Unlocked by Matt Landau

Cliff is one of the more recognizable names in the vacation rental industry. He can be seen at most of the top conferences on panels and on stage talking about big trends: deep currents beneath the travel and business worlds that lead him to make his predictions, business decisions, and personal moves. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Cliff in my living room in New Orleans with a glass of bourbon.

Lee Zeller is one of my besties in the vacation rental space. Her company Vacation Telluride is a mainstay in Colorado and her position on how to utilize each property for good is equally forward-thinking. This concept could be applied to pretty much any vacation rental business -- in fact, if you're not doing it, you're missing out on lots of goodwill. 

Megan Mccrea is one of the most impressive leaders in the vacation rental industry. I get the chance to meet a lot of experts and ambassadors and people who are really good at what they do -- but Megan has one of the most unique blends of vision, standards, discipline, and hard work that I have ever come across in vacation rentals. Really, in any industry: she is just a veritable rockstar. I flew to Nashville, Tennessee specifically to interview Megan-- that's how great I think she is. 

Guglielmo Scarpa is a young Italian businessman who embodies the vacation rental pioneer spirit for me. He fell into the business somewhat accidentally, has successfully build a brand around his company Canguro properties in two countries, and he looks at everything through a realistic yet optimistic lens: if something works, he does more of it. If something doesn't work, he considers carefully whether or not he wants to try it again.

EP 32: The Keystone Awards with Terry Whyte

Mike Copps is the Executive Director of the VRMA which aims to be the singular voice of vacation rental owners and managers throughout the world. Any industry needs a trade association, but for a young and emerging industry like vacation rentals it is especially critical. Take a chance to meet Mike and learn about his background and the experiences he uses to make his leadership decisions today. 

In this experimental podcast format, I try to address one subject matter that has the industry buzzing, and break it down for our listeners. This episode addresses an article on Amy Hinote's VRM Intel site titled, titled "GSV Initiates Technology Rollup in the Vacation Rental Industry including Liverez, Streamline, VRM, Bluetent, and more" Here is the link: https://www.vrmintel.com/gsv-initiates-large-technology-rollup-in-the-vacation-rental-industry-including-liverez-streamline-vrm-bluetent-and-more/

Heather Bayer of the Vacation Rental Formula Podcast is like my BFF in the industry. We were both in Las Vegas for the VRMA International event and she would be presenting on the 5 Love Languages, a famous book that classifies the various interpretations of love. Heather applies this thinking to the vacation rental industry — where you may be making extraordinary efforts in one department, but lacking a detail or touch in another that could make all the difference.

Sarah Nie is based in Asheville, North Carolina. And after she began her property management business, she began to be approached by owners all over Asheville. But this kind of growth came with a caveat: the city’s short term rental rules which were fluctuating and restricting business left and right.

Phil Minardi is the Head of Public Affairs at the Expedia Group which owns HomeAway and VRBO. His job entails a lot of travel so he has a great perspective on the vacation rental regulatory landscape throughout the USA. I hope that this conversation allows the stakeholders of the industry to see that Phil and the other OTAs can play an important role. At the very least, we learn the value of a free lunch.

Kristi Kautz used to work in the digital entertainment space, so she was familiar with the world of influencers before her property manager Brad Klopman of The CoHost Company suggested offering a few free nights to some instagram influencers in exchange for a fresh set of photos. The tactic ended up becoming a way to unlock their vacation rental, Starship Landing Retreat, to the right kinds of travelers. 

Bradie Beagley-Reiner went through an incredibly stressful process in the crackdown of vacation rentals in San Diego, California. And in hindsight, she realized that a whole new kind of sharing economy sits within just beneath the surface: something we can all begin doing before it's too late.   

EP24: The Biggest Lesson of My Career with Steve Milo

Danna Kittell is the founder of Starfish Luxury Rentals on the coast of Oregon.  Her enthusiasm and positivity for the industry is eclipsed only by her hard work. After doing some rehab to her family's vacation home, she and her husband Jeff realized the potential of having a renovation aspect to their management services: upgrading a diamond in the rough has now become Starfish's secret weapon.  

EP22: Handmade Pricing with Zaira Guzman of Bluewater Vacation Homes