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Hosted by Airbnb Superhosts Annette Grant & Sarah Karakaian

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586

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Get actionable advice and the essential fundamentals of running a profitable 5-star Airbnb side-hustle or full on business. Annette’s extensive background in business operations and Sarah’s experience in high-end hospitality management and interior design make them a powerhouse duo that will deliver high impact content. With almost a decade of combined hosting experience they will not only share their own stories welcoming thousands of guests from around the world but also those of other Superhosts to deliver you a wide array of stories, insights, and profitable and creative ideas to make your listing rise to the top. Whether you’re experienced, new, or nervous to start your own Airbnb this podcast promises to be informative, fun, and from the heart.

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60 recent

September 3, 202616 min

567. We Made $5 Million From Airbnb Hosting (Here's What We've Learned)

Sarah and Annette have generated $5 million through Airbnb hosting, but not because everything went perfectly. That number came from more than a decade of building, making mistakes, fixing systems, managing guests, growing a team, and learning what actually moves the needle in a short-term rental business. In this episode, they break down the seven biggest lessons they wish every host understood earlier. These are not just about choosing the right property. They are about the business around the property: clean finances, the right team, backup systems, brand standards, guest feedback, booking diversification, and knowing your why. They also explain why a full calendar does not mean much if your books are messy, why desperate hiring is expensive, why every host needs backups before they need them, and why Airbnb should not be your only booking strategy. If you want to build a hosting business that can survive the hard weeks and keep growing over time, this episode is a practical look at what Sarah and Annette have learned after $5 million in Airbnb hosting. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why clean finances should start before your first booking Why your team is an investment, not just an expense What systems and backups every host needs in place How brand standards make better business decisions easier Why negative guest feedback can become valuable business data Why hosts need booking channels beyond Airbnb Why money alone will not carry you through the hard parts of hosting Resources Mentioned: Join us Live and Learn about Strategic Host! Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

August 27, 202616 min

566. How To Find Airbnb Properties No One Else Knows About

Most hosts looking to grow their short-term rental portfolio start in the same place: Zillow, public listings, and whatever properties everyone else can already see. But the best opportunities often never make it that far. In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down four ways to find short-term rental properties before they hit the open market. They share how co-hosting can become an acquisition strategy, why being visible and vocal matters, how Facebook groups and local communities can surface hidden opportunities, and why working with STR-specific experts can help you spot the difference between a cheap property and a property that will actually perform. They also share the story of The Audrey, one of their own Columbus properties that started as a co-hosting relationship before becoming an off-market purchase. If you are trying to grow your portfolio, this episode is a reminder that the next deal may not come from refreshing Zillow. It may come from the relationships you are already building. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why some of the best STR properties never hit the market How co-hosting can lead to future ownership opportunities Why your reputation as an operator can make you the obvious buyer How to make yourself visible to owners, agents, and local networks Why Facebook groups and online communities can reveal off-market leads What to look for in an STR-specific real estate expert Why relationships can matter more than listing sites when finding your next property Resources Mentioned: Apply and Learn about Strategic Host! Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

August 20, 202617 min

565. 11 Airbnb Expenses Hosts NEVER See Coming

Most Airbnb hosts plan for the obvious costs: the mortgage, furnishings, cleaning fees, and maybe a few supplies. But the expenses that hurt the most are usually the ones no one planned for. In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down 11 short-term rental expenses that commonly catch hosts off guard. Some are small recurring costs. Others can wipe out thousands of dollars if they are missing from your forecast, budget, or profit and loss statement. They cover everything from short-term rental insurance and permits to platform fees, tech stack bloat, credit card processing fees, chargebacks, utility spikes, seasonal photography, furniture replacement, and the professional team every host should have before they need one urgently. They also name the most expensive hidden cost of all: hosting without a pricing strategy. If you are only looking at gross revenue, this episode will help you understand what your Airbnb is actually costing you—and where those expenses belong in your business. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why AirCover is not a replacement for short-term rental insurance Which licensing and permit costs hosts need to plan for How OTA commissions and platform fees affect actual profit Why tech subscriptions should be audited quarterly What direct booking hosts need to know about processing fees and chargebacks Why high occupancy can create higher utility costs How seasonal photography can impact bookings Why cheap furniture often costs more over time Which financial professionals belong in your hosting business Why a missing pricing strategy can cost more than anything else Resources Mentioned: Join us Live and Learn about Strategic Host! PriceLabs: Revenue management for hosts and property managers. Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

August 13, 202655 min

564. She Turned Her Family Ski House Into a Top-Tier Airbnb

Gale Golden did not start with a perfect short-term rental strategy. She started with a family ski house in the Adirondacks, a property that sat empty for years, and a decision: rent it or sell it. In this episode, Sarah and Annette sit down with Gale to talk about how Five Star Lodge went from a beloved family property to a more intentional, more profitable short-term rental business. Gale shares how she first got into real estate, why she started hosting, and what changed when her market became more competitive after COVID. She also breaks down what happened when she stopped treating the property like a side project and started treating it like a business. From learning revenue management and watching PriceLabs every morning to investing in professional photography, improving operations, building her team, and positioning the property around its actual guest experience, Gale’s story is a clear reminder that optimization changes everything. If you have a great property that is underperforming—or you know there is more revenue sitting inside your current listing—this episode will help you see what can happen when you finally run the numbers and make the business match the property. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Gale turned a family ski house into a short-term rental business Why market saturation forced her to get serious about pricing How revenue management helped unlock stronger performance Why professional photography changed the way guests saw the property How better systems improved cleaning, maintenance, and team performance Why direct booking opportunities may already exist inside your current network How Gale’s property was selected for Staycation USA Why the right guest experience can outperform generic amenity checklists Resources mentioned: Join us Live and Learn about Strategic Host! Learn more about PriceLabs! Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

August 6, 202645 min

563. How a 700-Square-Foot Airbnb Hit $84K

Steve Marquis did not stumble into short-term rental success. Before buying his first Gulf Shores property, he was running seven or eight pro formas a day, studying markets, comparing opportunities, and trying to find the right investment. But once he finally bought his first condo, the real work started. In this episode, Sarah and Annette sit down with Steve to talk about how he went from teacher to real estate agent to short-term rental investor, and how he used a data-driven approach to outperform his original revenue projections. Steve shares why he chose Gulf Shores, how he renovated and repositioned his first beach condo, and why small family-friendly amenities helped him stand out in a market full of generic beach listings. He also breaks down how he learned to track booking windows, stop panic-dropping rates too early, build a remote team, market to snowbirds, use email to encourage repeat guests, and keep pushing revenue without chasing 100% occupancy. If you have ever wondered whether your property can make more than the market data says it can, this episode is a reminder that the right mix of numbers, positioning, systems, and guest experience can keep raising the ceiling. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Steve chose Gulf Shores over more expensive beach markets How he used pro formas to evaluate investment opportunities Why family-friendly amenities helped his condo stand out How booking window data changed his pricing strategy Why revenue matters more than chasing 100% occupancy How he manages properties remotely from Ohio Why he plans to keep building in one market How email marketing and direct bookings can increase guest lifetime value Resources Mentioned: Join us Live and Learn about Strategic Host! PriceLabs: Revenue management for hosts and property managers. Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

July 30, 202655 min

562. How One Host Got 70% Direct Bookings

Kim Kelley did not buy her Annapolis home with an Airbnb business plan. She bought it so her family could be close to their daughter, Lizzie, while she attended the United States Naval Academy and played varsity lacrosse. After Lizzie graduated and was commissioned into the Navy, Kim had a decision to make: sell the house or turn it into something more. So she “threw it on Airbnb.” In this episode, Sarah and Annette talk with Kim about how The Goat Getaway became much more than a second home. Kim shares what it took to get licensed in a strict market, why her second guest immediately exposed the need for a stronger team, and how she built boots-on-the-ground support while hosting remotely from Dallas. She also breaks down the strategy that changed everything: learning PriceLabs, raising her base rate, adjusting minimum stays, creating parent-child listings, and building direct booking demand through the Naval Academy community. If you have a property with untapped midweek demand, a strong niche audience, or a direct booking opportunity hiding in plain sight, this episode will show you what happens when you stop guessing and start operating like a real business. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Kim turned a family home into The Goat Getaway Why remote hosting requires a trusted local team What her early guest issues taught her about operations How PriceLabs changed her pricing strategy Why parent-child listings helped unlock midweek demand How she reached 70% direct bookings Why one bad guest pushed her toward a stronger business model How she uses weekly metrics to keep improving the listing Resources Mentioned: Join us live & learn about Strategic Host! Pricelabs: Revenue management for hosts and property managers. Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

July 23, 202619 min

561. How to Make $100K on Airbnb Without Buying Another Property

You do not need to buy another property to build a six-figure Airbnb business. In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down the path they would take if they were starting with one property in 2026 and wanted to make $100K. Their answer is not buying more doors, taking on more debt, or jumping into rental arbitrage. It is co-hosting. Before you manage someone else’s property, your own listing needs to be performing. Sarah and Annette walk through the numbers, systems, and standards that need to be in place first, including cost per reservation, pricing strategy, booking funnel performance, and guest experience. Then they explain how co-hosting works, what the math looks like, why it carries less risk than arbitrage, and what you need before taking on your first client. If you already run a strong short-term rental, this episode will help you see how your current property can become the proof of concept for a bigger business. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why co-hosting can be a faster path to $100K than buying another property How to use your own listing as your proof of concept Why every host needs to know their cost per reservation What the $100K co-hosting math actually looks like Why co-hosting carries less risk than rental arbitrage What brand standards, contracts, and onboarding fees need to be in place Five steps to start building a co-hosting business Resources Mentioned: Apply for Strategic Host! Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

July 20, 202616 min

560. Why Wealth Builds Faster After One Rental Property

Short-term rentals are not passive income. They take work, systems, pricing strategy, guest experience, and real operational discipline. But that work is also what creates the opportunity. In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down why short-term rentals can build wealth faster than traditional long-term rentals when they are run like a business. They compare the revenue ceiling of a fixed monthly lease with the earning potential of a well-managed short-term rental during peak demand windows, then explain how guest-paid mortgages, appreciation, and equity growth can create momentum toward the next property. They also talk honestly about the risks: seasonality, higher operating costs, slow months, and the danger of treating peak-season revenue like a salary. If you are thinking about buying your first rental property—or wondering whether your current property is performing the way it should—this episode explains why the first one is often the hardest, and why learning to operate it well can change everything. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why short-term rentals are active income, not passive income How STR revenue potential compares to long-term rental income Why guest payments can help build equity over time How one property can create a path to property number two What risks hosts need to plan for before scaling Why systems, pricing, and financial discipline matter from day one Resources Mentioned: Apply for Strategic Host! Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

July 9, 202620 min

559. The Airbnb Payout Routine Every Host Needs

Your Airbnb payout hitting your bank account is not the same thing as knowing your business is profitable. In this episode, Sarah and Annette walk through the monthly payout routine they use to track revenue, catch missing money, compare actual payouts against forecasts, and move income into the right financial buckets. They break down why every hosting business needs a dedicated business bank account, how to audit payouts against reservations, and why relying on your bank balance at the end of the month is not a real business metric. You’ll also learn how they use the Profit First method to separate money for operating expenses, owner’s compensation, taxes, and profit—so every dollar has a job the moment it lands. If you’ve ever looked at your Airbnb payouts and wondered where the money went, this episode will help you build a clearer, more consistent routine. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your Airbnb payouts should go into a dedicated business account How to audit every payout against every reservation What to do when Airbnb or another OTA underpays you How to compare actual revenue against your forecast Why your bank balance is not a profitability metric How to use Profit First buckets for expenses, taxes, owner’s pay, and profit Resources Mentioned: Apply for Strategic Host! Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.

July 2, 202620 min

558. Why Your Airbnb Isn't Getting Bookings

Your Airbnb might be beautiful, but that does not mean guests are going to book it. When hosts struggle to fill their calendars, they often blame demand, competition, or the Airbnb algorithm. But the real problem may be sitting right inside the listing. In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down six common mistakes that cause guests to scroll past a property or abandon it before booking. They cover everything from photography and listing titles to descriptions, reviews, pricing, and booking settings. You’ll learn why real estate photography is not the same as short-term rental photography, how generic AI-generated titles disappear in crowded markets, and why lowering your nightly rate is not a real pricing strategy. Before you discount your property again, use this episode to audit the entire guest booking experience. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your listing photos may be costing you bookings How to write a title that gives guests a reason to choose you What your description needs to communicate before “Show More” Why a full calendar can mean you are underpriced How reviews influence both trust and pricing power Which Airbnb settings may be creating unnecessary booking friction Resources Mentioned: Apply for Strategic Host! Mentioned in this episode: Join us for our live Get More Bookings Bootcamp.