Scaling a property management business across international borders while maintaining culture and quality seems impossible—until you meet someone who's done it. In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Christian Gissing, founder of True North Property Management, about building a multi-country vacation rental empire that operates in the US, Jamaica, the UK, Bali, and Mexico while helping friends achieve financial freedom.


What you'll learn:

• How to harness personal energy in your first hour each day to impact your entire team's performance and culture
• The branch manager program model that allows partners to leverage your systems while managing local operations independently
• Why building a business designed for exit creates better operations, margins, and sellability regardless of your actual plans
• The critical importance of firing quickly when employees violate core values instead of nurturing people who won't change
• How to identify the specific type of entrepreneur who will flourish with your business model in any market
• Practical steps for navigating international expansion including taxation, labor laws, and local partnerships
  
  

Christian Gissing founded True North Property Management 11 years ago in Traverse City, Michigan, with the vision to create a life he didn't need a vacation from. Starting from scratch with a bootstrap approach, Christian has expanded operations across four countries and is currently onboarding 800 units in Jamaica alone. His innovative branch manager program allows friends and qualified entrepreneurs to leverage True North's complete back-end infrastructure—technology, systems, human resources—while maintaining local market focus and owner relationships. Christian's leadership philosophy emphasizes self-perpetuating growth, where teams thrive with or without founder input.


In this conversation, Christian shares his "failed my way to success" philosophy and the hard lessons learned about protecting company culture. He explains why founders must fire themselves from operational roles to unlock business potential, how focusing on team transformation creates fulfillment beyond cash flow, and why making your first hour sacred for energy management impacts everyone you touch. Christian also discusses his involvement with Stakeholders, a rollup opportunity for property managers seeking liquidity events, and why thinking like you're building to exit transforms business quality immediately.


This episode is sponsored by RevMax.


If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show




The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

When hurricanes strike repeatedly and booking windows collapse from a year to two weeks, how do property managers not just survive but build stronger operations?


In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Casey Alderman, Property Manager at Parsley-Baldwin Realty, about transforming crisis management into competitive advantage while maintaining luxury service standards on Florida's exclusive Boca Grande island.


What you'll learn:

• How proactive hurricane preparation weeks in advance builds unshakable trust with homeowners and simplifies post-disaster recovery
• Why personal relationships and genuine connection drive guest loyalty more than property amenities or competitive pricing
• Creative pricing strategies using length-of-stay pricing and flexible scheduling that protect market value without rate slashing
• The personality traits and cultural fit factors that matter most when hiring for white-glove luxury property management
• How technology automation frees hours weekly for relationship building while maintaining operational excellence
• Practical adaptation strategies for navigating shortened booking windows and unprecedented market disruption
  
  

Casey Alderman serves as Property Manager at Parsley-Baldwin Realty in Boca Grande, Florida, where she has spent the last two years navigating what she describes as "unprecedented event one after the other." With eight years of property management experience spanning university housing, apartment complexes, and luxury vacation rentals, Casey has refined her approach through Hurricane Ian, COVID-19, Hurricane Helene, and Hurricane Milton. Her leadership on the boutique seven-mile island, where competitors are also close friends and celebrity guests expect exceptional service, has proven that relationships matter more than revenue and adaptability beats complacency every time.


In this conversation, Casey shares how she transformed typical reactive hurricane preparation into a proactive system with customizable checklists, pre-storm photography, and transparent communication that proves invaluable when post-storm island access is delayed for days. She reveals why she values people over profit, how she maintains personal connections with guests in her free time, and the creative strategies she employed when booking windows compressed dramatically. Casey's philosophy of continuous enhancement and her refusal to accept boredom as acceptable make her insights essential listening for any property manager facing market challenges.


This episode is sponsored by Lynnbrook Group. 


If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show



The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

Property management technology partnerships can make or break operational efficiency, yet most platforms struggle to balance openness with sustainability. In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Mike Norde, Director of Third-Party Partnerships at Inhabit, about how thoughtful partnership strategies create value for everyone in the ecosystem while maintaining the infrastructure and support quality that property managers depend on.


What you'll learn:

• How open ecosystems with competing vendors drive innovation and give property managers meaningful choice
• The red flags that identify unreliable technology vendors and how to avoid costly integration mistakes
• Why Inhabit's API strategy balances individual property manager flexibility with platform sustainability
• How collaborative problem-solving and "no blame" culture creates partnerships that last decades
• The future of property management technology consolidation and what it means for your operations
• Practical steps for vetting third-party solutions and building a tech stack that scales
  
  

Mike Norde serves as Director of Third-Party Partnerships at Inhabit, where he leads the vacation brands division and oversees one of North America's most comprehensive property management technology ecosystems. With years of experience in multiple leadership roles at Streamline, Mike has witnessed the growth of numerous partner companies from startup operations to industry-leading solutions serving hundreds of thousands of units. His unique perspective combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of hospitality culture, making him one of the most respected voices in property management technology partnerships.


In this conversation, Mike shares the philosophy behind Inhabit's sustainable partnership approach. He explains why they don't partner with everyone who approaches them, how they vet potential vendors using what he calls his "human BS detector," and why watching partner companies grow has been one of the most rewarding aspects of his career. Mike also reveals how Streamline's culture of collaborative problem-solving, where teams have each other's backs even when thrown into the deep end, translates into better outcomes for property managers and guests alike.


Whether you're a property manager evaluating new technology solutions, a vendor seeking to integrate with major platforms, or an industry professional interested in the future of PropTech, this episode offers invaluable insights into building partnerships that create lasting value.


This episode is sponsored by Streamline. 


If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show


The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

The vacation rental industry promises travelers the comforts of home with hotel-like amenities, but there's been a persistent gap between that promise and reality. In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Milad Ghods, co-founder of Bellhopt, about how his company is bridging that gap through pre-arrival concierge services.


What you'll learn:

• Why 87% of vacation rental guests make first-day grocery runs and how this impacts their experience
• How Bellhopt's 20,000-SKU ordering platform creates seamless guest experiences across 20 states
• The white-label philosophy that makes property managers the heroes of every interaction
• Why Bellhopt's business model with no subscriptions, no contracts, and automatic commission payouts achieves 100% retention
• How PMS integration enables concierge services to run on complete autopilot
• The presentation standards that create magazine-perfect refrigerator experiences
  
  

Milad shares the personal travel frustrations that led to Bellhopt's creation. After repeatedly arriving exhausted at vacation rentals with empty refrigerators and closed grocery stores, he and his co-founder saw an opportunity. They surveyed 3,000 people and discovered that 87% made convenience or grocery store trips on their first day of arrival, revealing a massive market void.


Four and a half years later, Bellhopt serves 400 property managers with 10,000 properties across 20 states. Their secret weapon approach focuses entirely on making property managers successful. By keeping their branding minimal and handling everything from automated messaging to detailed refrigerator stocking, they enable property managers to offer premium differentiation without operational complexity.


Milad also discusses Bellhopt's breakthrough experience at Streamline Summit, where as first-time exhibitors they saw lines of property managers at their booth and unprecedented exposure for a growing company. The integration with Streamline and other property management systems allows for automatic property information flow, housekeeping coordination, and entry code management.


This episode is sponsored by Streamline. 


If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show


The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Lino Maldonado and Brady Stump, co-founders of Stakeholders VR, about creating an entirely new consolidation model that didn't exist in the vacation rental industry.


What you'll learn:

• Why traditional "cash out and move on" acquisitions aren't the right fit for many successful operators
• How the "third lane" between selling everything and franchising preserves entrepreneurial ownership
• Why Stakeholders VR keeps local brands intact instead of consolidating under one umbrella
• How property managers can derisk by having 40-60% of valuation in a diversified national portfolio
• Why servant leadership at the parent level supports rather than directs local operations
• The three goals of Stakeholders VR's CTO role (understand current tech, guide future selections, anticipate what's next)
• How generational family businesses maintain ownership while accessing enterprise-level resources
• Why 99% of net worth in one property management company is like having your entire 401k in one stock
• The importance of keeping operators invested long-term rather than rushing them out after a year
• How to multiply synergies without forcing operational changes
• Why the greatest value in vacation rental companies is typically what gets removed first
• The role of local market involvement in maintaining brand authenticity
• How diversification protects against hurricanes, floods, fires, and no-snow years
• Why passion and "fire in the belly" is the secret sauce that creates brand value
  
  

Lino Maldonado brings 30 years of vacation rental experience, currently serving as CEO of Stakeholders VR. He started his career at Abbott Resorts (which rolled into Resort Quest) and has operated Scenic Stays in Destin, Florida, where his daughter now works in the same office he sat in three decades ago. His deep understanding of local market dynamics, technology implementation challenges, and the value of servant leadership shapes Stakeholders VR's approach to honoring rather than disrupting successful operations.


Brady Stump is co-founder of Stakeholders VR and founder of Rental Guardian. Before that, he operated a real estate and property management company affiliated with Christie's International Real Estate in Pawleys Island. His sons are actively involved in the business—his oldest, Jonah, helps run operations at Sea Mountain, while his youngest assists with bringing the stakeholder group together. Brady's experience building both insurance products and property management companies from the ground up informs his vision for creating winning scenarios where operators can take chips off the table while maintaining significant upside participation.

This episode is sponsored by Rental Guardian.
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show


The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Angie Leone, CEO and founder of Coconut Condos, about navigating the most challenging circumstances a property manager can face while maintaining faith, family priorities, and forward momentum.


What You'll Learn: 

• How to set non-negotiables from day one that protect work-life balance as you scale Why preparing your business for your absence is essential before crisis hits 
• The difference between rebuilding and reinventing after catastrophic loss 
• How COVID prepared Angie for an even more devastating challenge with the Lahaina fire 
• The critical importance of having a "board of directors" network before you need them The 5 F's framework (Faith, Family, Fitness, Freeze, Focus) for maintaining stability through crisis 
• Why advocacy work requires recognizing seasons and knowing when to pass the baton 
• How to model resilience and choice for your children while navigating business loss 
• The role of community support during devastating circumstances 
• When it's wise to pivot away from growth and embrace simplicity 
• Why being under contract to sell doesn't guarantee the deal will close 
• How to maintain morning and evening routines that keep you grounded during trials 
• The value of removing yourself from day-to-day operations even during peak season 
• Why some battles are worth fighting and others require strategic retreat Career pivots from property management to speaking, writing, and sharing hope
  
  

Angie Leone brings over 13 years of vacation rental industry experience, having founded Coconut Condos in 2011 with a single property and grown it to 60 properties with 13 staff members. Named 2019 SBA Maui Small Businessperson of the Year and 2023 SBA Women-Owned Business of the Year, she also founded PRMA (Professional Rental Managers Association) to fight discriminatory legislation in Hawaii during COVID. After losing 45 of 50 properties, her office, and warehouse in the August 8, 2023 Lahaina fire—two days before completing a business sale—Angie chose reinvention over rebuilding. She now manages their flagship bed and breakfast property with her husband while pursuing keynote speaking, writing her first book, and sharing messages of hope with property managers navigating their own seasons of adversity.


This episode is sponsored by Streamline. 

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show


The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Matthew Gurley, Director of Sales and Partner Integrations at Lynnbrook, about the fundamental shifts in payment processing technology required as vacation rental companies evolve and scale their operations.


What you'll learn:

• How digital wallets (Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo) now capture 60% of transactions, growing to 68% by 2026 
• Why integrated digital wallet payments show zero fraudulent transactions compared to traditional cards 
• The automation technology that saves property managers two full accounting salaries annually 
• Essential payment integration with PMS systems for seamless reconciliation 
• The dangerous 60-day e-check rule that protects against fraudulent bookings 
• Why payment processors don't consider funds "yours" until after guest check-in 
• The risk management differences between vacation rental-focused and general processors 
• How to pay 400 homeowners in 5 minutes with modern payment automation 
• The coming "pay by bank" technology that combines e-check savings with instant verification 
• Why processor selection matters beyond just transaction fees during mass cancellation events
  
  

Matthew Gurley brings over a decade of vacation rental and fintech experience, having worked at BookingPal before joining Lynnbrook. Currently serving as Director of Sales and Partner Integrations, he combines deep technical knowledge with practical understanding of property management operations. His expertise spans payment gateway technology, fraud prevention, risk management, and the critical accounting integrations that make or break operational efficiency for vacation rental companies processing everything from 50 to 5,000+ bookings annually.


This episode is sponsored by Lynnbrook.


If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

Episode Resources:

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show




The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Grace Souter, Director of Digital Marketing at Inhabit, about the fundamental shifts in marketing strategy required as vacation rental companies evolve from boutique operations to enterprise-scale businesses.


What you'll learn:

• How marketing messaging shifts from "unique and different" to "standardized and professional" during growth
• Why small companies sell experiences while large companies sell trust and consistency
• The transition from manual personalization (handwritten notes) to AI-powered automation
• Essential digital marketing tools: SEO, PPC, email marketing, and PMS integration
• How AI is revolutionizing email personalization and guest behavior analysis
• Why marketing teams can no longer be treated as an afterthought during scaling
• The balance between outsourcing marketing expertise and building in-house capabilities
• How local business partnerships create competitive advantages for smaller companies
• The challenges of maintaining company culture while implementing systematic processes
• Career lessons from building companies from scratch and working with enterprise organizations
  
  

Grace Souter brings over 15 years of vacation rental industry experience, having worked across the spectrum from startup property management companies to enterprise-level organizations like Vacasa. Currently serving as Director of Digital Marketing at Inhabit, she combines hands-on operational knowledge with sophisticated marketing strategy expertise. Her unique perspective comes from living and working on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks, one of the most competitive vacation rental markets in the United States, where she's navigated everything from hurricane evacuations to beach erosion challenges while building successful marketing campaigns.


This episode is sponsored by Bluetent.


If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

Episode Resources:

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show


The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Rachele Hobbs, Sue Jones, and April Burns about their groundbreaking nonprofit initiative that's transforming how the hospitality industry approaches disaster preparedness and recovery.


What you'll learn:

• How Hurricane Helene's impact on Western North Carolina sparked the creation of Hospitality Heroes
• Why disaster preparedness must begin with employees, not just properties
• The comprehensive approach covering natural disasters AND business crises (cyber attacks, data loss, key employee departures)
• How real-time crisis communication apps can save lives when traditional systems fail
• The importance of knowing where employees live and their evacuation needs
• Partnership opportunities for inventory storage, housing assistance, and job swapping during recovery
• Why three inches of water is the maximum safe driving depth during floods
• How property managers can leverage off-season inventory for employee housing during evacuations
• The role of Starlink communication when traditional infrastructure fails
• Why failure stories are as important as success stories for disaster education
  
  

Rachele Hobbs brings over 40 years of short-term rental expertise and leads the "Hobbspitality" philosophy at Hobbs Realty. Sue Jones, founder of HR4VR and U.S. Navy veteran, provides 30+ years of HR strategy across hospitality, tech, and education. April Burns combines 30+ years of hospitality training and culture-building as ICND's Senior Account Executive and self-proclaimed "Director of Fun." Together, they represent the collaborative spirit that defines the vacation rental industry's response to crisis.

This episode is sponsored by Streamline Summit 2025: Soar.
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

Episode Resources:

👉 Apple - https://apple.co/3lYc2gU
👉 Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3InYanV
👉 Fame Host - https://bit.ly/hwg-podcast
👉 iheartradio - https://ihr.fm/3Z8qqlg
👉 RSS - https://feeds.fame.so/the-vacation-rental-show


The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →

In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Anne Gardner, Executive Director of VRMA, about the dramatic transformation of the vacation rental industry's largest professional association and how it's adapting to serve members in an era of rapid change.


What you'll learn:

• How VRMA's "grand listening tour" transformed member feedback into actionable programming changes
• Why over 50 volunteer members now drive conference planning and education content
• The strategic shift from general programming to four distinct business learning paths
• How VRMA supports property managers navigating M&A opportunities and transitions
• Partnership strategies with advocacy groups, emergency preparedness initiatives, and industry alliances
• Why conference success should be measured by actionable takeaways, not networking quantity
• The evolution from spring forums to foundations training for career development
• How VRMA maintains community intimacy while scaling to serve thousands of members
• Strategic collaborations with Red Cross, Hospitality Heroes, and advocacy organizations
• The role of technology acceleration in creating opportunities rather than disruption
  
  

Anne Gardner brings over 25 years of association management experience, including 14 years as a chief executive, to her role leading VRMA. Her background includes serving as CEO of Cape Fear Realtors and extensive experience in organizational leadership and innovation. Under her leadership, VRMA has pivoted to become a member-driven organization focused on actionable education, strategic partnerships, and maintaining the community foundation that has made the association "positively foundational" to property management careers for four decades.

This episode is sponsored by Streamline Summit 2025: Soar.
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:

• Subscribe, rate, and review
• Share this episode

Chapters:[00:00] Intro 
[01:34] Anne's Background: From Cape Fear Realtors to VRMA Leadership 
[03:00] Women's Summit Experience: Building Electric Industry Connections[04:35] Best Strategies for Maximizing Conference Value and ROI 
[11:21] The "One Thing That Paid for Your Ticket" Success Metric 
[13:50] Member-Driven Programming: From Feedback to Action with 50+ Volunteers 
[18:45] VRMA's Collaboration Strategy: Advocacy, Emergency Preparedness, and Industry Partnerships 
[21:16] Conference Investment: Understanding Value in Large-Scale Industry Events 
[25:09] M&A Education: Preparing Members for Industry Consolidation and Opportunities
[28:53] Community Foundation: Maintaining Intimacy While Scaling for Growth 
[31:19] VRMA 2025 Las Vegas: New Companies, First-Time Attendees, and Special Discount Code

The Vacation Rental Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Lisa Stinnett of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

• Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
• Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
• Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty

Are you a vacation rental industry leader looking to share your expertise? We're seeking innovative voices to join our conversation about growing and scaling vacation rental businesses.

The Vacation Rental Show reaches thousands of property managers worldwide. We're particularly interested in perspectives on:

• Scaling your vacation rental portfolio
• Optimizing guest experiences
• Revenue management strategies
• Industry trends and market insights

Express your interest in being a guest →