The Accommodation Show - Hospitality Success Series!

Managing from a distance works fine. Operating from a distance doesn't. In this episode of The Accommodation Show, Fred Cercena from Getaway VR breaks down how he manages 70+ vacation rentals across Vermont and Maine from his base in New York.

Fred shares why remote management requires physical local hubs for supplies, how he built an internal promotion track that turned a local housekeeper into a General Manager running two states, and why keeping your tech stack small beats constantly chasing new software.

We also dive into his lean tech setup—including Streamline PMS, SendSquared CRM, dynamic pricing with a dedicated revenue manager, and using Claude AI via MCP connectors to run nightly audits across system data.

Guest: Fred Cercena, Founder of Getaway VR

Website: getawayvr.com

📋 In this episode, we discuss:

00:00 - Introduction & Managing 70 Properties from NY

03:10 - Car Sales Marketing Tactics Applied to STR Photos

07:25 - Doubling Portfolio Size via Business Acquisition

11:40 - The Reality of Remote Management: Why You Still Need a Local Hub

16:15 - Building a Team: Promoting Housekeepers to General Managers

20:50 - Why You Must Earn the Right to Step Out of Daily Operations

25:30 - Being Known in the Community (Chamber of Commerce)

30:10 - The Lean Tech Stack: Streamline, SendSquared, & SMS Agreements

34:45 - Dynamic Pricing: Treating PriceLabs Like a Ferrari

39:00 - Running Nightly AI Audits on PMS Data via Claude MCP

43:15 - 3 Rules for Expanding Into Remote Markets

#ShortTermRentals #RemotePropertyManagement #PropertyManagement

SHOW LINKS

Getaway VR — getawayvr.com

Streamline PMS — streamlinevrs.com

SendSquared — sendsquared.com

PriceLabs — pricelabs.co

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button! This keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧 Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources: https://www.ibooked.online/bart/🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here: https://www.theaccommodationshow.com✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE: https://www.striveconferences.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.

Affiliate Disclaimer:This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

Every operator eventually hits the stage where they decide it’s time to stop relying on OTAs and build a real brand. But hiring a designer and building a website isn't enough. In this episode of The Accommodation Show, Miles Hobson, Head of Marketing at Hospitable, breaks down what a real short-term rental brand actually is and how to build one that drives repeat direct bookings.Miles shares the "Nike vs. Hyatt" branding framework, explains why custom direct booking websites fail without a traffic strategy, and reveals how Hospitable scaled to 24,000+ hosts and 200,000+ doors largely through organic word-of-mouth.We explore practical, low-cost grassroots tactics to build brand equity—from local coffee shop partnerships and in-home QR codes to using AI tools to define your brand voice.Guest: Miles Hobson, Head of Marketing, HospitableWebsite: hospitable.com📋 In this episode, we discuss:00:00 - Introduction & Hospitable's Global Scale03:10 - How Hospitable Scaled to 24,000+ Clients via Word-of-Mouth07:45 - What is a Brand? The Nike vs. Hyatt Framework12:15 - Why Your Direct Booking Website Isn't the First Priority16:40 - Low-Cost Grassroots Tactics for Local Brand Building21:10 - Using AI to Refine Your Brand Voice & Values26:30 - In-Home Touchpoints That Turn OTA Guests Into Direct Bookers31:00 - 3 Steps to Start Building Your STR Brand Today#ShortTermRentals #DirectBookings #PropertyManagementSHOW LINKSHospitable — hospitable.comDon't forget to hit that subscribe button! This keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources: https://www.ibooked.online/bart/🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here: https://www.theaccommodationshow.com✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE: https://www.striveconferences.com▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.Affiliate Disclaimer:This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

Most broken processes survive in business for years because fixing them means stopping work that pays to do work that doesn't. When new tax laws hit Wanaka, Kim Stewart turned a 200-invoice monthly nightmare into a 10-minute automated sync.In this episode of The Accommodation Show, Kim Stewart from Lakeview Properties shares how she bought a 25-property business running on spreadsheets, kept 95 percent of owners during the transition, and tripled her portfolio.We explore how she navigated major New Zealand GST changes, modernized her PMS and dynamic pricing stack, and trained herself to stop reacting to every guest message.Guest: Kim Stewart, Owner, Lakeview PropertiesWebsite: lakeview-properties.com📋 In this episode, we discuss:00:00 - Buying an STR business and keeping 95% of owners03:15 - Why year one is about not rocking the boat08:40 - Running 25 properties on manual spreadsheets14:20 - The New Zealand GST tax shift that broke the business20:10 - Slashing 200 manual invoices down to a 10-minute sync26:35 - Building the tech stack: Hostaway, PriceLabs, Sweeply33:15 - Why small-town operators need to leave the building38:00 - Training yourself to stop reacting to guest comms#PropertyManagement #STRGrowth #ShortTermRentalsSHOW LINKSLakeview Properties — lakeview-properties.comHostaway — hostaway.comPriceLabs — pricelabs.coXero — xero.comSTRive — striveconferences.comDon't forget to hit that subscribe button! This keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community:https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources:https://www.ibooked.online/bart/🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here:https://www.theaccommodationshow.com✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE:https://www.striveconferences.com▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.Affiliate Disclaimer:This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

Conventional logic says you must dominate one market before expanding. BNB Breeze ignored that rule and built a 175-property business across 14 states.

In this episode of The Accommodation Show, Heather Schlabach (COO of BNB Breeze) explains why following real estate investors across 14 states created a resilient national portfolio, and why taking on 50 properties in a single local market (Sarasota) was actually harder than operating nationally.

Heather shares how her team recruits boots-on-the-ground cleaners using local community networks, standardises spec sheets across hundreds of listings, and relies on three core values to empower remote contractors to make decisions independently.

Guest: Heather Schlabach, Co-Owner & COO, BNB Breeze

Website: bnbbreeze.co [confirm URL]

📋 In this episode, we discuss:

00:00 - Scaling 175 properties across 14 states centrally

05:54 - Following investors instead of chasing single markets

08:03 - Finding cleaners on street corners and church networks

11:38 - Why acquiring 50 homes in Sarasota broke their systems

14:33 - Warehouse logistics vs direct cleaner shipping

18:29 - Standardising setup spec sheets and biannual deep cleans

21:23 - The 3 company values that replace micromanagement

25:15 - How to evaluate multi-market expansion

#STRManagement #PropertyManagement #ShortTermRentals

SHOW LINKS

BNB Breeze: bnbbreeze.co [confirm URL]

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button! This keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/

🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity

🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources: https://www.ibooked.online/bart/

🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here: https://www.theaccommodationshow.com

✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE: https://www.striveconferences.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊

Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?

The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.

🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.

Affiliate Disclaimer:

This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.

This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.

If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

Sourcing all your bookings from OTAs is costing you thousands in hidden commission fees. In this episode of The Accommodation Show, Rose Tipka from Your Family's Place breaks down how spending $3,500 on direct marketing generated over $100,000 in direct bookings in a single month: saving up to $20,000 in platform commissions.

Rose shares her exact ad budget breakdown, how she caught OTAs bidding on her personal name on Google Search, and why niche family-first hospitality creates a 70% direct booking rate.

Guest: Rose Tipka, Founder, Your Family's Place

Website: yourfamilysplace.com

📋 In this episode, we discuss:

00:00 - Introduction & Building 15,000 Sq Ft Custom Rentals

03:15 - Turning $3,500 Marketing Spend Into $100,000 Direct Revenue

08:40 - Why OTAs Were Bidding on Rose's Personal Name

14:20 - The "Waist-Down Rule" for Stress-Free Family Stays

20:10 - Splitting Meta and Google Ads for Maximum ROI

26:35 - The "Friendly Aunt" Email Marketing Strategy

33:15 - How Interactive Floor Plans Increase Website Conversions

38:00 - 3 Simple Steps to Start Collecting Guest Emails Today

#DirectBookings #VacationRentalMarketing #HospitalityManagement #AccommodationShow #BookDirect

SHOW LINKS

Your Family's Place: yourfamilysplace.com

Hosting in the Motherhood: instagram.com/hostinginthemotherhood

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button! This keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/

🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community:https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity

🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources:

https://www.ibooked.online/bart/

🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here:

https://www.theaccommodationshow.com

✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE:

https://www.striveconferences.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊

Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?

The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.

🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.

Affiliate Disclaimer:

This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.

This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.

If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

Marriott International owns just 50 of its 9,500 hotels worldwide. They are not in the real estate business; they are in the hospitality business.

In this episode of The Accommodation Show, former Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis PR director Katie Cline breaks down how to apply luxury hotel secrets to your short-term rental portfolio. Katie shares how she built a high-performing 3-property portfolio, landed a full-page feature in The New York Times, and identified her personal "unfair advantage."

We discuss shifting from a real estate mindset to a guest-experience lens, pitching media outlets without paying a PR agency, and why buying a vacation rental first can unlock financial flexibility faster than traditional home ownership.

Guest: Katie Cline, Host, Second Home First & Suite Success

Website: secondhomefirst.com [confirm URL]

📋 In this episode, we discuss:

00:00 - Introduction & Katie Cline's Luxury Hotel Background

01:26 - Applying Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis PR Secrets to STRs

03:30 - Leaving Corporate London & Rethinking Life Goals

05:10 - Skipping a $1.4M NYC Flat to Buy a Second Home First

12:00 - Why Marriott Owns Less Than 0.5% of Its Hotels

15:12 - "Everyone Has an Unfair Advantage": Landing The NYT

28:18 - How STR Cash Flow Funded a Primary Home Renovation

38:15 - 3 Rules for Designing a Flexible Financial Future

#HotelSecrets #ShortTermRentals #AccommodationShow

SHOW LINKS

Second Home First — secondhomefirst.com [confirm URL]

Suite Success Podcast — suitesuccess.com [confirm URL]

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button! This keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community:https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources:https://www.ibooked.online/bart/🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here:https://www.theaccommodationshow.com✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE:https://www.striveconferences.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.

Affiliate Disclaimer:This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

Awards look like vanity. Follow the money and they're anything but.Strong reviews get you noticed by the travel companies. The travel companies hand out the awards. The awards generate PR. The PR creates demand. And demand is the only thing that gives you the confidence to charge what you're worth.Marco DiDomizio and his husband left corporate careers in New York, bought an underperforming nine-room inn in 2016 with no hospitality experience between them, and spent nine years turning it into the top-rated bed and breakfast in the United States three years running and one of the top thirty hotels in the world. Then they sold it profitably in 2025.In this episode Marco walks through the actual sequence. The question he asks about every operational decision, which renovations pay back and which ones are just for you, the renovation loan they recouped in a single night, how to build a personal touchpoint into a stay when you can't be on site, and the checkout ritual that reliably turns good stays into public reviews.Every operator would like the award. Almost nobody can tell you the sequence that produces one.#BedAndBreakfast #GuestExperience #HotelMarketingDon't forget to hit that subscribe button! This also keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community:https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources:https://www.ibooked.online/bart/🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here:https://www.theaccommodationshow.com✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE:https://www.striveconferences.com▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.Affiliate Disclaimer:This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

She Got Hung Up On. Three Years Later She Has Nine Properties.

Cathleen Cataldo's first sales call ended when the prospect asked how many properties she managed. She said she was still in the process. The woman said she wanted someone who knew what they were doing, and hung up.

Three years later she runs nine short-term rentals in the Poconos, with fourteen on the way.

In this episode we get into the honest version of starting a short-term rental business. Not the guru version. How she landed her first co-hosting client with no properties and no track record, the tech stack she set up before she owned anything, why she kept her corporate job for two full years, and why local knowledge is still a moat in an era of remote management.

If you've been thinking about starting, Cathleen had no capital, no property, and no hospitality background. And if you've been doing this for a decade, watch what a new operator reaches for by default. The starting line has moved.

Cathleen Cataldo — Founder, Discovered In Travels

🌐 discoveredintravels.com

📋 In this episode, we discuss:

00:00 – Meet Cathleen Cataldo: from corporate fashion to short-term rentals

01:36 – Why she operates in the Poconos, not New York

02:15 – "You can't outsource local": the hometown advantage

03:22 – Competing in one of America's most saturated STR markets

04:28 – Amenities get the clicks, experience gets the five-star review

05:25 – How reviews drive the OTA algorithm and your rankings

07:03 – Co-hosting vs owning: how her portfolio is actually structured

07:50 – Leaving corporate America to build something of her own

08:50 – "If you build one, I'll learn how to manage it"

10:03 – The first sales call that ended with a hang-up

11:27 – Faking it till you make it (and why that never really stops)

12:46 – The internship that changed everything

15:22 – The truth about STR gurus and no-money-down promises

16:29 – Why hospitality mindset beats hospitality experience

17:30 – Keeping her corporate job for two years while building

18:28 – Stay in short-term rentals before you run one

20:15 – Setting up a PMS before owning a single property

20:59 – The full tech stack for a new STR business

23:52 – Why PriceLabs over her PMS's built-in pricing

24:36 – Direct booking sites for owned vs co-hosted properties

25:03 – Automating cleaning and keyless check-in

26:30 – Her advice: start in a market you actually know

28:07 – The local logistics most new operators overlook

SHOW LINKS

Discovered In Travels — https://www.discoveredintravels.com

Hospitable — https://hospitable.com

PriceLabs — https://hello.pricelabs.co

Turno — https://turno.com

Schlage — https://www.schlage.com

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button! This also keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/

🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community:

https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity

🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources:

https://www.ibooked.online/bart/

🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here:

https://www.theaccommodationshow.com

✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE:

https://www.striveconferences.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊

Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?

The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.

🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.

I have always believed that looking for your next door can blind you to the gold mine right in front of you, but scaling past seven hundred thousand listings while keeping your core values entirely intact is something else altogether. To open the new season, we are looking directly inside the engine room of one of the most significant data companies in the short-term rental industry.

00:00 - Introduction: The 700,000 listing milestone 🎙️

01:09 - Managing cross-border friction across an 11-hour gap 🌏

02:51 - Adding 65,000 properties in three months while bootstrapped 📈

04:52 - Chicago origin story: Solving a spare summer bedroom problem 🏠

05:23 - The united approach: Applying aviation data models to vacation rentals ✈️

09:04 - Scaling to 350 team members without outside venture funding 💸

10:40 - The mathematics of international scale: Numbers require no translation 🔢

13:15 - Peeling the onion of global expansion and hyper-local data trends 🧅

15:22 - Mitigating known and unknown product risks iteratively ⚙️

18:09 - Backend simplicity: Preventing maintenance from compounding 🔧

20:16 - Function over form: The raw JavaScript MVP that outlasted pretty designs 💻

23:55 - Deeply understanding your problem and staying in minimum viable product mode 🧠

27:25 - The modern revenue manager: Shifting from manual tweaks to high-level strategy 📊

34:17 - Overcoming adoption friction: Bringing the offline travel industry online 🖥️

40:04 - The Equal Pedestal: Cracking the co-founder trust framework over 12 years ⚖️

57:01 - Communication flows: Eliminating check-up overhead through absolute trust 🏁

SHOW LINKS:

PriceLabs Dashboard: https://pricelabs.co

PriceLabs 2026 Strategy Updates: https://hello.pricelabs.co/blog/

Evan Haskel Revenue Management (Mentioned): https://www.synchronest.com

The Accommodation Show: https://www.theaccommodationshow.com

#PriceLabs #RevenueManagement #ShortTermRentals

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/

🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community:

https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity

🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources:

https://www.ibooked.online/bart/

🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here:

https://www.theaccommodationshow.com

✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE:

https://www.striveconferences.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊

Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?

The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.

🥊 https://www.ibooked.online ​​​​​​​​​​​🥊

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.

Affiliate Disclaimer:

This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.

This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.

If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.

There are only two ways to survive an oversupplied market. You stand out, or you drop your prices. Most operators pick the second option without realising they've made a choice at all.

Bali's Airbnb listings have grown from roughly 40,000 to over 70,000. Supply overtook demand in 2025. Market ADRs have dropped 20 to 30 percent in two years.

Villa Finder's ADR dropped 6 percent.

In this episode I sit down with Daniel Rouquette, founder of Villa Finder, to break down exactly how they did it. The Villa Positioning Plan, guest personas built with AI, the record player in the hero photo, the $200 family kit that changes what market you compete in, and how to make invisible service visible through reviews.

Whatever market you're in, supply is probably growing faster than demand. Bali is just the loudest version of what's happening everywhere. This is the playbook for holding your rates while everyone else quietly cuts theirs.

scuss:

00:00 – Introduction: Daniel Rouquette, founder of Villa Finder01:16 – The Bali gold rush is over: standing out in an overcrowded market03:13 – The three big topics: regulation, oversupply, and AI04:10 – ADRs down 20-30%: how supply overtook demand in 202505:27 – Why $500 salaries kept Bali from automating (and why AI changes that)09:05 – The numbers: 40,000 to 70,000+ listings, and the missing European market11:22 – Who stays in villas: families, groups, and the supply problem14:08 – The Villa Positioning Plan: personas, AI research, and standing out14:47 – The record player trick (picked up at STRive Melbourne)16:37 – How Villa Finder held ADR to -6% while the market fell 20%19:54 – Making invisible service visible: reviews that name staff, 15-minute callbacks24:52 – Standardisation vs personalisation across a portfolio26:46 – The $200 family kit: pool toys, baby cots, and changing your category27:31 – Why Bali never automated, and the opportunity that just opened31:10 – 50 staff vs 5: the real difference between Bali and Western operations33:10 – The rise of operations management as its own software category35:53 – Daniel's AI bootcamp: train the person who knows the process, not the techie39:51 – The one thing to do this week: block time to think with AI41:25 – Wrap-up

#STRPositioning #BaliVillas #ShortTermRentals

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button! This also keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/🌍 Join the Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community:https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity🔗 Connect with Bart Sobies for industry insights, tools, and resources:https://www.ibooked.online/bart/🎙 Catch every episode of The Accommodation Show here:https://www.theaccommodationshow.com✨ Ready to take things up a level? Come to STRIVE:https://www.striveconferences.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊

Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.

🥊 https://www.ibooked.online 🥊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.