Confessions of a Host

Every host will eventually face a guest complaint—but some are far more memorable than others. In this episode of Confessions of a Host , we're sharing the real stories behind some of the most unexpected guest issues we've encountered, including the infamous sex toy incident, a broken A/C during a guest's stay, bugs in a cabin, and more. We break down exactly how we handled each situat...

In this episode of Confessions of a Host , we sit down with Patryk Swietek, Co-Founder of The Cohost Company, to talk about one of the hottest topics in the short-term rental industry: acquiring and scaling vacation rental management companies. Patryk shares what he looks for when evaluating management businesses, how acquisitions work behind the scenes, and what it takes to build a company that&#...

Not every owner is the right owner. In this episode, we're sharing the biggest red flags we've encountered when onboarding vacation rental owners—from unrealistic income expectations and micromanagement to deferred maintenance and communication issues. We'll also discuss the green flags that make for successful, long-term partnerships and why saying "no" to the wrong client c...

In this episode, Natalie shares how her journey into hosting didn’t start with Airbnb at all. It started by renting out her backyard pool on Swimply, eventually generating over $200,000 in revenue. We dive into the unconventional ways homeowners and Airbnb hosts can monetize their properties beyond overnight stays, including renting spaces for movie productions, photo shoots, events, and content c...

Ever wonder why some Airbnbs stop you mid-scroll while others blend into the crowd? In this episode, we're diving into the boldest, craziest, and most memorable Airbnb properties we've come across and breaking down what makes them stand out. From jaw-dropping amenities and unique design choices to the must-have features that guests now expect in certain markets, we're talking about what actually m...

If you've been posting on social media and hearing crickets — or worse, not posting at all — this episode is your wake-up call. In this quick but packed episode, we are breaking down exactly how short-term rental managers can turn social media into a powerful tool for attracting property owners, guests, and direct bookings. We're covering which platforms are actually worth your time, what to post...

Thinking about getting into Airbnb cohosting in 2026? In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we’re talking about how we got started in cohosting, how we landed our first clients, and what helped us grow our businesses in the short-term rental industry. We share practical advice for new cohosts, ways to stand out when starting from zero, how to build trust with owners, and the strategies that he...

AI is everywhere right now—but how are hosts actually using it in their day-to-day operations? In this episode of Confessions of a Host , we sit down with Alex Bykov, the cofounder of The Orange Cabins to break down how he’s using AI to run and streamline his short-term rental business. From guest communication to automation and systems, we’re talking about what’s actually working, what’s not, and...

Let’s be honest… most hosts and business owners hit a point where doing everything themselves starts holding them back. In this episode, we sit down with Blendi Muriqi, Founder & CEO of Delegate.co, to talk about scaling smarter—not harder. We get into remote teams, systems, and the real reason so many people struggle to grow: they don’t delegate soon enough. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed...

This podcast breaks down the real mistakes that cost short-term rental operators time, money, and sanity. From hiring the wrong photographers and taking on bad owners, to weak contracts, poor systems, and relying too heavily on platforms like Airbnb, we cover the lessons most people learn the hard way. If you're building or scaling a property management business, this is where you learn how to...

Welcome to our very first episode! We’re getting real about how it all started! We’re Natalie and Mariam: moms, business owners, and operators managing a combined portfolio of short-term rentals and this is the behind-the-scenes version of hosting no one talks about. We break down how we each got into the industry, the messy middle between “this could be something” and actually building a business...