Short Term Rental Secrets Podcast

We Pulled Up 2 Real Airbnb Listings and Told Them Everything That's Wrong | STR Portfolio Clinic #1

Resources mentioned in this episode are available at: strsecrets.com/clinic If you want to increase your revenue, automate your day to day operations and spend more time with your kids: http://strsecrets.com/applyIf you want to join these live trainings:https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecretsThis is the first episode of the STR Portfolio Clinic. A brand new series where me and Mike Sjogren pull up real STR listings on screen and diagnose what's working and what's not. Live. In front of everyone. No filter.This episode is all about listings.We reviewed two real Airbnb properties from operators who volunteered to put their listings on the hot seat.First up is a brand new beach cottage in Oak Island, North Carolina. Second row from the ocean. Clean listing. But nobody's clicking on it. We broke down why and gave the owner a full game plan on the spot.Then we pulled up a riverfront property in Murphy, North Carolina. Fly fishing right off the deck. Beautiful area. Went an entire summer with zero bookings. It took about 10 seconds to see what was wrong.We also break down the ALE framework which stands for amenities, location, and experiences. This is the framework behind how we build listings across 30+ properties that generated over $5M in bookings last year.If your listing has been sitting or your bookings have slowed down, this episode will show you exactly what to fix and in what order.Want your listing or business reviewed on a future episode? Drop CLINIC in our DMs

Why You Keep Self-Sabotaging Even When You Know Exactly What to Do

YOUTUBE DESCRIPTIONMost people end Q1 the same way they started it.Behind on goals. Ahead on excuses.In this solo episode, E breaks down why that happens — and what to actually do about it before Q2 starts.This isn't a motivational pep talk.It's a direct, honest look at the real reason you keep self-sabotaging — even when you know exactly what you need to do.In this episode, E covers:- Why the brain doesn't perceive time as time — and what that means for how you're living- Tony Robbins' 3 S's framework: State → Story → Systems (and why you're skipping the first two)- The 5 core wounds that create self-sabotage: rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal, and injustice- The difference between being self-centered vs. self-aware — and why it changes everything- The belief thermostat: why you always reduce yourself back to what you think you're worth- 3 questions to ask yourself right now as you close out Q1- The one question E asks himself that "terrifies the shit out of him" — and keeps him movingIf the year hasn't gone the way you planned — this episode is the reset you need.📲 Connect with STR Secrets:Free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-bookSTR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecretsApply to work with us: https://strsecrets.com/applySTR Secrets Podcast: https://strsecrets.com/podcastTimestamps:0:00 - Intro2:09 - Q1 Check-In: Are You Still Holding Your Standards?3:57 - Why Time Feels Like It's Running Away (The Science of Memory Markers)6:13 - Stop Just Learning — Start Experimenting7:13 - Tony Robbins' 3 S's: State, Story, and Systems9:23 - Why Mindset Work Alone Keeps Failing You9:47 - The 5 Core Wounds Behind Every Self-Sabotage Pattern11:23 - How Your Brain's 3 Layers Are Keeping You Stuck13:38 - Self-Centered vs. Self-Aware: The Shift That Changes Everything15:37 - The Belief Thermostat: Why You Keep Reducing Yourself17:05 - Your Honest Q1 Review: Facts Only, No Stories18:38 - 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Q2 Starts20:33 - Nobody Is Coming to Save You22:56 - "Is This the Final Version of You?"

Your Listings Are Dying on Airbnb — Here's Exactly How to Fix It with Maryann Wahhab

If you want to increase your revenue, automate your day to day operations and spend more time with your kids: http://strsecrets.com/applyCheck out our free 6 step course: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-bookIf you want to join these live trainings:https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecretsIf your listings aren't getting booked right now — don't panic and drop your prices.In this week's Thursday training, Mike Reilly sits down with Maryann Wahhab, revenue management expert and STR operator across 6 states, to break down exactly what's working right now to get booked at the rates you want.Maryann went from college basketball coach to full-time STR revenue manager — and now helps operators stop leaving money on the table in soft markets.In this episode, Mike and Maryann cover:- Why your slow bookings are probably a listing problem — not a pricing problem- The booking window zones every operator needs to understand (and how to price each one)- How Mike went 30% up year over year on Vrbo with one simple OTA trick- The "booking velocity" metric Maryann tracks at 7, 15, and 30-day marks- How a listing went from page 6 to page 2 on Airbnb in one week- Why virtual stays are a game changer for dead listings- The full listing re-optimization playbook for properties with no bookings in 30+ days- How to use Airbnb's rule sets and length-of-stay discounts to capture more revenue in slow seasonThis is the training your listings need right now.---🎙️ About Maryann Wahhab:Maryann is a revenue management expert and STR operator managing properties across 6 states. A former Division I basketball coach, she left the game in 2023 to manage properties full-time — and now helps STR operators maximize revenue in any market condition.---Timecodes:0:00 - Why Your Listings Aren't Getting Booked Right Now2:30 - Meet Maryann Wahhab: From Basketball Coach to STR Expert6:00 - How to Read Your Market Before You Touch Your Prices10:00 - Booking Window Zones Explained (And How to Price Each One)15:30 - Booking Velocity: The Metric That Tells You When to Act20:00 - How to Play the Airbnb and Vrbo Algorithm Game25:30 - The OTA Trick That Got Mike 30% Up Year Over Year on Vrbo30:00 - Virtual Stays and How to Reinvigorate a Dead Listing36:00 - The Full Re-Optimization Playbook for Struggling Listings41:30 - Length-of-Stay Discounts and Airbnb Rule Sets in Slow Season46:00 - How to Differentiate Your Listing So You're Never in a Price War

The 'Help First' Sales Mindset That Grew Them From 12 to 120 Properties with Sean Bakhtiari

Connect with Sean:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sean_bakhtiari/Check out Seacoast 2 Summit: https://www.seacoast2summit.comCheck out our free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-bookSTR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecretsWhat happens when a corporate finance guy from Boston decides he's done working for someone else — and bets on short-term rentals?Sean Bakhtiari is the co-founder of Seacoast 2 Summit Vacation Rentals and The Bakhtiari Group, a top-performing real estate sales team across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. As an active STR investor, his work sits at the intersection of real estate, hospitality, and investment strategy throughout New England.After 9 years in Boston's financial district, Sean bought his first STR. Then a second. Then started building a management company.At 12 properties, he hit a wall. He was good at business development and client relationships. But systems, operations, and scale? Not his strengths. That's when a serendipitous call from Chris changed everything.Today, Sean and Chris co-run Seacoast to Summit Vacation Rentals — managing 120+ properties across the New Hampshire seacoast, lakes and mountains region, and North Shore of Massachusetts. Almost entirely on referrals, with virtually no paid marketing.In this episode, Sean and Chris pull back the curtain on:- How they identified each other as the right partner (and what 3 things you need to align on before you sign anything)- Sean's "help first, never sell" philosophy — and why it's responsible for most of their growth- Why they've said no to 10+ deals in the last 3 months (and why that's the right call)- The two fears they stay up at night thinking about as they scale- How to delegate without feeling like you're losing control- What it takes to keep your team culture intact as you grow- Why boutique hotels might be the next frontier for this businessThis is a rare episode — a founder bringing on his business partner and pulling off the veil on how a real, values-driven STR company actually works at scale.---Timestamps:0:00 - Introducing Sean Bakhtiari: Chris's Business Partner2:45 - How Sean Went From Corporate Finance to STR Management6:30 - Building Seacoast to Summit: From 12 to 120 Properties10:15 - How Sean and Chris Found Each Other (The Serendipitous Call)15:00 - The 3 Things You Must Align On Before Partnering18:30 - The "Help First" Sales Mindset That Built the Business23:00 - Why They Said No to 10 Deals in 3 Months27:00 - The Two Fears They Have About Growing Too Fast32:30 - How to Delegate Without Losing Control37:00 - Keeping Team Culture Intact at Scale42:00 - What the Future Looks Like: Boutique Hotels and Brand Building46:00 - Sean's #1 Secret to STR Success

From Rock Bottom to 18 Properties: How Jeremiah Quit His Job and Built a Real Business

Connect with Jeremiah: Instagram: @jeremiahkwatson Business: www.affluentvacays.comCheck out our free 6 step course: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-bookSTR Secrets FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecretsHe did everything people told him to do.Got clean. Went to college. Got a good job. Made good money.And he was still unhappy.In this episode, we talk with Jeremiah Watson. Jeremiah just quit his corporate job. He now runs an 18-property cohosting business in Los Angeles. He is the 73rd person to leave their job through STR Secrets.Here's what you'll learn:→ How Jeremiah went from addiction and jail to building a real business → Why he lost $50K his first year — and what he changed → How he got his first cohosting deal with one cold call → The small team that runs his business today → His goal: 66 properties by the end of 2026This is what actually doing the work looks like.Timestamps:00:00 - Who Is Jeremiah Watson?03:12 - From Addiction and Jail to Turning His Life Around08:11 - Why He Chased the Corporate Dream11:36 - He Tried STRs and Lost $50K in Year One13:16 - How He Found Cohosting and Got His First Deal16:36 - How He Grew From 1 to 18 Properties19:11 - His Team and How the Business Runs Today21:27 - His Big Goal: 66 Properties by End of 202622:45 - What to Do If You Have a Job and No Time27:06 - How to Balance Drive With Gratitude31:57 - Why This Business Is About More Than Money