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Welcome to the Homerunners Shorts, a curated series of family-owned, locally-based, specialized vacation rental experiences to spark your next adventure. All businesses featured are family-owned, locally-based, and specialized in a particular niche.
In this series, meet @LanceS @TimJohnson and the team from Seaside Vacations!
The waters around the island of Chincoteague Virginia offer a wealth of adventure...
This past week I visited Matt @Durrette who is often accidentally referred to as "Matt Cozi."
This is simultaneously not weird (COZI is the name of Matt’s property management company in Texas Hill Country) but also very weird seeing as though his last name is clearly stated Durrette and yet people continue call him Matt Cozi. (People like me continue to call him Matt COZI.)
Matt runs COZiVR with his wife Jenna...
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Latest reply by - Jeff_I
My brain exploded when I read 27 pieces of tech! I think there is also some secret sauce in the Cozi equation with Matt. I've met a ton of PM / STR...
@Eddie Love used to work in credit analytics giving small business loans to military veterans. When he got let go because of the pandemic, he began to build his short term rental property into Mountain Mama Cabins in West Virginia. The protagonist is a young man who is thoughtful beyond his years: part of a new generation of Homerunners changing their communities and the world!
This episode is brought you by...
@Dana 's quest to quantify vacation rental advocacy health continues in Episode 3 with Robin Craigen of Steamboat Springs and John An of Oahu.
The mountains of Colorado and islands of Hawaii are facing some of the toughest regulatory fights in the country. Even if managers manage to stay afloat or win a battle, they're seeing underhanded tactics from local governments and punitive economic measures. We think...
Our industry talks a lot these days about a departing generation of wisdom. About the operators exiting their businesses and taking all of their knowledge with them. But what you don't hear about is the new minds, the new leaders who will carry the torch and @Amanda.Hoffmann is definately a new leader on the rise. She's building a finance division from scratch at Highgate and she's forging a new path at the...
Our quest to quantify vacation rental advocacy health continues in Episode 2 with Linda Curry of Arizonans for Responsible Tourism!
Arizona is as good of an environment for short term rentals right now as any we've seen in the United States. (Though, as Matt cautions, we shouldn't assume the score of a destination before really digging into our research.) If we can pinpoint what is working in Arizona, we'll...
In January, we started the discussion Encouraging Conferences for 2022 and so many community members chimed in.
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When Bob Iger and Disney faced the looming disruption that streaming platforms caused to the conventional world of TV and film, they went on a buying spree picking up famous brands such as ESPN, Pixar, Marvel, Lukas Films Star Wars…etc. Why? They believed that no matter the disruptions to the...
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Latest reply by - StacyW
For me, it was my first time out of the State of Hawaii since 2019 and it was so great to be with my peers in the vacation rental industry and continue to learn about all of the technology that can be used to make us more efficient and effective during the labor shortages we are...
In this episode, two of the industry's top thought leaders reminisce on their friendly rivarly and come together with insights meant to push the whole industry forward.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral: https://www.pointcentral.com/vrmb/ the leaders in smart home automation, and Breezeway, https://www.breezeway.io/vrmbthe best in class property care and automations platform.
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Once you've come to grips with the fact that few employees will likely ever have the same level of passion or commitment that you do, you turn to the next best thing:
"How can I best incentivize them to reach their full potential and KEEP them at my business?"
I wanted to start a thread of some great ideas I've learned in the last few weeks of attending conferences, with the hope that YOU can jump in and...
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Latest reply by - MPerkins
We profit share with everyone in the office and offer holiday bonuses, great health benefits, sick and vacation time and all the usual good stuff PLUS, Christmas...
At 10:05 of our latest Unlocked interview with Jeremy Gall, we talk about Brittany Blackman and her deep passion for vacation rental hospitality.
I go on to share how @MikeH saw Brittany's "passion" as a downright game-changer.
'"They' can't compete with that!" Mike says.
The “they” in Mike’s sentiment is intentionally vague — it can apply to whoever you may have in mind.
They = venture-backed competition...
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Latest reply by - AFirmani
We just put together our 5th VR and then I saw this post (I do not know why they do not come to my email but that goodness I found it here)! And it really got me thinking. In...
After running my vacation rental business for 7 years, I burned out.
The fun, excitement, and focus from my "start-up" days had faded.
I was no longer passionate about the hospitality, which we always considered our greatest virtue.
And after coming to grips with that fact, I sold the business.
Part of me attributed the "burn out" to simply working 24/7 for 7 years. Gene Marks, author of The Small Business...
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Latest reply by - ROster
Rick, sometimes good enough is good enough. Please don't pressure yourself to do more. We know you strive for excellence, and would never...
Welcome back to the How to Save Your Vacation Rental Business show! To tease the impending launch of Season 3 and to get a sense of the state of advocacy right now, Dana and Matt sat down with a panel from across the industry for a live recording session on where we are and whats coming in Season 3.
This was recorded a few hours ago as the 2022 VRMA International Conference came to a close.
The first episode...
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Latest reply by - JanS
@Dana just wanted to say I have heard from several people (most recently @JanS) who all are beginning to think about advocacy in unique new ways...
In the first episode of Season 3, Dana sets off on a journey with Matt Landau and Jamie Lane to find the questions that will define our advocacy scorecard and shape our advocacy efforts moving forward. From housing data to OTA scraping to quantifying the unquanitifiable...we go deep with one of the best data minds in the business.
This season is made possible by Minut and TrackHS as well as our thought...
Sometimes, great initiatives need to be shut down because they are not sustainable.
Which is a difficult pill to swallow, especially when you're passionate (read: stubborn) about something and you badly want it to work.
But it's the truth: as vacation rental innovators we test out lots of ideas...some work, others don't...and then some (the really "special" ones LOL) are both amazing and unsustainable.
What...
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Latest reply by - DeborahL
I love this. I love what you guys have done, I love the lack of a plan (and the honesty to say it, but that is the reality of what happens, speaking from experience) and the fact that you learned about monetisation. This is EXACTLY what I am going through this...
Lauren Madewell found her calling when Vacation Rentals unexpectedly became the family business. In this episode Lauren and Matt discuss finding that calling, how a passion for the family business can unlock tools to work with guests and staff and what the future holds for our industry.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral: https://www.pointcentral.com/vrmb/ the leaders in smart home automation, and...
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Latest reply by - RuthM
Amazing podcast. Our industry is full of great stories and good people. Thanks Matt for shining a light.
Tiffany Edwards grew up in the vacation rental business and has become one of its foremost goverment affairs experts and fundraisers. In this episode we dig into what our industry is doing well and what it needs to do better for a fair regulatory future.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral: https://www.pointcentral.com/vrmb/ the leaders in smart home automation, and Breezeway...
@Steve Schwab went from living in the back of a bar in Puerto Peñasco Mexico and helping out with HVAC systems to building Casago into a major property management company with thousands of properties and franchises all over the US and Mexico. He's featured in our second episode of Homerunners and he's become a thought partner to Matt in tackling some of the deepest questions of our industry.
This episode is...
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Latest reply by - Steve Schwab
What a great experience working with Matt and Stuart on this project. I am always available if any of you ever want to talk...
Our scheduled epsiode for this week was interupted due to uncertainty around Hurricane Ian. Everyone involved with the show is fine and we'll be back next week with regularly scheduled programming, but for now we're going to archives and resharing Episode 19 with you, where Mike Harrington gives us a big business takeaway from Hurricane Florence in 2018. These are lessons we all need to be mindful of in the...
Miriam Ramsey is a key player in the VTrips model of growth through local brands and a star of our first Homerunners episode which premieres worldwide on October 23rd at VRMA International in Las Vegas.
In this episode Matt and Miriam discuss what it takes to make it in this industry, how to handle getting bought and how to nail it as a Homerunner.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral...
Michelle "MJ" Boyle is a patented inventor, the Hostess of the Tiny House Podcast, founder and creator of My Tiny House Village, Oregon Teardrop Rentals, and My Tiny Creekside Retreat. In this episode Matt and MJ explore the rushes and reversals inherit in Homerunning...from hitting a niche market at just the right time to real adversity shutting you down.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral...
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Latest reply by - Debi
Great podcast, Matt! Michelle is one of my favorite people! It was she who introduced me to the artist who created the mural on our beach house. I have been fascinated watching her grow.
This thread is for the general discussion of the Article Contrarian Perspective: Is there a VR Industry Bubble?. Please add to the discussion here.
Welcome to Season 9 of the Unlocked Podcast! Lukas Krause is part of a new generation of industry professionals bringing superpowers from other industries into our own. He’s running a large company in the space but focusing on small hospitality details. In this episode Matt and Lukas dive into the good, the bad and the ugly of our current high paced acquisitions cycle and talk about what it means to be a...
Prior to launching Season 9: Homerunners this week, Matt sat down with Breezeway founder and perennial Unlocked sponsor Jeremiah Gall to discuss highlights from last season and the state of the industry moving forward.
Episode One of Homerunners featuring Lukas Krause of Skyrun Vacation Rentals drops with the VRMB newsletter Thursday September 8th.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral...
I first learned the phrase "creative destruction" from my co-founder in Esperanza Social Venture Club (gang intervention program).
Brief Aside: Building a demobilization program was new and uncharted territory. No one had done anything like this in Panama. So with little experience, we assembled a team, raised money, planned a pilot intervention program with Gang #1 and it went surprisingly well. So well in...
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Latest reply by - Lauren Madewell
Creatively destroying my homeowner acquisition process as we speak. Up until Summer of 2020, onboarding a new owner was like meeting a new friend- I met the seasoned OWNERS in person, this was their vacation home that they wanted rented out when they weren't visiting, we...
I recently came across an insightful case study (attached) titled "From Niche to Movement to Mainstream" about the rise of the food truck movement (and hip hop).
Reading it, I couldn't help but see the parallels with our work (and think about a similar discussion Can we copy the craft beer movement?)...here are some of the interesting nuggets I gleaned from the food truck PDF (attached):
The catalyst for the...
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Latest reply by
- Lauren Madewell
@Dawn what a wonderfully relevant moment for the Hedgehog to make its return to the community.
@TomG and @Lauren Madewell -- I'm curious (been thinking about your family businesses this week as you have...
I recently came across a scene from 'Sense of Place' Blue Ridge that I wanted to share because I know a lot of our members are thinking about staffing and team building.
When I asked @CJ how he plans to grow, he says, "I'm going to invest in people."
Watch it first...
Investing in your people is one of the most impactful ways to allocate funds as a modern day vacation rental professional.
If demands of the...
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Latest reply by - SScurlock
Here's the full episode in case anyone wants to see me jump off an abandoned boat after drinking moonshine:
@Matt Landau this is my favorite Sense of Place! I laughed out loud several times at your antics - especially slipping off the...
I've known Matt Hoffman for what feels like an eternity. I remember talking to him back when I was running my vacation rental business in Panama in 2008 and his passion and enthusiasm for vacation rentals has not faded since...if anything they've sharpened.
Matt is the Senior Vice President and Product Leader at Kigo, which is a vacation rental management software company.
Our conversation about Matt's...
I am currently visiting @Godfrey in Sun Valley, Idaho where the supply of vacation rental properties is so limited (and the demand for this destination so great) that property owners and managers need to be extra intentional about how they spend their time. To a degree, I think this focus is increasingly playing out across the world.
Every activity falls somewhere on the profit spectrum, but which activities...
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Latest reply by - Catherine
Here's a full interview so you can understand better:
Thanks, as always, Matt! 👌
This week's podcast episode (embedded below) featuring @TomG of Mt. Laurel Chalets in Gatlinburg, TN includes a very special segment (starts at 11:05) about an idea Tom calls Hometown Heroes here's how it's described on his site:
Every hometown has its heroes. The unseen caregiver who is called to serve. An unlikely achiever who tackles obstacles with a can-do spirit. Perhaps it's the unsung champion who runs...
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Latest reply by
- Debi
Matt and I had a discussion about our Hometown Hero Contest on his podcast Unlocked back in May. We launched this pilot right after that and we are now naming...
Dana Young is one of those people who is just unyieldingly passionate about technology. But so are a lot of people. What makes Dana unique is the way he is applying that obsession -- specifically with voice activated devices -- to the vacation rental space. He got started in our industry managing a property with his mom. But the ramifications of his singular and relatively straightforward "Unlocked" tactic reach...
Welcome to VRMB!
I’m Matt Landau, the founder of this forum. It was created in 2016 when a group of us wanted a safe space to discuss our growing STR businesses.
Today, you can join our community of 1,000+ creative, thoughtful, and generous members who believe in a better future.
