Alex and Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals

Luca Zambello joins us for today's episode to share the journey of creating Jurny, the industry's first MOS (management operating system). With roots in property management, Luca shares how he changed software 5 times - then finally realized, he wanted to create a solution to empower property managers to more efficiently run their businesses...and that he wanted to be a technology company rather than a hospitality company. His journey is nothing short of inspiring and impressive!

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine. 

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research 

CONTACT LUCA ZAMBELLO
Jurny
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It's the 1st of the Month! Tune in as we look back on this incredible year and share our top 5 most downloaded episodes. We also share our predictions for 2023, and our Words of the Year :) Alex just returned from attending Casago University for 2 weeks in Puerto Penasco, MX, and shares her experience learning all about Casago's vacation rental franchise model.

Here are our Top 5 Most Downloaded Episodes of 2022:

1. Steve Milo: We've Got Questions, He's Got Answers - Q&A with VTrips CEO

2. Revenue Managing from the Driver's Seat, with Wheelhouse CEO/Founder Andrew Kitchell

3. Bee Boppin' with Ben Coleman: Revenue Management vs. Revenue Performance

4. 5 Ways to Drive Direct Bookings Before the OTAs Put You Out of Business, with Vanessa Humes

5. Predicting a Wave of Tech Consolidations, with Matt Loney, CEO of Xplorie

A HUGE thank you to all our listeners and sponsors of the show, we truly appreciate you! Cheers to an amazing 2023!

CONTACT ALEX & ANNIE
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Tune in for Part 2 of our Holiday Bonus - our two favorite episodes of this past year!

Unlocking $4.9 BILLION Dollars in Military Travel to the Vacation Rental Industry, with Anthony Gantt

Anthony Gantt, entrepreneur and recently retired Officer for the United States Marine Corps after 22 years, joins us today to tell a tale of what it truly means to build a purpose-built startup. During his service, Anthony was relocated from Virginia to Texas, charged with orders to find accommodations for his family which included his wife plus their 6 children. A standard hotel room (or multiple) was not an option - so Anthony booked a rental on Airbnb. Little did he know, the Government did NOT allow this - military personnel could be compensated for hotel stays, but compensation did not allow for bookings made on  these  "new OTAs" (which includes Vrbo and all the other vacation rental based channels.) 

He was not reimbursed for the necessary accommodations to relocate, and soon found out this was happening all across the globe - military families had NO ability to be reimbursed for vacation rentals or short term rentals as a form of relocation OR vacation - a standard practice when a traditional hotel is utilized. 

Anthony now embarks on a new career path as CEO/Founder of At Ease, that will take him into a totally different battle zone: working through the challenges of outdated laws and complexities of OTA / vacation rental technology. If his mission is successful, he will unlock a $4.9 BILLION dollar travel opportunity for vacation rental managers and short term rental hosts alike. 

Tune in for a lively, fun and inspirational episode with Alex & Annie & Anthony  discussing all things vacation & short term rentals, technology, entrepreneurship and more!

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine. 

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research 

CONTACT ANTHONY GANTT
CEO & Founder AtEase
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CONTACT ALEX & ANNIE
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As we wind down this incredible year, we wanted to share our two favorite episodes from 2022. Narrowing down this list was no easy task! Over the past 12 months, we've had the privilege to interview many of the top leaders in the vacation rental industry and beyond.

For part 1, we bring back our episode with Marcus Räder, CEO of Hostaway who shared an insightful perspective on the importance of planting seeds in your career journey that very much hits home for the both of us.

Marcus shares how companies can only learn by doing the wrong things. Putting capital where it shouldn't be will only make you learn the lessons faster - you'll hire the wrong people, and put them in the wrong positions. Money can be a catalyst for growth, or for learning - often times, it forces you to make decisions you aren't equipped to make. You will make bad decisions on people that will affect your company culture and performance. It's how quickly you learn from these bad decisions that will determine whether you can turn things around.

He shares the importance of planting seeds on your journey, and talking to everyone you can. Make sure they know that you are on a mission. When you get your "lucky" break, it won't be luck - it will be a Return on Luck, or ROL. You will know this, but others won't. Let them think it's luck - it's a more newsworthy story that way ;)

We also talk about some technical things like the recent Airbnb update, the difference between Hostaway and other PMS's, etc... but the real magic of this episode is the learnings shared by a self-described war time CEO. This episode is a MUST listen!

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine. 

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research

CONTACT MARCUS RÄDER
LinkedIn
Hostaway

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Francois Goello who is the founder of Enso Connect joins us today for an interesting tale of how a terrible guest experience led to him founding one of the slickest guest apps on the market. Francois tells us how Enso Connect was built from the guest perspective first - rather than the property first - and how this frame of mind is enabling them to solve communication issues that PMS's (property management systems) were not made to handle. 

An entrepreneur from a very early age, Francois shares how his first two jobs involved snow balls and trading American Express cards. Now leading Enso Connect at only 25 years of age, Francois has an infectious energy and passion for technology and the industry. Tune in for an engaging episode!

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine. 

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research 

CONTACT FRANCOIS GOELLO
Enso Connect
LinkedIn

CONTACT ALEX & ANNIE
AlexandAnniePodcast.com
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Alex Husner - Linkedin
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Pete Dimaio of TravelBoom Marketing is BACK for a three-Pete! This is Pete's 3rd appearance on the show, and today he joins us for a very timely and relevant topic. As we head into 2023 and an economic forecast that is anything but certain, it's more important than ever that business owners and marketers are ready to sharpen their pencils, and know when it's time to push the gas or pump the brakes.

We discuss the importance of auditing your tracking and why, re-negotiating your contracts, adopting an "always-ON" marketing strategy, why you should seek out strategic partnerships and so much more!

No matter how good or bad the economy is, building a profitable  business is key to sustainability. Recession proof your marketing plan with Pete's Top Tips - grab your notebook! This is a good one!  

You'll also hear a short story from Robin Craigen, President & Co-Founder of Moving Mountains in this episode, brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine. 

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research 

CONTACT PETE DIMAIO
Travel Boom Marketing
Vice President - Director Client Services & Marketing
[email protected]
TravelBoomMarketing
LinkedIn

CONTACT ALEX & ANNIE
AlexandAnniePodcast.com
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Alex Husner - Linkedin
Annie Holcombe - Linkedin

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It's the 1st of the Month! Tune in as we recap the previous month and look ahead to the next, discussing  industry trends, pacing, events and more. Simon Lehmann of AJL Consulting joins us each month for "Simon Says", where we discuss the latest hot-button issue facing the vacation rental  and short term rental industry.

We re-cap our first month in our new positions with Casago and Homes & Villas by Marriott, along with recent vacation rental headlines from Track, Rented, Lexicon and Texas's advocacy group. We also share a review from our good friend Matt Durrette - big thanks Matt and best wishes for the new year to  him and his team at Cozi Vacation Rentals!

Simon Says: The Vacation Rental Industry Needs More Accessible Properties
Simon invited Rosemarie Rossetti to join us today for a discussion on the need for more accessible vacation rentals. Some OTAs have added Accessible as an amenity choice, but as Rosemarie points out, often it's way too late in the booking process - which creates a great deal of frustration for the millions of guests searching for rentals that can accommodate them.

CONTACT SIMON LEHMANN
LinkedIn
AJL Atelier

CONTACT ROSEMARIE ROSSETTI
UDLL.com
[email protected]

CONTACT ALEX & ANNIE
AlexandAnniePodcast.com
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Podcast Sponsored by AJL Atelier

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Dennis Goedheid has built a budding empire in Orlando, that has recently spawned into Miami and Aruba. His entrepreneurial  journey began in Belgium, where he learned the fundamentals of marketing and branding which he has applied to his Orlando based vacation rental business.

Dennis is as humble as he is successful, and an asset to the vacation rental community. You'll never miss the Casiola team at conferences - they are always ON brand, in their bright fuchsia shirts! We love simple touches like this that are an example of how it doesn't take rocket science to build a brand that people remember. Tune in for a great look at how Dennis and the Casiola team leverage technology, including Wheelhouse, Track PMS and their own custom-built operations modules.

This episode is part of our Spotlight on Exceptional Property Managers, brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine.  Wheelhouse is offering listeners of our podcast 50% OFF your 1st 2 months - use promo code ALEXANNIE or mention this podcast when you talk to them!  http://www.usewheelhouse.com/?afmc=Alex%26Annie

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research  https://www.alexandannieslist.com

CONTACT DENNIS GOEDHEID
Linkedin
Casiola Vacation Homes

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Lauren Madewell joins us today to share the story of her family's business, Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals. The company is ran by Lauren and her sister Mallory, along with their Dad, John Madewell, who fell into vacation rentals when a relative passed away and left the business to John in 2008. The family rose to the occasion, and has grown the company into one of the most respected outfits in the Smoky Mountains with a loyal following of guests that return year after year. 

Topics we cover:

• The importance of having a close group of constituents
• Lauren and Mallory's career change from air traffic controller to vacation rental managers
• The checklist homeowners should ask other cabin rental companies when doing their due diligence
• Homeowners buying at the height of the market, and what this means for 2023?
• When is a good time to scale? 
• Beauregard the Bear: Lauren's checkout video that broke the internet
• Why culture is so important, and how leading with love is everything

This episode is part of our Spotlight on Exceptional Property Managers, brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine.  Wheelhouse is offering listeners of our podcast 50% OFF your 1st 2 months - use promo code ALEXANNIE or mention this podcast when you talk to them!  http://www.usewheelhouse.com/?afmc=Alex%26Annie

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research  https://www.alexandannieslist.com

CONTACT LAUREN MADEWELL
Linkedin
Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals

CONTACT ALEX & ANNIE
AlexandAnniePodcast.com
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John Hildebrand of Hilde Homes joins us today for a discussion on all our favorite topics! John's company is based out of Scottsdale, AZ with properties in Arizona and California and has risen to fame as a Brand Ambassador for Airbnb. Despite having this important role with Airbnb, John's account got suspended last year - a shocking and frustrating mystery that Airbnb couldn't even explain. This incident made John realized the importance of building his own brand off the platform, and why creating his own direct booking strategy was critically important.

John is President of the Scottsdale chapter of Rent Responsibly, and has become a respected figure within the destination for his efforts to guide smart legislation. Although he credits Airbnb with a great deal of his success, he too agrees with the "we are not Airbnb" movement. Are we short term rentals, or vacation rentals? Is saying that we're professional a differentiator? Tune in to find out!

This episode is part of our Spotlight on Exceptional Property Managers, brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine.  Wheelhouse is offering listeners of our podcast 50% OFF your 1st 2 months - use promo code ALEXANNIE or mention this podcast when you talk to them!  http://www.usewheelhouse.com/?afmc=Alex%26Annie

Wheelhouse is a proud member of Alex & Annie's List, presented by Rev & Research  https://www.alexandannieslist.com

CONTACT JOHN HILDEBRAND
Linkedin
Hilde Homes

CONTACT ALEX & ANNIE
AlexandAnniePodcast.com
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Alex Husner - Linkedin
Annie Holcombe - Linkedin

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