The Vacation Rental Manager's Podcast with Sarah and T

Send a text In this episode Sarah and T get ready to launch a series of interviews with Vacation Rental Management Company owners by interviewing each other about the state of the industry.   What has Covid-19 done to their companies?   What is the best idea they have heard in the last 3 months?  How dependent on OTA's are they?  What does the next 12 months look like?   Get the answers to th...

Send a text In this episode Sarah and T address a subject that everyone could improve upon.  Your disaster plan.  What do you do when there is a natural disaster or a Covid-19 outbreak?  Plan ahead to make sure you are ready.   Sarah and T go through 5 important steps when you are planning for a disaster.   The key part of the process is indeed planning.    Do you have a football?  Find out what t...

Send a text In this week's episode Sarah and T talk about various issues that can arise in dealing with a "new" owner in your rental program, or an owner that is not properly welcomed to your rental program.   Listen to their experience in a variety of situations that we all have dealt with.  In the news segment a major on line travel agent announces 25% of their work force will be...

Send a text It is the height of the summer vacation rental season and many VRMs are at their wits end with the stress of running a high touch business in a Covid-19 world.  This week's episode of Sarah and T focuses on what you need to think about to be most effective during this crazy time.   Here's a hint - it begins and ends with You!   Lots of great tips on organization, delegation,...

Send a text Sue Jones is well known as human resources expert in the vacation rental industry and today Sarah and T interview her about the challenges many in vacation rentals are facing with human resources issues.  Sue brings great answers and strategies to the table this week as we talk about the Federal Unemployment benefit, how to overcome staffing shortages, and how to keep you and your staf...

Send a text In this episode our two intrepid vacation rental management owners tackle your top questions about the daily issues in vacation rental managment.  Taking these questions from on-line rental forums, Sarah and T help solve some of today's top issues.   Some really good ideas are exchanged here.  In the news segment, a report about a stimulus bill that would directly help travel if p...

Send a text In this episode our two hosts dive deeper into the biggest fails they have made in the vacation rental industry.   Part one of this episode was heard earlier, and today picks up where they left off bearing their souls on hiring mistakes, business strategy mistakes, and business growth problems of their past.   Listen in and take heed from their experience. Find all of Sarah and T'...

Send a text This week, Sarah and T interview one of their most famous and accomplished guests.  John Ruhlin, the best-selling author of "Gift*ology  The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention." Sarah has referenced this book many times on our podcast, and in person at various conferences around the country and today sh...

Send a text This is an unbelievable episode that every rental manager and owner should listen to.  16 company owners and managers give a report to Sarah and T on how their business is faring.   The guests are (in appearance order) Mark Driskell (Mountain Time Vacation Rentals), Judith Lee (Sun Place Vacations), Steve Milo (V-Trips), Chris Bettin (Premier Vacation Rentals), Kirsten King (Big Sky Va...

Send a text This week's episode brings us closer to normalcy as we start to think about welcoming guests into our properties.  Michelle Williams is the General Manager of Atlantic Vacation Homes in Gloucester, MA and the chairperson of the Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals.   This group just released a document to all vacation rental managers to give guidance on how you might approac...

Send a text In this edition of what seems like a never ending series of podcasts on Covid-19's effects on the Vacation Rental Industry, our hosts invite two positive-minded people on to discuss how we can be positive as well.   You will enjoy the commentary of Matt Landau and Sharon Keefe who bring their A-game in this fast paced podcast.  Find out what you should be doing with your marketing...

Send a text Like you, Sarah and Tim have been directly and significantly impacted by the Coronavirus.  In this episode there is no music, not jokes, just a lot of useful information about how to deal with something we never expected to deal with.   There are also two listeners highlighted in this episode sharing their challenges.  You are not alone, and we try to give you actionable steps to help...

Send a text We have all been rocked in the last few weeks with the pandemic of Covid-19.   This week Sarah and T speak with Amy Hinote Founder and Editor of VRM Intel about what her observations are about the current state of affairs in vacation rental management given the pandemic. We seek your input!   Please call us at 336-612-1612 and tell us how you are being affected by this unprecedented vi...

Send a text Recorded at Podfest 2020 in Orlando Sarah and T have moved the show outside in the Florida sun to talk to one of the smartest people in professional vacation rental management.  Andrew McConnell is the CEO at Rented.com and has his finger on the pulse of a lot of the biggest issues in the industry.   Sarah and T press him on his thoughts about what is the concern about Google coming in...

Send a text Sarah and T are very experienced professional vacation rental managers.  That means they have made their share of mistakes over the years, and in this episode our two rental managers share with us some of the biggest ones.   There are so many things that Sarah and T want to cover this turns out to be part one of a two part series all in the interest of you being able to learn from thei...

Send a text In this episode of Sarah and T - The professional Vacation Rental Manager's Podcast our hosts interview Justin Ford with Breezeway.  He is a Safety expert and he brings us all sorts of great tips to pass along to our staff and property owners about how to keep our guests safe during their stay.  It is one of the hot topics in our industry and we have it covered this week.   In the...

Send a text In this week's episode of Sarah and T we present the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Airbnb's Professional Hosting and Luxury Retreats Clara Liang.  Clara talks all things Airbnb including some of the pain points for professional vacation rental managers.  A smart and delightful interview with one of the major players in the vacation rental industry offers many t...

Send a text In this episode our two adventurous vacation rental managers tackle a subject that not many of us want to think about - how to communicate with owners about problems in a rental property.  We all know it happens, and we many times turn a blind eye towards dealing with it.  It goes back to your relationship with your owner.  Is it a business partnership or a thin sheet of ice where you...

Send a text In this week's episode of Sarah and T - The professional vacation rental manager's podcast the duo interviews the Senior Vice President and General Manager of VRBO.    Jeff took on the role as the head of the 3rd party booking company in November and in this episode he shares with Sarah and T his vision for the future, why he loves Albondegas, and why coaching a 9 year old gi...

Send a text Sarah and T put a wrap on season 3 of their podcast by reviewing the top 10 episodes of the past year.   The list, made up of the top listened to episodes, is a great cross section of our industry with a great mix.    If you are an avid listener you will enjoy revisiting some of these episodes, and if you are new to the podcast this is a great guide of which episodes you should go back...

Send a text In this episode our two intrepid professional vacation rental managers talk about the process of preparing for a fantastic 2020 for your business.    Celebrate the victories of 2019, and learn from the missteps as you set goals and a budget for next year!   This is not a dry numbers filled episode, but rather a nugget stocked show that will motivate you for next year!   Enjoy this cont...

Send a text In this episode Sarah and T interview the one and only Carl Shepherd.   The Co-founder of HomeAway who, in this episode, gives us a lesson on the history of vacation rentals, he gives an unfiltered opinion of where the industry currently stands, and he gives insight about where he thinks the industry is headed.    It is a fast paced and takeaway filled edition of Sarah and T from one o...

Send a text This week our two podcasting Vacation Rental Managers interview Ben Edwards of Weatherby Consulting and various vacation rental companies around the country.  Ben owns and operates vacation rental companies as well as helps v.r. owners with accounting challenges.  He also has assisted hundreds of v.r. owners on the purchase or sale of their company.  He says there is one thing that you...

Send a text For the 3rd consecutive year Sarah and T have done one of the final sessions at the VRMA International Conference, and today's episode is this year's edition.  Hear from 35 different vacation rental managers who provide their one big takeaway from the annual conference that they will put into action to improve their business.   This is great content and it is provided by you...

Send a text This is a great episode of Sarah and T.   Meet Angie Leone of Hawaii who has tied her company's success into sharing with those less fortunate.    Find out how she gives on the local, national, and international level, learn how she has 60 children, and figure out what you can do better in your social efforts.   A truly moving episode. Find all of Sarah and T's content at www...