[Matt Landau]

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 project/experiment/test/trial/relationship do you have going that should really be shut down?

Have you ever learned this lesson the hard/prolonged way?

Today (in the conversation below) Terry and I announce the end of Keystone Awards, the deepest independent dive into property management software research that has ever been offered to the general owner/manager public for free.

Reference: Property Management Software Selector Tool v1.5​

Sad, honest, real, objective...it was cathartic to talk through our big lessons in the episode below.

We are selling access to a compilation of our published findings in The Essential Guide to Property Management Software. If you have ever benefitted from our research and know others who may too, we've structured the information like a miniature course.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Keystone Awards over the years!

We are honored to call you colleagues and friends!

Summary: Years ago Terry and Matt started sharing and formalizing their research on tech stacks and property management software with the wider community. In this episode they discuss the future of their Keystone Awards project and wider lessons to think about when using a "help don't sell" model in your industry.

• Vacation Rental Software Guy: https://vacationrentalsoftwareguy.com/
• RSVP to Homerunners Las Vegas World Premiere: https://www.paperlesspost.com/go/y8RlVmeS3z93Rvf4B6DyJ
• The Essential Guide to Property Management Software: community.vrmb.com/structured-learning
• Join VRMB Communities: https://www.vrmb.com/membership/

 

[Susanne]

Thank you both for all the brilliant work you have so generously shared in the area of software evaluation. I will happily pass on these links when the topic of software comes up.

 

[RuthM]

I just listened to this podcast. I have so much admiration for both of you Matt Landau and Terry ! Thank you for your generous help to our industry and to me! I know I speak for many (all?) of our industry in saying THANK YOU for leading the way with Keystone Awards and the importance of the tech stack.

 

[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 year/ right now. I really connected with your story.
I needed to know what software and service companies were offering because I my want to include them in recommendations in my Guest Innspector reports. I figured if I have to learn about what everyone offers, I may as well share it with everyone! This is how the Techsplained Series was born. Of course I didn't charge anyone. I did it for the love of it. And then someone mentioned monetisation! Why wasn't I charging for it? Oh, I wasn't comfortable with that, but hey, why not. I decided to charge the vendor for the share, and I love being able to share these detailed interviews with you all for FREE.
Thank you so much for all you guys have done Matt Landau and Terry . And thank you for sharing this story. Enjoy the sunset.