 19:28 – Maximizing Bookings: Managing Airbnb, VRBO, and Direct Bookings 24:54 – Smart Underwriting: How to stress-test your properties for worst-case scenarios 39:06 – Real Estate Legislation: The future of short-term rentals in Arizona 44:03 – How to connect with the Phoenix Short-Term Rental Forum & Final Tips -- Contact Alden of Silver Crest Opportunity Fund at http://silvercrestopportunityfund.com "AZREIA does not endorse specific investments. Please do your own due diligence." Want to grow your real estate business?

HELP US IMPROVE THE PODCAST - TAKE THIS 3 MIN SURVEY:https://forms.gle/fRTV2YiJqncKVpFh7WEBINAR LINK:https://shawnmoore.clickfunnels.com/optiniyvvg89sWant to learn more about Vodyssey or start your STR journey. Book a call here:https://meetings.hubspot.com/vodysseystrategysession/booknow?utm_source=vodysseycom&uuid=80fb7859-b8f4-40d1-a31d-15a5caa687b7FOLLOW US:https://www.instagram.com/vodysseyshawnmoorehttps://www.facebook.com/vodysseyshawnmoore/https://www.linkedin.com/company/str-financial-freedomhttps://www.tiktok.com/@vodysseyshawnmooreCONTACT US:support@vodyssey.comChapters00:00:00 Intro00:03:12 Current Trends in the Short-Term Rental Market00:05:54 Understanding Septic Systems and Property Regulations00:10:46 VRBO's Sponsored Listings: A New Pay-to-Play Model00:18:06 Navigating Supply and Demand in the STR Market00:23:59 The Importance of Quality Deals in Today's Market00:33:08 Navigating the Underwriting Landscape00:39:54 World Cup Impact on Short-Term Rentals00:46:56 Regulatory Changes in Short-Term Rentals00:56:39 The Rise of the IRL Market

Orlie Benjamin is the founder and CEO of Lasoh, a hospitality technology platform helping vacation rental and boutique lodging operators strengthen guest relationships through marketing automation, guest experience tools, and AI-powered workflows. After building her career with brands like American Airlines, NetJets, Disney, and Victoria's Secret, she traded corporate life for entrepreneurship, launching both a vacation rental business and a hospitality tech startup. Susan and Orlie talk about guests, growth, and the great hospitality convergence.    *** What You'll Learn • Why one or two vacation rentals can still be profitable in today's market  • How to turn a side project into a startup opportunity  • Why Orlie's research strategy included outreach to 800+ operators  • How hospitality companies obsess over properties and overlook guests  • What surprising NetJets lesson reshaped Orlie's view of hospitality  • How to unlock the overlooked value of the booking-to-arrival window  • When to use guest context to create memorable moments at scale  • What underused guest data is hiding in plain sight  • How drive-to and fly-to guests should be marketed differently  • What hospitality can learn from retail's customer data playbook  • Where AI will genuinely transform hospitality operations  • How to reduce dependence on Airbnb, Vrbo, and other OTAs  • Why experiential lodging is positioned to win the next decade  • Why guests should be treated like assets, not transactions  *** The Takeaway: The future belongs to hospitality brands that treat guests as valuable assets, not just bookings, by combining memorable experiences, smart marketing, and personalized relationships that drive loyalty beyond the stay. Orlie Benjamin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/orliebenjamin/ Lasoh https://lasoh.io/ Join the Top Floor Mail Club https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/mail-club

A court case in Winnipeg has offered a rare glimpse into the mechanics of how human trafficking can work. And it showed that short-rental rentals, like Airbnb and Vrbo, can be used by traffickers while on the move with their victims. But some cities, like Winnipeg, are taking action. Temur Durrani is a reporter for The Globe based in Winnipeg. He explains the story of a Quebec teenager who survived being trafficked and the regulations Winnipeg has put in place to try and combat human traffickers from using short-term rentals. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 177 of the Award Travel 101 podcast featured Angie Sparks and Cameron Laufer discussing a variety of points-and-miles developments, along with a relatable highlight post from member Melissa about unexpectedly helping a 20-year-old replace a totaled car. While everyone was safe, the experience led to another large purchase charged to a Capital One card, adding to a family history that includes eight vehicle purchases since 2020. The hosts also covered several notable news items, including the end of the Chase Sapphire Reserve's 150,000-point welcome offer, a new 200,000-point bonus on the Sapphire Reserve Business card, elevated 100,000-point offers on the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited cards, a 30% Chase-to-Virgin transfer bonus, and the announcement that Philippine Airlines will join Oneworld next year. They also discussed reports that American Express may soon restrict Resy dining credits to restaurants specifically marked as eligible within the Resy app.The main topic focused on the refreshed Chase Sapphire Preferred card. New benefits include 3x points on gas and EV charging, 3x points on vacation rentals through brands such as Airbnb and Vrbo, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit every four years, a complimentary year of Apple TV+, an increased annual hotel credit, and enhanced travel protections, all while maintaining the $95 annual fee. However, the biggest change for award travelers is the reduced Hyatt transfer ratio for Sapphire Preferred cardholders, moving from 1:1 to 4:3. Angie and Cameron explored the implications, noting that while Hyatt loyalists may find the change disappointing, the card still offers strong value for beginners and those who primarily use Ultimate Rewards with other transfer partners. They also discussed alternatives such as upgrading to the Sapphire Reserve, utilizing Bilt points for Hyatt transfers, or making a speculative transfer of Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt before the new ratio takes effect.The episode wrapped up with personal updates and strategy discussions. Angie shared that ChatGPT helped her compare transportation options and ultimately choose a Swiss Rail Pass for an upcoming trip, while also finalizing plans for Morocco. Cameron reviewed several flight options for Greece, weighing the value of different award redemptions and routing choices. The hosts concluded with a practical travel tip: always place your wallet, keys, purse, shoes, and other essentials in the same spot each night while traveling. A recent hotel fire experienced by friends reinforced how valuable this simple habit can be when an emergency requires a quick evacuation.Episode Links:Chase Ink Business Cards New OfferChase Sapphire Reserve Biz New OfferChase Sapphire Preferred RefreshPhilippine Airlines Joins OneworldAmex Resy ChangesChase to Virgin Transfer BonusWhere to Find UsThe Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.You can also email us at 101@award.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Late Summer 2026 Meetup in Milwaukee now. award.travel/mke2026Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.  

If you're building a retreat business, this episode is required listening. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Catherine Kontos, founder of RetreatBoss, RetreatMatch, and RetreatBoss Magazine, to talk about what it actually takes to build a sustainable and profitable retreat business. With over 14 years in the industry-and a background acquiring and selling over 100 businesses and properties-Catherine brings a level of real business strategy that most of this industry is missing. This conversation about the realities of running retreats as a business. They dive into: The biggest mistakes retreat leaders make Why Airbnb and VRBO are NOT designed for retreat businesses The legal and insurance risks most people ignore What makes a venue truly "retreat ready" Why venue owners carry more risk than most people realize The importance of contracts, vetting, and site visits Why both retreat leaders and venue owners need training and strategy If you've ever felt like the retreat industry lacks structure, standards, or clarity-this episode will explain why. And more importantly, what to do about it.   What You'll Learn in This Episode • How to build a sustainable retreat business • Why Airbnb and VRBO are risky for retreats • What "retreat ready" actually means for venues • The importance of contracts and legal protection • How to properly vet retreat venues • The biggest disconnect between retreat leaders and venue owners   Key Takeaways Retreats Are a Business-Not an Event And they need structure, strategy, and protection.   Airbnb Is Not Built for Retreats Using it for business events can create: legal issues cancellations insurance gaps   Venue Vetting Is Critical Not all venues are equipped to host retreats-even if they look good online.   Contracts Matter More Than You Think Most people: don't read them properly don't negotiate don't understand the risks   Venue Owners Carry Massive Responsibility From liability to operations, hosting retreats is not simple-and requires planning.   Training Is Not Optional Both retreat leaders AND venue owners need: coaching strategy professional development   About Catherine Catherine Kontos is a strategist, business builder, and ecosystem founder shaping the future of the retreat and human experience industry. As the founder of RetreatBoss, RetreatMatch, and RetreatBoss Magazine, she brings more than 14 years of experience to the space. With a track record that includes acquiring and selling over 100 businesses and properties, including retreat venues, Catherine brings a rare blend of transformational experience design and serious commercial acumen. Through certification, consulting, media, and international collaborative partnerships, she helps retreat leaders, venues, and experience-based brands build offerings that are not only meaningful, but strategically positioned for visibility, profitability, and lasting legacy. Learn more at: https://retreatboss.com/    The Retreat Leaders Podcast Resources and Links: Learn to Host Retreats Join our private Facebook Group Top 5 Marketing Tools Free Guide Get your legal docs for retreats Join Shannon in Denver at the Retreat Industry Forum  Join our LinkedIn Group Apply to be a guest on our show Grab the AI + SEO Mini Course   Thanks for tuning into the Retreat Leaders Podcast. Remember to subscribe for more insightful episodes, and visit our website for additional resources. Let's create a vibrant retreat community together! Subscribe:  Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Spotify ------- TIMESTAMPS Introducing Catherine Kontos (00:01:26) Guest Catherine Kontos introduces herself and her company, Retreat Boss, which matches venues with professionals and includes a magazine. Pivoting During the Pandemic (00:02:28) Shannon and Catherine discuss the challenges of running a retreat business during COVID-19 and the importance of entrepreneurial pivoting. Common Mistakes: Venue Sourcing (00:04:41) The discussion shifts to common mistakes retreat leaders make, specifically focusing on the risks of booking venues like Airbnb. The Dangers of Booking on Airbnb (00:05:06) Shannon and Catherine detail the legal, insurance, and cancellation risks of using vacation rental platforms for business retreats. The Importance of Contracts (00:08:11) Catherine emphasizes the necessity of reading contracts thoroughly, understanding what's included, and negotiating terms with venues. Why Direct Booking is Better (00:12:08) Booking directly with a venue is often cheaper and more secure than using third-party platforms like Airbnb. About the Retreat Boss Platform (00:12:55) Catherine explains her platform, which only lists vetted, "retreat-ready" venues to ensure a high-quality experience for leaders. What "Retreat Ready" Means for Venues (00:15:36) Catherine outlines the criteria for a venue to be considered "retreat ready," including equipment, setup, niche focus, and staff training. Coaching for Venue Owners (00:18:32) Catherine describes her training programs that help new and existing venue owners prepare their properties and staff for hosting retreats. Mistakes Venue Owners Make (00:20:19) The conversation covers the significant work and liability involved in owning a venue and the need for a solid business plan. Advice for Retreat Leaders (00:21:57) Catherine advises retreat leaders to get proper training and treat their work as a serious business, not a hobby. Episode Wrap-Up (00:23:08) Shannon thanks Catherine for her insights, promotes her magazine and website, and concludes the episode with a call to action.

Send us a message!AI is changing the way travelers search, compare, and book vacation rentals. But what does that mean for direct bookings, local brands, and the websites operators have spent years building?In this episode, Alex and Annie are joined by Richard Vaughton of Yes Consulting and Mark Simpson of Boostly for The Great AI Debate. After taking this conversation to the stage at the Host Planet Roadshow in London, Richard and Mark continue the discussion around what AI could mean for vacation rental marketing, website strategy, and guest acquisition.Richard argues that AI will reshape websites, search, and distribution in ways the industry has not fully prepared for yet. Mark makes the case that strong website infrastructure, brand strategy, PMS connectivity, and niche positioning still matter, especially for operators who want to grow direct bookings.Together, they explore whether AI search will create new opportunities for independent vacation rental companies or make it even harder to compete with OTAs.Episode Chapters:05:29 - How AI is changing the future of vacation rental websites07:10 - The debate between WordPress websites and AI-built websites10:00 - Why website design alone is not enough to drive direct bookings28:25 - How Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia continue to shape guest behavior36:29 - Why broad search terms are becoming harder for local operators to compete for18:00 - How AI search could make niche positioning more important21:53 - The growing role of TikTok, creators, and social media in travel discovery46:03 - Why brand trust still matters in an AI-driven search environment48:22 - How PMS data, integrations, and distribution may evolve53:22 - What vacation rental operators should be thinking about now as search changesAs guest behavior shifts, vacation rental operators are being pushed to think more carefully about how people find them, what makes their brand memorable, and how they can stay visible beyond the major booking platforms. Connect with Richard:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardvaughton/ Website: https://yes.consulting/ Connect with Mark:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmarksimpson/ Website: https://boostly.co.uk/ ✨ Exclusive Offers to Alex & Annie Listeners: Thinking about the next chapter for your vacation rental business? Connect with Monarch Collective to explore what growth could look like with the right platform behind you.

In today's episode, Bryan Reynolds sits down with Bill Waltenbaugh, Chief Appraiser at Nationwide Appraisal Network (NAN), about something that's been a hot topic for a while now in the appraisal space: short-term rentals. How do you appraise them? What do the lenders expect? What do the AMCs expect? Does anyone expect the same thing?Bill shares his wealth of knowledge on this topic, walks us through NAN's resources for appraisers, and talks about what the future of appraising STRs will look like. Don't miss this insightful conversation. 

On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane break down where STR demand is actually coming from right now and who controls the guest relationship as platforms make their next big bets. The conversation opens with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States booking story every operator in a host market needs to hear. Hotels priced up and set minimums and the surge has not arrived the way anyone expected. Short-term rental bookings tell a different story, with host market reservations more than doubling since April. From there, the team digs into Vrbo's launch of sponsored listings and what a paid visibility layer means for independent hosts, and closes with Brian Chesky's bet that creators are Airbnb's next big Experiences opportunity and what that means for the operators already building businesses on the platform. This episode is presented by ⁠⁠⁠Cloudbeds⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠Bilt⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠cloudbeds.com/gmh⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to ⁠⁠⁠joinbilt.com/gmh⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. And if you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit ⁠⁠https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/⁠⁠ to learn more.

On this Hospitable Town Hall, the company launched their new Vrbo Partner Connection. It's built on Vrbo's latest APIs and offers self-serve onboarding, faster connection speeds, and better reliability compared to the previous legacy connection used by most hosts. The integration is available across 44 countries on day one, including the United States, Europe, Mexico, Brazil, and Asia Pacific regions. Key features include fully integrated listing management from within Hospitable, payment terms with installment options, and the ability to set Vrbo discounts and promotions directly through the platform. Hospitable also announced its merchant-of-record capabilities for Vrbo payments in the US, UK, and Australia, where it will process payments, handle taxes and chargebacks, and provide chargeback protection.

A quick update from Katy on short-term rental restrictions in Italy and why she thinks hotels are the smarter choice for most travelers.Summary: Cities including Florence, Venice, Bologna, Milan and Rome are all introducing their own restrictions on short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo. Florence has gone furthest, banning new tourist lets in its historic centre and expanding that ban. Katy shares her personal take on hotels versus rentals, and explains what to check before you book a short-term property in Italy.Not sure where to start? Get the Untold Italy podcast guide with 315 epsiodes organized by topic.The premium Untold Italy app has ad-free access to our complete archive of 300+ episodes searchable by place and topicFOLLOW: Instagram • Facebook • YouTube GET OUR NEWS: Subscribe hereTRIP PLANNING SERVICES: Learn more hereJOIN US ON TOUR: Upcoming departuresThe Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast editing and audio production by Mark Hatter. Production assistance by the other

Download the Guest Contact Info Capture Checklist Your Airbnb account can change overnight. Algorithm shifts, fee increases, a sudden suspension, and if your entire guest relationship lives inside the platform, you have nothing. In this episode, Tim walks through 10 platform-compliant ways to collect your guests' real contact info, legally, automatically, and without sending a single message that could put your listing at risk. The in-property QR code strategy that converts at the highest-intent moment of any guest stay — and why the offer matters more than the placement How WiFi login tools like Stayfi turn a giveaway you're already offering into an automatic email capture that runs in the background 24/7 Why your Stripe dashboard may already hold dozens of real guest emails you've never used — and how to start putting them to work The exact post-stay message approach that stays compliant with OTA terms while sending guests directly to your own contact form How listing on Google Vacation Rentals and VRBO direct changes the contact info equation entirely — every booking comes with real data by default If this episode helped you see your guest list differently, subscribe so you never miss what's next. Share it with a host who's still relying entirely on platform traffic — it could be the most important thing they hear this year. See you in the next one. Check out our videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShortTermRentalRiches Grab your free management eBook: https://strriches.com/#tools-resources Looking to earn more with your property (without the headaches)? Chat with our expert management team: https://strriches.com/management-services/  

Kelsey sits down with Kelly from @have.kids.will.adventure to talk about her family of 5's week-long trip to Lima, Peru in February 2026. Looking for somewhere with warmer ocean water than New England in the winter, Kelly booked Lima on points without realizing just how much there would be to do with kids.In this episode, Kelly shares why her family skipped Machu Picchu this time and instead spent the week enjoying Lima as a destination all its own. They stayed in Miraflores, took surf lessons, made chocolate at a chocolate-making class, explored the city, watched stunning sunsets, and took a big day trip for penguins, sea lions, dune buggies, and sandboarding.Kelly also shares the real-life travel moments too, including a very long bus day, a VRBO elevator/key mishap, what it was like visiting Lima with kids ages 10, 8, and 5, and why Lima surprised them in the best way.This episode is available to watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kelseygravesIf you'd like to share about your trip on the podcast, email me at: kelsey@triptalespodcast.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/kelseygravesFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelsey_gravesFollow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mskelseygravesJoin us in the Trip Tales Podcast Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1323687329158879Mentioned in this episode:- Ride Safer Carseat Vest: https://amzn.to/49G9Ele- Machu Picchu- Miraflores- Parque Kennedy- Malecón de Miraflores (6-mile cliff top walking path)- Surfing lessons- ChocoMuseo - Chocolate Making Class- The Ballestas Islands - The Atacama Desert- Huacachina- Magic Water Circuit of the Reserve Park- Cabify = Uber- Huaca Pucllana Site Museum- Larco Museum- Park of the Legends Zoo

Trump administration cabinet members and other federal and state officials denounced fraud in Medicaid and various government programs during a news conference in central Ohio. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche was joined by FBI Director Kash Patel, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other officials. They announced the indictment of 14 people accused of schemes involving Medicaid providers, behavioral health services for people with autism and a romance fraud operation. More than 100 cameras at the Cuyahoga County Jail were found to be malfunctioning in January 2022. Officials were aware of the problem, but it took four years to replace them, according to reporting by The Marshall Project Cleveland. County officials said the project required more than $220,000 and that the funding did not become available until late last year. Properties used as short-term rentals through services such as Airbnb and Vrbo must now register with the city and comply with other new regulations approved by Cleveland City Council this week. The new wave band Devo performed at the Akron Civic Theatre on Wednesday. To commemorate the band's first show in Kent, state Rep. Michele Grim, D-Toledo, has introduced House Bill 866, which would designate April 18 as Devo Day in Ohio. These stories and more will be part of this week's discussion on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.” Guests:- Matt Richmond, Criminal Justice Reporter, Ideastream Public Media- Gabriel Kramer, Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

HELP US IMPROVE THE PODCAST - TAKE THIS 3 MIN SURVEY:https://forms.gle/fRTV2YiJqncKVpFh7WEBINAR LINK:https://shawnmoore.clickfunnels.com/optiniyvvg89sWant to learn more about Vodyssey or start your STR journey. Book a call here:https://meetings.hubspot.com/vodysseystrategysession/booknow?utm_source=vodysseycom&uuid=80fb7859-b8f4-40d1-a31d-15a5caa687b7FOLLOW US:https://www.instagram.com/vodysseyshawnmoorehttps://www.facebook.com/vodysseyshawnmoore/https://www.linkedin.com/company/str-financial-freedomhttps://www.tiktok.com/@vodysseyshawnmooreCONTACT US:support@vodyssey.comSources:1) https://www.reuters.com/commentary/reuters-open-interest/warshs-arrival-leaves-long-bonds-without-safety-net-2026-05-19/2) https://news.airbnb.com/guests-can-now-earn-delta-miles-on-qualifying-experiences-and-services/3) https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vrbo-expedia-strategy-2026-grid-vs-walls/4) https://www.housing.info/blog/the-real-2026-housing-market-story-is-not-a-crash-but-a-regional-reset5) https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/housing-statistics/existing-home-sales6) https://apnews.com/article/confidence-inflation-economy-4f681cecfa63fe251f5bb12bb4b949c67) https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/PROPERTY:https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1688556433792177892?source_impression_id=p3_1780083303_P3-5PO3kTPAnH3I_Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:02:16 Airbnb vs. Verbo: Business Models Explored00:11:11 The Impact of Property Management on Guest Experience00:18:41 Legislative Updates and Market Dynamics00:22:40 Current Trends in the Housing Market00:30:07 The Impact of Interest Rates on the Economy00:33:36 Creating Unique Experiences in Real Estate00:46:08 The Value of Exclusivity in Property Investment

Does traveling with your homeschool family feel overwhelming — or just out of reach? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Lisa Bailey sits down with CC veterans Courtney Sanford (Delightful Art Company) and travel agent Julie Denton to share practical, budget-friendly travel tips for homeschool moms. From using Google Flights Explore to find cheap international flights, to tying family trips to your CC history cycle, to handling travel disasters with grace — this conversation will inspire you to take learning on the road. Whether you're planning a big summer adventure or a local field trip, Courtney and Julie share decades of wisdom on how to make travel educational, affordable, and genuinely fun — even with little kids in tow. Plus: how to pack carry-on only, find insider tips from waiters, and why "obstacles" are really just good stories waiting to happen. Their best tips include using Airbnb and VRBO internationally, leveraging travel credit card points, renting an RV for a US road trip, and the sticker-on-a-water-bottle souvenir hack your kids will love. Don't miss the Sound of Music tour story — you won't regret it.    This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by Classical Conversations' new 2026 Product Line: This April, Classical Conversations launched an exciting portfolio of new products designed to strengthen math fluency, develop critical reasoning skills, and equip families with practical tools for classical, Christian homeschooling. From flashcard resources and reasoning curriculum to hands-on manipulatives and a foundational parent resource, these releases deepen the classical learning journey for families at every level. Visit ClassicalConversations.com/WhatsNew/ to explore the entire April 2026 product collection and start strengthening your family's classical, Christian education today.

The guys compare their holiday weekends... A Vrbo on the beach vs. a trip to IKEA....The Knicks are in the NBA Finals for 1st time since '99, can they finish the deal? But the Cavs say they were the better team...

This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through June 30th, you can get 20% off with code VRS20 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans.  > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ It has been over two years since Kerri Gibson was last on the show, and a great deal has changed. The Chalets Hygge brand has expanded into Experience Hygge, an umbrella that now also covers a roadside motel four hours away from the original property. It is a seventeen-room hospitality business with daily turnover, walk-in guests, and an operational rhythm that has almost nothing in common with the chalets that built the brand. Kerri and her partner Philippe Pichette took on the motel in 2024 and have spent the past seventeen months renovating it while keeping it operational. In this conversation, Kerri talks honestly about what running two very different businesses with a small team actually looks like, how she has stepped back to let her chalet team grow into their roles, and where AI has earned a permanent place in her week. She also speaks plainly about her seven-year history with Lodgify, her direct booking strategy across both businesses, and the move she has been quietly making from ChatGPT to Claude. There is something here for anyone running a lean hospitality business who is curious about AI but does not want hype.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In this master's class episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Tim Hubbard for a focused conversation on short-term rentals and why they may be worth considering as a profit center inside your broader real estate strategy. I want to be crystal clear about the lane we stay in here: creative financing is still our core focus. I'm not trying to throw shiny objects at you. But when I find someone who has spent more than a decade building and operating short-term rentals at a high level, while also helping other owners do the same, I think it's worth unpacking what everyday investors can learn and potentially apply.     Tim shares how he built a sizable short-term rental portfolio while living in South America, how his company helps owners manage properties across dozens of cities, and why the short-term rental space is more professional, more competitive, and more system-driven than ever. We talk about what short-term rentals actually mean in today's market, why listing across Airbnb and Vrbo matters, how to think about pricing, reviews, technology, tax benefits, and market selection, and what investors should know before converting a long-term rental into a short-term one.    If you already own property, or you're buying creatively and looking for more ways to increase cash flow, this episode will give you a practical look at how short-term rentals can fit into the bigger picture.   Key Talking Points of the Episode   00:00 Introduction 01:17 Corzly and the concept of virtual property management 02:34 Defining the short-term rental market 03:24 The importance of listing sites like Airbnb and VRBO 04:13 Professional operations and guest expectations 05:28 Costs and structures for property management 07:42 The 3 Payday System explained 09:31 FREE discovery session with Smart Real Estate Coach 10:31 Lessons learned from the short-term rental market 11:34 Top strategies for protecting properties and handling issues 12:43 Managing reviews and guest communication 13:42 Profitability hacks and dynamic pricing tools 14:49 Using data tools to select the best properties (AirDNA) 17:42 Tax benefits and material participation 19:08 Get in touch with Tim and the Short-Term Rental Riches podcast 21:34 Deep dive into the 3 Paydays Live Event   Quotables "There's a pretty big difference between professional operators and someone trying to figure out everything on their own."   "The number one reason for bad reviews is generally it wasn't cleaned well enough."   "If the supply's been going up and the average occupancy and ADR isn't going down, then you know you're at least in a market that's sustaining all new supply."   Links   Short-Term Rental Riches Podcast https://strriches.com/   3 Paydays® Live https://3paydayslive.com/podcast   Free Discovery Call https://smartrealestatecoachpodcast.com/discovery   3 Paydays® System Mastery Course - Use coupon code for 50% off https://smartrealestatecoach.com/qls Coupon code: pod   Apprentice Program https://3paydaysapprentice.com/podcast   Masterclass https://smartrealestatecoach.com/masterspodcast   3 Paydays Books https://3paydaysbooks.com/podcast   Partners https://smartrealestatecoach.com/podcastresources

This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through June 30th, you can get 20% off with code VRS20 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans.  > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew tore through South Florida and damaged or destroyed more than 125,000 buildings. When investigators went through the wreckage, they found that the worst destruction wasn't always explained by the strength of the storm. It was traced to something far more mundane: the connectors, the joints, the foundations. The hardware that held the structure together when the pressure arrived. Out of that came the Miami-Dade construction standards, some of the most rigorous building codes in the United States. Heather opens this solo episode with that story for a reason. After spending months speaking at industry events, running the AI Ambassador Programme, and watching property managers at every scale wrestle with AI adoption, she sees the same pattern: businesses are buying tools without building the foundations that determine whether those tools will hold up. The AI storm is already here. The question is what your connectors look like. This episode is a candid, honest look at why the AI gap in short-term rentals is getting wider, where people are actually learning about AI and what each source is good for, why team learning matters more than individual effort, and a simple three-question filter for evaluating any new AI tool. It also includes a practical foundation idea borrowed from Will Guidara's Eleven Madison Park, and a story about an operator who finally got moving when she stopped trying to learn more and started building one small thing.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Genesis 16:8 reveals how God uses powerful questions to expose the hidden fears, wounds, and thought patterns shaping our lives. In this devotional, Jennifer Slattery reflects on God’s interaction with Hagar and shows how the Lord still asks believers today: “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” These questions are not rooted in condemnation, but in God’s loving desire to guide His children toward healing, wisdom, and peace. Highlights God’s questions often uncover hidden fears, wounds, and insecurities. Genesis 16 shows God intentionally pursuing Hagar in her place of overwhelm. Emotional reactions are often connected to unresolved pain from the past. God invites believers to examine where they’ve come from and where they’re headed. Obedience to God requires trusting His heart, even when the path feels difficult. God’s guidance is rooted in love, provision, and long-term healing. Reflecting honestly with God can lead to greater peace, wisdom, and emotional health. Have an idea for our newsletter? We want to hear from you! Take our survey below: Take Our Survey! Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: When God Asks Powerful Probing Questions By: Jennifer Slattery Bible Reading: And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. (Genesis 16:8, NIV) God’s questions have a way of piercing to the deepest places in our souls—where lies and insecurities often reside undetected. When anxious and overwhelmed, I have a difficult time demonstrating the love and grace of Christ. Add enough challenges and frustrations to my day, and I can become irritable with the people I most love. But I can rarely, if ever, will myself to respond better. Relying on self-control might help momentarily, but eventually, the undealt with gunk in my soul bubbles out and onto those I hold dear. That was how I behaved the night my husband and I checked into our VRBO to escape Nebraska’s bitterly cold winter. We make this journey each January, beginning with a long road trip during which we see as many grandkids as possible. This is always a lovely… and exhausting endeavor that involves hours in our vehicle, standstill traffic, and clamoring in and out of numerous hotels (Our mini-golden doodle was not a fan and alerted us to this by barking all night at other guests roaming the halls. We have since learned that under no circumstances will we allow the hotel clerk to give us a room near the elevators!). By the time we reached our destination, where we planned to remain all month, I felt frazzled, anxious, and struggling to untangle my brain’s swirling mess of have-tos and a series of new problems that felt insurmountable. In short, I didn’t handle the situation well. More accurately, I behaved more like a temper tantrummy toddler without a nap, than the Spirit-empowered reflection of Christ to which I’m called. Initially, this evoked latent shame. Had this occurred a few years ago, I might’ve stayed in that place of self-condemnation. That only would’ve added to my stress. But God is teaching me to go deeper—in myself, and with Him. To move past surface-level attempts at holiness to consider the roots of my reactions, He used today’s verse to do so. The morning after my ungracious response to my very gracious husband, I sensed God’s whisper, “Where have you come from? Where are you going?” He wasn’t asking about my present location. He wanted me to prayerfully consider how past experiences were impacting my present. What wounds distorted my perception and challenged my trust? What lies lurked in my subconscious and wreaked havoc on my present? And, where was I going? First, where did I want to go? Did I want to stay stuck in dysregulated responses, or did I want to become healthier and holier? Did I want to follow God’s lead moment by moment and day by day, in my times of overwhelm, included? These questions evoked others, such as, do I trust the direction in which God is leading me enough to follow? Finally, I sensed Him inviting me to consider where He’s taking me, and this is something He’s been reiterating to me for some time. Often, when obedience feels difficult, He reminds me of His heart and plans for me and those I love. This helps steady me by assuring me that He remains faithfully in control, regardless of how out of control I might feel in that moment. The Lord spoke a similar message to an Egyptian slave named Hagar. If you’re familiar with Old Testament history, you might know her story. Scholars suggest she might’ve been part of the “gifts” given to Abram by the Pharaoh in Genesis 12. This alone must have felt traumatic—to be treated as property, torn from her homeland, and forced to live in servitude with a clan she knew little about. Then, around a decade later, she experienced an abuse that must’ve cut deep into her soul. Sarai gave her to Abram, Sarai’s husband, to impregnate. You can imagine how traumatic this must’ve been, and the bitterness and fear that might’ve invaded her soul. Once she conceived, the tension between her and Sarai became so intense that Hagar fled. Perhaps she intended to return to Egypt. Maybe she simply reacted out of fear and overwhelm, triggering a flight response. Regardless, she soon found herself pregnant, vulnerable, and defenseless in the wilderness. There, beneath the intense Middle Eastern sun, she might’ve died, if not for “the Angel of the Lord”, who many scholars believe was pre-incarnate Jesus. According to Genesis 16:7, He found her—I love that phrasing, as it implies that He intentionally went looking for her. He found her near a spring in the desert beside the road to Shur. And He asked her the same two questions He asked me: Where have you come from and where are you going.” I read this as an invitation for a holy pause. An opportunity for her to re-engage rational thinking and consider where her panicked reaction led her. And where are you going, as in, “Is this the direction you really want to head? Further into the wilderness, to raise your baby alone?” I must acknowledge that this account feels uncomfortable. I don’t like to think that the Lord told her to return to the place in which she’d been abused. But I also see how this was an act of care, love, and provision. By His grace, He brought Hagar back under His covenantal blessing and allowed her to raise her son with direct access to his father, who came to love him deeply. Then, when that child became older, He released him and his mother, again, with His blessing. Intersecting Life & Faith: Unprocessed wounds, fear, and catastrophic thinking can lead to self-sabotaging decisions. When experiencing pain and injustice, often, all we want is relief. But what happens when our desire for relief leads us to greater danger? Thankfully, God meets in our place of overwhelm and invites us to consider where we’ve come from and where we’re going. The more we learn to do so, the greater our peace and the less our shame and regret. And eventually, standing on the other side of obedience, we recognize that God truly knows best. His love was leading the entire time. Further Reading: Genesis 3:9-10 1 Kings 19:3-15 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In the “St. Louis Morning Brief,” Marc and Kim examine new efforts in St. Charles County to tighten regulations on short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO following complaints about parties, fights, overcrowding, and neighborhood disruptions. The discussion covers proposed restrictions on overnight guests, vehicle limits, inspections, and spacing requirements between rental properties, while questioning how widespread the actual problems are and whether the rules could unfairly impact homeowners near major events or attractions. The conversation then shifts to ongoing public safety concerns surrounding MetroLink security and the ongoing legal fight between the St. Louis Police Board and city leadership over police funding and staffing shortages. Marc and Kim discuss how the city has struggled to provide enough officers for Metro patrols, forcing transit officials to rely more heavily on off-duty sheriff's deputies to supplement security. The segment highlights larger frustrations over fragmented law enforcement jurisdiction across the MetroLink system, with Marc arguing that a dedicated transit police force would simplify operations and free city police officers to focus on violent crime elsewhere in St. Louis. Hashtags: #StLouisMorningBrief #Airbnb #VRBO #StCharlesCounty #ShortTermRentals #MetroLink #StLouisCrime #PoliceFunding #SheriffsDepartment #PublicSafety #MissouriPolitics #TransitSecurity #StLouisCounty #LawEnforcement #TalkRadio

This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through June 30th, you can get 20% off with code VRS20 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans.  > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This episode started with an observation Heather made on LinkedIn - a post from Ela Mezhiborsky about her company's annual self-care day - and grew into a conversation that cuts to the heart of something most operators get wrong when they bring AI into their businesses. Ela is co-founder and president of AutoHost, an AI-powered guest screening and identity verification platform used by property managers around the world. But she came to it the same way most VRS listeners came to their businesses: through hands-on operation. Before AutoHost existed, she was running Quick Stay, a Toronto-based property management company that grew to over 100 properties. The tool was built because she was the operator who needed it. The conversation opens with a real incident - a Christmas 2016 call from Toronto police about a known gang member, which revealed months of undetected criminal activity running through Quick Stay's properties. That story explains why AutoHost exists, and it also explains Ela's unusually clear-eyed view of where human judgment fails and where systematic screening has to take over. But the episode is as much about people as it is about technology. Ela runs an AI-first company and is visibly thoughtful about what that means for the humans inside it. She talks about what happens to a team when AI arrives - the anxiety before the relief - and what operators can do to manage that transition honestly. The annual self-care day, which honours Ela's late husband and co-founder, Anton Silberberg, is part of that story too. By the end, the episode covers AI-powered fraud: synthetic identities, voice cloning, and why gut instinct is no longer a reliable defence. If you've been thinking about guest screening as a nice-to-have, Ela makes a case that identity verification is now table stakes - not because fraud is new, but because AI has made it dramatically cheaper, faster, and harder to detect. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through April 30th, you can get 60% off with code VRS60 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans.  > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A lot of property managers feel the pressure to do something with AI, but struggle to articulate what an AI agent actually is, or how one would function inside a real business. This conversation with Alex Zemianek goes straight at that gap. Alex is the CEO and founder of JZ Vacation Rentals in St. Louis, a dual-model business running about 70 fully managed properties alongside a curated luxury OTA representing close to 2,000 properties across 14 states and three countries. He is not a technical operator. He came up through sales and leadership, not software. And that is precisely what makes his experience with AI worth paying attention to. Alex spent most of 2024 building what he calls his internal AI, deliberately pulling focus away from adding properties and concentrating instead on organizing his systems, cleaning up his data, and building agents that could work across his business. The result was a 168% improvement in his bottom line without adding a single property. The episode covers what that actually looked like in practice: how he thinks about prompting, how he defines agents for a non-technical audience, what his CEO assistant agent does every morning, and why organizing your data is not a nice-to-have but the foundation everything else depends on. This is one of those conversations that gives listeners both the clarity and the confidence to stop waiting and start doing. Alex offers a rare combination: operational credibility, genuine enthusiasm, and the kind of plain-language explanations that make AI accessible without making it feel trivial. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#879 If you've ever dreamed of owning an Airbnb or glamping getaway, this episode is your crash course in how to make it happen! Host Brien Gearin is joined by Garrett Brown, short-term rental investor and glamping expert at BiggerPockets, to break down the business of hosting — from buying your first property to optimizing your listing and maximizing profitability. Garrett shares his personal journey, practical advice for first-timers, and insider strategies for managing operations, choosing the right market, avoiding costly mistakes, and leveraging tools to automate and scale. Whether you're starting with a small condo or aiming for a luxury lakefront cabin, this episode is packed with actionable insights to launch and grow your short-term rental business! (Original Air Date - 8/26/25) What we discuss with Garrett: + Garrett's journey into short-term rentals + Why he pivoted from traditional real estate + The reality of managing Airbnbs + The 60/30/10 market selection rule + Glamping and unique stays explained + Best property sizes for STR success + Must-use tools like PriceLabs and HostBuddy + Airbnb vs. VRBO pros and cons + Listing optimization tips for more bookings + When (and why) to self-manage your rental Thank you, Garrett! Check out Cameron Ranch Glamping at ⁠CameronRanchGlamping.com⁠. Follow Garrett on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠video podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, while Maria is on vacation, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Michele Kellerman as they discuss the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Dave brings us a lively follow-up from his recent theater outing the conversation circles back to chicken talk. Michele also highlights the work of Blood Cancer United sharing insight into their mission and impact. Dave's story is on the SLAM method, a simple phishing-defense framework that teaches users to evaluate suspicious emails by checking the sender, links, attachments, and message for common signs of deception and social engineering. Michele's got the story on a potential turning point in online scams, where rising pressure—from revelations that Meta Platforms has profited from fraudulent ads, to banks and regulators like Jerome Powell and Scott Bessent warning about systemic risks—suggests liability may soon expand beyond banks to include social media, telecoms, and other upstream players. Joe's story is on two cousins, Shray Goel and Shaunik Raheja, who pleaded guilty in a nationwide $8.5 million scheme using fake listings, double bookings, and last-minute cancellations across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to maximize profits while deceiving thousands of travelers. On our catch of the day, A Reddit user shares a message they got from a scammer posing as their child. Resources and links to stories: SLAM Method for a Comprehensive Phishing Prevention Guide Meta tolerates rampant ad fraud from China to safeguard billions in revenue Banks cannot save the UK financial system from fraud alone Bessent, Powell warned bank CEOs about Anthropic model risks, sources say ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through April 30th, you can get 60% off with code VRS60 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans.  > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This episode began somewhere else entirely. A few weeks ago, Heather appeared as a guest on The Art of Hospitality Podcast, hosted by Adam Norko and Conrad O'Connell, expecting to talk about AI. They ended up talking about values. That conversation planted a question Heather has been sitting with ever since: if you train an AI on your processes without first being clear on what your business actually stands for, are you just automating the wrong thing, faster? Adam returns to the show for a third time to help answer that question. He is the founder of VR Growth, a consultancy working with vacation rental and PropTech companies, and someone who has seen this industry from multiple angles - as a marketing director for a large management company, a vendor-side executive at Point Central and Breezeway, a Chief Growth Officer, and now an independent consultant. He is also, by his own admission, a small Airbnb host on the Outer Banks, running five properties with his wife. The conversation moves through the gap between values written on a wall and values that actually show up in daily decisions, the leadership behaviours that make the difference, how AI can help operators discover and articulate what they genuinely believe in, and Adam's emerging thinking about self-selected communities of like-minded operators as the industry's next meaningful structural development. The through-line is clear: values have to come before systems, and community has to come before scale. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Tim Conway Jr. Show Hour 1 (4.16)