Booked Solid Show - Short Term Rental Podcast

" Don’t just sell the cabin—sell the waterfall hike and the glass-cutting workshop nearby " That’s Kenny Bedwell’s philosophy on today’s Booked Solid Show. As the CEO of STR Insights and an active short‑term rental investor, Kenny brings a fresh mindset: direct bookings thrive when you market the destination first . Expect this episode to teach you how to build trust with guests through...

"You never want to compete on price. You want to compete on experience." — Brianna Amigo In the world of short-term rentals, one thing is clear: good design isn’t just pretty—it’s profitable. On this episode of Booked Solid, Gil sat down with Brianna Amigo, founder of Brianna Michelle Interiors, to uncover how design directly impacts bookings, guest experience, and your bottom line. From...

"One man's trash is another's treasure. We all have our things we obsess over. If we were all doing the same things, we’d have major problems." – Jonathan Wicks When Jonathan Wicks launched Well & Good Professional Services, he wasn’t just starting another cleaning company — he was reimagining how professionalism and consistency in vacation rental servicing can elevate the en...

Dawn LaMattina Asher is the founder and creative director of The Olive Jar, an experiential marketing studio focused on vacation rental design, amenities, and media content creation for visionary hosts. With 20 years of experience in experiential storytelling across entertainment media, hospitality, and brand marketing, Dawn helps hosts transform ordinary stays into unforgettable guest experiences...

On this episode of the  Booked Solid Show , Gil is joined by Kim Herrlein, the Chief Leisure Officer of Purveyors of Leisur e. Kim is a short-term rental operator who has mastered the art of large group travel through beautifully designed estate properties in California's Coachella Valley. She recently expanded her hospitality vision by launching  The Fainting Couch , a boutique hotel in North...

In this episode of the Booked Solid Show, we sit down with Jay Ulrich, CEO and Co-Founder of HostBuddy AI, the platform that’s shaking up the short-term rental industry. Jay is a property manager turned tech innovator, known for transforming his 50-unit portfolio in San Diego into a blueprint for smarter, more resilient hosting. With a deep understanding of the challenges hosts face from OTA over-...

In this episode of Booked Solid , Amy Corbett reveals how she’s transforming quirky spaces like vintage train cars and grain bins, into sought-after escapes. Discover how her brand, All Belong Co. , is redefining what it means to be a host by creating inclusive, unforgettable experiences that go beyond the ordinary. From harnessing niche communities to building direct bookings that aren't dependen...

Jamey King is a Senior Marketing Executive at  eviivo , where he brings deep expertise from years in the vacation rental and short-term accommodation industry. With a background that includes leadership roles at  Sony Electronics, VRMA, PointCentral,  and  Safely , Jamey has shaped strategies in business development, partnerships, and marketing across the board. Now based in Indiana, he leads effo...

Recently, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Avery Carl on The Short Term Show . This interview was even more special because Avery and her team were kind enough to agree to a crossover episode for Booked Solid to spotlight direct booking strategies and tools that help STR hosts take control of their business. We discussed a topic near and dear to my heart: building sustainable, long-term...

When it comes to growing a short-term rental business, many operators rely on online travel agencies (OTAs) or job boards. But Owen Johnson, took a different route through Direct Bookings. In this episode of Booked Solid , Gil dives into Owen's unconventional approach to direct bookings, where the focus is on building systems and loyalty that don’t depend on third-party platforms. Owen shares his...

When most people think about real estate agents, they picture the transaction — the showing, the contract, the close. But for  Tyler Coon , it’s just the beginning. On this episode of  Booked Solid , Gil sits down with Tyler, founder of  Savvy Realty , a nationwide real estate team laser-focused on helping investors buy (and succeed with) short-term rentals. What sets Tyler apart isn’t just his kn...

In this week’s episode of  Booked Solid Show , formerly  Direct Booking Simplified , we sat down with Paul Anderson—also known as  The Social Media Hotelier . Paul is a marketing strategist specializing in leveraging Instagram to drive direct bookings for short-term accommodation businesses. As a retired guest house owner, international bestselling author, and expert in consumer psychology, Paul t...

In our latest  Booked Solid  podcast episode, we sat down with  Zachary Humphrey , a registered nurse who turned his passion for real estate into a thriving short-term rental business. Zach isn’t just any investor—he’s built his portfolio from the ground up, balancing a demanding W2 job with his growing STR empire, and learning some  hard but valuable lessons along the way. From  rental arbitrage...

“If you’re expecting direct bookings to work overnight, you’ll be disappointed. But if you treat it like building a real business, you’ll see long-term success.” Parker, a powerhouse in the short-term rental space. Not only does she self-manage 12 properties across Tennessee and Florida, generating over a million dollars in annual revenue, but she’s also a seasoned mortgage expert. As the founder...

“Most people never let a goal become an obsession. They have an idea, it becomes a want, and when the first plan doesn’t work, they abandon it instead of adjusting the plan.” Emanuele Pani, known as "E" in the short-term rental community, is the co-host of the  STR Secrets Podcast  and a coach specializing in co-hosting and boutique hotels. He shared how shifting his mindset allowed him...

Madeleine Raiford is the founder of MHM Luxury Properties , a boutique short-term rental company that has scaled to seven figures while maintaining high profitability and time freedom. She also runs a mastermind community at MRH Education , helping hosts start and optimize their rental businesses. Before diving into short-term rentals, she was a COO in the high-security identification industry. He...

Mike is the co-founder of  T he Hideaways  and  Build Your Hideawa y , where he specializes in helping hosts maximize revenue through unique short-term rental builds . With a background in digital marketing, Mike has scaled from 0 to 19 properties in just three years , mastering the art of market research, design differentiation, and direct bookings along the way. In this episode of  Direct Bookin...

Heather Bayer is a pioneer in the short-term rental industry, with over two decades of experience. She founded and ran a successful property management company overseeing 200+ properties before selling it in 2022. Now a full-time coach, consultant, and educator, Heather shares her deep knowledge of vacation rental best practices through her platform,  Vacation Rental Formula . With a strong focus...

On this episode of  Direct Booking Simplified , we sat down with Jodie, the Founder of Hospitable Hosts - a multi author book. She is also a property manager originally from Australia who built a thriving short-term rental business in the UK—all while managing it remotely from the other side of the world. Jodie shared her journey, the challenges of scaling a direct booking business, and why hospit...

Ever wondered how to break free from OTAs and take control of your bookings? Sarah Pell did just that. She went from teaching elementary school to managing a thriving short-term rental portfolio using a mix of ownership, arbitrage, and co-hosting. In this episode of  Direct Bookings Simplified , Sarah reveals the exact strategies she used to scale her business, build a strong direct booking system...

“Trust comes from having a secure site and a seamless booking process. If your site instills confidence, guests will book without hesitation.” In the latest episode of Direct Booking Simplified, we sat down with Jennifer Spencer, a seasoned host with over a decade of experience in the vacation rental industry. Jennifer owns two stunning properties: one nestled in the Canadian Rockies and another i...

In our latest episode of Direct Bookings Simplified, we sat down with Jenn Boyles, a trailblazer in the world of direct bookings and marketing strategies for short-term rentals. Jenn’s hosting journey began in 2012 with an apartment in France. After navigating the challenges of a saturated market, she pivoted to direct bookings, focusing on branding, storytelling, and guest data. This approach led...

When you think of hostels, the image of a small, budget-friendly, often outdated lodging comes to mind. Nathan and Michael, the co-founders of Howzit Hostels, are flipping that narrative. In our latest podcast episode of  Direct Booking Simplified , these two entrepreneurs shared how they leveraged their backgrounds in real estate and luxury short-term rentals to redefine what a hostel can be—and...

Rodman Schley is a seasoned real estate investor and short-term rental expert with an impressive career spanning decades. Starting with fix-and-flip properties to pay for college, Rodman’s journey evolved into a passion for short-term vacation rentals. With over $20 billion in valuations as a certified appraiser, he’s mastered the art of analyzing markets and making strategic investments. Today, h...

In our latest podcast episode, we had the pleasure of hosting Breanna Williams, founder and principal designer of Mumford Designs. Breanna specializes in short-term rentals (STR) and mid-term rentals (MTR), blending interior design, market research, and marketing strategy to create unforgettable guest experiences. With over 15 years of design expertise and a particular passion for hybrid rental pr...