Booked Solid Show - Short Term Rental Podcast

Airbnb just changed everything with their new fee structure—and most hosts are sleepwalking into smaller profits. In this episode of Booked Solid, Sam Mistretta returns to share what he's learned after 18 months in the trenches helping hosts drive repeat bookings through text and email marketing. Sam built a system that grew his own direct booking revenue by 400%, and his company, Go STR Marke...

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 sys...

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 connec...

"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...

"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 di...

"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...

"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 fami...

"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 Or...

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....

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 be...

"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 t...

"Stop making Airbnb more money. Do not ever send someone another Airbnb link. You are the problem. Owning your customer is the most important part of any successful business strategy." This raw admission from Nikkei Rosenberg, owner of Staylah Rentals with over 100 properties under management, captures exactly what's broken—and what's possible—in our industry. While most hosts ch...

"Digital media is not going away. When business owners are shying away from doing something uncomfortable, putting their business out on social media, you have to meet the world where they're at." What would you do if your social media following could generate 71% direct bookings on just one property? Brittany Magsig, better known as Mountain Mama on TikTok , turned this dream into reality by auth...

"There's so much incremental bookings our industry could be getting if we just did a better job of managing rates throughout the season. More than anything, drive additional revenue over and above new amenities, new photos—it's just do a better job of how you're setting rates." The short-term rental landscape has undergone dramatic shifts since 2020, creating both challenges...

"The core foundation should be direct bookings, but you also need OTA presence. I think the best way is all three legs of that stool." Building a hospitality business that generates 95% direct bookings sounds impossible—especially in a town with just 87 residents. But Blake Neitzke, a West Point graduate and former Special Forces officer, proved it's not only possible but sustainable...

"I would have to say collaboration, and that's really been my go-to word for the year because I have noticed such a difference when I'm able to collaborate with others, whether it's something for them or something that benefits me." - Ashley Ramos What if the secret to consistent direct bookings wasn't found in complex digital funnels or expensive marketing campaigns, but...

"We are 70% direct book. My mentality is we own our business through our website and I treat the OTAs simply as marketing platforms, as billboards." - Kerri Gibson In this episode, you'll discover the exact framework Kerri used to build her direct booking dominance, from her early website experiments to sophisticated email nurture campaigns that create 40% return guests . Plus, she s...

Bring yourself to your hospitality journey. There's no one else like you." — Moriya Rockman The short-term rental industry is evolving beyond the simple host-guest transaction. Today's successful vacation rental operators are building direct booking ecosystems, creating communities, and establishing themselves as destination ambassadors rather than just property managers. Few understand this trans...

What does it take to truly own your guest journey — from the moment they see your property to the moment they return next year? For Joe Rohne , short-term rental operator, investor, and broker, the answer lies in control: control of your brand, your pricing, your data, and your guest relationships. In this episode of Booked Solid , Joe shares how he built a resilient direct booking strategy that l...

“When guests walk in and discover a gourmet snack or high-end facial mask, it’s more than an amenity—it’s a delight.”    That’s the unforgettable touch Rachel Vigil brings to vacation rentals through Up Close Marketing —a platform connecting hosts with premium brands for product placements that wow guests and reinforce their brand identity. In this episode of the Booked Solid Show, Gil sits down...

“ If you rely only on OTAs, you’ve lost control—direct bookings give you the freedom and stability to weather anything .” — Federico Zimerman From a spare bedroom in Buenos Aires to managing 75+ properties and opening a boutique inn in the Catskills, Federico Zimerman’s journey is anything but ordinary. On this episode of Booked Solid , Gil welcomes Federico to unpack how an airline trainer turned...

In this episode of Booked Solid , Garrett Brown— BiggerPockets Short-Term Rental Expert and founder of Cameron Ranch Glamping —shares how he turned a single house into a land-hacked luxury retreat business. Using a blend of creative hospitality, structured site analysis, and marketing systems built on influencer content, Garrett achieved a remarkable 76% direct booking rate. He walks us through hi...

“It’s not about how much you make—it’s about how much you keep.” At just 25 years old, Chad Harker is building a high-cash-flow STR portfolio in Edmonton using real estate acquisitions, direct booking strategies, and custom-built AI systems to scale—without burning out. In this episode, Chad shares how he house-hacked his way into the industry, scaled using BRRR-style methods, and now automates hi...

“When you're doing something hard, it's supposed to feel hard… but know that you're on the right path.” Skyler knows firsthand: building a direct‑booking short‑term rental business from the ground up is not easy, but it can be extraordinary. In this week’s episode of the Booked Solid Show, Skyler shares how he and his wife, Maddie, went from furnishing arbitrage properties in San Diego...

a 🛠️ “Design isn’t just about what it looks like—it’s about what it earns.” Our guest is Ishita Lalan , founder of Ishita Interiors and architectural designer behind over 150 short-term rental transformations across the country. From $500,000 gut-renovations to quick-turn landscape upgrades, Ishita approaches every STR with the mindset of an investor and the precision of an architect. This episode...