Jonathan Farber catches up with longtime friend Mike Rama, founder of Brands Meet Creators, about how the company evolved from a UGC job board and coaching community into a TikTok Shop marketplace built for brands and creators. Mike walks through the jump from quitting his corporate job in 2020 to a business that has worked with more than 70,000 creators and driven over $100 million in trackable TikTok Shop revenue.

Mike opens up about why he moved away from high-touch agency campaigns and coaching toward a leaner, subscription-based software business, what that shift did to his team size and margins, and how he protects his own time to keep building. The conversation also covers the four different ways businesses can actually work with creators, and when each one makes sense depending on the product and the market.

We get into:

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber

Michael Dinwiddie manages about 30 short-term rentals plus a boutique hotel in Washington, and he built the business so it doesn't need him in it every day. In this episode he walks through the jump from 3 to 17 properties overnight, why that forced him to hire a real team and document everything, and how he turned a "second brain" in Notion into the operating system for the whole company.

That second brain eventually outgrew Notion, so Michael started building Rental Mind, an AI-powered operations platform purpose-built for rental managers. We talk about what AI has done to the speed and cost of building software, the "magic importer" that pulls thousands of tasks out of Notion and Monday.com, and the real goal behind all of it: taking a full week off without a laptop or a dinner-time guest call.

We get into:

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber

Tanya Rooney owns four short-term rentals in Saint Paul and Minneapolis and touches them about two hours a week. Not because the market did her any favors, but because she hired an assistant, a cleaning crew, inspectors, a handy person and a revenue manager, and then got out of the way. In her words: her job is to avoid work.

She left corporate real estate at CBRE to flip houses, and only ended up in short-term rentals because a flip wouldn't sell at her number. Today she calls herself an investor who happens to run a hospitality business — and she's putting most of her energy into Wealth in Her Hands, a coaching cohort built around getting more women into ownership.

We get into:

• The stack that runs the portfolio without her: PriceLabs for pricing, Breezeway for cleaning and inspection checklists, HostBuddy AI for guest messaging
• How she hires inspectors out of neighborhood Facebook groups at $20 to $30 an hour, and the screening process that filters out everyone who can't follow directions
• Why she thinks passive investing is a lie
• Cost segregation, real estate professional status, and how consulting income fits into the tax strategy
• Why she's buying alongside her students instead of just teaching them
• The one property in the portfolio that may need to go

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest:  Tanya Rooney

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast 

📅 Episode Recorded: 2026 

📍 Topics: Short-Term Rentals, Property Management, Systems & Automation, Hiring, Tax Strategy, Coaching

Andre Galaviz spent his W-2 career building and integrating systems, started buying rentals during COVID, and got laid off last year - so he turned the duct-taped stack he'd built for his own units into MTRO Pro. He breaks down why midterm operators end up cobbling long-term and short-term tools together, what that chaos actually costs you past three units, and how he went from Zapier hacks to shipping real software with Lovable and Cursor.

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest:  Andre Galaviz

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast 

📅 Episode Recorded: 2026 

📍 Topics: Midterm Rentals, PropTech, AI & Automation, Real Estate Investing, Founder Journey

Vivian Yip worked at Apple for seven years and lost her hair to burnout. That was her tipping point — she pivoted out of corporate, out of short-term rentals during the pandemic Airbnb collapse, and into the 30-day model before anyone was talking about it. One family booking for three months, one construction crew for seven, and she realized she could double long-term rent with two guests a year.

Today she manages 25 properties in about 10% of her time and spends the rest building CrewHomes, a corporate housing platform that matches vetted relocation and insurance clients to single-family homes — with move-in lead times as tight as 2.1 days.

We get into:

• Why she killed the commission and membership models and moved to subleasing
• The tool stack: Journey vs. Hospitable vs. OwnerRez, make.com over Zapier, and where AI messaging actually earns trust
• Her framework for deciding which property improvements are worth it: can money solve it, and does it create competitive advantage
• The $16 Amazon grab bar that makes you searchable to 10,000 Americans turning 60 every day
• Why she hires athletes — and asks her best people who else is looking

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest:  Vivian Yip

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast 

📅 Episode Recorded: 2026 

📍 Topics: Midterm Rentals, Corporate Housing, Property Management, Automation, Hiring, Operational Strategy

Most entrepreneurs and real estate investors are stuck in a rut, thinking they need more properties to hit their lifestyle goals. Becky Nova, founder of Lady Landlords and full-time investor, reveals how she built a powerful, cash-flowing portfolio across two countries—without hiring a single property manager. Her secret? Streamlining operations with tech, managing her properties herself, and making deliberate choices that prioritize lifestyle over endless expansion.

In this episode, Becky shares exactly how she manages 16 rental properties in the US and Dominican Republic with only four hours a month of effort—yes, four hours! She breaks down her system for self-managing across borders, choosing properties that generate over $20,000 monthly profit, and how she leverages her portfolio to fund an internationally mobile life, complete with European summers and beachfront living. You'll discover her innovative approach to digital organization, the importance of evaluating people over deals in private lending, and her mindset for delayed gratification and lifestyle design.

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest: Becky Nova

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast 

📅 Episode Recorded: 2025 

📍 Topics: Real Estate, Property Management, Client Experience, Operational Strategy, Investment

From corporate accountant to real estate tax strategist, Ryan shares his journey and blueprint for dominating a niche. Learn how he transitioned, stood out, and built a profitable specialty you can apply too!

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest: Ryan Bakke

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast

 📅 Episode Recorded: 2025 

📍 Topics: Real Estate, Property Management, Client Experience, Operational Strategy, Investment

Join us in this insightful episode as we dive into the world of midterm rentals with Shona Lepis, the mastermind behind "She's Got Assets." 

Shona shares her journey from a lifelong entrepreneur to a full-time investor, revealing her passion for mid-term rentals and creative financing. Discover how she manages her portfolio, coaches aspiring investors, and navigates the challenges of real estate with a focus on community and relationship-building. 

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, Shona's strategies and experiences offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to maximize cash flow and build wealth through real estate.

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest:  Shona Lepis

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast 

📅 Episode Recorded: 2025 

📍 Topics: Real Estate, Property Management, Client Experience, Operational Strategy, Investment

Join us as we dive into the world of short-term rentals with Brandon from BK Stays. Discover how he transitioned from a career in college athletics to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the short-term rental industry. 

Brandon shares insights on revenue optimization, co-hosting strategies, and the importance of adapting to market trends. Whether you're a seasoned property manager or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable tips and real-world experiences to help you thrive in the competitive rental market.

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest:  Brandon Pottebaum

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast 

📅 Episode Recorded: 2025 

📍 Topics: Real Estate, Property Management, Client Experience, Operational Strategy, Investment

Join us as we dive into the world of short-term rentals with Joe Rohne, a seasoned real estate investor and co-hosting expert. 

Discover how Joe transitioned from acquiring his first short-term rental to managing a thriving co-hosting business with properties across Branson, Missouri, and Panama City Beach. Learn about the strategies he employs to maintain high guest satisfaction, the importance of personal connections, and his unique approach to real estate investing. 

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, Joe's insights on scaling a successful rental business and building lasting relationships with clients are invaluable. Tune in for an engaging conversation filled with practical advice and inspiring stories.

🎙 Hosted by: Jonathan Farber 

👤 Guest:  Joe Rohne

🎧 Podcast: The Scaling Made Simple Podcast 

📅 Episode Recorded: 2025 

📍 Topics: Real Estate, Property Management, Client Experience, Operational Strategy, Investment