The Accommodation Show | Short-Term Rental Success

Hosted by Bart Sobies - STRive to Thrive Conferences

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Nov 2026

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The Accommodation Show is the podcast for short-term rental owners, Airbnb hosts and holiday rental property managers looking to build more profitable accommodation businesses. Hosted by Bart Sobies, founder of iBooked.Online and STRIVE to Thrive, we bring you conversations with industry leaders, innovators and successful operators. Discover practical strategies for increasing direct bookings, optimising pricing and revenue, leveraging AI and technology, improving guest experiences and scaling your business. Real conversations. Actionable insights. STR success.

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November 2, 2026Episode 335 min

The Erosion of Trust: How to Build a Resilient STR Business for 2027

As AI tools and automated platforms flood the short-term rental industry, the greatest risk to your business isn't lack of software, it's the rapid erosion of trust. In this episode of The Accommodation Show, Bart Sobies sits down with Margot Schmorak, CEO and co-founder of Hostfully, to examine what it takes to build a truly resilient accommodation business heading into 2027. Margot opens up about Hostfully's internal tech evolution, candidly discussing why they refocused on product after underinvesting in engineering for several years, why they strictly hire senior engineers in an AI-driven environment, and why they are completely comfortable letting 1,000-unit enterprise clients walk away to focus obsessively on growing 5-to-30-unit managers. Drawing from her recent stays across Colombia and Greece, Margot also breaks down why operators must stop orienting strictly around physical inventory and start designing their operations around traveler personas. Plus, we explore the reality of AI adoption: why true automation is still unfinished, why operators must "squint" at data, and how to maintain authentic human accountability. Guest: Margot Schmorak, CEO & Co-founder of Hostfully Website: https://www.hostfully.com In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 - Conference Season Wrap-Up & Global STR Stays 02:30 - Hostfully's Engineering Overhaul & Strategic Investment 05:15 - Why Hostfully Refuses to Hire Junior Engineers in the AI Era 08:40 - The "All-in-One" Myth: Why Hostfully Doesn't Target 1,000-Unit Enterprise Portfolios 12:10 - Apple vs. Google: Curating In-House Tech vs. Wild West Marketplaces 16:00 - Travel Insights: Cartagena, Athens, and Bogota 19:30 - Orienting Around Clientele vs. Physical Inventory 23:15 - The Two Waves of Tech: Unfinished Automation vs. Sentiment Listening 27:00 - Why AI Is Never "Set and Forget": Training Intercom's Fin 30:45 - Looking Ahead to 2027: The Erosion of Trust in Data & Software 34:20 - The Importance of "Squinting" at AI Outputs and Self-Assessment Show links Hostfully: https://www.hostfully.com The Accommodation Show: https://www.theaccommodationshow.com Join the mailing list: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/ Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity Connect with Bart Sobies: https://www.ibooked.online/bart/ Come to STRIVE: https://www.striveconferences.com Hotel, BNB and STR owners: need more direct bookings or a brand new website? https://www.ibooked.online Disclaimer: The content shared on this podcast reflects personal opinions and insights. It is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions.

October 26, 2026Episode 240 min

9,000 Customers with Just 50 Employees: The OwnerRez Playbook

Most software companies supporting 9,000 clients carry 120 to 150 employees on the payroll. OwnerRez manages it with roughly 50. In this episode of The Accommodation Show, Bart Sobies sits down with Paul Waldschmidt, CEO and co-founder of OwnerRez. Paul breaks down the operational philosophy that allowed OwnerRez to bootstrap to 9,000 customers without taking a single dollar of venture capital, seed money, or outside investment. We dive deep into why OwnerRez intentionally feels the friction of scale before hiring, how their tenure-based Employee Profit Sharing (EPS) program has paid out for 28 consecutive quarters, and why shipping 1,000+ software updates a year keeps their engineering team light years ahead of bureaucratic competitors. Paul also shares the personal turning points of the business: the framed text message from his wife in 2012 that kept him from shutting down, giving away 50% equity to his childhood friend Chris Hines on pure trust, and how designing onboarding into a "pit of success" for 1–30 unit operators reignited rapid growth. Guest: Paul Waldschmidt, CEO & Co-founder of OwnerRez Website: https://www.ownerrez.com 📋 In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 - Introduction & Company Philosophy: Creating Happiness 03:40 - The History of OwnerRez: From Cabin Renovations to 9,000 Customers 07:15 - The 2012 Turning Point: The Framed Text That Saved the Business 10:30 - Splitting Equity 50/50: Bringing on Co-Founder Chris Hines 15:10 - The Power of Bootstrapping: Why Profit Equals Freedom 19:45 - 9,000 Customers with 50 Employees: The Lean Headcount Strategy 24:10 - Inside the Employee Profit Sharing (EPS) Program (28 Quarters Strong) 28:50 - Speed as a Feature: Shipping 1,000+ Software Releases a Year 32:40 - Post-COVID Normalization vs. Reigniting Rapid Growth in 2025/2026 36:15 - The "Pit of Success": Doubling Down on 1–30 Unit Operators 40:30 - Paul's Number One Advice for Founders and Operators #ShortTermRentals #OwnerRez #PropertyManagement #Bootstrapping #SaaS SHOW LINKS OwnerRez — https://www.ownerrez.com The Accommodation Show — https://www.theaccommodationshow.com 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.

October 19, 2026Episode 138 min

Getting Started with AI Agents: Lessons from a YC Founder

Most property managers use AI to draft emails, but autonomous AI agents are capable of handling actual operational workflows across your business. In this season premiere of The Accommodation Show , Jan Sahagun, co-founder of Trellis and Y Combinator alumnus, breaks down how operators can actually get started with AI agents without the hype or broken code. Jan explains why tracking a 100% automation rate is a vanity trap, how the "20-minute automation rule" stops you from wasting hours on trivial tasks, and why connecting your PMS as your operational "source of truth" via Model Context Protocol (MCP) is essential. We also cover practical ways to build internal dashboards with Claude—such as tracking cleaner performance against guest review scores—without writing code or hiring outside developers. Guest: Jan Sahagun, Co-founder of Trellis Website: trellistech.com 📋 In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 - Introduction: Jan Sahagun & The Y Combinator Journey 02:25 - The Reality of AI in STRs: Useful Tools vs. AI Slop 04:40 - Vibe Coding: What Breaks at 3 AM 07:15 - The 20-Minute Rule: What to Automate (and What to Ignore) 10:45 - What Is Model Context Protocol (MCP)? 14:15 - Why Your PMS Must Be the Operational "Source of Truth" 18:30 - What Is an AI Agent? Autonomous Co-Workers vs. Chatbots 22:10 - Building a Housekeeping Scorecard Dashboard in Claude 26:40 - Vibe Coding Direct Booking Websites vs. Internal Operational Tools 29:20 - Claude Code Creator Boris Cherny's Prompting Rule 31:45 - Why You Must Stop Tracking "Automation Rates" 34:10 - 3 Practical AI Takeaways for Property Managers #ShortTermRentals #AIAgents #PropertyManagement #Trellis SHOW LINKS Trellis — https://trellistech.com Anthropic Claude — https://claude.ai The Accommodation Show — https://www.theaccommodationshow.com 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.

September 12, 2026Episode 1035 min

Learn From a Remote Operator: How to Manage 70 Properties

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.

September 7, 2026Episode 934 min

How to Build an STR Brand That Actually Gets Direct Bookings

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.

September 6, 2026Episode 832 min

How to Modernise an Outdated Property Management Company

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.

August 31, 2026Episode 937 min

175 Properties Across 14 States: How They Scaled

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.

August 20, 202638 min

How to Save $15,000 in OTA Commission Fees

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.

August 10, 2026Episode 642 min

How Katie Replaced Her W-2 Job With Vacation Rentals

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.

August 3, 2026Episode 533 min

How to Become a #1 Rated Property and win awards

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.