What if the secret to better bookings wasn't flashier photos or bigger marketing budgets—but simply finding the right words?

In this episode, we sit down with Genevieve White, a travel copywriter and coach based in Scotland's remote Shetland Islands. Genevieve helps vacation rental hosts and tourism businesses move beyond bland, AI-generated content to create messaging that actually connects with guests.

You'll discover why copywriting isn't about grammar perfection or clever wordplay—it's about understanding who you're writing for and having the confidence to tell your story authentically. Genevieve shares her proven frameworks for identifying your ideal guest, developing your unique brand voice, and transforming everyday moments (like feeding sheep with apples) into compelling stories that inspire bookings.

Whether you're struggling with a blank page or feeling like your website sounds too generic, this conversation will give you practical tools to write copy that sounds like you—not a travel brochure. If you've ever thought "I'm just not a good writer," Genevieve's approach will change your mind.

🎧 Connect with Genevieve White

Ready to transform how you write about your vacation rental? Genevieve offers both done-for-you copywriting services and coaching to help you develop the skills yourself.

Join Campion Club: Genevieve's twice-weekly email list shares copywriting insights wrapped in stories from her life and work. It's her number one priority for building community with travel professionals who want to write better copy. Sign up at campioncopy.com

Grab Her Book: Boldly Go is the definitive copywriting guide for travel and tourism professionals who want to move beyond generic language toward copy that genuinely connects.

Follow Genevieve:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

"Your website is everything. It's your marketing. It's your digital front door."

Frank Bosi from Hostfully knows what separates hosts who struggle with direct bookings from those who thrive. In this episode of Booked Solid, Frank shares the small, intentional steps that build sustainable direct booking revenue—without burning out. From his luxury hotel background at Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons to leading partnerships at one of the industry's most customer-obsessed property management platforms, Frank breaks down exactly how to build trust, create seamless guest experiences, and finally take control of your booking channels. If you're tired of feeling stuck on OTAs or wondering why your website isn't converting, this conversation will change how you think about your direct booking strategy.

🤝 Connect with Frank Bosi

Want to learn more about how Hostfully can transform your vacation rental operations? Frank and his team are ready to help you build sustainable direct booking revenue.

Book a Demo: Schedule time with Frank
LinkedIn: Connect with Frank Bosi
Hostfully Profile: Learn more about Frank's work

Special Offer for Booked Solid Listeners:

Use code SOLID to receive $500 off your Hostfully onboarding fee.

"We know we can't be there to get guests what they need, so we're constantly thinking—what do they need? What will they think they need, and how can we have it there before they know they need it?"

In this episode of Booked Solid, Moira Sedgwick shares how years of working with luxury hotel chains and the James Beard Awards shaped her approach to short-term rentals. You'll discover why thinking like a boutique hotel operator—not just a host—can transform your guest experience and market positioning. Moira walks through her framework for designing spaces that feel like a "wealthy auntie's home," how to audit your property through a hospitality lens, and why the details guests notice most are often the ones you overlook. Whether you're launching your first property or scaling a portfolio, this conversation reveals what it takes to stand out in saturated markets.

🔗 Connect with Moira Sedgwick

Want to learn more about Moira's approach to boutique hospitality and design? Follow her work and reach out:

Instagram: @achalet.collective
Website: achaletcollective.com
Email: [email protected]

"Now operators are no longer just spending 3% of their business for lead gen from Airbnb. They're now spending 15.5%."

Airbnb's latest fee structure changes everything—but are you ready to take control? Orlie Benjamin, founder of Lasoh and former marketing leader, breaks down why now is the moment for vacation rental operators to build their own direct booking infrastructure.

In this episode, you'll discover why owning your guest relationships is no longer optional, how to think about your marketing budget differently, and the critical first steps to reducing platform dependence. Whether you're just starting your direct booking journey or ready to scale your existing strategy, this conversation reveals the marketing mindset shift that separates operators who survive from those who thrive.

Connect With Orlie 🔗

Website: lasoh.io
LinkedIn: Orlie Benjamin
Instagram: @orlie.benjamin
Lasoh LinkedIn: Company Page
Lasoh Instagram: @lasoh.io
Lasoh Facebook: Facebook Page
Lasoh Facebook Group: Community
YouTube: Lasoh Channel

Orlie is genuinely open to connecting with operators at any stage of their direct booking journey. Book a free demo on the Lasoh website—even if the platform isn't the right fit for you right now, she'll help you figure out your next step and connect you with resources that can help.

"The goal is to automate the annoying so you can focus on the amazing."

In this episode, Gil sits down with Sean McGregor, founder of NoCodeSTR.com, to explore how vacation rental hosts can reclaim their time without sacrificing guest experience. Sean has hosted over 5,000 groups on Airbnb while maintaining a 4.98★ rating since 2018—all while traveling through 40+ countries with his family.

What's his secret? A powerful combination of no-code automation tools and AI that handle the repetitive tasks most hosts dread. From guest communication to review management, Sean shares exactly how he maintains a 100% five-star rating even during a 3.5-week road trip through the Balkans.

If you've ever felt chained to your phone answering the same guest questions or wondered how to scale without burning out, this conversation will show you a better way. Sean breaks down the tools, mindset, and systems that let hosts run professional operations from anywhere in the world.

🔗 Connect with Sean McGregor

Ready to automate the annoying parts of your vacation rental business? Sean offers a free 5-day course at NoCodeSTR.com that walks you through building your first automations step by step.

Follow Sean's journey and learn more:

• Website: NoCodeSTR.com
• YouTube: @NoCodeSTR
• LinkedIn: Sean McGregor

"As long as you're providing value, hopefully your marketing will be mostly perceived generously and people will want to receive it."

What if the key to competing with major OTAs wasn't just about building a better website—but capturing data from every single guest who stays at your property? Arthur Colker, Founder & CEO of StayFi, discovered this truth while helping a New Orleans property manager escape 99% OTA dependency.

In this episode, he shares how a WiFi-based data capture solution evolved into a full guest marketing platform powering direct bookings across vacation rentals, boutique hotels, and hospitality brands. Arthur reveals why guest data ownership is the biggest missed opportunity in short-term rentals, how diversifying channels matters more than eliminating OTAs entirely, and the groundbreaking StayFinder meta-search tool launching soon that will let travelers compare direct booking prices against major platforms.

Whether you're managing 2 properties or 200, Arthur's insights on guest data strategy and the evolving hospitality tech landscape will reshape how you think about building an independent brand.

🌐 Connect with Arthur Colker

LinkedIn: Arthur Colker
Company: StayFi
StayFinder: Launching soon—the direct booking meta-search tool that lets travelers compare prices directly with property managers

In this episode, Jessica Gillingham, CEO of Abode Worldwide and author of "Tech-Enabled Hospitality," challenges the notion that automation and personalization can't coexist. As a strategic advisor to transformative technology companies across the global hospitality sector and host of the Pillow Talk Sessions podcast, Jessica brings a unique perspective on building category leaders.

From revealing why 90% of hosts only use 30-40% of their PMS capabilities to explaining how Netflix-style personalization could revolutionize guest experiences, Jessica shares insights from interviewing over 30 industry leaders. Whether you're managing one property or a hundred, you'll discover why the future of hospitality isn't about choosing between technology and human connection—it's about using one to amplify the other.

🔗 Connect with Jessica

• Book: Tech-Enabled Hospitality
• LinkedIn: Jessica Gillingham
• Company: Abode Worldwide
• Podcast: Pillow Talk Sessions
• Free Resource: Abode Worldwide Short-Term Rental Index 2026 (available at abodeworldwide.com)

Building a high-performing short-term rental isn't about throwing money at renovations and hoping for results. It's about strategic design choices that create a destination guests actively seek out—not just settle for.

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin breaks down his proven framework for transforming underperforming properties into revenue powerhouses. From identifying the right foundation before you buy, to niching down with precision, to leveraging photography that tells an irresistible story—Mark shares the exact steps his team at STR Cribs uses to help operators double their revenue.

You'll learn how to analyze your competition without copying them, why most properties fail to differentiate themselves, and the small intentional touches that convert browsers into bookers. Whether you're acquiring your first property or refreshing an existing portfolio, this conversation will shift how you think about design, marketing, and guest experience.

🔗 Connect with Mark Lumpkin

• Company: STR Cribs
• LinkedIn: Mark Lumpkin on LinkedIn
• Instagram: @strcribs
• YouTube: STR Cribs YouTube Channel

"The way that people choose travel, they consider bookings. It has culturally shifted from even 10 years ago, five years ago, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. They are experience first, location second." - Annie Sloan

The hospitality landscape has fundamentally changed. Today's travelers aren't just booking a place to stay—they're curating entire experiences before they even choose their destination. Annie Sloan, Co-Founder and CEO of The Host Co, joins us to reveal how direct booking amenities are becoming the secret weapon for property managers who want to stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

In this episode, you'll discover why the traditional approach of competing solely on location and price is no longer sufficient, and how forward-thinking hosts are building entire brands around the experiences they can provide. From mobile tattoo artists at Coachella properties to barrel saunas delivered to remote cabins, Annie shares real examples of hosts who've transformed their businesses by thinking beyond accommodation.

🔗 Connect with Annie Sloan

Learn more about The Host Co and follow Annie's insights:

• Website: www.thehost.co
• LinkedIn: Annie Sloan on LinkedIn

"Stop making Airbnb more money. Do not ever send someone another Airbnb link. You are the problem. Owning your customer is the most important part of any successful business strategy."

This raw admission from Nikkei Rosenberg, owner of Staylah Rentals with over 100 properties under management, captures exactly what's broken—and what's possible—in our industry. While most hosts chase occupancy rates and revenue per available room, Nikkei has built her empire on something far more valuable: unshakeable brand standards that turn first-time guests into repeat customers.

In this episode, Nikkei reveals how she scaled from managing individual properties to commanding a portfolio across multiple Southeast markets, all while maintaining the kind of consistency that makes guests choose her brand over browsing endless Airbnb listings. Her approach isn't just about better hospitality—it's about creating a direct booking engine powered by trust.

🌟 Connect with Nikkei

• Instagram
• Staylah.com