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In this episode Matt sits down with Kirsten King of Big Sky Vacation Rentals for some big takeaways on building and ultimately selling a supremely profitable and sustainable vacation rental business. This episode is brought to you by Point Central, the leaders in smart home automation, and Breezeway, the best in class property care and automations platform.
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Note: Thanks to @ToonTownRob for posting this mini-revelation about the power of starting your email responses with a twist. It inspired this week's Motivation (and I decided to record it in podcast form too below). Listing sites like Airbnb and Vrbo rank as the top pound-for-pound allocation of your time to generate inquiries. All the various listing sites make up Stage 1 of Listing Site Independence...
#3 from the Guest point of view. We wanted to rent a dog-friendly house in a specific beach community for three months during winter 2023. We're two adults and two golden retrievers. I first looked for local rental agencies and found...
Share one of your most creative business ideas ever? How was it conceived? What worked (or didn't work) in sharing/realizing that vision with others? Here's one of my most creative ideas :) As a senior in college in 2005, I reached out to an alumni from my university who had hit the dot com boom and the Costa Rica eco tourism boom perfectly. Casey's company Costa Rica Vacations was (and still is) #1 in...
A brilliant flash!
UPDATED: March 14, 2024 This past week Miami came out with the following commercial to dissuade partiers from choosing it for their Spring Break shenanigans. It was a brilliant example of the "Why our destination is NOT for you" messaging we've explored before... **** "7 Reasons Casco Viejo is NOT For You" (original blog post from 2010 attached) was the single most impactful piece of content I ever created...
Interesting the we're not an Airbnb.. ohhh I remember those conversations you and I had about Airbnb
Challenge: Creativity is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the more it strengthens your story and your vision for the future. I'd like to challenge members to share one short story that moved them emotionally (reference the feelings wheel for inspiration) in the last few weeks. It can be short. Or long. Great or lame. The mere act of sharing your quick story is the creative act in and of itself. I Am...
When we started living in our vacation house in Mexico for six months a year, I never suspected our dog would open the door to our becoming a part of our village. This is one of many of his...
Back in 2009, with the listing sites (and our category in general) starting to gain momentum, the members of this community and myself predicted that "listing site independence" (ie. marketing diversification for vacation rental pros) would be the north star to follow. In the years that followed, plenty of direct booking movements spawned and a legitimate trend was formed. The theory of "Limited Edition" was...
We are reading the book as a company and have our first meeting this Friday to discuss the first 8 Chapters! We will discuss what it means to deliver...
MeganM
  • Owner & Hostess
I am at it again - after moving from Nashville where I ran the local Advocacy group for over 5 years, I am started efforts in my new hometown (Cocoa Beach, Florida). This is a MUCH smaller area than Nashville so I am working with a lot less resources (ie Airbnb and Vrbo...
Did you see my post on this other thread? Take a look, especially at the articles I linked to. Thanks, Rob. I hadn't seen your post. I did already have a link to the UCF article but since it was pre-COVID was trying...
This thread is for the general discussion of the Article Contrarian Perspective: Is there a VR Industry Bubble?. If you're a vacation rental nerd like me, you probably follow every media site, blog (like VRMB!), Facebook group, etc. just to glean what you can about our...
I wanted to revisit this discussion as it appears to me that we have definitely "burst" or at least is not thriving like the post-pandemic boom and has returned to pre-pandemic numbers. I know everyone has strong feelings on "airbnbust" but aren't we just experiencing the ebb and flow cycle...
One of the big shifts I've made over the last year is in recognizing creativity is THE muscle all homerunners need to start exercising more consistently and pronto -- said another way, it is the LACK of outside-the-box thinking that gets even the most innovative companies stuck in their old/comfortable ways and in some cases sunk. Side Note: I've become so enamored with creative pursuits that I have begun to...
For several years I worked with a printer for big jobs as well as small jobs. He was easy to work with, reliable, and his pricing was competitive. As digital communications began to reduce his clients' print jobs, he'd bemoan...
My mother is a brain scientist who has earned an incredible array of accolades over the last few decades. Becoming a scientist wasn't common for women in her generation so (with the help of great mentors) she chose to blaze her own trail. My father was a shopkeeper whose family business served as a keystone to the community of Princeton, New Jersey his entire adult life (he has since retired and the shop...
From the young age of two, my family begin hosting exchange students from all over the world. My mom was a HS teacher and my father was the friendliest human you could ever meet! I also...
How do you consider whether you want lots of little improvements or one much bigger change? Is it possible to both simultaneously? Does it depend on the particular phase of growth? Years ago @ROster introduced his formula for continual improvement and many members have shared examples of this thinking in all aspects of the business (and life). The gist? Continual improvement always. If you are on a good...
If I could challenge this idea...I think inherent to the big changes is the understanding that...
Will Franco
  • Efficiency Manager, VRMB
In my exploration of AI, I asked Pi about Matt Landau and VRMB. Pi's response was insightful and nuanced (screen-recording below). Pi's voice is about a 1-second delayed. That's why you see the lag time from when I text and Pi's voice starts. What's your take on Matt...
Very cool!
I wanted to start a discussion on this topic because teams are the piece of the puzzle that make everything tick ... however due to a convergence of forces, teams are distanced physically and subtly/mentally in new ways (most enabled by tech). If our business' health is directly correlated to the strength of our relationships within our teams....how do we correct this course? Doing things face-to-face feels...
Another way to strengthen team relationships is by emphasizing purpose. If you can draw a line between one's contribution and the bigger picture (happy/loyal guests) you've strengthened a business...
Matt Landau
  • Founder, VRMB
Post of the Week
Disclaimer: I am directly swiping this from @StaySavvy of https://www.savvytravels.co/ who (as far as I know) invented the phrase and explained it on our Accelerator call last night. A walk-through is a protocol typically performed before (and sometimes after) a guest checks-in in which a knowledgable team member ensures that all other standard operating procedures (housekeeping, maintenance, and staging) have...
We do this with every property we onboard. Most of our homes have been through a major renovation and as much as we would like, we can't depend on the General Contractor to test everything. Not only does it give our staff intimate knowledge of...
From Phocuswright's STR study Through The Roof, 87% of travelers agreed or strongly agreed that they actively seek out properties with an interesting look and feel. "Character" was not a make it or break it moment of the conversion -- but definitely a big appeal. Character is where a huge new wave of vacation rental entrepreneurs are investing: tree houses, tents, themed homes...etc. So I wanted to start a...
@RuthM recently shared this article with me "Why You’ll Be 750x Better Off Running An Airbnb Than A Vacation Rental Or...
Today's episode features Antonio Bortolotti, who runs the vacation Rental World Summit with his wife, Christina. It's become the preeminent event in Europe and the Middle East for vacation rental professionals. In this episode, Antonio and I recount this most extraordinary moment on stage at the end of the Vacation Rental World Summit in Barcelona just a couple weeks ago. We go through some of the sequences that...
This episode features a conversation between Justin Ford and Matt Landau. Justin is a longtime industry advocate, having introduced professional safety protocols to the emerging industry of vacation rentals. In this episode, Matt and Justin talk about leadership and fear, and how certain experiences impact the way we think about, and handle, risk. The episode concludes with a conversation about safety in the...
I GOT STUCK is my story but it could also likely be yours. As burnout started to rear its ugly head my relationships and projects started to wobble. I was forced to accept that I was lacking a clear vision for my future: I was without a firm foundation to create from. How does one become visionary? What does it feel like to grow in new ways? How do we adapt and unstuck ourselves as we enter and era of...
This episode features a conversation between two lifelong friends, Adam and Matt, who talk about their childhood, their fathers, and their heritage. In this conversation, they reflect on how travel reunited them in a very special place in this world, close to their roots. This episode is about exploring who they are as a person and creating life-lasting memories at their home away from home… This episode is...
In this episode, Matt talks with his close friend and landlord robin. Robin‘s whole life seemed to be going according to plan until she got hit by a shit storm and her marriage started to unravel. In this episode, we explore themes of relationships, adversity, movement, and travel, and how to lead your children and loved ones by leading yourself. This episode is brought to you by Breezeway...
In this podcast episode, Matt Landau and Guy discuss personal growth, business insights, and transformative experiences. Matt talks about his life-changing trip to Israel and how travel can trigger transformation. Guy shares his enlightening experiences with psychedelics and how they altered his perspective on life. The episode also covers Guy's journey into parenthood and its profound impact on him, emphasizing...
Join us for a conversation between Matt and his mother, Barbara Landau. This episode offers a glimpse into Barbara Landau’s rich life experiences and adventures. She reflects on her career choices, emphasizing the importance of building a network of mentors and allies for success. Barbara's impressive achievements are a testament to her dedication and determination. Intriguingly, the episode delves into the core...
Join us for a captivating conversation with Valerie Gangas as she shares her inspiring journey of growth, spirituality, and resilience. From starting a vacation rental company during the pandemic to exploring the depths of her spiritual awakening, Valerie's story is a powerful testament to the human spirit. Tune in for a dose of inspiration and insights into embracing change, seeking support, and creating...
Lots of air quotes in the title of this thread -- because the definitions of all these things are blurry. Have you heard about my home state of Florida's "Live Local Act," which aims to help combat the lack of affordable housing by incentivizing new construction through tax breaks? The Live Local Act allows developers to get around height and density restrictions like those in historic areas. Such as my...
It's important to address the affordable housing issue with practical solutions, and that may look like reevaluating our zoning codes to allow for more dense builds. While many individuals express a desire to address the affordable...
Updated Oct 19, 2023 I think this will be a watershed year for vacation rental conferences, so I'm encouraging any member who wants to up their game with some advice around the most common questions I get! Drop your fav conference into comments for other members...as well as what kind of attendee would be a good fit! Note: We've also begun hosting a series of private events ourselves called "Keystone Retreats"...
This year as we head into conferences I am going to make a list of needs, must haves, and who to find...
This week in a NYT travel article I learned the word Flâneur. Here's some of my fav quotes: A flâneur is an idle stroller who wanders aimlessly and lets 'accident' be their guide: one of the best ways to explore a destination is not with goals or itineraries but by following your senses To walk a city led by your senses rather than a destination is to awaken to the city and, possibly, to yourself. It’s...
We definitely introduce guests to one another, at our weekly pizza party where guests get to meet up...
Aloha Community, This is Kim Johnston, @TerryC Craven’s daughter. I am writing on behalf of my mom because internet access in Lahaina is not back up at the moment. Our property management company has been in business for over 40 years and we are located on Maui in the...
Hi from Maine. We in Maine are sending positive thoughts. How about traveling nurses? We are having a statewide...
When I would get feedback/reviews at my vacation rentals in Panama, my instinct was to respond with pride because I created that experience! Proudly, the good reviews gave me ego boosts and the bad reviews’ root causes went unnoticed (because I could not or would not see em) and the problems therefore persisted. Unimaginable. Impossible! It took me a while to figure out that pride means taking a defensive...
From the Guest: The big and short of it: The yard was terrible and embarrassing with an ant infestation and weeds everywhere. It was unusable. The owner told you they couldn’t find anyone to get it done. The gardener told me they were told before we arrived to hold off until we left. People...
Vtrips is one of the fastest growing companies in our industry and its leader, Steve Milo, has advocacy in mind with every aquisiton he makes. In this episode we dive into his advocacy masterplan, talk about what he looks for in a destination and see how we can apply it to our scorecard. We also hear from Amy Gaster and Dusty Church who are working with Vtrips on Tybee Island to save vacation rentals there...
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I have been deep in Ai reading for the last few months. The unknowns are overwhelmingly agreed (few could have fathomed what big disruptions like the steam engine or the internet would bring). It's the speed of the onset of these unknowns that's most radical. Other disruptions took place slowly and steadily by comparison. This morning I read about a professor's Ai detector falsely accusing a student of cheating...
Something to consider if using AI for blogs and/or other marketing purposes. They scrape data from copyrighted property. Then it repurposes it into books, screenplays, research...

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