Alex and Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals

Scott Bunce, COO of Cabins for You joins us today for a look behind the curtain of their innovative enterprise that manages properties in the Smoky Mountains and Georgia mountains, with plans to expand into the Florida Panhandle on the horizon. Scott's extensive background in hotel revenue management has made him a top choice for panels at vacation rental conferences, and in today's episode he shares his thoughts on the impact of revenue management on our industry.

Inventory growth - and loss of units to real estate sales - is another main theme of this episode. Scott also shares how their company has leaned into acquisitions as their main growth strategy.

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 SCOTT BUNCE
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Cabins for You 

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

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Flash back! On November 2, 2021, we launched the Alex & Annie Podcast with our 1st episode, The A-HA Moment. As we reflect on the past year and so many incredible memories, we thought it was fitting to revisit this episode. Yesterday on our 1st of the Month Bonus Episode, we made 2 major announcements - Alex has taken a new role as CMO for Casago,  and Annie has taken a new role as Director of Business Development for Marriott Homes & Villas. It's impossible to ignore the timing of these two incredible opportunities happening at essentially the exact same time, a year to the date of our 1st episode. Thank you to everyone who has supported us in this journey - we are beyond grateful for the outpouring of support of our industry!

Original show notes from 11/2/2021:

In this inaugural episode of Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals, we explore the spark that started our journey to making this podcast. We provide a high-level overview of our industry background, and highlight two AHA moments that defined the future of our careers. 

Topics we cover:

• Who are Alex & Annie? 
• The importance of having a good mentor 
• Two AHA moments that defined our careers
• Where will this journey take us? 
• Vacation Rental Women’s Summit

Thank you for joining us and helping this become a reality. We cannot wait to bring you more exciting stories from the PEOPLE behind the industry.

CONTACT ALEX & 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.

Simon Says: Alex & Annie's Careers are a Changin'
Tune in for not one but TWO major announcements from Alex & Annie, which we were happy to share alongside Simon who has been a mentor and friend to each of us as we get his thoughts on two milestone life events.  Plus, we re-cap VRMA International 2022, including Alex's introduction as a member of the Board of Directors for VRMA.

CONTACT SIMON LEHMANN
LinkedIn
AJL Atelier

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

Podcast Sponsored by AJL Atelier

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Tune in for a fun look behind the curtain of this amazing gal that is changing the game for small and large vacation rental operators that want to provide an enhanced experience for their guests! Tyann wears two hats - she operates her own portfolio of properties, and at TouchStay her title is quite literally, the Queen of Guest Experience.

Creating a memorable guest experience helps you build your brand and drive repeat business - don't miss this one!

This episode is 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 TYANN MARCINK HAMMOND
Linkedin
TouchStay

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

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Andrew McConnell joins us today for look behind his new book, Get Out of My Head: Creating Modern Clarity with Stoic Wisdom. Known in the vacation rental world for his role as CEO of Rented, Inc., Andrew shares the most expensive rent of all: the self doubt and negativity that we allow to live rent free in our minds.

In this book, Andrew shows it’s possible to achieve clarity, make good decisions, and rise in your career, by illustrating that the human mind is not unlike real estate: adopting an owner’s mindset can make all the difference.

Drawing on ancient Stoic philosophy, modern science, and remarkable stories of contemporary innovators in business, sports, and more, Get Out of My Head demonstrates how to effectively allocate your mental resources, set mental boundaries, and overcome challenges by seizing ownership of your own mind and channeling adversity as a vehicle for growth.

This episode is 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 ANDREW MCCONNELL
Get Out of My Head
Rented
Linkedin

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

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Lance & Elaine Stitcher are owners and co-founders of Seaside Vacations & Sales, a premiere vacation rental management company that represents nearly 300 properties in Chincoteague Island, VA and Ocean City, MD. This power couple has grown their business rapidly in the past decade by staying focused on the fundamentals - company culture, happy homeowners, work/life balance, innovative marketing and dynamic pricing.

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 LANCE & ELAINE STITCHER
Seaside Vacations & Sales
Lance - Linkedin
Elaine - Linkedin

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

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It was beyond a pleasure to sit down with Jennifer Hsieh, VP of Marriott Homes & Villas, to learn about both the challenges and opportunities Marriott has uncovered by bringing one of the world's largest hospitality brands into the world of vacation rentals. While Marriott International represents 30 hotel brands and 8,000 properties as part of their portfolio, Homes & Villas has presented perhaps the most unique - yet sought after - option for their loyal Bonvoy members.

Alex, Annie & Jenny dive into the details of the complexities of growing a start-up in a grown-up enterprise, along with HVMI's position on working exclusively with professional property managers.

Jenny shares career insights on her first major role with Target, and then how she worked in various departments in Marriott before moving into her current role to launch HVMI. She is an inspirational leader and one certainly worth following.

Find out more about Homes & Villas by Marriott here: https://homes-and-villas.marriott.com/

CONTACT JENNIFER HSIEH
LinkedIn

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

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Simon Says: It's Conference Season!

Tune in to hear Simon's takeaways on the Vacation Rental World Summit and Avantio 2022, and preview thoughts of the upcoming VRMA International Conference being held in Vegas October 23 - 26th.

If you're attending VRMA International, you do not want to miss Matt Landau's Homerunners premiere on Sunday night! We are SO excited to host the first ever Red Carpet event for the vacation rental industry, welcoming our celebrity guests and friends that have  built vacation rentals into the $100 BILLION dollar industry it is today. Episode 1 kicks off with a bang, detailing Steve Milo and VTrip’s rise to fame, having acquired several of the most prominent vacation rental brands on the East Coast in the past two years. You'll also see a preview of Episode 2 with Casago, led by Steve Schwab and Ryan Dame, as they show how building a company on the foundation of culture has enabled a trajectory of unlimited growth for property managers who want to compete at a national level while maintaining ownership of their companies. Their franchise model has the potential to be a game-changer for the rise pf professionalization and standards within our industry - we can't wait to see the full episode!

Be sure to RSVP for this event - attendance is limited! Claim your spot here: https://www.paperlesspost.com/go/y8RlVmeS3z93Rvf4B6DyJ

Register for VRMA International here: https://international.vrma.org/

CONTACT SIMON LEHMANN
LinkedIn
AJL Atelier

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

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Robin Craigen and his wife Heather had a unique beginning in their hospitality journey that started on the high seas with their luxury yacht charter business. During this time, they developed a formula for creating exceptional guest experiences that would later lead them to trade their swim trunks and flippers for snow suits and ski poles. They moved to Steamboat Springs and opened a ski chalet business with just 2 properties, applying the same principles they learned from the yacht business to help vacationers from around the world experience the beauty of the Colorado mountains.

Fast forward several years and Moving Mountains has lived up to their name – rated as one of the Top 100 Places to Work by Outside Magazine, their team now manages nearly 200 luxury rentals in Steamboat Springs, Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge. Robin shares stories of building the business and their incredible team, acquisitions, technology decisions and how keeping a close watch on their financial hygiene has enabled their long-term growth strategy. 

This episode is part of our Spotlight on Exceptional Property Managers, brought to you by Wheelhouse: The Ultimate Revenue Driving Machine.  

CONTACT ROBIN CRAIGEN
[email protected]
Moving Mountains
LinkedIn

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

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Vanessa Humes of ICND joins us today to share the top 5 strategies for building a book-direct vacation rental brand. As we often talk about on the podcast, building your house on someone else's land puts your business in a dangerous position - but where do you begin if you want to take business BACK from the OTAs? Whether you're an experienced manager or just starting out in the industry, Vanessa has  great insights and tips that will help you build your business on your own land...because the grass really IS greener, when you water it yourself :)

CONTACT VANESSA HUMES
ICND
LinkedIn
[email protected]

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

Send us a message!