From aerospace engineer to acquiring four boutique hotels in just 12 months—Harshad Lalan’s journey proves that systems thinking and strategic boldness can transform your short-term rental business. In this episode of the Booked Solid podcast, Harshad shares how he and his wife Ishita scaled from zero properties to a thriving portfolio by combining her design brilliance with his analytical systems approach. He reveals how they jumped from less than 1% direct bookings last year to over 30% this year, his framework for using AI to streamline everything from listing creation to hotel underwriting, and why surrounding yourself with the right people accelerates growth faster than any spreadsheet analysis ever could. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to scale aggressively, Harshad’s honest take on overcoming “analysis paralysis” and building delegatable systems will give you a new perspective on what’s possible. Summary and Highlights 👤 Meet Harshad Lalan Harshad Lalan is a hospitality entrepreneur, boutique hotel investor, and co-founder of 5 Seasons Homestays and Ishita Interiors alongside his wife, Ishita. With a professional background in aerospace engineering and systems design—plus experience as a licensed pilot—Harshad brings a unique analytical perspective to the short-term rental space. Together, the couple has built a portfolio of high-performing, amenity-rich properties across the U.S., transforming ordinary homes into what Harshad calls “Super Properties.” His engineering mindset drives everything from operational systems to guest experience optimization, while Ishita brings the creative soul that makes their properties stand out in competitive markets. Connect with Harshad: 🚀 The Journey: From One Property to Four Hotels in 12 Months Harshad’s path into short-term rentals wasn’t overnight success—it was methodical growth built on deliberate systems. Starting in 2017-2018, he and Ishita acquired just one property per year for the first two years. The process was cautious: Harshad spent nine months searching for their Destin, Florida property, meticulously checking ROI goals, distance from the beach, and amenities before pulling the trigger. By 2022, everything changed. With systems in place, confidence built through experience, and a team supporting operations, they accelerated dramatically. This year alone, they’re acquiring four boutique hotels—large investments that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. What made the difference? According to Harshad, three critical shifts: Risk tolerance evolved. Early on, limited resources meant every decision carried enormous weight. Now, a diversified portfolio provides cushion for bolder moves. Experience compounds. Multiple iterations taught them what success looks like—and more importantly, what warning signs to catch early. Community accelerates growth. Joining a boutique hotel mastermind connected them with lending options, partners, and expertise that shortened their learning curve dramatically. As Harshad noted, the mastermind fee felt steep initially but proved to be the best investment they ever made. If you’re considering joining a mastermind or coaching community, Harshad’s experience validates that surrounding yourself with people who’ve already achieved what you’re pursuing can collapse years of trial and error into months. 📈 From Less Than 1% to 30% Direct Bookings Perhaps the most striking transformation in Harshad’s business this year has been his direct booking strategy. Last year, direct bookings accounted for less than 1% of revenue—essentially just the occasional repeat guest who happened to remember their website. This year? They’re sitting at 25-30% direct bookings. The shift required a complete mindset change. Rather than treating direct bookings as a passive bonus, Harshad built a cohesive strategy around two distinct approaches: Capturing OTA Traffic Through Brand Recognition Every listing title now follows a specific format: property name + “by 5 Seasons Homestays.” Instead of cramming amenities into the title like most hosts, Harshad prioritizes brand visibility. Here’s why this works: Airbnb titles become H1 headers on property pages, which means they get indexed by search engines. Over time, guests searching for unique property names or “5 Seasons Homestays” find the direct booking site instead of returning to Airbnb. The descriptions reinforce this branding—mentioning the management company name throughout. It’s subtle, but these small nudges add up. When guests do land on the direct booking website, they immediately see how much they’re saving. Right beneath the booking total, a direct comparison shows savings versus Airbnb pricing—often $700 or more. That visual confirmation removes hesitation. Acquiring New Guests Through Influencer Marketing The second strategy targets people who haven’t discovered them through OTAs at all. Harshad works with regional influencers near their properties, inviting them to stay and create content. But here’s the key: the goal isn’t immediate bookings. Instead, influencer content drives traffic to landing pages designed for email capture. From there, they nurture leads through targeted campaigns. When local events approach—like Oktoberfest in Asheville—they email their list with available properties for those specific dates. Since many guests book last-minute (especially post-flood in Asheville), these timely triggers fill occupancy gaps without requiring price drops. This approach mirrors what successful hosts like Lindsey Rodriguez recommend: building email lists as assets that generate bookings on demand, rather than relying entirely on OTA algorithms. 🤖 Using AI to Systemize Everything If there’s one theme running through Harshad’s operations, it’s systematization—and AI has become his most powerful tool for achieving it. Listing Creation in Minutes Creating property listings used to consume hours of careful writing and formatting. Now, Harshad uses a custom GPT trained on his preferred format, word counts, and platform requirements (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and Hostfully). His process? Open the custom GPT, dictate a voice note describing the property—bedroom count, location, design inspiration, key highlights—and receive a complete, formatted listing within seconds. As he explained during our conversation: rather than thinking about structure and content simultaneously, he separates the creative stream of consciousness from the formatting process. The outcome? Better listings, faster. Hotel Underwriting With AI Assistance Boutique hotel underwriting involves complex spreadsheets projecting multiple years across multiple units. Traditional tools are often buggy, with macros that fail unpredictably. Harshad’s solution: upload the underwriting format to AI, provide prompts, and let it perform initial checks and balances. This doesn’t replace due diligence—it accelerates the screening phase so he can quickly identify which deals

What if the secret to better bookings wasn’t flashier photos or bigger marketing budgets—but simply finding the right words? In this episode, we sit down with Genevieve White, a travel copywriter and coach based in Scotland’s remote Shetland Islands. Genevieve helps vacation rental hosts and tourism businesses move beyond bland, AI-generated content to create messaging that actually connects with guests. You’ll discover why copywriting isn’t about grammar perfection or clever wordplay—it’s about understanding who you’re writing for and having the confidence to tell your story authentically. Genevieve shares her proven frameworks for identifying your ideal guest, developing your unique brand voice, and transforming everyday moments (like feeding sheep with apples) into compelling stories that inspire bookings. Whether you’re struggling with a blank page or feeling like your website sounds too generic, this conversation will give you practical tools to write copy that sounds like you—not a travel brochure. If you’ve ever thought “I’m just not a good writer,” Genevieve’s approach will change your mind. Summary Highlights 🌍 Meet Genevieve White: The Copywriter Championing Connection Over Conversion Genevieve White is a travel and tourism copywriter, coach, and author of Boldly Go, the definitive copywriting guide for travel professionals. Based in Scotland’s Shetland Islands—closer to Norway than mainland UK—Genevieve brings a unique perspective shaped by years as an English teacher abroad and a deep passion for meaningful travel experiences. After teaching English in Hungary, Romania, and China, Genevieve settled in Shetland where she spent years writing for Promote Shetland, crafting content that encouraged visitors to discover the islands’ remote beauty. But it wasn’t until she formally trained as a copywriter that everything clicked. She discovered that effective copywriting wasn’t about perfect grammar or flowery language—it was about genuine connection, clear communication, and confidence. Today, Genevieve works with boutique stays, cultural tours, and sustainable travel businesses to help them find their authentic voice and attract guests who truly align with their values. Her human-centered approach emphasizes storytelling that highlights what makes each destination genuinely special, moving far beyond generic travel brochure language. Through her coaching practice and her mailing list, Campion Club, where she shares twice-weekly copywriting insights wrapped in stories from her life and work, Genevieve is on a mission to help travel professionals write copy that creates connection first—with conversion as the natural byproduct. ✨ Why Your Everyday Is Someone Else’s Awesome One of the most powerful concepts Genevieve shares in this episode is deceptively simple: your everyday is someone else’s awesome. She recounts working with a client who runs a Scottish farmhouse stay. Initially, the host’s copy was flat and generic—it could have described any rural property anywhere. But when Genevieve started asking questions, the conversation transformed. The host lit up talking about her sheep, each one named, including one that reminded her of a character from Friends. She described children feeding the sheep apple slices, their faces lighting up at this simple interaction. This seemingly mundane detail—spoiled sheep with names—became the heart of compelling copy because it represented something the host had stopped noticing: city children experiencing genuine connection with animals for the first time. The lesson? Stop trying to sound like every other vacation rental. The details you’ve stopped noticing—the sounds, the rituals, the quirky personalities of your space—are precisely what create memorable experiences for guests. When writing copy for your direct booking website, resist the urge to describe your property the way a corporate hotel would. Instead, channel the energy you’d have telling a close friend why your place is special. As Genevieve puts it, when you love what you’re writing about, that energy transfers to everyone who reads it. 🎯 The Three Foundations of Effective Copywriting Before you write a single word of copy, Genevieve insists you need three foundational elements in place. Skip these, and even the most polished prose will fall flat. Understanding Your Ideal Guest Copywriting ultimately isn’t about being clever or demonstrating grammar expertise—it’s about truly understanding who you’re writing for and using language that appeals to them. Genevieve doesn’t mean surface-level demographics. She’s talking about psychographics: What do they worry about at night? What book are they currently reading? How do they commute to work? She even employs a drama technique called “hot seating” in her group trainings, where participants rapid-fire questions at someone role-playing their ideal guest. This playful exercise reveals insights that traditional questionnaires miss, helping hosts move beyond generic “families looking for relaxation” descriptions toward genuinely understanding the humans they want to serve. For vacation rental operators building their guest acquisition strategy, this foundational work determines whether your copy resonates or gets ignored. Clarifying Your Brand Voice and Content Pillars Many hosts get distracted by visual branding—colors, logos, fonts—while neglecting the words they use. Genevieve emphasizes having real awareness of what your brand represents, including your core themes and content pillars, which should underpin every piece you write. Why are you running this vacation rental? What values drive your hosting decisions? What experiences do you consistently create? These answers form your content pillars—the recurring themes in everything you write. Just as importantly, you need to identify your unique voice. In an industry drowning in bland, AI-generated content that all sounds identical, your distinctive voice becomes your competitive advantage. This connects directly to improving conversion rates on your website because guests can sense authenticity—or its absence. Writing Conversationally, Not Formally Here’s where many hosts stumble: they slip into “writing mode” and suddenly sound stiff and corporate. Genevieve notes that effective copy sounds like someone speaking to you—copywriting is much more like spoken English than written English. Her solution? Record yourself explaining your property to a close friend, then transcribe it. The difference is immediate. That recording captures your natural enthusiasm, your authentic vocabulary, and your genuine personality—elements that disappear when you’re staring at a blank page trying to sound “professional.” The most effective vacation rental websites don’t sound like they were written by a committee. They sound like a conversation with someone who genuinely loves what they do.

“Your website is everything. It’s your marketing. It’s your digital front door.” Frank Bosi from Hostfully knows what separates hosts who struggle with direct bookings from those who thrive. In this episode of Booked Solid, Frank shares the small, intentional steps that build sustainable direct booking revenue—without burning out. From his luxury hotel background at Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons to leading partnerships at one of the industry’s most customer-obsessed property management platforms, Frank breaks down exactly how to build trust, create seamless guest experiences, and finally take control of your booking channels. If you’re tired of feeling stuck on OTAs or wondering why your website isn’t converting, this conversation will change how you think about your direct booking strategy. Summary and Highlights 🎯 Meet Frank Bosi: From Luxury Hotels to Short-Term Rental Innovation Frank Bosi serves as Senior Director of Partner Development at Hostfully, where he’s spent over five years building meaningful integrations and helping vacation rental operators scale their businesses. But his journey into the short-term rental space wasn’t conventional. Frank’s career began in luxury hospitality, working in leisure and corporate sales at prestigious properties like the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons in New York City. When he relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina to open and rebrand a luxury hotel, he brought with him a deep understanding of what makes guests book direct: trust, consistency, and exceptional experience at every touchpoint. COVID changed everything. Six months into his new role, Frank was laid off—but that setback became the catalyst for discovering Hostfully in September 2020. The skills he’d honed in hospitality sales transferred seamlessly to the vacation rental world, and he quickly recognized that the principles driving direct bookings in hotels applied perfectly to short-term rentals. Now, Frank champions a philosophy that resonates throughout Hostfully’s culture: partnership over transactions, responsiveness over automation alone, and co-building solutions with the very hosts they serve. His approach reflects his Type A personality—hands-on, detail-oriented, and deeply invested in customer success. 💡 Key Takeaways: What You’ll Learn Frank’s conversation with Gil reveals practical wisdom for hosts at every stage. Here’s what this episode covers: Your website determines everything. It’s not just a booking tool—it’s your brand’s first impression and your most powerful marketing asset. If guests can’t book in two to three clicks on mobile, you’re sending them straight back to Airbnb. Direct bookings aren’t one dramatic shift. They’re built through small, intentional actions stacked over time. Start with a trustworthy website, layer in email marketing strategies, add strategic discounts, then introduce upsells and automation. Culture drives customer experience. The most successful property management platforms don’t just build features—they listen relentlessly to users and protect team culture even through rapid growth. Luxury hotel principles translate perfectly. Whether you’re managing a five-star Manhattan property or a three-bedroom rental in Houston, the fundamentals remain: clean design, transparent policies, professional photos, and ownership of the guest relationship. Digital guidebooks aren’t just nice-to-haves. One Hostfully customer reduced support calls from 12,000 to 10,000 monthly while increasing revenue by 6%—simply by deploying comprehensive guidebooks across their portfolio. 🏡 Why Your Website Is Your Digital Front Door Frank doesn’t mince words when it comes to website performance. Having worked with some of the world’s most recognized hotel brands, he understands that booking experience directly impacts conversion rates. “The first thing is your website is everything,” Frank explains. “It’s your marketing. It’s your digital front door, and it has to be simple, clean, mobile friendly. And guests should be able to book it in about like one, two, max, three clicks.” This principle matters more than ever as mobile optimization becomes non-negotiable. If your booking flow feels clunky or confusing on a smartphone, guests will default to the familiar simplicity of OTA platforms. Frank emphasizes that your website represents your brand’s first guest interaction. That experience sets expectations for everything that follows—from check-in communication to the stay itself. Hosts who invest in polished, conversion-optimized sites see immediate results because they’re finally capturing the traffic they’re already generating. The integration between Hostfully and CraftedStays exemplifies this philosophy. Rather than settling for embedded widgets that feel disconnected, both teams invested significant development time creating a seamless booking flow. Dates selected during property search carry through to the booking engine. The experience feels native, not bolted-on. “We don’t want to just be another logo on Hostfully’s marketplace,” Gil notes. “We want folks to have a really good experience.” Understanding how to write a direct booking website that converts requires more than technical prowess—it demands guest-first thinking at every touchpoint. 📈 Small Steps, Big Impact: The Direct Booking Roadmap One of Frank’s most valuable insights challenges the all-or-nothing mentality many hosts bring to direct bookings. Instead of viewing it as one massive project, he breaks it down into manageable phases. Start with your direct booking website. Make it clear and trustworthy. Ensure mobile optimization and fast load times. Then layer in email marketing to nurture past guests and inquiries. Build in strategic discounts that reward loyalty without training guests to expect constant deals. Finally, introduce upsells and automation that free you from inbox management while generating additional revenue. This progression allows you to learn and adjust at each stage rather than overwhelming yourself trying to implement everything simultaneously. “Direct bookings aren’t one big push. It’s not one big move,” Frank explains. “They’re small intentional steps that build on one another.” This approach proves especially crucial for hosts managing their first few properties. Frank consistently praises new operators who invest in proper systems early. Learning property management software and building direct booking infrastructure with one listing creates scalability that becomes invaluable at ten or twenty properties. The alternative—waiting until you’re managing dozens of units before implementing these systems—creates unnecessary stress and often leads to costly mistakes. Hosts who leverage niche strategies early set themselves apart from competitors who chase volume without strategy. 🤝 What Makes Hostfully Different: Culture as Competitive Advantage When Gil asks what sets Hostfully apart in a crowded property management software

“We know we can’t be there to get guests what they need, so we’re constantly thinking—what do they need? What will they think they need, and how can we have it there before they know they need it?” In this episode of Booked Solid, Moira Sedgwick shares how years of working with luxury hotel chains and the James Beard Awards shaped her approach to short-term rentals. You’ll discover why thinking like a boutique hotel operator—not just a host—can transform your guest experience and market positioning. Moira walks through her framework for designing spaces that feel like a “wealthy auntie’s home,” how to audit your property through a hospitality lens, and why the details guests notice most are often the ones you overlook. Whether you’re launching your first property or scaling a portfolio, this conversation reveals what it takes to stand out in saturated markets. Summary and Highlights 🏨 Meet Moira Sedgwick Moira Sedgwick is the founder of A Chalet Collective, a boutique hospitality firm that designs and hosts short- and mid-term rentals, and Moca Interiors, the design studio behind each property’s distinctive look and feel. She’s been hosting since 2013 and brings a lifetime of hospitality expertise, including her role leading operations for the James Beard Awards. Moira owns and manages her own properties while partnering with homeowners and investors to create high-performing rentals that feel less like listings and more like curated stays. Her training at the Culinary Institute of America and years working with luxury hospitality brands inform her meticulous approach to design, service, and guest experience. Guided by values of artful design, warmth, and thoughtful curation, Moira delivers spaces that inspire guests and generate strong returns for owners. 🎯 Key Takeaways Design isn’t decoration—it’s strategy. Moira approaches every project by asking clients which hotel brand they want to emulate. This helps set expectations around quality, budget, and guest avatar before a single piece of furniture is selected. Hospitality happens in the details. Without staff on-site, short-term rentals must anticipate needs through design. Extra pillows in different firmness levels, outlets by the bedside, fully stocked kitchens—these small touches communicate care and elevate reviews. You’re competing with hotels, not just other rentals. Guests compare your property to branded hotels with massive marketing budgets and trained staff. Moira’s solution? Deliver hotel-level standards through thoughtful systems, quarterly property audits, and a relentless focus on the guest journey. Market positioning starts with self-awareness. Before worrying about amenities or aesthetics, ask yourself: what hotel chain are you? A Motel 6 or a Ritz-Carlton? Your answer shapes everything from sheet quality to the type of guest you attract. Quality compounds over time. Investing in organic cotton sheets and cast iron cookware isn’t just about luxury—it’s about longevity, guest satisfaction, and building a reputation that drives repeat bookings. Moira calls it “wealthy auntie energy,” and it works. 🛏️ From James Beard to Boutique Rentals: Moira’s Hospitality Philosophy Moira didn’t stumble into hosting. As a kid, she played pretend bed-and-breakfast, crafting imaginary breakfasts for guests. Years later, she stayed at a Portland B&B with self-check-in—no host on-site, but impeccable hospitality. When Airbnb launched, she recognized the opportunity immediately. Her career foundation came from the Culinary Institute of America, where she learned that hosting people—whether at a table, in a hotel, or at a rental—can genuinely impact lives. She worked in kitchens, consulted with luxury hospitality brands, and directed the James Beard Awards. Those experiences taught her how to layer service, storytelling, and attention to detail into every guest interaction. Today, that philosophy shapes how she approaches direct booking strategies. Moira sees each space as a lifestyle experience, not just a place to sleep. Guests should feel like they’re staying with a wealthy relative who has exquisite taste, not renting a commoditized listing. Everything from the coffee station—complete with pour-over instructions via QR code—to the pillow options reflects this mindset. She emphasizes that short-term rental operators face a unique challenge. Hotels have staff to adapt service in real time. STR hosts don’t. So the property itself must communicate hospitality through design, amenities, and thoughtful systems. As Moira puts it, “We can’t be there to change out your pillows, so we better have soft and firm options already available.” 🏡 The “Wealthy Auntie” Framework: Designing for Warmth and Aspiration One of Moira’s most memorable metaphors is designing properties to feel like a “wealthy auntie’s home.” It’s not about opulence for its own sake. It’s about warmth, quality, and the small indulgences that make a stay feel special. Think antique rugs that have stories. Le Creuset pans that have weight and history. Organic cotton sheets that feel luxurious. Scented soaps (or unscented, for guests with sensitivities). These aren’t just design choices—they’re signals that someone cared enough to think through every detail. When Moira consults with new clients, she often encounters resistance. Why spend extra on high-quality items when guests might not notice? Her answer is simple: they will notice. Maybe not consciously, but the cumulative effect of quality decisions shapes how guests feel about their stay. That feeling shows up in reviews, repeat bookings, and word-of-mouth referrals. She shared a story about staying at a beautiful waterfront property that looked stunning in photos but failed in execution. No wine openers. Poorly stocked kitchen. Basics missing. The property was coasting on location alone, and Moira’s group felt let down. That’s the opposite of her philosophy. Whether a guest cooks every meal or never touches the kitchen, the tools should be there—and they should be good. For hosts serious about building their direct booking websites, Moira’s approach offers a blueprint. Start by identifying your guest avatar. Are you attracting Motel 6 guests or Ritz-Carlton guests? Your answer dictates everything from your marketing to your amenity choices. Then audit your property through that lens. Does every touchpoint align with the experience you’re promising? 🔍 Walking Through the Guest Journey: Why Property Audits Matter Moira and her team conduct quarterly audits of every property they manage. Not just cleanliness checks—full guest experience

“Now operators are no longer just spending 3% of their business for lead gen from Airbnb. They’re now spending 15.5%.” Airbnb’s latest fee structure changes everything—but are you ready to take control? Orlie Benjamin, founder of Lasoh and former marketing leader, breaks down why now is the moment for vacation rental operators to build their own direct booking infrastructure. In this episode, you’ll discover why owning your guest relationships is no longer optional, how to think about your marketing budget differently, and the critical first steps to reducing platform dependence. Whether you’re just starting your direct booking journey or ready to scale your existing strategy, this conversation reveals the marketing mindset shift that separates operators who survive from those who thrive. Summary and Highlights Guest Bio 🎯 Orlie Benjamin is the founder and CEO of Lasoh, a marketing SaaS platform built specifically for vacation rental operators. Before launching Lasoh, Orlie spent her career leading customer-centric innovation at Fortune 500 companies including American Airlines (where she managed the Priceline channel and revenue optimization), Victoria’s Secret (omnichannel marketing strategy), and NetJets (designing digital experiences for high-net-worth clients). She’s also an active vacation rental operator, running The Acres in Hocking Hills, Ohio. This unique combination of enterprise marketing expertise and hands-on STR experience positions her to see gaps in the industry that others miss—and build solutions that actually work for operators at every stage. Why This Episode Matters 💡 The vacation rental landscape shifted dramatically in late 2024 when Airbnb restructured its fee model, moving from a 3% host fee to a consolidated 15.5% operator fee. This isn’t just a pricing change—it’s a fundamental shift in the economics of relying on OTAs for distribution. Orlie walks through what this means for your bottom line and why the $20,000 you might be paying annually in commissions could become your marketing budget instead. But this conversation goes deeper than just reacting to Airbnb’s changes. Orlie shares the marketing playbook she refined at companies where customer lifetime value and repeat purchase rates are foundational metrics—concepts that most STR operators don’t even track. She explains why fewer than 20% of operators monitor repeat booking rates, and why that single metric might be the most important indicator of business health. If you’ve ever felt like you’re cobbling together marketing tools that don’t quite fit your workflow, or wondered why the STR industry doesn’t have the kind of purpose-built marketing infrastructure that ecommerce platforms offer, this episode gives you both the context and the clarity you need. Key Takeaways From the Conversation 🔑 —- The Economics Have Changed Airbnb’s fee consolidation transforms a 3% cost of doing business into a 15.5% margin hit. For a single property generating $100,000 annually, that’s the difference between paying $3,000 and $15,500. Orlie puts it plainly: “That can turn a whole business upside down depending on what sort of margins things are running with.” Marketing Budget vs. Commission Fees Instead of viewing that 15.5% as a fixed cost, Orlie suggests reframing it as your available marketing budget. In her own direct booking business, she spends significantly less than that percentage driving traffic to her properties—and owns the customer relationship in the process. This mental shift changes everything about how you evaluate direct booking investments. The LTV Blind Spot In retail and ecommerce, customer lifetime value is fundamental. Yet most vacation rental operators calculate value based on a single stay. Orlie explains: “The number of customers you have multiplied by the number of visits they have multiplied by the average spend per basket—those three things multiplied by each other equals value of a customer.” When you start tracking repeat booking rates and guest spend across multiple stays, your entire revenue strategy shifts. The Ownership Imperative OTAs deliberately disintermediate the host-guest relationship. They mask contact information, control communication channels, and own the data. Meanwhile, when you capture guest information from the entire travel party (not just the booker), you create opportunities to improve the stay, sell additional services, and build relationships that generate repeat bookings without additional acquisition costs. Purpose-Built Tools Matter Generic CRMs are designed for salesforce workflows, not nurture marketing. Email platforms like MailChimp weren’t built with vacation rental use cases in mind. Orlie’s background in enterprise marketing showed her what’s possible when technology is purpose-built for an industry—and she’s building Lasoh to fill that gap for STR operators. The Marketing Stack You’re Missing 🛠️ One of the most striking revelations in this conversation is how operators are trying to force-fit technology from other industries into vacation rental workflows. Orlie has seen operators using Airtable as a makeshift CRM, running into limits with Zapier integrations, or spending heavily on consultants to hand-code campaigns because the software doesn’t anticipate their needs. She draws a comparison to buying a Ferrari with a stick shift but not knowing how to drive stick. The system is only as valuable as your ability to use it. This is why she’s focused on building Lasoh as a platform, not a consulting agency—the goal is to create technology that either empowers operators directly or makes consultants dramatically more effective with their clients. The conversation around SaaS versus services is particularly relevant for operators trying to decide whether to build their own direct booking infrastructure or outsource it. Orlie makes a compelling case that software scales, services don’t—and that the right platform creates compound value over time. When Strategy Meets Execution ⚡ Orlie’s tactical advice is grounded in clarity: “Be really clear on your strategy.” If you’re going all-in on Airbnb, make sure the math works with the new fee structure. But if you’re committed to diversifying distribution and going direct, you need to know exactly what your next step is. For some operators, that’s launching a direct booking website. For others, it’s selecting a PMS. Some need to start capturing guest contact information. Others are ready to activate that data through email campaigns and relationship marketing. The key is not trying to do everything at once. Identify where you

“The goal is to automate the annoying so you can focus on the amazing.” In this episode, Gil sits down with Sean McGregor, founder of NoCodeSTR.com, to explore how vacation rental hosts can reclaim their time without sacrificing guest experience. Sean has hosted over 5,000 groups on Airbnb while maintaining a 4.98★ rating since 2018—all while traveling through 40+ countries with his family. What’s his secret? A powerful combination of no-code automation tools and AI that handle the repetitive tasks most hosts dread. From guest communication to review management, Sean shares exactly how he maintains a 100% five-star rating even during a 3.5-week road trip through the Balkans. If you’ve ever felt chained to your phone answering the same guest questions or wondered how to scale without burning out, this conversation will show you a better way. Sean breaks down the tools, mindset, and systems that let hosts run professional operations from anywhere in the world. Summary and Highlights 🎯 About Sean McGregor Sean McGregor is the founder of NoCodeSTR.com, where he teaches vacation rental hosts how to automate the tedious parts of their business using no-code tools like Zapier, Airtable, and AI. Since 2018, he’s maintained a remarkable 4.98★ rating on Airbnb while hosting more than 5,000 groups—proving that automation and exceptional guest experience aren’t mutually exclusive. What sets Sean apart is his 5★ Guarantee: he doesn’t take commission if a guest leaves anything less than a five-star review. This bold promise reflects his confidence in the systems he’s built, which handle everything from pre-arrival communications to post-checkout follow-ups. Sean’s approach isn’t theoretical. He’s built his business while working remotely from over 40 countries with his family, demonstrating that proper automation creates true location independence. His free 5-day course at NoCodeSTR.com has helped hundreds of hosts discover what’s possible when they stop doing everything manually. 🔑 Key Highlights: Building a Five-Star Business on Autopilot The “Automate the Annoying” Philosophy Sean’s entire approach centers on one principle: identify the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that drain your energy and automate them. For most hosts, this means the same guest questions, check-in instructions, and review requests that repeat with every booking. “The goal is to automate the annoying so you can focus on the amazing,” Sean explains. This isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about redirecting your limited time toward high-impact activities like improving your property, building relationships with direct booking guests, or actually enjoying the lifestyle that drew you to hosting in the first place. The mindset shift happens when hosts realize that guests don’t care how they get information—they just want it quickly and accurately. Whether an answer comes from you personally or a well-designed automation makes no difference to guest satisfaction. No-Code Tools That Cost Nothing Per Listing One of the biggest misconceptions Sean addresses is that powerful automation requires expensive software or technical expertise. The tools he relies on—Zapier, Airtable, and Make—can be implemented at zero cost per listing for most hosts. These platforms connect your existing systems (PMS, email, calendar) and create workflows that run automatically. For example, when a new booking comes in, an automation can instantly send personalized welcome messages, add the guest to your communication sequence, and update your team’s task list—all without you lifting a finger. Sean emphasizes that the learning curve isn’t as steep as most hosts imagine. “If you can set up an Airbnb listing, you can build these automations,” he notes. The key is starting with one annoying task and building from there, rather than trying to automate everything at once. For hosts focused on growing their direct booking channel, these same no-code tools integrate beautifully with website forms and inquiry systems, creating a seamless guest experience from first contact through checkout. AI as Your 24/7 Guest Experience Manager The real game-changer in Sean’s systems is how he’s integrated AI—not as a replacement for genuine hospitality, but as an enhancement. His AI-powered tools handle routine questions, provide instant responses outside business hours, and even anticipate guest needs based on patterns in previous conversations. During his recent Balkans road trip, Sean’s automations and AI systems maintained a 100% five-star rating without any human intervention. Guests received immediate answers to questions about WiFi passwords, local recommendations, or check-in procedures—all delivered in a natural, helpful tone that reflected his brand. “The technology has reached a point where guests genuinely can’t tell they’re interacting with automation,” Sean shares. But he’s quick to clarify that AI works best when it’s trained on your voice, your property’s unique features, and your approach to hospitality. This is particularly powerful for hosts managing multiple properties or building a portfolio. Instead of multiplying your workload as you scale, properly implemented AI and automation mean your systems scale without requiring proportional increases in your time. The Five-Star Guarantee: Confidence Through Systems Perhaps the most striking aspect of Sean’s business model is his willingness to offer a 5★ Guarantee—he only collects commission when guests leave five-star reviews. This isn’t just a marketing gimmick; it’s a direct result of the confidence he has in his automated systems. “When you’ve systematized every touchpoint in the guest journey, you know exactly what experience they’re getting,” Sean explains. His automations ensure consistent communication timing, complete pre-arrival information, and timely follow-up after checkout—all the factors that influence whether a guest leaves a glowing review. This approach also creates a virtuous cycle: because Sean’s systems are designed to generate five-star experiences, he attracts clients who are serious about quality and willing to invest in proper automation. The guarantee becomes a filter that aligns everyone’s incentives toward excellence. For hosts considering professional website implementations or upgrading their booking systems, this principle applies equally: when your infrastructure is solid, you can make bold promises about the experience you deliver. Location Independence Without Compromise Sean’s lifestyle proves that automation isn’t just about saving time—it’s about creating genuine freedom. He’s worked from 40+ countries with his family while maintaining his 4.98★ rating, demonstrating that the right systems let you run a professional operation

“As long as you’re providing value, hopefully your marketing will be mostly perceived generously and people will want to receive it.” What if the key to competing with major OTAs wasn’t just about building a better website—but capturing data from every single guest who stays at your property? Arthur Colker, Founder & CEO of StayFi, discovered this truth while helping a New Orleans property manager escape 99% OTA dependency. In this episode, he shares how a WiFi-based data capture solution evolved into a full guest marketing platform powering direct bookings across vacation rentals, boutique hotels, and hospitality brands. Arthur reveals why guest data ownership is the biggest missed opportunity in short-term rentals, how diversifying channels matters more than eliminating OTAs entirely, and the groundbreaking StayFinder meta-search tool launching soon that will let travelers compare direct booking prices against major platforms. Whether you’re managing 2 properties or 200, Arthur’s insights on guest data strategy and the evolving hospitality tech landscape will reshape how you think about building an independent brand. Summary and Highlights 🎯 Meet Arthur Colker Arthur Colker is the Founder and CEO of StayFi, a guest marketing platform that started as a WiFi data collection tool and evolved into a comprehensive solution for vacation rentals, boutique hotels, and independent hospitality brands. Since 2018, Arthur has been helping property managers capture guest data and build independent booking channels that reduce reliance on major OTAs. Before StayFi, Arthur worked as a marketing consultant across various industries. His entry into short-term rentals happened almost accidentally when he took on a vacation rental operator as a client and discovered they had zero guest data despite managing 200 properties. That gap became the genesis of StayFi—a platform now used by thousands of operators who understand that guest data ownership is the foundation of a resilient, profitable hospitality business. Arthur is passionate about helping independent operators compete with major platforms, not by undercutting them, but by building their own brands and creating direct relationships with guests. His latest project, StayFinder, aims to make direct booking discovery as easy as booking through an OTA—while delivering real savings to travelers. 💡 Key Takeaways ✅ Guest data is the most overlooked asset in short-term rentals — Most operators collect names and emails only from bookers, missing everyone else in the reservation✅ Direct booking isn’t about replacing OTAs — It’s about channel diversification and building a resilient business that isn’t dependent on one platform✅ Marketing works when it delivers value — Position direct booking as a “secret” that saves guests money, not just a way to avoid fees✅ Your property needs to rank on Google — If someone searches your listing name and can’t find your direct site on page one, you’re losing bookings✅ Unique property names matter for SEO — Generic names like “Cozy Creek Cabin” make it nearly impossible to rank and be discovered✅ Founders need conviction, not just optimism — Arthur calls it “delusional self-belief,” but you also need to listen when customers tell you what’s not working🏠 How StayFi Started: Solving One Client’s Problem Arthur didn’t set out to build a hospitality tech company. He was doing marketing consulting for various businesses when he landed a short-term rental operator called Heirloom, managing around 200 properties across New Orleans, Boston, and Scottsdale. Their goal was simple: build a brand identity and figure out how to get guests to book directly. The challenge? They were 99% dependent on Airbnb for bookings and had zero guest data. No names, no emails, no phone numbers. Arthur realized that acquiring new guests is expensive and trust-dependent. The easiest path to direct bookings would be marketing to people who already stayed and loved the properties. But how do you market to ghosts? He looked for existing solutions—captive portal systems used in cafes, airports, and hotels. Nothing worked well for single-family vacation rentals. So he built a custom solution using white-labeled hardware and a basic splash page that collected marketing consent when guests logged into WiFi. V1 of StayFi was scrappy. No customer portal. No self-service. Arthur manually configured everything for each client. But it worked. And when he looked around the industry, he realized the problem was universal. That’s how StayFi was born. 📈 The Evolution: From WiFi to Full Guest Marketing Platform The early years were a grind. Through 2019, StayFi was still a part-time project. Then Arthur went full-time—right as the hardware partner got acquired and pricing became unfeasible. He had to rebuild the tech stack while simultaneously dealing with COVID shutting down his 10-15 paying customers overnight. But instead of folding, Arthur used the downtime to build StayFi’s first self-service portal and flash page builder. By the time short-term rentals roared back in 2021, the platform was ready to scale. Timing couldn’t have been better—hosts were angry at Airbnb for how they were treated during the pandemic, and the industry was hungry for tools that reduced OTA dependence. Fast forward to today, and StayFi has evolved far beyond WiFi data collection. The platform now includes: 🔹 Homepage Tool — A link-tree-style page for guests that consolidates all the resources they need during their stay🔹 Email Marketing Software — Purpose-built for vacation rentals, not generic tools like MailChimp🔹 PMS Integrations — Pulling data from property management systems to create a unified guest database🔹 Upsell Amplification — Helping operators present offers like early checkout, mid-stay cleans, and local experiences to all guests, not just bookers The guiding principle? Collect guest data from every touchpoint, then help operators monetize that data—whether through rebookings, upsells, or entirely new revenue streams. For property managers who also run real estate businesses, tour companies, or retail shops, StayFi has become a powerful cross-marketing engine. Guests who stay in vacation rentals are often the same people who later buy properties in that market. The data becomes invaluable. 🔍 StayFinder: The Next Frontier in Direct Booking Discovery Arthur’s newest project, StayFinder, tackles a different problem: guest discovery. Most direct booking tools focus on converting existing traffic

Technology is transforming short-term rentals—but are we losing the heart of hospitality in the process? In this episode, Jessica Gillingham, CEO of Abode Worldwide and author of “Tech-Enabled Hospitality,” challenges the notion that automation and personalization can’t coexist. As a strategic advisor to transformative technology companies across the global hospitality sector and host of the Pillow Talk Sessions podcast, Jessica brings a unique perspective on building category leaders. From revealing why 90% of hosts only use 30-40% of their PMS capabilities to explaining how Netflix-style personalization could revolutionize guest experiences, Jessica shares insights from interviewing over 30 industry leaders. Whether you’re managing one property or a hundred, you’ll discover why the future of hospitality isn’t about choosing between technology and human connection—it’s about using one to amplify the other. Summary and Highlights 👤 Meet Jessica Jessica Gillingham is the CEO of Abode Worldwide, a strategic public relations agency specializing in elevating the profile of transformative technology solutions across the global hospitality, lodging, and living sectors. Abode sits at the heart of the developing intersection between work, life, and play in real estate and hospitality, partnering with brands playing a lead role in this transformation. A regular industry speaker, author, and adviser, Jessica is also the host of the Pillow Talk Sessions podcast and author of “Tech-Enabled Hospitality” (Kogan Page, August 2024). Drawing on interviews with over 30 industry leaders, her book examines how technology is transforming every aspect of hospitality operations and the guest experience. She’s also the creator of the Abode Worldwide Short-Term Rental Index, now in its third edition, which catalogs over 200 tech companies and trends shaping the STR industry. 🎯 Why This Episode Matters Most property managers are sitting on goldmines of untapped potential. Jessica reveals a startling reality: operators typically use only 30-40% of their existing technology’s capabilities. This isn’t just about underutilization—it’s about missing the fundamental shift happening in hospitality. While other industries, such as e-commerce, have seamlessly integrated digital experiences into every touchpoint, vacation rentals remain “clunky” and fragmented. This episode cuts through the noise of endless tech solutions to address the real question: How do you leverage technology without sacrificing the warmth and personalization that defines true hospitality? Jessica’s perspective, informed by years working with both hotel and vacation rental technology companies, offers a rare bird’s-eye view of where the industry is heading and what operators need to do now to stay competitive. 💡 The Mindset Shift: Investment vs. Cost One of the most powerful insights Jessica shares is the divide she observed while researching her book: successful operators view their tech stack as an investment that enhances their business, while struggling operators view it as a necessary expense. This mindset difference determines everything—from which tools you adopt to how you implement them. Operators who treat technology as an investment actively seek to understand its full capabilities, integrate systems to create seamless experiences, and continuously optimize their digital guest journey. Those who see it as a cost often implement the bare minimum, leaving powerful features dormant. The gap isn’t just philosophical. As Jessica points out, guests now expect the same frictionless digital experiences they get from booking doctor appointments, ordering food, or shopping online. Everything in our lives has been digitalized—except, often, the hospitality booking journey. <a href=”https://craftedstays.co/blog/”>Property managers who fail to bridge this gap</a> risk being left behind as the industry consolidates and guest expectations continue rising. 🔍 The Education Gap: Why Hosts Aren’t Using Their Tools Jessica identifies a critical problem plaguing the industry: operators often lack awareness of their own knowledge gaps. Most hosts and property managers can’t identify where automation could help them because they haven’t clearly defined their operational gaps. Even more challenging, they don’t fully understand what their existing software can do. This creates a vicious cycle. Without understanding your problems, you can’t evaluate solutions effectively. Without understanding your solutions, you can’t leverage them to solve problems. Jessica compares this to any software we use—”We’re on Riverside right now,” she tells Gil, “I bet you don’t use the whole caboodle of what Riverside can do for you.” The solution? Strategic education. Before adding another tool to your stack, invest time in understanding what you already have. Map your operational pain points. Then systematically explore whether your current PMS, guest communication platform, or pricing tool already addresses those challenges. As Jessica emphasizes throughout the conversation, <a href=”https://craftedstays.co/blog/”>the most successful direct booking strategies</a> start with understanding your foundation before building upward. 🏨 The Accidental Entrepreneur Problem Jessica makes a crucial distinction that many hosts overlook: “Most hosts are accidental hosts. You don’t go to university thinking I’m going to be a professional property manager.” This creates unique challenges because running a short-term rental business requires three distinct skill sets that rarely come naturally together: Hospitality expertise – Understanding guest needs, creating memorable experiences, and maintaining service standards Business acumen – Managing finances, hiring teams, scaling operations, and strategic planning Real estate knowledge – Property selection, market analysis, and investment strategy Unlike long-term rentals or commercial real estate, which have established frameworks and educational pathways, vacation rental operators often stumble into the business without realizing they’ve started a 24/7 hospitality operation. As Jessica notes, “It’s always on. Property managers tend to be extremely hardworking, putting in a lot of hours into their businesses.” The path forward involves recognizing these gaps and actively seeking education. Whether through podcasts like Booked Solid, industry conferences, or peer mastermind groups, successful operators treat learning as a core business function rather than an occasional activity. 🤝 Technology + Hospitality: Not an Either/Or Perhaps the most important theme Jessica emphasizes is captured in a single quote from Ryan Killeen, CEO of The Annex in Toronto: “The future of hospitality is hospitality.” Despite all the discussions about AI, automation, and efficiency, the winners in this space will be those who use technology to enable hospitality, not replace it. “Hospitality doesn’t always have to be in person,” Jessica explains. “It can be delivered through digital methods. It’s

Building a high-performing short-term rental isn’t about throwing money at renovations and hoping for results. It’s about strategic design choices that create a destination guests actively seek out—not just settle for. In this episode, Mark Lumpkin breaks down his proven framework for transforming underperforming properties into revenue powerhouses. From identifying the right foundation before you buy, to niching down with precision, to leveraging photography that tells an irresistible story—Mark shares the exact steps his team at STR Cribs uses to help operators double their revenue. You’ll learn how to analyze your competition without copying them, why most properties fail to differentiate themselves, and the small intentional touches that convert browsers into bookers. Whether you’re acquiring your first property or refreshing an existing portfolio, this conversation will shift how you think about design, marketing, and guest experience. Summary and Highlights 🎯 Meet Mark Lumpkin Mark Lumpkin is the Head of Marketing and Sales at STR Cribs, a full-service design and construction company specializing in high-performing short-term rentals. With five years in the industry, Mark has helped operators across the country transform underperforming properties into top-tier revenue generators through strategic renovations, amenity planning, and niche positioning. Before joining STR Cribs, Mark was part of the founding team at Showplace, where he honed his expertise in furniture, design, and guest experience optimization. He currently owns and self-manages a Superhost property while building his own portfolio. Mark’s approach centers on one core belief: every property needs a clear answer to the question, “What makes this special?” His work has resulted in case studies where properties have doubled their annual revenue after renovation—often with payback periods of under 12 months. 💡 Why Differentiation Matters More Than Ever The short-term rental landscape has undergone a fundamental shift. Post-COVID, the market has matured beyond slapping IKEA furniture in a spare bedroom and watching bookings roll in. Competition is fiercer, guest expectations are higher, and operators who can’t articulate what makes their property special are getting left behind. Mark opened the conversation with a striking reality check: “If you can’t simply answer the question, what’s special about my property—what’s different about my property—you’re setting yourself up for failure.” This isn’t about having the most amenities or spending the most money. It’s about strategic positioning that makes your property the obvious choice for a specific type of guest. When you nail this, everything else—from occupancy rates to direct bookings—becomes exponentially easier. 🏡 The Foundation Comes First One of Mark’s most valuable insights centers on acquisition strategy. Too many operators fall in love with a property’s aesthetic without evaluating its fundamentals. Mark’s team starts consulting before clients even make an offer. The critical question isn’t just about location or the number of bedrooms. It’s about space and potential. A property on the side of a hill in Gatlinburg with only a tiny deck has almost nowhere to grow. Meanwhile, a property with acreage and flat land can add amenities such as pickleball courts, fire pits, outdoor games, and other features that genuinely increase revenue. “You’ve got that tiny little deck, and then anything else would cost you such an exorbitant amount of money to improve the real estate, it wouldn’t be worth it,” Mark explained. Starting with the right canvas means you’re not fighting uphill from day one. For operators building direct booking brands, this foundation becomes even more important. Properties with differentiation potential become shareable, Instagram-worthy destinations that guests actively seek out and return to. 📈 Case Study: Scottsdale Property Doubles Revenue Mark shared a standout success story that perfectly illustrates his framework in action. A client in Scottsdale, Arizona, owned a five-bedroom property that had been generating $100,000 to $110,000 annually for five years. Revenue was declining each year, and the property had become forgettable. The bones were solid: a large backyard, a pool, and five bedrooms. But it lacked soul. Guests weren’t booking because they were excited about the property—they were booking because it was available and cheap. STR Cribs transformed the property with a clear niche: the ultimate golf-themed bachelor pad. They permitted and converted the unused garage space into a game room with a poker table. They added a backyard golf simulator, a mini golf course, a chipping range, a hot tub, a fire pit, and a pickleball court. Inside, they redesigned the entire aesthetic to match the golf theme. The result? Annual revenue jumped to $235,000—more than doubling year-over-year. The renovation nearly paid for itself in the first 12 months. The property now attracts higher-quality guests, commands premium rates, and has built substantial equity through permitted additions. This case study reinforces a crucial principle for direct booking success: when your property becomes a destination rather than a commodity, conversion rates soar. 🎯 Finding Your Niche Without Guessing So how do you identify the right niche for your property? Mark’s process is methodical and data-driven, rather than being based on gut feelings or trends. Start with competitive analysis. Identify the five best-performing properties in your market that are comparable in size and location. Study what they offer. If all five have hot tubs, you need one. If four have barrel saunas, you probably need one too. If they’re all dog-friendly, that’s not optional—it’s table stakes. This research establishes your baseline. You’re not copying—you’re understanding what guests in your market expect from top-tier properties. Then comes the differentiation layer. “How do I go above and beyond?” Mark asked. “I’ve got the same meat and potatoes, but I’ve got a different flavor of seasoning and hot sauce on it that will maybe bring in a little bit different type of person.” Mark also cautioned against the “build it and they will come” approach. Creating a completely unique concept in an unproven market takes serious conviction and comes with risk. He’s seen it work, but recommends operators ground their strategy in proven demand first. For those pursuing direct booking strategies, this competitive intelligence serves as the foundation for your content marketing, SEO targeting, and social media positioning.

“The way that people choose travel, they consider bookings. It has culturally shifted from even 10 years ago, five years ago, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. They are experience first, location second.” – Annie Sloan The hospitality landscape has fundamentally changed. Today’s travelers aren’t just booking a place to stay—they’re curating entire experiences before they even choose their destination. Annie Sloan, Co-Founder and CEO of The Host Co, joins us to reveal how direct booking amenities are becoming the secret weapon for property managers who want to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. In this episode, you’ll discover why the traditional approach of competing solely on location and price is no longer sufficient, and how forward-thinking hosts are building entire brands around the experiences they can provide. From mobile tattoo artists at Coachella properties to barrel saunas delivered to remote cabins, Annie shares real examples of hosts who’ve transformed their businesses by thinking beyond accommodation. Summary and Highlights 👋 Meet Annie Sloan: From Silicon Valley to STR Innovation Annie Sloan brings a unique perspective to short-term rental innovation, combining her extensive background as a Creative Director at Facebook and Twitter with her experience as a property owner who started hosting on Craigslist in the early days. Her journey from posting properties on Craigslist to building a platform that now serves over 18,000 listings across 16 countries demonstrates the evolution possible when you deeply understand both the technical and hospitality sides of the industry. After years of solving her own hosting challenges—from midnight firewood requests in Joshua Tree to last-minute pet fee negotiations—Annie co-founded The Host Co with Michael Hubbard to automate these pain points while creating new revenue opportunities for hosts. Her Silicon Valley product experience, combined with real-world hosting frustrations, led to a platform that transforms how guests discover and book experiences during their stays. ✨ Key Takeaways: Why Amenities Are Your Direct Booking Superpower 🎯 The Experience-First Booking Revolution Annie reveals a fundamental shift in how travelers make decisions: “They are experience first, location second. They are, what are we gonna do there before they are? Where are we gonna stay there?” This represents a massive opportunity for direct booking websites that can showcase unique experiences alongside beautiful properties. 💰 The 40% Purchase Rate Discovery When The Host Co launched in seven test properties, they discovered something remarkable: 93% of guests opened their amenities store, and 40% made a purchase in the first month. This wasn’t just about convenience—guests were actively seeking ways to enhance their stays and were willing to pay premium prices for curated experiences. 🛍️ Beyond the Mini-Bar Mentality While The Host Co started with the concept of a “mini bar for short-term rentals,” Annie discovered that hosts were using the platform in unexpected ways. Rather than just selling physical products, properties began offering services like late checkout, early check-in, and local experiences—creating a new category of hospitality marketing that goes far beyond traditional accommodation. 🧠 The Psychology of Experience Marketing One of the most compelling insights from Annie involves understanding the booking psychology: “The person who books the stay generally psychologically is the person who gets more enjoyment from anticipating the trip than being on the trip.” This means your direct booking strategy should focus on feeding that anticipation through curated experiences and services. 🔧 Practical Implementation Strategies 👥 Start with Your Current Team Annie suggests leveraging existing resources creatively. Your cleaning staff, for example, might be willing to handle simple service requests like birthday cake delivery or rose petal setup for an additional fee. This approach allows you to offer enhanced experiences without building entirely new vendor relationships. 📱 Test Through Social Media First Before investing in new amenities or services, Annie recommends testing market interest through your existing social media channels. Share images of potential experiences—barrel saunas, private chefs, wellness services—and gauge audience reaction before committing resources. ⭐ Quality Control Through Curation Rather than allowing unlimited vendor access, The Host Co maintains quality by only working with services recommended by their host partners. This curator approach ensures that every amenity offered meets both host and guest expectations while maintaining brand integrity. 🏆 The Direct Booking Advantage The conversation reveals why building your own direct booking website becomes even more critical when you’re offering unique experiences. Unlike OTA platforms where amenities exist in isolation, direct booking sites allow you to create a cohesive brand story that connects your property, location, and available experiences into one compelling package. Annie explains: “Everything that you can use to grow your SEO to stand out, to improve booking consideration… if someone comes to your website, their booking consideration goes up.” This extended engagement time becomes particularly valuable when guests can explore not just your property but the entire experience ecosystem you’ve created. 📚 Annie’s Book Recommendation Annie recommends “4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals” by Oliver Burkeman. This perspective-shifting book challenges traditional productivity thinking by highlighting that if you live to 80, you have only 4,000 weeks of life. The book emphasizes doing things for enjoyment rather than just achievement—a mindset that translates beautifully to creating memorable guest experiences rather than just efficient accommodations. ⚡ Annie’s Rapid Fire Insights Mindset Advice: “Most of the time it is a boring grind and mindset wise, you need to learn to be somewhat happy despite the different circumstances… being the one who decides how you’re going to be, especially in startup world, it is such a rollercoaster.” Tactical Advice: “Get a direct booking site and start talking about it in social media. Start talking about one thing that you can add to it… just see if you get some excitement around it.” 🔗 Connect with Annie Sloan Learn more about The Host Co and follow Annie’s insights: The integration between The Host Co and CraftedStays launching this fall promises to bring these experience-first booking capabilities directly into your property management website, allowing you to seamlessly market and fulfill unique guest experiences alongside your core accommodation offering. Ready