How We Are Building Our Hospitality Brand

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This podcast episode delves into the world of entrepreneurship, focusing on the realm of short-term rentals and property management. Fouad Bazzi shares his journey from a corporate career to entrepreneurship, touching on the challenges and strategies of growing a business with an intention to sell, tackling work-life balance, and the importance of building relationships. His[...]
In this engaging podcast episode, Mike Reilly, the COO of STR Secrets, shares his personal journey from overcoming kidney disease and leaving a demanding corporate job at Google to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the short-term rental (STR) industry. Mike discusses the importance of not trading time for money, building a team, and automating business[...]
In this unique episode of Slick Talk, host Wil Slickers takes to the skies to interview Sean and Landon Wilkinson, Co-Founders of Hostshare. Recorded on a plane, this episode delves into the founders' personal journeys, the birth of Hostshare, and its vision to revolutionize the short-term rental industry by enabling hosts to share unbooked nights[...]
In this episode of Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast, Wil Slickers welcomes Meaghan Moylan to discuss the journey and future of her podcast, Workflows & Espressos under the Hospitality.FM Podcast Network. They engage in a jovial conversation about the podcast's creation, its unique approach to not featuring interviews, and the intimate connection it fosters with[...]
In this episode of Slick Talk, Wil Slickers sits down with Sam Dundas, the Co-Founder of Besty AI, to explore the evolving role of AI in the hospitality industry. Delving into personal stories, Sam shares his journey from his initial interest in hospitality to the founding of Besty AI. He discusses the impact of AI[...]
This podcast episode features a returning guest, Catherine Ratcliffe, who has significantly grown since her last appearance, transitioning from a 9-to-5 job to managing four properties and now organizing her own event, CanStays. The discussion highlights the differences in short-term rental regulations and operations between Canada and the United States, underscoring the unique challenges and[...]
Join us for an insightful roundtable discussion on "The Hotel Product Landscape" featuring CTOs from Mews, Josef Starýchfojtů, and Sensible Weather's Alice Fuller. In this podcast, we delve into the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in hotel technology. Our esteemed guests will share their expertise, providing deep insights into the evolving landscape of hotel products[...]
In this episode, the founder of Sensible Weather, Nick Cavanaugh, discusses the inception and development of the company, a climate data and FinTech entity offering a unique product called Weather Guarantee. Designed to compensate travelers financially and outdoor event attendees affected by adverse weather conditions automatically and instantly, this concept evolved from the founder's blend[...]
In this round table discussion, industry leaders discuss the future of unique stays and outdoor experiences. The participants include Ben Wolff from Onera, Jeremy Wells from the Ozarker, Michael Goldin from Nook Experiences, and Sangeetha, a hotelier with experience at IHG. The discussion covers various topics like brand design, the importance of a 'media first'[...]
In this podcast episode, Jake Pontius, Co-Founder of Nook Experiences, shares his journey from beer brewing to hospitality entrepreneurship. He talks about the difference between a hard brand and a soft brand, the communal aspect of hospitality, and the importance of unique stays in glamping or outdoor resorts. Jake gives an insight into the process[...]
In this podcast, Nils Mattisson, co-founder of Minut, returns to talk about the importance of product hardware and software harmonizing with each other and how excellent software is crucial when building hardware. He also discusses the importance of feature design and roadmaps and sheds light on the changes and trends in the industry, including increased[...]
This roundtable conversation engages CEOs of the hospitality tech industry: Demi Horvat from AirDNA, Steve Davis from Operto, Matthew Loney from Xplorie, and David Weiss from Whimstay. They delve into the intricacies of the industry, discussing topics such as the pros and cons of round table podcast formats, the concept of a hired gun in[...]
In this episode, host Wil Slickers engages in a compelling conversation with Mike Brockway, a seasoned property owner and operator in Denver, Colorado. Mike discusses his journey from corporate job holder to real estate investor, property manager, and short-term rental guru. He delves into the dynamics of his operations, his unique utilization of technology, and[...]
In this exciting episode, host Wil Slickers invites Steve Trover, the Founder of Better Talent, for a deep-dive conversation into the vacation rental industry. They discuss the importance of having the right people in the right roles, focusing more on product development, and the resiliency of the industry through various crises. Steve shares his insights[...]
In this bonus solo episode, Wil shares four key lessons he's learned about entrepreneurial success: the importance of persisting longer than others, the value of always learning and trying to master the craft, the victory found in detailed preparation, and the idea of suffering in the details for greater success. He encourages listeners to apply[...]
In this engaging episode of 'Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast', industry experts share insightful predictions for the hospitality sector in 2024. The discussion covers an anticipated emergence of hospitality podcasts, potential structural modifications within businesses, sustainable practices, and growth opportunities. Specific sectors like short-term rentals and urban operators are also explored in-depth. Insights about the[...]
This episode features Ben Wolff, the founder of Onera, a unique stay brand based in Texas. The conversation dives into the operations of a REIT and an operation company, exploring Wolff's journey from running a successful property management company to pioneering unique stay experiences in the hospitality industry. Wolff shares about his passion for creating[...]
This episode features Ben Wolff, the Co-Founder and Creator of Onera, a unique stay brand based in Texas. The conversation dives into the operations of a REIT and an operation company, exploring Wolff's journey from running a successful property management company to pioneering unique stay experiences in the hospitality industry. Wolff shares about his passion[...]
In this Operators Roundtable discussion, industry leaders provide expert advice on scaling challenges, growth possibilities in short-term rentals, and balancing expenses in property management. Strategies for managing inventory, quality control, and financial responsibilities are shared, with a focus on tech integration and streamlining tasks for better efficiency. The role of maintaining exceptional hospitality in guest[...]
In this Operators Roundtable discussion, industry leaders provide expert advice on scaling challenges, growth possibilities in short-term rentals, and balancing expenses in property management. Strategies for managing inventory, quality control, and financial responsibilities are shared, with a focus on tech integration and streamlining tasks for better efficiency. The role of maintaining exceptional hospitality in guest[...]
In this first 2024 episode of the Slick Talk podcast, we dive deep into important topics shaping the hospitality industry. From examining the role of partnerships and collaborations to unpacking the challenges of scaling businesses globally, we've got it all covered in this Q&A session. We also explore significant business model trends, the importance of[...]
In this episode of the podcast, Jeremy Wells, Co-Founder of Longitude and owner of the Ozarker, discusses his entrepreneurial journey in the hospitality industry. He dove into understanding how the brand experience impacts the guest journey and how local partnerships can enhance this. Wells also highlighted the role of technology in streamlining the hotel experience[...]
We want to wish all of our listeners a happy holiday season, and we're so thankful for you this year! Many of you have become friends, guests, and colleagues, and we think that's pretty special. Thank you for all you do to support the show, and we are excited to see more of you in[...]
Seth Bolt, Co-Founder of Bolt Farm Treehouse and a member of the band Need to Breathe, sits down to discuss his hospitality journey. Seth shares the origins of Bolt Farm Treehouse, the vision for the brand, the impact of their work on guests, and the importance of purpose and hard work in hospitality. He shares[...]
Listen to the latest episode as Brooke Pfautz, CEO of Vintory & Comparant, talks about how vital inventory acquisition is in the vacation rental industry. Brooke shares how they compiled data from various platforms and created Comparant, a marketplace that guides homeowners in selecting a suitable property manager. He also discusses the potential of AI[...]
In this confluence episode featuring hosts from four different podcasts, the discussants explore the state of the vacation rental, short-term rental, and "Airbnb" industry. The panelists, Heather Bayer, Conrad O'Connell, Adam Norko, and Scott Fasanos, explore aspects of scale, hospitality, and market trends, including how brands can best meet guest expectations. The debate touches on[...]
You have so many podcasts and episodes to choose from every week, so we want to make it easy for you to enjoy Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast. In our Monthly Slick Talk Highlight Episodes, you will hear my producer, Kelsey Tran, and I share our favorite moments from the month's weekly episodes and hear[...]
In this episode, Eric Moeller, a hospitality entrepreneur, delves into the topic of 'Unreasonable Hospitality' and its crucial role in shaping the future of the short-term rental industry. In his third appearance on the show, he talks about his journey from running a conventional hospitality business to creating FreeWyld. This exceptional boutique hospitality brand prioritizes[...]
In this episode of Slick Talk, we invited Richard Valtr of Mews, a cloud-based property management software company, for another enlightening conversation. The discussion centers around several key points, including the evolution of Mews since our last conversation in July 2020, the immense potential of AI in the hospitality sector, and how a shift in[...]
Arthur Colker, the founder of StayFi, shares his thoughts on the venture capital (VC) model and why he decided to bootstrap the company. He discusses the need for startups to consider their ideal business outcomes before pursuing VC funding, citing the pressure to generate returns and the need to justify large-scale growth as potential downsides.[...]
The episode explores the concept of customizable hospitality spaces with Chris Osaka, the CEO of Tomu. Chris shares how he transitioned from his experience in retail, fashion, and working with brands like Nike into the world of hospitality. He also elaborates on Tomu's core purpose, which is focused on easing the entry into hotel ownership[...]
Mike Stone is the Owner and General Counsel of AllSTR Hospitality and in this episode, Mike shares his story and experience as a lawyer who hated his job and wanted out but didn't know how until he discovered short-term rentals through mentorship and industry related masterminds. Many masterminds or industry leaders mentioned in this episode[...]
You have so many podcasts and episodes to choose from every week and so we want to make it easy for you to enjoy Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast. In our Monthly Slick Talk Highlight Episodes, you will hear my producer, Kelsey Tran, and myself share our favorite moments from the months weekly episodes and[...]
An industry leader with 8+ years of experience in the vacation rental space, Meaghan Moylan leads a team of passionate and entrepreneurial-minded professionals at The Outpost Group, a fast-growing private investment office based in Jackson, Wyoming. The company’s portfolio includes Outpost, Snake River Roasting Company, Terrain Landscaping and Snow Removal, Provisions Catering, and O2 Cleaning. [...]
During my time here at the Operto office, I was able to sit down with Steve Davis (more than once and with other Operto team members) to talk about the difference between scaling successfully and failing at scale #scalefail and let's just say this was one of my favorite talks as we're all packing up[...]
In this weeks episode of Slick Talk, I was able to really dive into the life of Alex Alioto who went from New York actor to STR Tech Co-Founder. His journey is pretty incredible and from his perspective, we're just getting started in this industry we all know and love. Connect with Alex & Whimstay:[...]
Hello Slick Talkers! We wanted to make sure this episode got it's spotlight on Good Morning Hospitality and so after about a month of letting it do it's thing, we wanted to now let you hear this one for yourselves as my co-hosts on GMH were thrilled to have had Sam Shank, Co-Founder and CEO[...]
Jon is the CEO of Topkey, the financial operating system for hospitality management companies. They're a Y Combinator Winter 2021 company. They've raised a $5.2M seed round led by Felicis Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Y Combinator. There are several other great investors participated in that round, including Assurant Ventures, Derive Ventures, and yours truly,[...]
Niko Karstikko joins us on the podcast to share the story & meaning of Bob W. and how their approach & ethos is all about autonomous hospitality as a tech and hospitality brand within European markets. This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise,[...]
Brooke Phautz,, CEO & Co-Founder of Vintory, has been a guest on the show more times than most but with good reason. The guy is a gem of knowledge and on this episode, he joins us to share some of the top secrets of our industry from the top vacation rental experts in his new[...]
Brooke Pfautz, CEO & Co-Founder of Vintory, has been a guest on the show more times than most but with good reason. The guy is a gem of knowledge and on this episode, he joins us to share some of the top secrets of our industry from the top vacation rental experts in his new[...]
Lauren Madewell, a personality and human being you can't ignore for all the right reasons. She is what I would consider to be the perfect balance of serious and funny but most importantly, she's just 100% authentically herself. In this episode, we discussed a wide range of topics from her personal story and how she[...]
Kevin did what any corporate lawyer would do after getting their career started... he quit! Now, Kevin has the amazing Shorehouse Hotel and has gone through an inspiring journey as a independent hotelier & hospitality entrepreneur. Kevin and I met during the clubhouse days and unpack his journey in this episode so that you con[...]
You have so many podcasts and episodes to choose from every week and so we want to make it easy for you to enjoy Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast. In our Monthly Slick Talk Highlight Episodes, you will hear my producer, Kelsey Tran, and myself share our favorite moments from the months weekly episodes and[...]
Avery Carl. A name I think we're all familiar with as she's made a name for herself in the industry and is one of the top brokers for short-term rental deals. She was also someone I listened to in my early podcast days and so this episode was a lot of fun for me. Tune[...]
Dale Smith is a successful property entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in residential, commercial, and holiday home property investment, property development, and property management. Dale is the CEO of The SDDE Smith Group, which he founded in March 2017 with just one holiday home. Four years later he has grown the business to[...]
Travers is a friend, Destinationaire Award winner, and a great operator who has overcome so much after traveling the world and coming back to the USA in order to build his Short-Term Rental business, Stay Como! In this episode, Travers shares how his drive and excitement for adventure and travel have played a role in[...]
This episode is a special one as I have been watch Jesse's content and businesses grow over the years and finally getting to dive into his story was just really special because I think Jesse left a ton of nuggets around more than just business but more into life as a whole! Based in Central[...]
Jason has grown his STR business in a short period of time and his main force of growth is leveraging tech and AI in order to really continue to invest in real estate and grow a hospitality business. Connect with Jason: linktr.ee/jwreece instagram.com/jwreece This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut –[...]
You have so many podcasts and episodes to choose from every week and so we want to make it easy for you to enjoy Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast. In our Monthly Slick Talk Highlight Episodes, you will hear my producer, Kelsey Tran, and myself share our favorite moments from the months weekly episodes and[...]
Jonathan Wicks is the founder of Well & Good Property Services. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Well & Good is the largest independent all inclusive turnover services provider in the short term rental industry. By combining professional cleaning, offsite laundering and supplying all guest essentials, Well & Good allows hosts to focus on the guest experience[...]
Caleb Hannon could be considered a newcomer to the vacation rental industry but in the short 2.5 years he has jumped all in and dedicated his life to this industry. Starting as an employee in StayLakeNorman and growing to COO and co-owner he has experienced it all and uses that to continue to better the[...]
We all stumble into this business it seems like these days or from what we hear on this podcast. With Rena, yes she may have stumbled into building an incredible short-term rental brand (Boutiq) but she definitely didn't stumble into entrepreneurship. You will hear her story, how they've built the portfolio as it is today,[...]
Starting a business is no joke and a big venture for anyone at any age but Allison really took that to a new level by starting her hospitality business at 21 years old and went all-in on her hospitality business, Bayley Vacation Rentals. In this episode, you will hear the ups and downs of a[...]
Building company culture (remotely or in-person) is crucial for any business. How can you align yourself as a business leader with your teams personal and professional goals while maintaining your businesses mission and direction? How do you build a culture that's so strong that your team starts to take charge when a new member isn't[...]
Bill Faeth truly needs no formal intro but for those who don't know Bill, he's a entrepreneur with an extensive background in starting, building, and exiting companies. In this episode, I asked Bill if we could go "behind the scenes" and learn more about his personal story, the people and things that impacted him the[...]
Zach is the Co-Founder of Sponstayneous, a newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb twice a week, and the host of the Behind the Stays podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Zach to hear his personal story as a young entrepreneur in our industry but I would[...]
Is AI ready to take over tasks for humans? Is it ready to take over tasks for vacation rental managers? In this interview, I am joined with Luca Zambello, a repeat guest on the show and CEO of Jurny, to dive into their recent Jurny updates with a big implementation of their AI named Nia[...]
This episode is a special one because it really takes us back to 2018 when I first met Adam Knight, my first industry podcast guest and now business partner with our vacation rental management company, Recreation Rentals. In this episode, Adam and I reflect on some of our hotel operation days, the differences in tech,[...]
Have you heard of work-life balance? We're sure you have and we're sure you're thinking the phrase is a bit... overused? In this special episode, we're playing back the special replay of the opening fireside chat with Dave Krauss & Wil Slickers. This fireside chat was for the Rent Responsibly virtual summit that had a[...]
Brian Hatcher aka The Real Estate Hacker is a serial entrepreneur & investor with a background in accounting, finance, & data consulting. While serving an array of multi-billion dollar companies he was able to learn from, and assist, some of the top fortune 100 businesses in developing transformative analytics, processes, and initiatives to achieve their[...]
Do you like passionate discussions about different opinions in our industry? Well, do we have an episode for you! In this BONUS episode, Wil Slickers moderates a live discussion between industry names like Amy Hinote, Steve Milo, Matt Landau, Mike Sjogren, and Eric Moeller. This discussion was inspired by a LinkedIn thread/post from Jessica Singer[...]
We've had Jesse DePinto on the podcast before but this episode is a special one for you as we take a deep dive into current (and future) applications of AI and ChatGPT into todays landscape of vacation and short-term rentals. Check out Jesse's first episode on Slick Talk here! This episode is brought to you[...]
Before starting Otium, Juan Miguel developed and oversaw Pricing and Revenue Management operations at real estate, travel, and tech startups such as Domio and FlightCar. Taking his past experiences, he now approaches Otium with a mindset of intentionality and simplicity. Too often, property managers try to over complicate their operations and tech stack. In this[...]
Josiah Mackenzie joined me in Denver to record this episode in person and I couldn't have walked away from a more refreshing conversation. This episode is dedicated to the heart and spirt of hospitality for all type of brands, businesses, and operators out there. Josiah's career in hospitality started working the front desk at a[...]
Joining me on the podcast this week is one of the industries rising stars, Rose Tipka, Co-Founder of Your Family's Place. Rose and her husband define hospitality as a family affair and after an intense life event, discussed in the episode, Rose decided it was time to take control of their families legacy and created[...]
Alex Shapiro, CEO/Co-Founder of CanMonkey, joins me to share his journey of buying into a business that he didn't initially start but was able to see beyond the trash and has been able to turn a big problem into a massive opportunity for vacation rental owners and managers by taking out the trash... literally! This[...]
Tyler Coon is the founder of Savvy Realty where they only work with investors on purchasing a home to be a professional vacation rental that generates great cash flows but also great experiences! And not only does Tyler and his team know the best properties to buy for investors to get a good return but[...]
This episode is a special one because I was able to attend and emcee the STR Wealth Conference out in Nashville. This conference was launched last year by Bill Faeth and Mike Sjogren who are both in our podcast network, Hospitality.FM with their shows STR Unfiltered and STR Secrets. On the last day of the[...]
Julia & Frankie are the creators behind Happy Camper Chalet, a vintage chalet nestled in the forested mountains of Quebec, Canada. The Happy Camper Chalet is more than just a vacation spot, it's a place that helps guests experience nostalgia, tradition, and comfort. In this episode, we jump into their story on why they decided[...]
As promised, we have both Evan and Braeden from Aidaptive on the show to take things a little deeper for the VRMs who want to start "walking" with AI. This episode is part two of two. Make sure you go back to last weeks episode for part one if you missed that episode. This episode[...]
Evan Dolgow is no stranger to the podcast and I am excited to welcome him back as we dive into this two part series about the application of AI into the vacation rental industry (and hospitality as a whole) Next week, we will have both Evan and Braeden from Aidaptive on the show to take[...]
In this episode of Slick Talk, Wil Slickers sits down with Adam and David, co-founders of HostFinancial. Adam and David share common financial struggles that their clients encounter and how Host Financial can help. This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor[...]
Tony Cappaert is the Co-Founder of Blue Maple and as a serial entrepreneur, Tony realized that they could successfully raise capital to purchase cabins to self-operate and build a portfolio of branded properties that earn investors great cashflow and returns. Now, this may sound easy and exciting but this journey has its perks and even[...]
When it comes operating a successful short-term rental business, no matter how big or how small, it always come back to executing on the basics and letting those become this north star so to speak. Catherine Ratcliffe is a great example of what this looks like for other short-term rental operators, no matter the destination,[...]
Andrew Bate - CEO & Founder of Safely joins me once again on the podcast to dive into the things that have happened in their company since our last episode together but also what they’re seeing with industry changes & challenges. Hear Andrews’ first episode on Slick Talk with this link! This episode is brought[...]
Hospitality.FM Presents its first Influencer Round Table Part Two where every quarter, we will select a handful of different podcasters and influencers from our network and gather them together for a themed discussion. For our first one, it clearly made sense to go into our predictions for this coming year! Podcasters on the panel: Good Morning[...]
Hospitality.FM Presents its first Influencer Round Table where every quarter, we will select a handful of different podcasters and influencers from our network and gather them together for a themed discussion. For our first one, it clearly made sense to go into our predictions for this coming year! Part two will be posted on February 3rd,[...]
David Angotti is a serial entrepreneur who founded and exited an EdTech startup, built a boutique marketing agency from the ground up, consulted with Fortune 100 brands, developed a purpose-built neighborhood, and recently sold one of the fastest growing property management brands in the country. He is currently laser-focused on developing the StaySense Amplify family[...]
Are you a fan of Shark Tank? Did you know there is something better and it’s all on audio? The Pitch is probably my favorite podcast of all time and I was able to connect with Josh Muccio, the host and founder of The Pitch, over a twitter interaction which eventually led to this episode.[...]
As many of you know, Robin Craigen is no stranger to the podcast. This time, I was able to join him in Steamboat Springs, CO to record this episode and see what Moving Mountains is all about in real life! In this episode, we really cover the full circle and evolution of their business and[...]
Tori Bolt and her husband own Bolt Farm Treehouse. And together, they are on a mission to help people reconnect with nature, their spirit, and the people they love. Understanding how difficult it is to find a unique travel experience that leaves you inspired and fully recharged, founders Seth & Tori Bolt created Bolt Farm[...]
EV is not only popular in the mainstream but it's becoming more and more popular for vacation rental guests and Eric is the man to sit down with me and tell me what it's all about. But, before we get to the EV talk, I wanted to figure out what got Eric to where he's[...]
I am very excited to announce our first Hospitality.FM Original - The Vacation Rental Micro School Podcast or VRMS for short. This podcast is a daily podcast and will be officially launching in January of 2023 on all podcasting platforms and HFM directly, right here. Keep in touch on my social media channels so you[...]
Tatianna Taylor-Tait is an Award-winning designer, Published Co-Author and Short Term Rental Coach based in Vancouver, BC. But, it wasn't the perfect road to success as most would think. She had to overcome sever loss and pain in order to truly find herself and what she loves. Tatianna is not only a good friend of[...]
Welcome back! This is the third year I have had David Jacoby and Fred Bassili join me to cover the Hostfully Annual Hospitality Report! Without giving anything away, download the report here so you can follow along as we uncover all of this amazing data! This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at:[...]
In this episode, I grabbed my friends, Andrew Kitchell, Brandy Canaley, Luca Zambello, and Ela Mezhiborsky to record our panel discussion from VRMA in Vegas to put on the podcast for all of you Slick Talkers who couldn't attend or maybe wanted a little more in depth discussion around this topic! This episode is brought[...]
How many cans of worms can Simon Lehmann and I open up during one podcast episode? You'll have to listen to find out! All jokes aside, it was great to welcome Simon back to the podcast two years later from our first episode together. We cover a lot of ground in this episode so make[...]
Steve Milo is the founder and CEO of VTrips. Known for his ability to draw a crowd and stir up some engaging conversation, I wanted to sit with him and ask more intentional questions and hear more of his story. In this interview, Steve shares a little on his background prior to getting into the[...]
This past year has been full of unforgettable events for the vacation rental industry. With keynotes full of hot topics, sessions packed with industry learnings, and relationships built during times of networking, it's only honorable to take a deep dive into the industry's major event season and look back on the experiences, learnings, and takeaways[...]
A Collection of the Best Properties from Trusted Vacation Rental Brands Setting the Gold Standard for Hospitality. The statement above couldn't be more like music to my ears! This weeks episode, I sat down with Travis Wilburn and Rebecca Lombardo to discuss what it takes to form this "umbrella brand" for the vacation rental industry[...]
Mark Simpson joins me on Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast to uncover his journey within the Hospitality industry and how he came about to creating what Boostly is today. In this interview, I ask more intentional questions around Mark's early days to see how it really shaped him and why those moments were so important[...]
Nils Mattisson has a degree in electrical engineering from Lund University, and spent seven years working in the Exploratory Design group at Apple in Cupertino. He founded Minut together with three co-founders in 2014 with the mission to make home-sharing work for everyone: hosts, guests and neighbors alike. As the CEO, he has been overseeing[...]
As you're reading and maybe seeing on socials, we had a big conference stretch! From Miami to Las Vegas, we attended the Book Direct Show and the VRMA conference and had a blast along the way. In this episode, I share (yes, a solo episode) my thoughts and feelings from the conference's at a high[...]
This week we have Brise Carpenter, VP of Customer Success at Hostfully, joining the show to showcase what happens behind the scenes with their customers, the major conversations happening in the vacation rental industry and how this is impacting operators on a day to day basis! This episode is brought to you by our sponsors[...]
Natalie Palmer runs a boutique vacation rental management company, is actively growing her real estate portfolio, and hosts No Vacancy The Podcast, where she shares weekly hosting advice. She works closely with Airbnb as an ambassador to set new hosts up for success, and loves sharing relatable hosting content. She lives in SoCal and manages[...]
You ever meet someone and just get this feeling that they're so genuine and real within the first 5 seconds of meeting them? Yeah, me too because that's what happened when Victor and I first met earlier this year. Victor Feria is the Co-founder of Tangy Management - a short term rental property management company.[...]
What does a podcaster, NFL Quarterback, and a Senator have in common? Not a lot if I am being honest but I can officially say I have had both an NFL QB and Senator on the podcast and that's pretty cool! This episode features Senator Kelli Stargel and Andrew Ketchel (Capital City Consulting) as I[...]
Here at FAVR Xtravaganza in Orlando, FL I was able to sit down with Justin Ford, from Breezeway, and cover the newest topics around Vacation Rental Safety. This was an incredible episode that really helps steer the conversation for our industry to fully take this topic into the higher levels of importance as operators. Thank[...]
Weird title to title a podcast episode but hopefully it makes sense. After a long couple of weeks and moving into a new place, I wanted to just brain dump my thoughts on past conversations and how they're playing out today in the industry. From the big players to Matt Landaus "Limited Edition" series and[...]
With more positive responses from all of you about this new episode structure, I thought I would work on showcasing the top 5 lessons I've learned from my podcast guests over the last 4 years. Now, I could just list them all out here in the show notes but what fun would that be? I[...]
Last weeks episode got a lot of positive feedback on the format and structure. Now, we're doing it again. I hope you listened to the whole show for the bonus right at the end of the podcast. You don't want to miss this! Mentioned in this episode & key takeaways: Robin Craigen - CoFounder of[...]
This weeks episode of Slick Talk will be different. For the first time, I am doing a "solo" episode since the early days of the show to highlight some guests (and clips from their episodes) that have been some of my favorites over the last few years. I really enjoyed putting this together and would[...]
We have something we've been working on and I personally wanted to share it with you directly. Right here. So, press play! Press Release - Linked Here Website - Amplified Audio Website - Hospitality.FM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When it comes to real estate and flipping houses, I am no expert. I actually have no desire to really learn all of that if I am being honest. Today's guest is a different story though because that's where it all got started for him and his short term rental journey. Kyle Stanley joins me[...]
From being told he's "stupid" by his teachers in high school, conquering his mindset to overcome, and now being a voice for short-term rental hosts and operators, I had the pleasure of interviewing John Hildebrand on the podcast to uncover his story and capture his passion for the industry! Special thank you to our podcast[...]
Enjoy another episode of HITEC! Brian Hamaoui joins me this time as a co-host as we dive in with Crystal Pernici and discuss what she sees happening with hotel revenue and profitability. Enjoy this episode from HITEC back in June and thank you to youtip for partnering with us during the conference! This episode was brought to[...]
In this quick episode, I interview Paul McCarthy who is the Founder of Snapfix and is based in Dublin, Ireland! We had a great interview and became good friends quickly after this interview! Enjoy this episode from HITEC last month and thank you to youtip for partnering with us during the conference! This episode was[...]
Two Harvard grads & Techstar entrepreneurs who are no strangers to the founder lifestyle. I was honored and excited to hear Brittany and Derricks story, their lessons learned along the way, and what they've built with Nectar. This episode is brought to you by Jurny! If you’re in the STR/VR industry, then sign up for Jurny[...]
Marc is a self-proclaimed boutique geek and is passionate about the future of retail. After spending nearly 6 years working at Jet.com and then Walmart (acquired Jet.com), he quickly realized that the best product experiences don't happen on screens or shelves, they happen in real moments of use "in the wild". Marc founded Minoan to[...]
Corey Ashton Walters is the Founder & CEO of Here, a revolutionary online marketplace that enables anyone anywhere to invest in vacation rentals online and earn passive income—without ever lifting a finger. Prior to founding Here, Corey, a seasoned entrepreneur, brand builder, and college dropout, has founded multiple successful companies over the last 15 years.[...]
What does making decisions in the morning/evening, lunch breaks, and the potential of getting parole have to do with upselling your hotel? Well, Erik Tengen sits down with me to help break it down so that way hoteliers can use the best strategies in order to earn extra revenue for their property while barely lifting[...]
Steve Cody has now accumulated over 30 years of experience in building companies that have employed thousands and generated over $750 million in lifetime sales within multiple industries including software, marketplace, service, and rentals. Currently building Bûnking and Bûnking Ventures and also very committed in helping to solve the Fentanyl and Opiod crisis. Steve was[...]
Sometimes beating the same drum is what's needed to get the message to turn into action with property managers and hoteliers. Josh Liebman, ICAE is a man that is beating that drum, like a lot of us in hospitality. Tune in to hear how Josh sees the industry moving forward with guest experience at the[...]
The Vacation Rental Industry is not what we think or portray it to be… This episode with Evan Dolgow is one of the most refreshing conversations I’ve had in a while. Some things I’ve been think to myself, he says out-loud in the episode as we cover his story and what he’s experienced when it comes[...]
Recently we did an in depth episode with Andrew Kitchell, Founder of Wheelhouse, and unfolded the story of what they've overcome these past two years. Now, with Wheelhouse securing $16 million in funding we jumped on a live Q&A and opened it up to friends, listeners, and our industry network to ask Andrew the questions[...]
The network impact is real when it comes to business and life as a whole. As Ryan shares in the episode, he was exposed to farming at an earlier age and one day, he was shown a co-op and how farmers where share resources and lowering their costs while produce buyers would come into town[...]
Chris Adams joins me on the show again but on Spotify Live in our series of "The Industry From Our Perspective" and I couldn't have been more excited to have this conversation with him because he brings a lot to the table. Here is the link to his first episode and if you never heard[...]
Andrew Kitchell sat down with me to unfold the story of how he and his team were able to "rise from the ashes" of Lyric by going all-in with https://www.linkedin.com/company/usewheelhouse/ (Wheelhouse), their in-house dynamic pricing tool. In this episode, we're going to talk about the difficulty of fundraising and restructuring the way they did for Wheelhouse.[...]
Andrew Kitchell sat down with me to unfold the story of how he and his team were able to "rise from the ashes" of Lyric by going all-in with https://www.linkedin.com/company/usewheelhouse/ (Wheelhouse), their in-house dynamic pricing tool. In this episode, we're going to talk about the difficulty of fundraising and restructuring the way they did for Wheelhouse.[...]
Sean McGregor literally found hosting through love. When he first started dating Lindsey in 2015, she was renting out the 2nd bedroom in her Austin, Texas apartment which covered her entire rent….then when she would travel, she would rent out the entire home and it would pay her rent & travel expenses! Sean joins me[...]
This podcast episode is long overdue! Welcome https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicagillingham/ (Jessica Gillingham), Founder of https://abode-pr.com/ (Abode PR), to the podcast as we dive into her entrepreneurial journey in our industry and learning a bit more about what it takes to be in PR & how they serve their clients with multiple services. This episode is brought to[...]
You read the title correctly! We have been playing with the https://www.spotify.com/us/live/ (Spotify Live app) and I did my first one with a good friend, https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=steve%20turk&origin=RICH_QUERY_TYPEAHEAD_HISTORY&position=0&searchId=6e8c7237-a118-4ade-9202-5efa0d8e3bae&sid=*_%40 (Steve Turk)! We even had our friend https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-stokinger/ (John Stokinger) join for a few minutes! We’re calling this “The State of the Industry from Our Perspectives” because with a[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandrewmcconnell/ (Andrew) is no stranger to the podcast or the vacation rental industry. Late 2020, Andrew joined me on the show to introduce https://www.rented.com/ (Rented) to the Slick Talk community and told the story of what they built at Rented. Now, he joins me again to cover what's happened since and to also do a[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwell-farley-b4305b2a/ (Max Farley) is the Founder of https://www.getsojo.com/ (sojo), a guest amenity platform and service that's dedicated to making turnover days suck a little less for property managers. With an extensive background in shipping and logistics in his "past life", Max brings this knowledge and skill to solve the massive problem for the industry and[...]
I sat down with Scott Parker who has multiple brands within different segments of hospitality & retail. From bars and restaurants, to barbershops and boxing gyms, the reason I invited Scott on the podcast is because his story is one we all should be able to relate to as entrepreneurs. The road to success isn't[...]
Chris Deferio is an award winning coffee professional and coffee consultant with 22 years in the retail specialty coffee industry. He has seen great success in his career as a barista, trainer, cafe manager, operations manager, and playing a key role in the scaling and success of many independent coffee shops. In addition to being[...]
Brooke Pfautz is a serial founder within short-term rentals and a second-time guest here on Slick Talk! In this week's episode, we wanted to cover a few things from the first episode on inventory growth hacks but also touch on the importance of the lifetime value a management contract brings your STR business while also[...]
Thank you so much for tuning in to this special episode. It is a bonus episode because, during my time here in Cancun, Mexico where I've been for the last month, my friends over at Breezeway hosted their second annual Elevate virtual conference. And it's been super exciting to see them put this together for[...]
"If these last two years have taught us anything is hoteliers are eternal optimists, and I love that about them." - Adam Harris, Co-Founder of CloudbedsThis quote was like music to my ears as I was going through the transcript of this episode. To add to it, hospitality as a whole industry is full of[...]
Building a short-term rental management software from the ground up to me is an art! Vincent, Co-Founder of Uplisting, joins me to talk about the journey of building a software solution that grows with its users and allows the community of our industry to be hyper-involved and focused on the product that helps the everyday[...]
After graduating from hotel school, https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthijswelle/ (Matt Welle) knew he wanted to make a bigger impact in the hotel industry. Now, he is the CEO of https://www.mews.com/en (Mews), a new-age and cloud-based property management system that is built out as one of the best in the industry. Matt and I sit down to talk about[...]
Building a software business had always enticed Assaf. In their final semester of business school, he and Tim developed a business plan that would eventually launch https://turnoverbnb.com/ (TurnoverBnB), a premier tool for short-term rental hosts and cleaners to connect and automatically manage their vacation rental cleaning schedules. In this episode, we dive into the creation,[...]
As a founder-focused podcast, I realize we can get too focused on titles, accomplishments, and attention that it distracts us from seeing people in a more human aspect. And yes, Dr. Jeffrey is a Founder, but hearing his words "You Don't Need A Fancy Title To Lead" really struck a cord. Enjoy this personal and[...]
Neel Parekh is the CEO and Founder of MaidThis, one of the top-rated national cleaning franchises. MaidThis has been called "the franchise for millennials", given its fully remote model and new-age spin on an old-school cleaning industry. As he built his business to reach millions in revenue, Neel traveled for five years while managing a[...]
This was an episode that I probably enjoyed recording more than most due to the fact I am in the Voice and Audio world all day, every day! David Berger was the first to conceive of, develop, and deliver a viable hotel voice assistant. His insight into the challenges and opportunities presented by voice assistants[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/damiansheridan/ (Damian Sheridan) and I sit down and talk about our trip to Miami as we planned for the Book Direct Show in October to be based in Miami! What better day to announce our venue than on https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/bookdirectday (#BookDirectDay) itself?! Press Release: https://shorttermrentalz.com/news/bds-destinationaire-partner-2022/ (https://shorttermrentalz.com/news/bds-destinationaire-partner-2022/) Venue Page: https://bookdirect.show/venue/ (https://bookdirect.show/venue/) Sign up for the event to[...]
Join me, Wil Slickers, this week as I sit down with Thibault Masson, Founder of Rental Scale Up, and dive into his story as he got started with vacation rentals and eventually joined Booking.com and now is running his business and team full time! Rental Scale Up is known for its great amount of content[...]
Steve Turk is (in my mind) Mr. Miami! With a very successful career in hotels, food, and beverage, and creating amazing experiences, Steve sits down with me to go into his story of finding his passion in the industry and how that has turned into becoming a founder and industry leader with multiple adventures in[...]
Every year, I look forward to the Industry Report that Hostfully publishes for all in the vacation rental industry! In the last two years, I have been able to contribute some thoughts to this report through my partnership with https://my.captivate.fm/www.hostfully.com (Hostfully)! In this episode, David Jacoby (Co-Founder of Hostfully) and Fred Bassili (Marketing Manager) join[...]
Andreas and I were supposed to record an episode together back in early 2020 but never got the chance due to the pandemic. Now, we finally got the time to sit down and go into his story and the story behind the brand of https://www.sextantstays.com/ (Sextant Stays.) I also had the pleasure to meet Brandy,[...]
Wellengood President & CEO Glenn Malone co-founded the hotel management and development firm in 2002. As Executive, Malone plays an integral role in expanding the company’s long-term hotel development, operations, and ownership portfolio. He is one of the founding partners in AAA 4-Diamond hotel The Westin Memphis, which is one of Wellengood’s clients. Glenn grew[...]
The final bonus episode from the VRMA International Conference and this one is much needed for hosts and professional property managers! We all know that furniture and purchasing furniture for one property or multiple properties can be a real pain and Host GPO is helping operators standardize that process and save a few dollars along[...]
Eric Moeller is the CEO and Co-Founder of Overnight Success with Jasper Ribbers and they focus on putting together Mastermind events and have other educational offerings within their company, one of which I attended! I was involved in their 90-day accelerator program called Legends X and it was a great program for me and my[...]
Chris Adams and his international luxury hospitality consulting firm EAG are currently opening 100 hotels during Q3 and Q4 of this year, partnering with Marriott International to transform locations for The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W, Westin, and Renaissance among others all over the world. He has worked on everything from the acclaimed Italian steakhouse Davio's in Atlanta to the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas and is heavily involved in the continued evolution of Marriott's beverage program. Chris is[...]
John is a short-term rental industry expert, with particular expertise in optimizing and customizing the technology stack, driving up revenue, and continually streamlining operations. Leveraging his experience in building, growing, and operating a successful short-term rental brand from the ground up, John constantly utilizes his own short-term rental business as a fertile testing ground to[...]
Francois Gouelo is a serial entrepreneur and adventure traveler. Francois graduated from the University of Toronto with an honors degree in Computer Science, and Cognitive Science, and recently completed his Masters of Entrepreneurship at the University of Cambridge with a focus in prop-tech and real estate. Francois is the founder & CEO of https://ensoconnect.com/ (Enso[...]
While I was in Florida, I had the pleasure of meeting https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisgoedheid/ (Dennis Goedheid) who is the Founder & CEO of https://www.casiola.com/ (Casiola Vacation Homes) & https://www.guestor.com/ (Guestor.) I joined him and Michael Scott-Lester, CFO, to go through his founders' story and dive into the development of Guestor. If you like to talk stocks and[...]
This is a bonus episode that was recorded in person at the VRMA Conference in October where I got to sit down with https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandrethcanaley/ (Brandi Canaley) who is the COO of https://www.sextantstays.com/ (Sextant Stays) based out of Miami! In this episode, we lightly chat about her story of getting into the industry, the evolution of[...]
This is a bonus episode that was recorded in person at the VRMA Conference in October where I got to sit down with https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandrethcanaley/ (Brandi Canaley) who is the COO of https://www.sextantstays.com/ (Sextant Stays) based out of Miami! In this episode, we lightly chat about her story of getting into the industry, the evolution of[...]
Joining me on the podcast, Mateo Bradford & John Stokinger, the hosts of the No BS Short-Term Rental Podcast. In this episode, we cover the golden nugget conversations that they have with industry leaders and experts and the importance of having the conversations that most are unwilling to face in our industry of hospitality. If[...]
We have Launched our Industry Podcast Network, Hospitality.FM! With tons of different shows signed and ready to rock and roll, we couldn't be more excited to showcase the One Destination for all of your hospitality podcast needs! https://hospitality.fm/about/ (About Hospitality.FM): Hospitality.FM is a podcast network dedicated to bringing the best hospitality-focused podcasts to those in[...]
After thirty years of forming and growing many different businesses, Steve has now come to the conclusion that his successes and failures hinged on the same thing. Identifying, hiring, and engaging people. When they were with the right people in the right roles, fully engaged, they were extremely successful. When they were not, no strategic[...]
Josh Kopel is a restaurateur, tech pioneer and environmental advocate. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the spawn of bootleggers and retail giants, he was bred for the hospitality industry. Throughout Kopel’s 20+ year career in hospitality he has managed venues ranging from the Alligator Bayou Bar, located on Alligator Bayou Road, seated on Alligator Bayou[...]
Brittany Blackman is full of sunshine, Southern hospitality, and a crazy passion for the vacation rental industry. She’s been working in STR for over 10 years now and hasn’t found a day that's boring yet. After her stint as Operations Manager for the majority of that time, she left in September 2020 (yes, during the[...]
Matthew Loney currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Xplorie, the leading guest experience platform for U.S. leisure markets. Delivering best-in-life moments for millions of guests annually, Xplorie has nearly quadrupled in size over the past five years under Mr. Loney’s leadership. Prior to joining Xplorie, Mr. Loney served as an attorney[...]
An accomplished, forward-thinking, and customer-driven visionary, Brian leverage a strong business acumen with an entrepreneurial mindset to build companies from the ground up, providing the strategic vision for long-term growth and facilitating industry partnerships that drive market penetration, grow revenue, and deliver customer service excellence in diverse enterprises, including the Hospitality Services and Vacation Rental[...]
Since 2009, Greg has worked to transform TripShock into a leading booking engine for tours and activities. Proactive and personable, Mr. Fisher first developed a passion for tourism while studying hospitality at the University of Central Florida. Since then, he has grown TripShock by cultivating strong relationships with partners and employees alike. In his free[...]
Co-Founders of Neat Suites based out of the Cincinnati, OH area, Edward and Jeremiah co-founded the company in 2017 to address the growing need for management in the STR space. Neat Suites recently opened the Pickle Factory Boutique Hotel in Covington KY, which is a product we are really excited about sharing with our guests.[...]
This is a special bonus episode to feature and recap the LiveRez Partner Conference that was happening in Boise, Idaho this week! In this episode, you will hear from https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambermknight/ (Amber Knight) who is the GM of LiveRez and we cover her career and personal story and then, of course, the story and evolution of[...]
Jesse is a growth-oriented serial entrepreneur with a passion for Product, UX, and Technology. Jesse is the Chief Product Officer and Co-founder of Frontdesk, a leading tech-enabled urban short-term rental brand. Today, Frontdesk operates in 35 cities with over 250 talented employees. Jesse is a champion for all-things growth at Frontdesk, which includes leading the[...]
Lee Curtis, CCHP, co-founded RESIDE Worldwide, Inc. in November 2017. Lee and his partners believe that the traditional corporate housing industry is in a state of evolution and is being driven by the acceleration of interest in alternative housing globally. RESIDE’s core purpose is to transform the way that extended stay travel is purchased with[...]
Autohost CPO and co-founder, Ela Mezhiborsky, handles the intersection of customer success and product development, setting priorities and driving the product roadmap based on client feedback. Before transitioning to SaaS, her career involved working in risk management, running her own digital marketing agency, and managing a successful short-term rental business in Toronto. In fact, it[...]
Michael is the head of business development for NoiseAware and has been a part of the short term rental community since 2015. He is a 2x Phocuswright 35 under 35 leader who is committed to bettering the short term rental industry. Michael's role is focused on collaboration with the OTA's, partnering with cities for sensible[...]
Ryan Killeen’s hospitality career officially began after participating in the hotel management program at Vancouver Community College. While in school, Ryan started cleaning bathrooms and making beds with the housekeeping team at the Fairmont Pacific Rim — considered Vancouver’s definitive luxury hotel. He was climbing the ladder at a healthy pace and was presented with[...]
Alex has led the strategic marketing and business development efforts for Condo-World since 2009. She manages a team that has grown the company from a local vacation rental business into a nationally recognized condo marketing and technology enterprise. Alex has a passion for developing strategies that drive sales overnight and brand over time, connecting all[...]
Brooke Pfautz is one of the industry's foremost experts in growing vacation rental inventory. He got his start in the industry 14 years ago when he founded Vantage Resort Realty in Ocean City, MD and took an idea on a napkin to more than 500 properties in just five years. After a successful exit, he[...]
Samantha Hardcastle, founder of The Storied Experience and Amore Social, brings a decade of marketing strategy & storytelling to hospitality properties and destinations worldwide. Her passion-driven mission is to transform the way we travel and infuse each moment with more meaning, purpose, and magic. After a not-so-pleasant hotel stay a few years back, Samantha started[...]
Justin Ford is the Director of Safety & Certification Programs at Breezeway; where he is helping property managers and owners maintain the safety of short-term rental properties. An international short-term term rental safety expert, Justin was the first to elevate awareness of safety in short-term rentals back in 2013. Prior to Breezeway, Justin co-founded On[...]
Thanks for Visiting has always been about short-term rentals. Annette and Sarah met at a Columbus, Ohio City Council Meeting fighting for their right to host homes on Airbnb. The two shared a belief that the short-term rental industry needs hosts to be more hospitable. Every resource they'd come across in growing their own businesses[...]
Maeva is the founder of Flying Cat Marketing, a content-led SEO agency for SaaS companies in hypergrowth. She's helped VC-backed tech companies like Operto, Avantio, tye, and others scale their organic user acquisition with seamless content operations and world-class, revenue-generating content. This episode is sponsored by NoiseAware & https://bit.ly/3hgetqT (Operto)! Running a great property management[...]
Daniel Cruz and I are back to talk about entrepreneurship and the impact it's had in our lives and the lessons and values we are getting from our recent journey! We will be bringing on other founders in the industry and we plan to make sure that we are 100% vulnerable and open during[...]
Chloe Cohen is the CEO of BRIQ, a Real Estate Investor, and the Founder of Real Deals by Chloe. She is an empathy-driven entrepreneur focused on helping others self-empower by approaching life from a balanced perspective-mind, body, and soul. She is a real estate investor and prop-tech advisor at BRIQ, a tech-focused Real Estate Estate[...]
After Airbnb became a publicly traded company, we (and many others) predicted this would have a chain reaction with many others trying (and succeeding) to go public as well! In today's episode, we will cover the news of Vacasa's recent announcement to go public with a 4.5 Billion dollar evaluation! Thank you ShortTermRentalz[...]
I loved having https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieljosephcruz/ (Daniel Cruz), CEO & Founder of https://www.washbnb.com/ (washbnb), on the show so much, and with all of their exciting news as a company, I just had to have him on for a "late-night recording session" to hear it all! Tune in to hear how https://www.washbnb.com/ (washbnb) is doing from the recent[...]
Luca Zambello is the co-founder and CEO of Jurny, a hospitality tech company pioneering the next generation of tech-first, on-demand accommodations. A born entrepreneur, Luca launched one of the first professionally operated Airbnb vacation rental companies in 2012, quickly earning the Superhost status that he still holds today. Following that success, he realized there was[...]
Mickey Kropf is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vector Travel, Inc, a tech-enabled, full-service, rental housing hospitality company. Prior to Vector Travel, Mickey co-founded and led growth at Rented.com, a short-term rental marketplace connecting owners with short-term rental management companies. Mickey has a background in commercial real estate development and finance. Enjoy 15% off by[...]
The Founder of Mews, Richard Valtr, is a hotelier with a serious passion for technology and service. His mission is to transform an entire industry with cloud solutions that make hospitality more rewarding for everyone. This episode is a deep dive into his thoughts and opinions on how the hotel industry (hospitality) built products (tech)[...]
Jonathan Weitz is the founder and president of Avocet Hospitality Group. In 2006, Weitz and his wife Lisa founded Avocet Hospitality Group via the acquisition of Islands West Real Estate, a small vacation rental business of Folly Beach, South Carolina. Over dinner with friends, the ultimate vision of Avocet Hospitality was born - to identify[...]
Michael Friedman: Director of Sales and Expansion SkyRun Vacation Rentals Michael has over 30 years of hospitality, vacation rental, real estate, and travel and tourism experience. He has created, led, and implemented successful sales, sales training and development programs that increase revenue, market growth, and expansion. His programs have grown businesses by 40% to 1000%.[...]
Calvin is the Chief Experience Officer and Iconicity Enthusiast for ICONIC Presentations, LLC. Calvin specializes in delivering high-energy, customized keynote presentations for organizations that desire to reach or maintain ICONIC status. Calvin focuses on delivering the perfect blend of business concepts, story-telling and music themes to bring home an impactful message that touches both the[...]
With 15 years of experience in fast growing tech-startups, Marcus has successfully built up a leading PMS and Channel Manager for vacation rentals from scratch. During this journey, he has gained substantial knowledge about two-sided marketplaces, VC funding, growing companies and more importantly getting more bookings! Join us and know how to successfully build a[...]
As the Chief Executive Officer, Emir is in charge of Rabbu’s growth and visionary efforts. Being a natural entrepreneur and follower of Real Estate, Emir turned a spare bedroom above his detached garage into the genesis for a new asset class within Real Estate and into an opportunity for investors to create more value while[...]
Andy McNeill is a travel and hospitality entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in his profession. He is the CEO and founder of American Meetings, Inc., an industry-leading meetings and events agency that produces thousands of live and virtual meetings annually for Fortune 500 clients. He is also the co-host of the Destination Everywhere[...]
Noble Crawford III shares his best practices for actively prospecting and generating direct bookings, both B2C and B2B. He dives deep into understanding buyer personas and how critical they are to increasing bookings and growing revenue. Join us today as he shares different strategies and knowledge to grow your business. This episode is sponsored by[...]
In this episode, Theron Lewis shares his story of how he has liberated nearly 1 million people from Airbnb and STR bans. He went from almost losing his business in Detroit due to an STR ban to getting the ban pulled, being at the table with the City Council, and growing his business to the[...]
In today’s episode, let us welcome Wendy Jae and David Tucker from Travelers Book Direct and learn the different strategies that will empower you to create direct relationships with your guests, upgrade how you operate, and master the strategies and tactics you need to tap into your full potential. Learn the foundations and fundamentals of[...]
This week, we are joined by Nitesh Gandhi, founder of Locale, a company that’s dedicated to bridging the gap between home and hotels, offering thoughtfully furnished, upscale apartments for short and extended stays. Nitesh previously worked as an asset manager of large-scale, branded hotel projects across the US. He was also a management consultant at[...]
In this episode, Washbnb CEO Daniel Cruz talks about the incredible story of how the company started, and what it took for them to get to where they are today. Being a host himself, Washbnb was founded after he saw the great need for laundry service in the rental industry. Daniel Cruz and the Washbnb[...]
Anthony Gantt is the founder and CEO of At Ease Rentals, a corporation dedicated to connecting vacation rental hosts to federal and military members and military families during official travel, liberty, and leave. In this episode, he talks about how At Ease came to be, the company’s vision, and how they’re making it happen. Joining[...]
On today’s episode, we are joined by Tim From Buoy, Co-Founder/Head of Product at Buoy, a dynamic pricing platform for vacation rentals. Prior to founding the company he was an independent revenue manager, and spent 2016-2018 with Oasis Collections. This episode is sponsored by my friends at https://www.hostfully.com/ (Hostfully!) Use my code SLICKTALK20 and get[...]
This week, we are joined by Nancy McAleer, Co-Founder of FLARBO. After several years of frustration with the major OTAs, Nancy co-founded Florida Rental By Owners, a no booking fee website "Built By Owners For Vacation Rental Owners". Giving full control back to the short-term rental host, homeowner, and property manager. Dedicated to the Book[...]
In March, the https://www.breezeway.io/elevate (Breezeway Elevate Operations Summit) virtual panel welcomed leading management companies and invited them to speak about how to succeed through strong business relationships. The panel covered best practices for delivering (and maintaining) hospitality-like owner services and how they’ll foster more trustworthy owner relationships, increase client retention and boost referrals. It featured[...]
David Meltzer is the Co-Founder of Sports 1 Marketing and formerly served as CEO of the renowned Leigh (“Lee”) Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agency, which was the inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. His life’s mission is to empower OVER 1 BILLION people to be happy! This simple yet powerful mission has led him[...]
PointCentral provides Smart Home solutions that enable vacation rental and residential property managers to remotely control energy and access to ALL their properties from their desktop or mobile device. https://www.linkedin.com/in/seantmiller/ (Sean Miller), the President of PointCentral joins me to talk about more than just Smart Home automation but the three key value adds that solutions like PointCentral can bring[...]
Sahara Rose De Vore is a Wellness Travel Coach and Consultant and the Founder of https://thetravelcoachnetwork.com/ (The Travel Coach Network). Sahara spent a decade traveling to over 84 countries before founding her businesses. Her mission is to educate companies on the wellness benefits of travel. Sahara is a published author, global speaker, and has been[...]
I connected with Toby late last year during the launch of the Destinationaire Awards and I fell in love with his companies Instagram because of the beautiful properties and high attention to detail! Toby is a dreamer and an experience builder and it shows in his work! In this episode, you'll hear about the challenges[...]
Rowledge Associates was founded by https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamrowledge/ (Adam Rowledge) following a successful career in the hospitality industry, during which he established a reputation for achieving operational excellence and commercial success by taking an employee-centric approach to business. Named Independent Hotelier of the Year by the Independent Hotel Show Awards in 2018, Adam has also been awarded[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdandashy/ (Sarah Dandashy) is recognized as one of the leading concierges in the world. People seek her out for her travel tips, advice, and knowledge of trends from the “frontlines of travel.” Award-winning, she was named “Best Young Concierge” by Les Clefs d’Or International, making her the Miss Universe equivalent of the concierge profession. She[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-driedger-06363a13/ (Michael Driedger) is the Co-Founder of https://www.operto.com/ (Operto) and CEO of Airsset Technologies. If you're a consistent listener of the show you would have heard https://www.slicktalkthepodcast.com/podcast/episode/220a4d1c/operto-shaping-the-shift-in-hotels-and-str-tech (his previous episode) when he joined me to talk about Operto and how it's changing the game for short-term rental managers and hotels. In this episode, we catch[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-liverton-b1272513/ (Mike Liverton) is a serial entrepreneur with two decades of experience and a proven track record in creating strong organizational cultures with guest-centric values enabling sustainable and scalable business growth. Born and raised in England, He moved to Canada in 2006. He quickly became involved in the short-term rental property market and realized that[...]
UrHip provides the best fully furnished, short-term rentals in Philadelphia! In this episode featuring Steve Patterson, the founder, we discuss more ways that businesses have been impacted by COVID19 and what the key strategies were for Steve and his team in order for them to still be here today! Thank you https://www.hostfully.com/ (Hostfully) for connecting me[...]
Tom Smyth - the owner of Dream Luxury Serviced Apartments, multiple construction companies, author & 10x coach, speaker & mentor with the Grant Cardone Licensee Program! This man has accomplished so much and overcome many challenges in his life. This episode is great for entrepreneurs who want to hear from someone who has never given up[...]
The more and more I have connected with Sheheryar on LinkedIn & in the recording of this podcast, the more I get inspired and excited for the future of the next generation of hospitality. Sheheryar is a great example of overcoming the odds and pushing yourself to grow in the industry you love. He and[...]
Madi Rifkin is the CEO and founder of Mount Locks, a micro-fleet and technology made for hospitality providers in the hotel and short-term rental industry. Hear her story as she started out as a young entrepreneur at the age of 12 and how it lead her to "unlocking" her passion for solving problems, building teams,[...]
Vered Raviv Schwarz is President & COO of property management platform https://www.guesty.com/ (Guesty), where she brings nearly 20 years of experience in global operations to overseeing teams including Customer Experience, Finance, Operations, Legal, HR, Customer Success, Data & Analytics, and Strategic Partnerships. Prior to Guesty, Vered was COO of Fiverr where she grew the company[...]
When you think you've heard it all, you get amazing stories like Nick's. Constantly having to be on their toes because the market they operate in is completely different from what we normally see... the tropics have plenty of beauty but plenty of challenges to overcome. In this episode of the Hostfully Highlight Series, you'll[...]
Christoph Hutter is the brains and creative behind the term "non-traditional revenue manager" and you'll hear why. Tune in to hear his story and passion for hotels, revenue management, and strategy execution. Mentioned in this episode: https://christophhutter.com (Christophs Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophhutter/ (Christophs LinkedIn) https://linktr.ee/Slicktalk (Slick Talk Website & Socials )
Kyle Allison has actually been someone I have paid attention to in hospitality & media since I actually started doing Slick Talk as a young hotel manager out on the Oregon coast! In this episode, we dive into his extensive background in the hotel space and what he has been able to accomplish at such[...]
Ken Patel has been claimed the "Elon Musk of Hospitality," so it felt totally natural to have him on with me, Wil Slickers, the "Joe Rogan of Hospitality." Tune in as we talk tech, humanization, and changes to come with how hotels operate for the future as Ken Patel and his team build the first[...]
Jim Sheehan is a prime example of a natural-born entrepreneur who just has the mind and mindset for business. Founding a tech company to now running a scaling professional vacation rental management company in the midst of COVID19, this is the conversation I have been looking forward to as we talk about key things like[...]
This special episode is included in the Vacation Rental Mastermind Series: Operators Edition, where Sarah Franzen with Natural Retreats talks all things revenue management with me! Sarah has a great background and story from both hotels and vacation rentals, so it was a ton of fun to get her perspective! Mentioned in this episode: Natural[...]
This is a Slick Talk Bonus episode featuring https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-maughan-founder-ceo-at-i-prac-1a6a7411a/ (Chris Maughan), the CEO of I-PRAC, https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjacoby/ (David Jacoby), the President of Hostfully, and https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkitchell/ (Andrew Kitchell), the CEO of Wheelhouse! These three industry experts talked about the three categories they specialize in and answered some questions from others in the industry on the newest social[...]
Julie George is a name you will get used to hearing and seeing if you haven't already! Author of Million Dollar Host and now a Consultant in the STR Industry, Julie George listed her first property on Airbnb in 2016. Less than 3 years later she was managing 130 properties on Airbnb for property owners[...]
In this episode, we cover the inner workings of a rising brand in the industry that has taken on (as I like to call it) the role of hybrid! Kasa's Founder, Roman Pedan, and I discussed their journey as this startup has successfully overcome challenges during the pandemic. Roman founded Kasa Living, Inc. in August[...]
Andrew has been in & around the hospitality space for 10+ years. To start, he paid for his first business - a publishing business that designed language guides for travelers - by renting out his room on Airbnb. From there, he has founded & led Lyric, Wheelhouse, Beyond Pricing, and other brands in[...]
A Life That I Dream Of Many of us in the hospitality industry are dreamers that see a beautiful world of excitement and endless opportunities. Hospitality professionals make that dream happen because it's true; the world is beautiful and has endless possibilities, and we showcase that through our services, properties, and so much more! Will[...]
Entrepreneurism runs deep in the short-term rental operators and creators' veins in this hospitality segment, and Merilee Karr is a perfect example of that. For this https://shorttermrentalz.com/news/slickers-vrms-operators-edition/ (VRMS: Operators Edition) episode, https://www.linkedin.com/in/merileekarr/ (Merilee Karr), the founder of https://underthedoormat.com/ (UnderTheDoormat), tells us her journey into the vacation rental industry and how (in more ways than not)[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/parker-stanberry-60b27617/ (Parker Stanberry) is the Founder of Oasis, a vacation rental management company with hundreds of properties around the world. You've probably heard of Oasis from publications like https://skift.com/2020/10/23/oasis-launches-subscriptions-for-extended-stay-apartment-rentals/ (Skift) and many others for their recent (and significant) pivot they made during the COVID19 pandemic. Oasis was one of the first management companies to create[...]
Starting February 3rd, 8 am PST; I will be releasing an episode for the series called https://shorttermrentalz.com/news/slickers-vrms-operators-edition/ ("The Vacation Rental Mastermind Series: Operators Edition.") I did the series last year and focused on service providers like NoiseAware, Breezeway, and AirDNA. After the wild year of 2020, I am focusing on the property manager giants taking[...]
In this episode, Tyann Marcink-Hammond and I talk about why it's so important more now than ever before to build a vacation-short term rental brand rather than just a business. Mentioned in this episode: https://linktr.ee/Slicktalk (Slick Talk Website & Socials) Hostfully, show sponsor: Use code SLICKTALK20 tyannmarcink.com touchstay.com nattymedia.com bransonfamilyretreats.com missourihaus.com vrmastered.com
Shawn Soole, creator or Soole Hospitality, joins me on the show to discuss his background and how his life pre-covid and post-covid has changed, and what he and his team are doing for their clients in the F&B segment of the hospitality sphere to combat covid as we continue to gear towards recovery. Mentioned in[...]
No stranger to the show, I invite the newest CEO of Operto, a tech solution for operators and owners alike in the hotel and vacation/short-term rental segment of hospitality, to discuss his extensive background in tech as an executive and as an entrepreneur to now the CEO of Operto. In this episode, you will hear[...]
This is a replay of Monday's episode on Good Morning Hospitality! ~ Welcome to the future... okay, maybe not the future because there are no flying cars (yet) and all that good stuff, but we are now in 2021, and unfortunately, the events from 2020 aren't going away in the snap of a finger. [...]
Nick understands the term hustle and keep going! We all were hit hard with how the world turned back in March and April but many have kept pushing on and making hundreds, if not thousands of decisions a day, in order to keep our businesses open and our clients/customers happy. Nick and his team with[...]
As 2020 comes to a close, we are still hopeful and keep looking forward to the great things to come in the new year. We would love to get your thoughts on the past year and of course hear what you think 2021 will bring to the hospitality industry. In this episode, my co-hosts &[...]
Humphrey Bowles, the co-founder of Guardhog Technologies joins me to discuss the journey leading up to 2020 and how he has looked at this year for the positive things like the new goats at his farm house, the idea of taking away a star rating review system, and the importance of making trust and transparency[...]
Tejal Patel is a 3rd generation hotelier by choice and a strong leader in the hospitality industry! It was a breath of fresh air to talk to her about her journey as she has grown through many challenges, victories, and struggles a like! Tejal and I both discuss our mental health and how to avoid[...]
Juliana Hahn is a content creator and copywriter specialized in writing for the hospitality and tourism industry. Before diving into the world of copywriting several years ago, she studied hotel management and worked in hotels around the globe. Today she leverages her industry experience to craft engaging content for hospitality tech companies, hotels and online[...]
Travis is the Head of Business Development for US & Canada regions for Marriotts Homes & Villas program and we discuss some of the outcomes during 2020 with COVID19 in the Vacation Rental market and what we both "hope" for in the future to come in this next year! Mentioned in this episode: https://homes-and-villas.marriott.com/[...]
David Lund has been helping hotels understand their financials for a while now and in this exclusive interview on the podcast, he gives the top insights on how to interview a hotel GM in order to make sure they will not only be good leaders for the hotel but they will be financial leaders and[...]
It's one thing to have a seat at the table but it's completely another thing to always be dragging your chair around with you to put at the table when the time comes. Do you have your chair? You should because you don't want to miss this episode as Dana Lubner, Head of Advocacy at[...]
A man that needs no introduction to the show, Jeremy Gall has joined me to talk about trends from the year and not only that but the rise of quality control when it comes to property standards, maintenance, and upkeep as it will be something that leads us into 2021 and the forever rise of[...]
I chat with Patricia from https://shoutout.wix.com/so/f2NOCCQ1d/c?w=8eULI7LVF2-b-en3kMH1CYDA8dA68Bj_KUYD0NFsxAQ.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaG90ZWwuc2Nob29sIiwiciI6ImJkNGQ4ZDM4LTVmNGUtNDk0ZC0yMzVmLTI2OTM1M2U5MWE5NiIsIm0iOiJtYWlsIiwiYyI6IjAwMDAwMDAwLTAwMDAtMDAwMC0wMDAwLTAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMCJ9 (Hotel.School)! We talk about the importance of brain-based micro learning and hospitality re-skills & up-skills! Make sure to listen because there is also something going on for both of my hotel and vacation rental audience! Patricia has an extensive background in hospitality and brings her amazing experience and management[...]
Hannah Smith is a Senior Consultant at STR (I am a huge geek/fan of STR from my hotel management days) and she was able to join me to discuss all the data and findings they are discovering over at STR! In this episode, you will hear us talk about what the road to recovery looks[...]
I wanted to put this on Slick Talk because I love including you all in what else is going on with me and other things that I am involved in! I don't know how many of you know this yet but, I have a 2nd show/podcast called https://linktr.ee/GoodMorningHospitality (Good Morning Hospitality!) It goes live every[...]
Cindy has been a serial entrepreneur since she was 19! A true go-getter! She was the first to develop a new kind of residential hospitality and co-founded Niido and Natiivo residential communities designed for homesharing which resulted in a first-ever partnership with Airbnb, Brookfield Property Partners & Citibank. Now Co-Founder of Orion Haus, Cindy and[...]
As you see above in the title of this episode, Michael Tingsager from https://shoutout.wix.com/so/2fNNTrdpl/c?w=tqmFMbwe5QfKLYpzlQOm0NDmwr6_SWgZ7i3kSXIqITc.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaG9zcGl0YWxpdHltYXZlcmlja3MuY29tLyIsInIiOiI0Y2Y2MTVhYS1jYmQ3LTRmZmUtNGMzMS1iMDFmYjEwMzIyZDIiLCJtIjoibWFpbCIsImMiOiIwMDAwMDAwMC0wMDAwLTAwMDAtMDAwMC0wMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAifQ (Hospitality Mavericks Podcast) and myself dive in on his incredible journey in the industry. We talked about his upbringing in the industry and how his career evolved over the years and what jumping into the podcast world did for him and[...]
Heather Richer & myself talk about the creation and purpose of ASTRHO (Association For Short Term Rental Homeowners) and the important role this platform and community provides to this segment of hospitality and why it's important for homeowners, as a stakeholder in the industry, to have these tools, resources, courses, and a community. There is[...]
As promised, we are back with Part 2 of the Data Driven Recovery series featuring Tanya Pratt from Oracle Hospitality! In this second episode, Tanya and myself focus on taking the data we saw from Oracle's Data Driven Recovery Report as discussed in episode 1 and how it will carry on into the upcoming years[...]
https://linkedin.com/in/pratttanya (Tanya Pratt) from https://www.oracle.com/industries/hospitality/ (Oracle Hospitality) and I discuss the data they found in their recent survey in partnership with Skift about the recovery of the hospitality industry. In this first episode of a two part series, we will dive into the findings of their https://www.oracle.com/a/ocom/docs/industries/hospitality/data-driven-hosp-recovery.pdf?elqTrackId=2424d5b5c0c34071aa6010189eb99f3a&elqaid=95552&elqat=2 (Data Driven Recovery Report) and how the impact[...]
When I think of the term "setting standards" I think back to the days of Army basic training and school with my platoon sergeant saying those words to me multiple times a day... "we set the standard and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You're in control of what standards you live up to so[...]
Back in April I had the pleasure of interviewing Jessica for a different series I was working on. Unfortunately I never published that series but little did I know that she would pop up on my radar once again for the Destinationaire Award! Jessica and her two daughters run Barefoot Vacation Rentals based in California![...]
Bob & Ian are the creators of Casal dei Fichi and are a great example of what the power of creative freedom can do for your life, community, and industry! As one of the first recipients of the Destinationaire Award earlier this year, in this episode you will find out what make Bob & Ian[...]
We have talked about them and the awards on many episodes leading up to this but I am excited to officially introduce you all to three of the Destinationaire Award winners from this year! Their episodes will go out individually so watch as they publish and get ready for some amazing content from these three![...]
A topic that isn't talked about a lot (in my opinion) and so when Dr. Judy reached out to me about doing this episode, I agreed immediately because I wanted to learn more about this topic and some actionable takeaways. To learn more about the course and other resources use the following links below. Mentioned[...]
If you haven't heard already, I have a second show called https://linktr.ee/GoodMorningHospitality (Good Morning Hospitality) with my two amazing co-hosts, Michael Ros from Bidroom and Michael Goldin from NoiseAware! Both of these guys have been on Slick Talk and we hit it off and decided we wanted to bring a new show to the industry![...]
On the show we have discussed so many things that managers and operators can do in order to build direct brand, direct bookings, and of course how to use specific tools for revenue strategy. StayFi is now one that has proven to help independent and big managers do that for their business! Tune in as[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/puortosimone/ (Simone Puorto) is a former hotel General Manager, consultant, author of two best-selling books on hotel marketing, contributor for the major blogs in the industry, and MBA lecturer for schools such as Les Roches, ESSEC, and LUISS. He is the founder and CEO of Travel Singularity, the consulting firm whose vision is to solve[...]
Why Real Estate? Why Virtual Assistants? Why property managers should get leverage this in their business? Dan Ramsey, CEO of MyOutDesk, tells me about his experience with running a business and how the moment he brought on virtual assistants, his business and life changed for the best. I've "opened up my doors" to any audience[...]
I love that the phrase "This is how we've always done things" is no longer a term that is being used and it's now transformed to "We've never done this before but we can make it work one way or another." https://grayhotelchicago.com (The Chicago Gray Hotel) has been demonstrating this new phrase since the beginning[...]
https://fulhaus.com/ (Fülhaus), a design and furnishing service for hotels, apart-hotels, and short-term rentals in Canada, the USA, and Europe, has launched a new concept as Montreal’s first direct-to-consumer furniture rental service. Andria and I had a great discussion on how now more than EVER, design plays such a huge role in what guests are looking[...]
Blanche is an award winning certified Interior Designer with over 24 years of experience in residential, hospitality and commercial design and is the owner of B. garcia Designs based in Montclair, New Jersey. She is a “Green Design” LEED Accredited Professional through the United States Green Building Commission. She is also a “WELL AP” design[...]
Are you ready to change how you play the game? The hospitality industry rises to the challenge and we want you to join us. Learn more here on the https://www.slicktalkthepodcast.com/post/how-to-become-a-game-changer (Slick Talk Blog!)
Andrew Bates and his team saw sophisticated homeowners leave a second home empty for 48 weeks each year because they did not want Internet strangers sleeping in their bed, and using their dishes. This makes complete sense to us. They began studying this Internet stranger anxiety to help our friends earn income from an asset[...]
Moriya Rockman, founder and CMO of Smiling House Luxury Switzerland, managing over 2.500 properties in 65 destinations in 24 countries. As a Media creative and PR expert, Moriya was involved in the Business Development of many companies. 4 years ago, together with her husband Ira, they founded Smiling House and Smiling Flats Holiday Rentals. Both[...]
Dustin is a wild adventurer at heart from childhood and all the way to the current day. On this episode we talk about his natural love of being in the trees and his passion for building treehouses that are more than just a play area for kids but is truly a destination for all the[...]
Marcus Cornelious - Director of Sales and Marketing at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Chicago. What a guy to have on the show. He brings so much insight to how a bigger hotel like his (with over 1200 guest rooms) has been impacted by the COVID19 virus and even though they are still closed, he[...]
The man who was my first industry guest on the podcast has joined me again to talk about whats going on in todays world and how maybe hotels can learn something from the vacation rental industry. Adam Knight also has this episode on his podcast since it was a crossover so go give it some[...]
An inception of podcasting! Adam Knight from Proven Principles Podcast invited Michael Tingsager from Hospitality Mavericks Podcast and myself all talked about how podcasting in the Hospitality Industry has impacted our businesses and careers for the best! In this episode: https://knowinghospitality.com/the-proven-principles-podcast (Proven Principles Podcast) https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamknight/ (Adam Knights LinkedIn) https://www.hospitalitymavericks.com/podcast (Hospitality Mavericks Podcast) https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltingsager/ (Michael Tingsager[...]
This guest shouldn't need any introduction. As you all can tell from the episode title, this episode is in memory of Anton Zilberberg the founder of https://www.autohost.ai/ (Autohost). Unfortunately he passed away 4 days after recording this episode and the whole community and his family is heartbroken beyond belief. This episode won't be sponsored[...]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-driedger-06363a13/ (Michael Driedger) is the CEO of https://www.operto.com/ (Operto) and we had the opportunity to sit and talk about how vacation rentals and hotels can benefit from using smart tech like Operto to help save money by implementing their devices and software to help with power effienceiis and automating the way we make sure we[...]
For the second time featuring https://noiseaware.io/ (NoiseAware) on the show, Michael Goldin the Director of Business Development and myself talk about the short, mid, and long term affects on the short term rental market with COVID19 and the current trends and chain of events that possibly are speeding up the evolution of the STR industry[...]
A natural-born entrepreneur, Michael started his first company at the age of 18. From the age of 24, he worked for 4 years for a large international enterprise and was responsible for a turnover of 45 million euros per year. Thereafter he founded the online travel agency, Travelservice. Currently, he is CEO and co-founder of[...]
Shaun, Open Pantry Co’s founder has been an industry leader in Melbourne’s hospitality industry for over 20 years. Shaun has been a venue owner himself, he knows the commitment, effort and experience required to develop a concept into an award-winning, and profitable venture. He also knows how to develop a process to get there that’s[...]
What have we seen hotel and short term rental managers struggle with pre-COVID? What are we still seeing them struggle with during and post- COVID? What can we do as an industry to move forward and keep these pain points in the past? https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrianbutler/ (Brian Butler) from https://ezcare.io/ezcare/EZcareHome.aspx (EZcare) and I talk about what he[...]
It is always a pleasure to talk to my friend https://www.joshkopel.com/ (Josh Kopel). A return guest on the show and an amazing hospitality innovator, Josh and I talk about what is needed coming from this global pandemic and current state of the industry as we are no longer settling for the way things used to[...]
Working in the hotel industry: We love it. We hate it. We can't escape it. It's a Love Hate relationship with a lot of us in this industry. There is a lot we Love and there is some we Hate. Author of this hospitality book https://www.lovehatehotels.com/ (Love Hate Hotels), Tony Matthews, joins me and all[...]
Building a true business isn't easy. It's hard work. It takes time. Chris Maughan is a man that knows this. Welcome back to the show Chris. Ceo and founder of AES in Cannes France and https://www.i-prac.com/ (I-PRAC) based in London and Cannes, we sit down and talk about the current state of the industry and[...]
Guidebooks, Property Management Platform, and overall well rounded company with a mission! That mission is to provide the best experience for guests and hosts! David Jacoby, President of https://www.hostfully.com/ (Hostfully,) sits down with me to discuss his personal journey leading up to the creation of https://www.hostfully.com/ (Hostfully) and where they are at today! I am[...]
A lover of food and "being on the other side of the bar", Jonathan Plowright saw a chance to make a difference and to make a different career change and started https://www.typsy.com/ (Typsy)! Based in Australia but globally known, https://www.typsy.com/ (Typsy) is a online learning platform for hospitality businesses and professionals to sharpen individual skills[...]
Crazy how plans change! This episode should've been recorded back in April of this year but of course, COVID happened and well, lets just say better late than never! Sapphire is the Director of Marketing for hospitality company, https://wishbox.co/ (Wishbox)! In this episode you'll hear all about the amazing tool hospitality providers (AKA Destinationaires™) use[...]
The actual man, myth, and Legend! https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdmoeller/ (Eric Moeller) is the co-founder of https://strlegends.com/ (STR Legends) and https://www.strprofitacademy.com/ (Profit Academy) and during our episode we talk about his journey and the amazing things that have come through the power of mindset and being around the right people through https://strlegends.com/ (Masterminds)! Not only that but the[...]
Growing your business is always a good thing... unless you don't make any profit! This weeks episode was a special one because https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/ (Simon Lehmann) is a Legend in our industry and we got to talk about running your hospitality business the right way by not losing the guest and team experience and also remaining[...]
Vacation Rentals. Boutique Hotel. Destinationaire! Michael Sjorgen is a man of both worlds when it comes to hospitality! Not only does he manage properties and run a hotel but he coaches others to do the same by changing their mindset! I've been following his journey for a few years through social media and just overall[...]
Back in February I was on a vacation and business trip in Florida! That is where I recorded one of the episodes for the Vacation Rental Mastermind Series with Erica Muller of Vrolio at the Star Wars house in Destin Florida! I was able to record an episode and show off what I get to[...]
We all have those people we look up to in life (at least I hope we all do!) and this episode has been in the making for over a year now! https://www.linkedin.com/in/cannonbeach/ (Ryan Snyder) is a true https://www.slicktalkthepodcast.com/post/becoming-a-destinationaire (Destinationaire!) From hotels, restaurants, and beer crafting, Ryan shares his life journey with us and leading to[...]
A brief summary of this episode
With extensive software development background, the owner and creator of https://www.vrscheduler.com/industry-partners/ (VRScheduler), Jill Mason, joins me on the show to discuss her story that has lead her to collaborate with other industry professionals to bring the https://www.cleaningcertification.com (Cleaning Certification) course to life. Designed to help hospitality providers in the short term rental and hotel space[...]
With an extensive background in finances, https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandrewmcconnell/ (Andrew McConnell) the CEO of https://www.rented.com/ (Rented.com), joins me on the show to talk about revenue management in the short term rental space by sharing our input and experiences of the importance of revenue management and how not only is every decision a brand decision, but how every[...]
The importance of booking direct is always going to be a favorite topic of mine and with many recent events, Damian & I finally sat down with one another (virtually of course) to talk about the Book Direct Movement and the amazing conference he has created for industry professionals to speak, share, and learn about[...]
https://omfgco.com/ (OMFGCO) is a company based in Portland Oregon that "Builds Brands For Visionaries" and after this conversation with two of the co-founders (Jeremy & Fritz) I fully understood that statement. The three of us engaged in a conversation I found to be unique while very exciting! Most branding/marketing businesses wouldn't fully understand what it[...]
Fair and reasonable rules around short-term rentals are not only possible but essential for hosts, managers, and our communities. https://www.rentresponsibly.org (Rent Responsibly) helps short-term rental groups and their cities create the balance that actually works for a sustainable future for all. Taking advantage of the free time at hand, David Krauss and myself sat down[...]
March 24th, 2020 I was able to sit down with David Grossman, President of https://renuesystems.com (Renue Systems), to not only talk about what Renue Systems does in the hospitality industry but also regarding COVID19 and the next steps regarding cleaning procedures for hotels and how he and I see the industry shifting during and after[...]
As the Vacation Rental Mastermind Series wraps up, I was in Florida on a part vacation and part work trip prior to the Coronavirus and met with Erica Mueller, CEO & Founder of Vrolio. Vrolio offers a full suite of tools, investment information, and data analytics on short-term rental properties. Their goal is to offer[...]
As a Certified Hospitality Revenue Manager (strategist is my preferred term), I was able to sit with Scott, the CEO & Founder of https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data?utm_campaign=iu&utm_source=leaddyno&utm_medium=affiliate#_l_iu (AirDNA), and geek out over his vacation rental data & analytic platform and the workings of its creation while discussing the fundamentals of revenue strategy and how his platform helps properties[...]
Episode #8 of the Vacation Rental Mastermind Series: Jeremy Gall founded FlipKey.com in 2006, and grew it into one of the world’s largest vacation rental listing and review sites before TripAdvisor’s acquisition in 2013. In working with thousands of vacation rental property managers, Jeremy saw a shift starting to take place - guests were expecting[...]
Jasper Ribbers, author of Get Paid For Your Pad and Podcast Host as well as one of the creators of https://strlegends.com (STR Legends), sits down with me on Episode 7 of the Vacation Rental Mastermind Series to discuss the ways to level up your STR business and the journey of how he got to where[...]
We've all heard the stories of a party gone wrong. There are so many "what ifs" that go through our head on how it could've been prevented. Well there is a solution for all Short Term Rental hosts and managers and that solution is NoiseAware. The only 100% privacy safe noise monitoring solution. I got[...]
With the amazing growth in travel, Chris Maughan the CEO of I-PRAC, had experienced a heartbreaking experience with some travelers that were scammed out of thousands of dollars while going on a family vacation and when he saw this, Chris knew he had to do something. As an expert in the short term rental industry[...]
Creating processes and tools to better benefit your guests and team is incredibly challenging sometimes. In this episode I sit down with Michael Robinson who is co-founder of StayShare! Stay Share’s unified platform increases revenue by empowering group bookings, split payments, insurance services and full integrations that improve the guest experience. They lower your risk[...]
Episode 3 of the Vacation Rental Mastermind Series: Ingrid from TravelNest and I sit and discuss why its key to diversify your property on different channels and its importance when trying to reach different markets and guests! This is a very useful and important practice for anyone with one or more properties! We also get[...]
Episode 2 of the Vacation Rental Mastermind Series is a very fun and exciting one as we (Meg from TravelNest & Myself) sat down and created our ways that you can make your STVR listing work in your favor to increase your bookings! This episode was created and designed for anyone who is really new[...]
Matt Landau is the host of Unlocked Podcast and the creator of VRMB (Vacation Rental Marketing Blog)! I consider him the worlds leading expert of vacation rentals! He and I sat down and discussed the "101 of hosting" and what it takes in this exciting journey and rise of the vacation rental sector of hospitality![...]
Are you into Vacation Rentals? Are you into hospitality? Well, you're not going to want to miss this epic 10 episode series on Slick Talk! I have sat down and talked with some of the biggest players in the Vacation Rental side of hospitality and we discussed anything and everything. From hosting and maximizing your[...]
Bringing modern room service convenience to your guests is a snap with TrayAway. Once a guest has completed their meal, they simply click a TrayAway device to notify hotel staff their tray is ready for retrieval. Delivery, meal completion, and do not disturb times are recorded, providing hotel staff all tray locations and activity times[...]
More than https://www.ahla.com/sites/default/files/oxford2019.pdf (1 million vacant positions) (and still growing https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/01/heres-where-the-jobs-are-for-october-2019-in-one-chart.html (faster) than any other industry) hospitality is one of many industries that are struggling with a https://www.conference-board.org/press/pressdetail.cfm?pressid=7622 (worker shortage). A new job is addedhttps://www.siteminder.com/r/trends-advice/hotel-travel-industry-trends/20-surprising-hospitality-employment-stats-can-hotel-learn/ ( every 2.5 seconds) and employers are looking for candidates with very specific skills to fill positions who will thrive[...]
The creator of Meatball Shop, Seamores Restaurant, Well Well, and some other unique businesses coming out, Michael and I got to sit down and dive into entrepreneurship and what that looked like for him and then of course at the end we got into a nice conversation about owners in hospitality making decisions off of[...]
Mike Acker, the professional speaker and author of "Speak With No Fear" is not only amazing at what he does but has been a close friend and mentor of mine from my early trouble maker days to the man I am today. Podcasting isn't as scary as speaking in front of a live crowd but[...]
Tidbits for the Emerging Hospitality Professional was designed to aid in the professional development for the next generation of hospitality professionals. The tidbits are useful and vital to developing and navigating a successful career in the hospitality industry. This book will benefit students and faculty of hospitality education by providing resources and strategies to excel[...]
I had the pleasure of having Melissa on my show during a very busy week! She is so talented in this subject as she should be because she has built her business off of this method and it works! A little bit about her: Melissa Agnes is an author, keynote speaker, and strategic advisor to[...]
So often marketers and hoteliers miss key points and aspects of the overall experience and in this episode, I was on the award winning https://www.fueltravel.com (Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast) with some amazing leaders in this industry! We put together our Top 5 Ways to Bridge The Gap Between Marketing and Operations and how that can[...]
https://aurmur.com (Aurmur) is the changing and setting the standard on how guests check in with their unique smart lock system and automation for ensuring the little details for all guests are as smooth as can be. I had the pleasure of meeting with Curtis, the owner of https://aurmur.com (Aurmur), and we talked about what has[...]
One of my first episodes I ever did was a live episode and tour onsite at a property and I had the pleasure to sit with the GM, Ron Gladney, while we talked about the RL brand and some of the aspects of now the worlds biggest third party property management, Aimbridge Hospitality. We dove[...]
As a hotelier and industry nerd, I have followed UP Hotel Agency on social medias because they have been doing things differently and I was attracted to them as a brand and a company making a noticeable difference in the industry! As my first international guest, David Ohandjanian and myself dive deep into hotel marketing[...]
It's not often I get to do an episode with someone I have worked with before and so when Joshua and I connected about doing an episode, I knew we had to do it! I love the knowledge and depth Joshua brings to the table! This is a must listen! Joshua Rockwell is the Assistant[...]
Seth and I linked up on Instagram and got to talk about the ever-changing side of the industry called SEO and the powerful ways to use it at your best to increase your direct bookings and of course, getting the most bang for your buck for any of the independent properties out there in hotel[...]
Bart and I talk about BlueFox and little bit of the powerful uses for foot traffic and data used to optimize revenue and marketing strategies for all types of businesses in the hospitality industry! Listen all the way through for a little gift to all of our listeners!
On this episode for the first time ever, I had the pleasure of having Stuart Butler on the show! Stuart is the COO of Fuel Marketing and the host of Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast! Their podcast is one of the ones I discovered when I first started my journey with Slick Talk! A Podcast On[...]
Josh and I have been talking for a little while now and he has been a big fan of the show! We started talking about his overall journey and how he discovered to save his business and restaurant from closing its doors. Part of his solution was his unique creation called FLO! joshkopel.com slicktalkthepodcast.com
What a pleasure it was to have Victor from AllTheRooms on the show! We covered a lot of ground in this episode! From their origin story to growth and market shifts and changes in the industry, including hotel and short term rental markets! AllTheRooms is the world’s first vacation rental search engine. Search from a[...]
Wil and Chandler have a casual conversation and tell stories about the managers or leaders who lead by example! How can you lead by example in your work place? www.slicktalkthepodcast.com
Interviewed On My Own Show: The back story everyone has been waiting for and requesting! Chandler and I dive into my background and what sparked the idea of Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast. Listen and tell me your thoughts! Also, get ready for Podcast Merch! Link is on my website to pre-order! www.slicktalkthepodcast.com
I give some helpful hints and tips to make sure you, your team, and property get the most out of a much needed renovation!! @WilSlickers on Instagram www.slicktalkthepodcast.com YouTube: : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvV_lhIlRdkUirSigRWxOQ/about?disable_polymer=1 (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvV_lhIlRdkUirSigRWxOQ/about?disable_polymer=1)
Join me as I interview Emily Peterson the Estate Manager of this beautiful 22,000 sq ft Castle just 15 minutes outside of my home town and where I grew up! www.GraystoneCastle.com www.slicktalkthepodcast.com
As promised in my episode with Gabby, all the links to learn how to get involved in Stop The Silence a nonprofit in Spokane Washington as well as a platform to share your story if you or a loved on have ever been involved in domestic violence. This is something close to my heart as[...]
Industry update report! Do you think you would ever check-in to a hotel with everything and anything Taco Bell? Well, now you can starting August 9th in Palm Springs California! www.slicktalkthepodcast.com
This episode I had the pleasure to interview Drew Glover the CEO and Co-Founder of Welcome, Welcome, curates moments for you to enhance the guest experience for your Airbnb, vacation properties, hotels, and any place of business! We get to dive into Welcomes origin story and the future of the brand and what is to[...]
My most well-known guest on Slick Talk! What an exciting episode to really dive into what the industry is all about and how to make the most out of the guest experience, receive more referrals and creating brand loyalty. Plus, Bill and I reveal a little industry secret called "Price Matching" Many of you know[...]
Sustainable Ecosystems and culture are huge in any environment, especially Hospitality. Scott Stanfield and I go into what that looks like and how to do that!
I am super excited to feature this hotel company! As a recent discovery for me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wilslickers/?hl=en (@wilslickers)) was https://www.properhotel.com/ (Proper Hotels). This unique and game changer company has earned the 2nd Hospitality Spotlight on Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast! I love their look, design, class, and overall brand that sets the standard for[...]
Back again for our 2nd episode out of 3 for our Restaurant Series. Scott Stanfield (thegmcoach.com) do a deep dive into proper training and how to get the most out of bringing on new staff members and ensure team culture will allow your staff to grow and create great experience in every aspect. Scott and[...]
I have been joined with 20+ year restaurant veteran, expert, and owner of The GM Coach (gmcoach.com), Scott Stanfield! We dive into interviewing process for good workers and leaders as well as what to look for when hiring for any position! Great tips and tricks with a little bit of heart! This is episode one[...]
On this episode of Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast, I announce one of many awesome guest speakers I have coming on the show for our Three episode series as well as another guest that will be announced on a later date! With this episode I quickly cover the main topics that have owners and brand[...]
Quick Podcast update! Just came back from vacation! This episode is just to ensure all my listeners that more content and projects are in the works with future guest speakers and series as well! Check out the new sponsors slicktalkthepodcast.com/podcast-sponsor
On the fly episode with my opinion and thoughts on some changes or as I like to say, “Shifts” in the industry!
Finally an episode I get to go into my nerdy side of the industry and some topics I have passion about as a Hospitality Young Professional! Listen and hear about how your property can gain more revenue and also working on preparations for the next downturn.
The topics of 2019 happen at the ALIS (Americas Lodging Investment Summit) and did I like the topics I heard! Offering Purpose, Tech Trials and Errors, and Covering The Safety Features I Recently Talked About In The Previous Episode: Safety. Signs. Security.
Welcome to Season 2! This episode is to cover multiple areas of safety in the industry. Safety as a staff, safety for guests, and all the way to sex trafficking. What are the big brands doing? What will smaller brands do to follow suit?
My first ever Hospitality Spotlight goes to a great local company called Martin North. With a well known collection of properties, I'll dive into why I picked them to receive the first spotlight feature!
First solo episode in a while! Listen to my quick episode on how to really get started and do well in the vacation rental market for those of you looking to gain an extra stream of income or complete/start a passion project!
Adam Knight and I dive into what the current market is like and how you or your employers can step it up to reduce turn-over rates and keep talented and driven staff to run a successful operation.
Adam Knight and I are back and bringing some good light and conversation to something I find very important with our industry and feel like is the main factor of success between teams, staff, guests, and a solid brand!
Interview with Katie Watkins the Community Manager for Jupiter Hotel and Jupiter NEXT as we dive into the community aspect of the hotel industry, along with the exciting success they have experienced in business and also becoming the first hotel in Oregon to have a 420 friendly package!
Take a listen about how the Vacation Rental comany, Stay Alfred, raises a total of $62 million after Series B funding of $47 from Nine Four General.
My quick review about the newly purchased hotel called The Centennial located in Spokane Washington and a quick snippet of my upcoming podcast episodes.
Special Guest: Adam Knight the owner of Proven Principles and I talk about becoming a manager in the Hotel world, things we wished we knew coming into the industry, our first management positions, proper training, and advice for up and coming leaders in Hotels!
Diving into top 20 cities for trick or treating as well providing you guys with some sneak peak to future content coming out next week with a future guest speaker and future hotel reviewing!
Hurricane Florence and a quick note about getting back to the basics!
Stay Alfred! The hybrid company changing the game and making a big name! Listen to find out more!
Again my rant on loyalty to hotel brands and earning rewards while staying loyal and avoiding 3rd party mess ups!
Today I talk about the launch of Alexa for Hospitality program and the changes coming in the Hotel/Hospitality industry! I would love to hear how you feel or what you think!
Special interview with Erica Norris, owner of Talk Fast Social and co-owner of Praxus Coworking in downtown Spokane. Join us as we talk about our journey and being a business owner!
First Podcast ever! Let me know what you think! I didn’t really know how to end it so ya my bad on that but whatever haha

Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast

How We Are Building Our Hospitality Brand