Biz and Tech Podcasts > Business > Casa-Cast
Casago’s private podcast helping our patners with educational information that can help everyone find success.
Last Episode Date: 29 October 2024
Total Episodes: 35
Unlocking Rental Success: Unique Design, Strategic Marketing, and Hero Features with Felipe CalderaIn this episode of CasaCast, host Steve Schwab interviews Felipe Caldera from Port Boulevard to explore the transformative impact of unique property design and strategic marketing on rental revenue. The discussion emphasizes differentiating properties with standout amenities such as hot tubs, game rooms, saunas, and cold plunges and creating eye-catching 'hero photos.' They delve into understanding the target market, effective property staging, and using actors in photos to enhance perceived experiences. Key points include leveraging platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, the importance of direct bookings and email marketing, and the role of RankBreeze in improving property rankings. Felipe underscores the shift towards providing unique experiences and thoughtful upgrades to succeed in a competitive market.00:00 Introduction to CasaCast00:15 Meet Felipe Caldera00:53 Felipe's Journey into Short-Term Rentals02:41 The Importance of Differentiation05:56 Design and Functionality in Vacation Rentals09:29 Understanding Your Target Market10:36 The Power of Storytelling in Property Marketing12:05 Essential Amenities and Upgrades15:53 The Impact of Marketing Strategies16:49 Creating Instagram-Worthy Features17:54 Final Thoughts and Farewell
Revolutionizing OTAs: Insights with Mike MearsIn this episode of Casa-Cast, host Steve Schwab interviews Mike Mears, co-founder of the innovative OTA, Vacay My Way. Mike shares his journey from VRBO and HomeAway to creating a new platform aimed at balancing benefits for property managers, hosts, and travelers. They discuss the evolution of the OTA market, strategies for sustainable growth, and the importance of transparent and competitive pricing models. Emphasizing trust and direct communication, Mike introduces VacayMyWay's tools and resources designed for success. This insightful conversation also touches on Mike's background in the Austin music scene and his memorable win in the John Lennon songwriting contest.00:00 Introduction to Casa-Cast00:17 Meet Mike Mears from Vacay My Way01:03 Mike's Journey in the Vacation Industry03:12 From Music to VRBO04:47 The Birth of Vacay My Way07:39 Challenges in the OTA Industry08:18 Marketing Strategies and Lessons Learned09:47 Future-Proofing with Rewards10:35 Commitment and Value Proposition10:56 Mindset Change in Merchandising11:48 Transparent Fee Structure13:14 Marketing Strategies for Growth14:30 Building Industry Confidence16:26 Reflections and Takeaways from Casa Con18:10 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
A Harmony of Hospitality and Market StrategiesIn this episode of Casa Cast, host Steve Schwab is joined by Alfredo Arcos, VRBO's Director of Partner Success for the Americas. Alfredo shares his musical family background and discusses his professional journey from the hotel industry to the vacation rental space with Casago. He emphasizes the importance of professional photography, competitive pricing, and optimized properties for attracting travelers. Alfredo also highlights the role of technology in both industries and the significance of an owner-centric approach. The episode concludes with anticipation for a friendly competition involving spicy chicken wings.00:00 Introduction to Casa Cast00:16 Meet Alfredo Arcos00:28 Alfredo's Musical Background01:52 Transition to Hospitality Industry04:04 Optimizing Vacation Rentals06:50 The Importance of Market Knowledge09:15 Reflections on CosaCon10:26 Owner Centric Philosophy11:08 Closing Remarks and Fun Challenge
Standing Out in Short-Term Rentals: The Flower Field ConceptIn this episode of CasaCast, host Steve Schwab discusses a mastermind session focused on enhancing short-term rental listings with Stacy Wesson, Jackie Norde, Carlos Corzo, and David Mejorado. The concept of 'flowered fields' is introduced, comparing unique and eye-catching properties to colorful flower fields among monotonous brownfields. The discussion emphasizes the importance of making a rental stand out through unique amenities and creative staging without requiring extensive expenses to increase rental appeal and profitability. Several strategies are explored, including storytelling and minimal adjustments that can notably differentiate properties in a competitive market, inspiring property managers and homeowners to rethink their approach to design and marketing.00:00 Introduction to the Mastermind Event00:13 The Flowered Fields Concept01:00 Applying the Flowered Fields Concept to Listings01:42 Defining Unique Property Features03:29 Maximizing Property Appeal with Minimal Effort05:59 Tailoring Properties to Specific Audiences09:40 Encouraging Homeowners to Enhance Their Properties15:43 Creating Memorable Guest Experiences17:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Unveiling Success: An Interview with Scott KleinIn this episode of Casa Cast, host Steve Schwab sits down with Scott Klein, a Partner Success Manager at Casago. They discuss Scott's background, his journey from Nebraska to his current role, and his passion for metaphysical studies. Scott shares his experiences in the business world, including his mentorship in Tampa and his role in helping student loan borrowers. They explore Scott's time at Streamline, his transition to Casago, and his insights into efficiency and relationship-building. The episode offers valuable wisdom on the importance of being present, forgiving oneself, and the significance of guiding others towards excellence.00:00 Introduction to Casa Cast00:15 Meet Scott Klein: Partner Success Manager00:54 Scott's Background and Early Life03:06 Journey into Business and Mentorship06:13 Streamline and Career Growth08:58 Joining Casago and Future Goals10:40 Reflections and Final Thoughts14:10 Closing Remarks and Outro
Insights from the 2024 Streamline SummitIn this episode of the Casa-Cast by CasaGo, the team discusses their key takeaways from the 2024 Streamline Summit. Featuring insights from Shannon, Catrina, Brennan, Wendy, Jeremy, Scott, and Stacy. The conversation covers advancements in AI, team development strategies, new Streamline features, branding insights, and efficient processes for property management. They highlight sessions on AI-driven tools like Leo, best practices in team building using the Tuckman method, and the non-sales-focused nature of the summit. The team also shares their personal experiences and plans to implement new knowledge in their respective roles.00:00 Introduction to Casa-Cast00:16 Meet the Team00:23 Brennan's Takeaways on AI and Self-Improvement01:28 Wendy's Insights on Streamline Features02:27 Jeremy's Focus on Team Development04:30 Scott's Highlights on Airbnb and Processes06:01 Catrina's Experience with Tools and Branding08:13 Shannon's First Streamline Conference09:52 Stacey's Reflections and Homework11:26 Final Thoughts and Takeaways14:36 Closing Remarks and Outro
Exploring the B&B Finder Difference with Michelle Gilliland and Tim WilsonIn this episode of Casa Cast, host Steve Schwab sits down with Michelle Gilliland and Tim Wilson from B&B Finder to discuss their unique business model and recent success. The conversation covers their mission to reduce travel costs by cutting out excessive fees and commissions, thus linking travelers directly with property management companies. They also explore the evolution and history of B&B Finder since its inception in 1998 and their recent expansion to include professionally managed vacation rentals. Key points include the benefits of listing on B&B Finder, such as free listings, premium service levels, no traveler fees, easy onboarding, and personalized support. They also discuss the importance of maintaining direct communication between travelers and hosts and how their platform supports the direct guest-property manager relationship. The episode concludes with a discussion about the community spirit within Casago and the mutual benefits of the partnership.00:00 Introduction to Casa Cast00:15 Meet the Guests: Michelle Gilliland and Tim Wilson02:33 B&B Finder's Mission and Industry Impact06:45 Seven Things You Didn't Know About B&B Finder06:49 B&B Finder's History and Evolution19:15 The Freemium Service Model24:52 Casago Community and Final Thoughts
The Casa Cast: The Science and Process of Effective Cleaning with Dave ThompsonIn this episode of Casa Cast, host Steve Schwab interviews Dave Thompson, the founder of the Academy of Excellence. They delve into what defines true cleaning, emphasizing the importance of pH balance and physical removal in the cleaning process. Dave explains how the right chemicals, agitation, and rinsing are essential for creating a healthy, safe surface. They also discuss the distinction between household cleaning and commercial cleaning, the role of quats in disinfection, and the necessity of using an ATP meter to measure cleaning efficiency. The episode provides valuable insights for property managers on maintaining proper cleanliness standards.00:00 Introduction to Casa Cast00:18 Meet Dave Thompson: Founder of the Academy of Excellence00:42 Defining Clean: Insights from the Academy01:31 The Importance of pH in Cleaning02:43 Physical Removal: The Role of Squeegees and Agitation04:32 Sanitization vs. Disinfection: Understanding the Difference06:34 Commercial vs. Home Cleaning Standards09:52 The Rinse Process: Why It's Crucial13:08 Challenges in Cleaning Porous Surfaces15:16 Validating Cleaning Processes with ATP Meters20:40 Understanding Quats and Their Impact24:16 The Wooden Bottom Test and Chemical Storage26:53 About the Academy of Cleaning Excellence28:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Safety First: Insights from Justin Ford on CasaCastIn this episode of CasaCast, host Steve Schwab welcomes Justin Ford from Breezeway, an expert in short-term rental safety. They discuss Justin's journey from running a large vacation rental company to becoming a safety guru driven by personal experiences and incidents. The conversation includes essential safety measures for property managers, focusing on smoke alarms, egress, trip hazards, pool safety, and fire extinguishers. Justin shares practical advice and solutions to enhance guest safety and minimize liability, ultimately contributing to better guest experiences and increased bookings.00:00 Introduction to CasaCast00:15 Meet Justin Ford, The Safety Guru00:50 Justin's Journey in Property Management01:52 The Importance of Safety in Rentals04:19 Five Key Safety Tips for Property Managers05:18 Tip 1: Smoke Alarms08:44 Tip 2: Egress11:18 Tip 3: Trip Hazards13:51 Tip 4: Pool Safety16:11 Tip 5: Fire Extinguishers18:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Maximizing Relationships with Your VRBO Account Manager: Insights from Jenny DavisIn this episode of Casa Cast, host Steve welcomes Jenny Davis from VRBO, the account manager for Casago. Jenny shares insights into her background, having moved from San Diego to Texas, and her journey from teaching to working at VRBO. The episode focuses on the six ways to utilize your account manager better. These methods include setting up quarterly meetings, building strong relationships, leveraging available reports and data, optimizing photos and listing descriptions, ensuring amenities optimization, and understanding technical support and escalation processes. Jenny emphasizes the importance of regular communication, data-driven optimization, and the partnership between property managers and account managers. The discussion also touches on making properties 'RENTAGRAMALE' by enhancing their appeal for social media.Jenny also gave us a new hotline number for only enterprise accounts. As an owner of Casago, all of our partners can use this exclusive number 1-833-905-453000:00 Introduction to Casa Cast00:15 Meet Jenny Davis from VRBO00:41 Jenny's Journey: From San Diego to VRBO03:24 Six Ways to Utilize Your Account Manager08:27 Optimizing Listings and Amenities16:45 Technical Support and Escalation19:39 Final Thoughts and Farewell
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