Matt Landau
  • Founder, VRMB

What Are You Most Grateful For?

Ever since I moved to Miami and started swimming in the ocean each morning with my crew of completely random but equally inspiring swim buddies (photo attached) I joined in on the unspoken practice of being grateful.

There's no fee and no rules joining this swim group. Show up whenever you want, swim with the group however far you want, however fast you want.

But at the beginning just as we're all in the water and the sun is rising, everyone takes a brief moment to be grateful. For some swimmers, that means shouting out loud "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!" For others, it's just a peaceful smile on their face. That brief moment of gratefulness seems to make everyone's day a little bit better.

And while I'm not much of a Thanksgiving or festive cheer sorta guy, the more and more I read about great entrepreneurs (and really just great people) the more I see "gratefulness" as a common thread. They all pretty much say that being grateful for what you have (especially the little things!) is a key to happiness and success.

So I wanted to take a break from hardcore learning and start a COMPLETELY OPEN-ENDED thread asking what you are most grateful for about your vacation rental business? Here are mine to get things going...
  • I am grateful for all VRMB community members who constantly inspire me with their community leadership, high standards, and extraordinary small business achievements (and for many of whom I now consider friends)
  • I'm grateful for my team who does the meticulous game-changing work within our company that I get to benefit from
  • I am grateful for the quiet leaders pursuing the most challenging aspects of our industry (ex. unfair regulation, safety, environment, and diversity) forward bit by bit without expecting anything in return.
Over to you Community leaders...What are you most grateful for? Could be a person, a group of people, a trend, a company, an association, an innovation, an idea, an opportunity, a failure, none of these things, all of these things...etc. Let's put some positive vibes into the vacation rentalsphere.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9202.JPG
    IMG_9202.JPG
    401.4 KB
Last edited:
I am most grateful for the many, many opportunities that this short term rental business has given me. The opportunity to have a beer with Matt Landau in Panama City many years ago. To be able to participate in providing great stays for tourists, lodgings for business transferees, to provide emergency housing during floods, fires and household emergencies and to be able to provide housing for those attending to people in emergency hospitals.
To the many people I have met in this industry who have helped me along the way and to the most wonderful staff ( friends ) that I work with every day and for their dedication to the same ideals of great service and professionalism that we constantly strive to attain.
Lastly for the single fact that I live in Canada, in BC which affords me multiple opportunities to pay back the personal gains that I have attained in life.
I am now 75 years old and having more fun than ever just by providing much needed assistance to others. For that I am grateful.
 
This is such a powerful practice. I've tried to incorporate this into each day over the past several years. I'm not always successful at it and sometimes lose perspective, but when I'm mindful enough to acknowledge my surroundings and position in life with appreciation and gratitude, it is such an uplifting experience. Anyone who has the ability to access this forum and contribute in any way has more to be grateful for than we could possibly put on a list. I'll try though ;)
  • I'm thankful for my family and personal relationships that anchor my life and provide the bedrock foundation for me to contribute to the world around me.
  • I'm thankful to have been able to become a part of this VR community and all of the wonderful people who are in this ecosystem - it is a breath of fresh air to interact with all of you.
  • I'm thankful for the rental market recovering in our area and giving us the opportunity to grow our business, make new connections, hire outstanding team members and build a sustainable business capable of supporting our life.
  • Most of all, I'm grateful that the future looks bright and that I'm surrounded by so many outstanding people to meet it with.
My sincere best to all of you who are reading this. I appreciate you all and the opportunity to be a part of this community and industry.
 
I am grateful for relationships.

The friendships I have developed from within this industry are deep. I have had the chance to share vacations, beers, tears, and laughter with people from this community and the short-term rental industry.

I am immensely thankful to be a small part of this special community. Together, I believe we can change the world for the better!
 
*I am grateful for the Vrmb community because without them I would not be where I am today.
*I am grateful to the vacation rental industry that has given me an opportunity to travel and the high standard of living it provides.
*I am grateful for the income vacation rentals has generated for us and allowed us to purchase four vacation rentals.
*I am grateful for the people that I have been fortunate enough to meet in the vacation rental industry over the last twenty five years.
 
I am grateful for meeting Matt all those long years ago (before VRMB) when I thought I was in this alone and discovered that there were many others out there with the passion to be the best at STRs.
I am grateful to all the friends I met as a result of Matt and his get togethers. It's a small island where I live and not many others are around doing this themselves. I have learned so much and try to pay it forward to others on island who aspire to do the same.
I am most grateful, though, for Matt teaching me to be kind and take a breath. It was a great gift and I have no way of expressing how much it helped when my son died. It has nothing to do with home ownership but everything to do with how he taught me to make my life better.
P.S. there are many others I am grateful to also, but, since it's Matt's thread, this is what I came up with.🤣💕
 
Ever since I moved to Miami and started swimming in the ocean each morning with my crew of completely random but equally inspiring swim buddies (photo attached) I joined in on the unspoken practice of being grateful.

There's no fee and no rules joining this swim group. Show up whenever you want, swim with the group however far you want, however fast you want.

But at the beginning just as we're all in the water and the sun is rising, everyone takes a brief moment to be grateful. For some swimmers, that means shouting out loud "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!" For others, it's just a peaceful smile on their face. That brief moment of gratefulness seems to make everyone's day a little bit better.

And while I'm not much of a Thanksgiving or festive cheer sorta guy, the more and more I read about great entrepreneurs (and really just great people) the more I see "gratefulness" as a common thread. They all pretty much say that being grateful for what you have (especially the little things!) is a key to happiness and success.

So I wanted to take a break from hardcore learning and start a COMPLETELY OPEN-ENDED thread asking what you are most grateful for about your vacation rental business? Here are mine to get things going...
  • I am grateful for all VRMB community members who constantly inspire me with their community leadership, high standards, and extraordinary small business achievements (and for many of whom I now consider friends)
  • I'm grateful for my team who does the meticulous game-changing work within our company that I get to benefit from
  • I am grateful for the quiet leaders pursuing the most challenging aspects of our industry (ex. unfair regulation, safety, environment, and diversity) forward bit by bit without expecting anything in return.
Over to you Community leaders...What are you most grateful for? Could be a person, a group of people, a trend, a company, an association, an innovation, an idea, an opportunity, a failure, none of these things, all of these things...etc. Let's put some positive vibes into the vacation rentalsphere.
I am grateful I was able to do this vacation rental in my home. It allows me to continue to live in this gorgeous but pricey Western North Carolina mountain town.
 
Grateful for the opportunity vacation rentals have given me to work alongside such an incredible group of people - employees, owners, guests, business associates, and industry gurus like ML. This business has challenged us in every way possible and rewarded us beyond our wildest dreams.

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!
 
I am not a fan of frufufy stuff like this...wait don't hate yet, until I started doing it. It really does give you a totally different perspective on life. Especially in this line of work where owners and renters can sometimes beat you down. I write 3 things I am grateful for each morning so that I start my day in a better mental spot to take on the things of the day. It has really helped me with not letting the owners little things get to me.

I am grateful for this amazing business that has allowed me to be flexible around my family and kids schedule.
I am grateful for the amazing people I have met through this industry
I am grateful for the fun I have with my amazing team
I am grateful for my staff who help keep my business running

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Ever since I moved to Miami and started swimming in the ocean each morning with my crew of completely random but equally inspiring swim buddies (photo attached) I joined in on the unspoken practice of being grateful.

There's no fee and no rules joining this swim group. Show up whenever you want, swim with the group however far you want, however fast you want.

But at the beginning just as we're all in the water and the sun is rising, everyone takes a brief moment to be grateful. For some swimmers, that means shouting out loud "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!" For others, it's just a peaceful smile on their face. That brief moment of gratefulness seems to make everyone's day a little bit better.

And while I'm not much of a Thanksgiving or festive cheer sorta guy, the more and more I read about great entrepreneurs (and really just great people) the more I see "gratefulness" as a common thread. They all pretty much say that being grateful for what you have (especially the little things!) is a key to happiness and success.

So I wanted to take a break from hardcore learning and start a COMPLETELY OPEN-ENDED thread asking what you are most grateful for about your vacation rental business? Here are mine to get things going...
  • I am grateful for all VRMB community members who constantly inspire me with their community leadership, high standards, and extraordinary small business achievements (and for many of whom I now consider friends)
  • I'm grateful for my team who does the meticulous game-changing work within our company that I get to benefit from
  • I am grateful for the quiet leaders pursuing the most challenging aspects of our industry (ex. unfair regulation, safety, environment, and diversity) forward bit by bit without expecting anything in return.
Over to you Community leaders...What are you most grateful for? Could be a person, a group of people, a trend, a company, an association, an innovation, an idea, an opportunity, a failure, none of these things, all of these things...etc. Let's put some positive vibes into the vacation rentalsphere.
First, I am grateful for the wetsuit that keeps my partner from turning into a popsicle during his morning Salish Sea swims!

I'm grateful for my guests, who see and treat my island home as the calm and lovely getaway it was intended to be.

And my housekeepers - how grateful I am for the care and skill you bring to my home, over and over again.

So grateful that I've come to be a host.

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Over to you Community leaders...What are you most grateful for? Could be a person, a group of people, a trend, a company, an association, an innovation, an idea, an opportunity, a failure, none of these things, all of these things...etc. Let's put some positive vibes into the vacation rentalsphere.
I am so thankful for my different families - blood relatives, people that I volunteer with that have become like family, members of the IC that have helped me so much, and members of my P.E.O. ladies' club that are like sisters.

I am grateful and thankful that my vacation rental business has afforded me the means to help more people - putting three granddaughters through college debt free, and helping others in my community with monetary donations to our local food pantry.

I am thankful to have learned a lot in my career before I retired and to now be able to use that knowledge to help others in need. Something really amazing has happened over the last month, and I would love to share it here.

For years I volunteered with a gentleman named Moe. He was always smiling and pleasant, and I never heard him complain about anything. A month ago an article was done about him in the Hello Georgetown online newsletter. Moe is a veteran, 71 years old, and is living in a VERY small, old travel trailer with his 3 dogs and a cat.

Some of his church friends learned of his horrible living conditions. Moe had patched his roof repeatedly with tar paper, etc. but it still leaked badly. When he slept he had to cover his head with a towel to keep the water from dripping on him. None of the overhead lights worked due to water damage to the wiring. Black mold was a huge issue, and the walls and floors were literally crumbling around him. Moe is a big man and was afraid he might fall through the floor.

Moe's friend from church started a fundraiser, which was the focus of the Hello Georgetown article. Their goal was to raise $20,000 to get Moe another, used but newer, travel trailer to live in. They got to $21,000 and began to look for a travel trailer. They were very disheartened to find they started at $24,000. Moe then let his friend know he had always dreamed of having a tiny home. His friend owns his own contracting business, so he began to figure the cost of building a small, not tiny, home for Moe. If he donated all of his time and expertise and got all of the labor volunteered, as well as many of the materials, they could build one for $35,000.

A club member had seen the Hello Georgetown article and thought that Moe might qualify for a grant from a state fund with my P.E.O. chapter. I am the chairman of the committee and write the grants. I knew his friend's name was Howard Workman and his wife was Jannette, but had no contact information. I got on the internet and found a phone number and gave Howard a call.

Howard and Moe were literally sitting around Howard's dining table trying to figure if it were possible to do this, or should they still try and find a small travel trailer when I called and told them a club I was in might be able to get him a grant for $6,000. Howard and Moe literally felt like this was an answer to a prayer.

My committee quickly got the grant application together and submitted it, requesting the full amount. It was such an unusual request, the state committee Chairman had several questions we had to get answered. They quickly approved the maximum amount and let us know they had many more requests for assistance than they had money for. The grant was approved right after Veteran's Day, which I thought was special.

Another member of my chapter told me she would anonymously match the grant, and she did! The grant money and the matching donation put them over the top of what was needed to complete the home. Three chapter members went with me to present the check and we got to tour the home. One of the members that went with me told me she thought that was the highlight of the year for her. I didn't let Moe and Howard know about the additional $6,000 until my friend confirmed she would match it. they were dumbfounded at her generosity. Howard commented that really enabled them to go from bare-bones to a comfortable home - new appliances rather than old, worn out ones.

They believe Moe will be able to move in by the end of the month. Yesterday they got the heater/ac installed (an electrical company Howard worked with donated it). Tomorrow the high will be in the 50's with a 30 mph wind, and rainy. I'm sure Moe will "camp" in his new home during this cold, wet spell even though it is not totally completed. He will be dry and warm.

The club will have a small fundraiser for Moe and rather than household items., we will give him gift and gas cards.

I am extremely grateful to have been a small part in doing something that is so life changing for someone else. Moe still can't believe it is real and he is obviously thankful for so many people that were a part of making this happen. He said he never even thought of asking for help and was amazed that so many donated their time and money to make it happen for him.

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Ever since I moved to Miami and started swimming in the ocean each morning with my crew of completely random but equally inspiring swim buddies (photo attached) I joined in on the unspoken practice of being grateful.

There's no fee and no rules joining this swim group. Show up whenever you want, swim with the group however far you want, however fast you want.

But at the beginning just as we're all in the water and the sun is rising, everyone takes a brief moment to be grateful. For some swimmers, that means shouting out loud "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!" For others, it's just a peaceful smile on their face. That brief moment of gratefulness seems to make everyone's day a little bit better.

And while I'm not much of a Thanksgiving or festive cheer sorta guy, the more and more I read about great entrepreneurs (and really just great people) the more I see "gratefulness" as a common thread. They all pretty much say that being grateful for what you have (especially the little things!) is a key to happiness and success.

So I wanted to take a break from hardcore learning and start a COMPLETELY OPEN-ENDED thread asking what you are most grateful for about your vacation rental business? Here are mine to get things going...
  • I am grateful for all VRMB community members who constantly inspire me with their community leadership, high standards, and extraordinary small business achievements (and for many of whom I now consider friends)
  • I'm grateful for my team who does the meticulous game-changing work within our company that I get to benefit from
  • I am grateful for the quiet leaders pursuing the most challenging aspects of our industry (ex. unfair regulation, safety, environment, and diversity) forward bit by bit without expecting anything in return.
Over to you Community leaders...What are you most grateful for? Could be a person, a group of people, a trend, a company, an association, an innovation, an idea, an opportunity, a failure, none of these things, all of these things...etc. Let's put some positive vibes into the vacation rentalsphere.

I’m grateful to be a part of an industry that can truly change lives. Our hope is that we can be a place where our guests, employees, contractors, and home owners can leave better than when they arrived. Moment by moment, vacation after vacation, year after year, generation to succeeding generation, contract after contract, we have been fortunate to do that—for almost 50 years. Thanks ML for being a champion for the limited
edition rental management companies out there. We can all make a difference in people’s lives and that’s something to be grateful for.
 
I'm grateful for my health...
I'm grateful for this amazing panorama to which I wake up to every morning and enjoy all day when I'm questioning why I work so much on our olive trees...
I'm grateful to Matt Landau since 2014/15 when I found his daring face on internet with this AMAZING Inner Circle Group! ...
I'm grateful for my kids and their friends who escaped the covid crowds in Milano to stay here almost 1 year and helped me begin a permaculture organic vegetable garden and the years prior when they took care of our Guests while I took care of my parents in the USA...
I'm grateful for the few Guests we had during these last two scary summers, they were Quality university groups and families...
I'm especially grateful to everyone here who is taking this Climate Emergency seriously and doing ANYTHING (big or small) about it..right BobG BobG ?!
 
I AM HERE for threads like this! We've all seen the findings that claim by focusing on what one's grateful for elevates levels of happiness and overall joy. My husband and I each share 3 things we're grateful for before turning the lights off for bed. It's become a ritual and has without a doubt made a positive impact on my mental wellbeing sending me off to la la land with a full heart.

For this exercise, what I'm most grateful for about my vacation rental business is that it brought my brother and me closer than we've ever been. We've always been a tight family, but going into business together and getting to manage a team was next level closeness. I had never laughed so hard while doing work that wasn't easy. And if it wasn't for working with him, I wouldn't have met Matt Landau Matt Landau and so many of you incredible folks here. And if I hadn't met Matt, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to start my dream podcast and learn from the greats in our space like Debi Debi DMartinez DMartinez , MeganM MeganM JPrugh JPrugh Bruce Bruce and many more! I am beyond grateful to be on this journey and for all the twists and turns that got me here!

IMG_5024.JPG
 
As I sit in a comfortable bed overlooking Prospect Park in my friend's soon to be next STR I'm grateful for:
  • Knowing that everything changes.
  • A second career.
  • The many communities in this industry,
  • Friends that have provided me with:
    • A warm home.
    • A place to heal.
    • Many conversations allowed me to dream.
    • Supporting those crazy dreams (shooting films and more.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0027.jpeg
    IMG_0027.jpeg
    408 KB
Although late to the party, I am here now. I am grateful for our vacation rental business and all the amazing people with whom it has allowed me to become friends (I'm looking at you particularly Matt Landau Matt Landau ). I am incredibly grateful for our team, they do the heavy lifting every day so our guests can experience Chattanooga in a way they otherwise would not, they keep our owners' homes in great condition, and they are mindful of our greater community and each other. I am thankful for the learning experiences I keep having, and the opportunities to grow personally and professionally. Most of all, I am grateful for my wonderful partner and husband, ChristianThoreson ChristianThoreson who keeps me on my toes, supports me through all the challenges, and mostly loves me for who I am (not always easy y'all!). Gratitude has become a daily practice!
 
There is so much to be grateful for! Two new grandbabies coming into the world, healthy family members, fantastic friends and host communities, an abundant garden and a special piece of my heart (our VR) that I get to share with guests.

This group has done so much to frame my hosting attitude and business life for the last 10+ years, my appreciation for you all is deep and profound. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have met many of you and look forward to more opportunities!
 
I'm late to this thread but every day is a good day for gratitude :giggle:

In addition to being ridiculously grateful for my husband who supports me and my kids who put up with me, I am truly grateful for the community that is the VR industry. I've just returned from the VR Women's Summit and am filled with gratitude for the incredible people I got to be around. And not just because it was mostly women, I always feel this way after every conference! From OGs to newbies to vendors, there is such a strong feeling of all being in this together that I love!
 
Late to this also. We are beyond grateful for the people we rely on to be successful. Our son was killed a few months ago by a 3rd time drunk driver. Housekeeping, and folks who usually help us, really stepped up to make everything work, while we were minimally involved. They were gracious when we forgot to email schedules, checked on and repaired things, bought supplies we usually bring. At one of our cabins, our neighbors also walked over and personally welcomed every guest we had. Apparently they enjoy meeting the very nice guests we have and they've continued to welcome each guest. We have so many reviews mentioning how nice the neighbors are.

We are most grateful for our kids and family though.
 
Matt Landau Matt Landau I was so moved by your last mailer of 2021 and your essay about your experience on St. John that it made me cry, memories of what happened to people after those two back to back cat 5 hurricanes came flooding back.

I too hope for less tumultuous times for everyone in 2022 wherever they might be but we sure do have “stormy times” on island again. The Governor of the USVI just implemented a 72 pre-arrival Covid testing requirement which is very hard for people to do. There’s a huge Omicron surge in the US Virgin Islands and TONS of last minute travel cancellations are happening and there are LOTS of intermittent restaurant closures because people are too ill to work. A team from Ohio (similar to FEMA) has come down to assist with 911 calls and they’re not on island to enjoy sunny days in paradise, they’re all working 12 hour shifts.

I’m as kind as kind can be but I had to implement a very strict Rental Agreement. All of my high season guests are now in the “no refund zone.” IF the Governor institutes a travel ban I’ll issue refunds, otherwise not. The group who arrives today includes two physicians and one asked me if some of the others could reschedule if they can’t get tested in time. I said “Sorry no, I’m running a business.” Fortunately they were totally cool with that. I hope the others are able to come but I cannot adopt problems that don’t belong to me.

I take exceptionally good care of my guests and recommend best/safest ways to do things that many other owners either don’t know about or they don’t want to take the extra time to do it. People are definitely very grateful for my good advice and more my TLC attention to details. The fantastic reviews I’m getting (more coming) are heartwarming to the max. Inspiration and caring have always fueled my business engine and always will.

I’m always fair to others and although it took me awhile I finally figured out that I need to be fair to me too. I also finally dared to raise my rates and reservations for later in the year are flying in. I’ve had a 2023 reservation on the books for quite awhile. Other 2023 inquiries are happening and the status of my confidence is strong. I have every reason to be proud of what I’m doing and how lovely: I am.

As I pondered these difficult and tumultuous times, past and present, I recalled an old song that I haven’t thought of in years, “I Just Can’t Give Up Now” (2008?) by Mary Mary. The lyrics seem perfect to me at this time.

Finally: Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right and forget about those who don’t. And believe that everything happens for a reason…If you get a chance - take it; if it changes your life - let it. Nobody said it would be easy. They just promised that it would be worth it.
 

About the author

Joined
Last seen
Viewing thread
Back
Top