This week I chat with Bri & Jordan from Somerled Designs – an STR design firm where every design decision is backed by strategy.

I almost didn't want to record this episode, because I worried that talking about design wouldn't come across on an audio-only podcast without having imagery examples. But after just a few minutes, I realized that was not going to be an issue at all! Bri & Jordan do not make a single design decision without first determining the strategy for the property, market, and guest avatar, and in this episode they walk us through that entire process.

After this episode, I'll never approach a design project with "aesthetics" first again. The Somerled philosophy will have you convinced that if you follow these steps and do this research first... then your final design will always be a good return on investment!

Click below to see some of the listings mentioned in this episode:

The Pepper Place, Waco TX

Disney House, Kissimmee FL

Howdy House, Scottsdale AZ

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Consider this week's episode your college-level course about investing in hotels. Today Neil Shah is an investor and operator of 10 hotels – but his journey started with him as an immigrant to the US who lived in his uncle's hotel near Disneyland. After grinding there for years, he decided to pursue a Hotel Management & Tourism degree in university... and it shows.

After this episode, I'm convinced Neil will be Professor Shah before we know it. If you've been wanting to learn more about hotel investing, management, and franchising, look no further than today's knowledge-packed episode.

Connect with Neil here.

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In today's episode I chat with partners (in marriage and in business) Matt and Amanda Sanderson – investors and co-founders of strIQ.

You'll remember strIQ from episode 99 where we we broke down how you can go from sifting through thousands of potential STR deals... to, like 6. For real.

You may have used other data analysis tools before to check on deals, but what makes strIQ different is how it instantly pulls MLS data. So you aren't just analyzing "markets", but actually finding profitable properties on sale now!

strIQ's technology allows you to reverse engineer your investing goals. Only want properties that can do 30% CoC return? There's a filter for that. Want listings projected to do $200,000 in annual revenue? There's a filter for that!

If you've been victim to the endless Zillow scroll... you need this.

Use code NOVACANCY20 to save on your strIQ subscription.

Invest with strIQ → investor interest form

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This week I talk with Eric Moeller from Freewyld – a hospitality brand featuring a boutique collection of cabins in Idyllwild, CA, but soon expanding to other nature-based locations across California!

Eric took an incredibly unique approach to building Freewyld. He started with the brand first, before he ever secured a property. In most cases, we hear from hosts who found a property, and then realized it could benefit from having a brand. But Eric is a testament to the reverse. By building the brand FIRST, he was able to (almost effortlessly) attract the perfect property, the perfect investor, the perfect team, and the perfect guests.

Eric's story really shows that "branding" is more than a buzzword. It's the values that turn your entire vision into reality. If you've been procrastinating brand-building as something "to cross off your to-do list", this conversation will challenge you that your brand should be the start and end of every single move your business makes.

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

Book a Freewyld stay

Let's partner?! We're actively looking for 3-5 investors for our latest 5 bedroom, waterfront home in Upstate NY.

→ Fill out this interest form, and I'll send over the pitch deck!

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This week I can’t wait for you all to hear from Dawn Asher from The Olive Jar, an experiential marketing and branding studio for STRs. We’ve all heard over and over and over again how critical branding is… but how do you actually brand your listing when you don’t have the budget and resources that giant million dollar brands do?!

Dawn has decades of experience in this field, and she’s responsible for a lot of the special moments that have made you feel connection with some of your favorite brands. After a big career shift and leaving the corporate world to move into entrepreneurship, Dawn has found a way to bring her years of expertise to the world of STRs.

She walks us through:

1. How to create a brand for your listing

2. How to make your listing more memorable

3. How to make your guests feel an emotional connection with your property

4. And most importantly, how to do this affordable and with a small team!

Read to the blog post about Level Up Your Listing mentioned in this episode.

Connect with Dawn here

Book a free call with The Olive Jar

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This week's episode is such a special treat for anyone who was at Level Up Your Listing Summit. You'll remember Marisa Grover, who was one of our incredible Rising Stars this year. When I asked her on stage during the Rising Stars Panel "what's next for you?", she shot her shot and said her 2025 goal is to be a guest on No Vacancy... and here it is! Our episode together!

Marisa is a GENIUS when it comes to systems and SOPs (standard operating procedures). If you think you've figured out how to document your business practices... think again. Marisa breaks down for us what it actually looks like to have REAL systems that let you step away from your business.

Work with Marisa → https://withmarisa.co/

Connect with Marisa

Check out the Hello & Welcome podcast

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This week I get to talk with Jesse Ray from Growth House! Jesse has an incredible story of going from house hacking (literally, he filled his 5 bedroom home with strangers for roommates to cover his rent).

Before he knew it, Jesse's house became an entrepreneur's mecca. The roommates he attracted were hosting masterminds in the living room, cold plunging in the morning, hosting free real estate meetups in the backyard... you name it. It worked so well, he launched a second co-living space, and just like that, "growth house" was born!

Since then, Jesse has turned Growth House into a full-fledged brand, which now hosts exclusive and invite-only retreats for 7, 8, and 9 figure entrepreneurs and investors.

Connect with Jesse here.

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This week we're keeping up with the Karwells! You'll remember Sarah and Emily from episode 43 where they talked about partnerships and using other people's money to invest. A lot has changed in their business since that episode from two years ago, including... umm... having most of their portfolio WIPED OUT due to regulation, and now starting over with RV camps and micro resorts?!

If there's anyone in this industry who knows how to pivot and adapt, it's these two. If you've been facing the same crippling regulation in your market, or are just ready or a change from single family STRs, you'll love this candid conversation about what the future of this industry looks like.

Thinking of joining us at the Karwells' Retreat in Autocamp Zion?

Use my discount code to save $150 on your ticket 😎

Code: KWXNOVACANCY

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On today's episode of No Vacancy I catch up with Johnny Robinson from Home Service Academy. If you attended Level Up Your Listing then you've heard from Johnny and the HSA team already – You'll recall that Home Service Academy is on a mission to help hosts add an additional revenue stream to their hosting business... with something that you're already doing everyday... managing cleaners!

Johnny walks us through how hosts who have already done the hard work of finding, vetting, and training cleaners, can now use this to build a remote cleaning business. While results aren't guaranteed, Johnny has seen dozens of hosts use this strategy to add $20k+ of monthly revenue.

If you want to learn even more, make sure to RSVP for the free webinar I'll be hosting with Johnny next Tuesday 4/8 at 4PST/7EST. Johnny will be walking through his exact process for building a remote cleaning business. The best part? This will be live so you can ask as many questions as you need to!

REGISTER FOR FREE HERE → https://hubs.li/Q03cRWhs0

Thank you to my sponsors!

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This week’s episode is such a special treat… as this is our first ever LIVE podcast brought to you straight from Level Up Your Listing Summit!

At LUYL I had the pleasure of sitting across from the one and only Kacia Ghetmiri, host of the EmpowerHER podcast.

Before Kacia and her husband ever started investing in real estate, she had a long history of investing in start ups and small businesses – something I’ve been so interested in pursuing, but have had serious self-doubt around. I can project a profitable property all day long, but analyzing a business investment makes me freeze up immediately 😬

It was so fun getting to ask Kacia all about how she identifies a good investment opportunity in the world of business, AND discuss some of the mindset issues that hold investors back from going after anything that feels unfamiliar.

Connect with Kacia here and check out her podcast here.

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