Hospitable Hosts
Some of the Hospitable Hosts authors

Hospitable Hosts discuss their careers as rentalpreneurs

Worldwide: STRz speaks to some of the ‘rentalpreneurs’ who contributed to the inaugural Hospitable Hosts book published in May this year, including its creator, Jodie Stirling.

Andrew Hanson, Pond Life Rentals [USA]:

  • Please introduce yourself and your business.

Iโ€™m Andrew Hanson, the co-founder of Pond Life Rentals, aย vacation rental management company and owner of CSย Companies, which is a family of specialised companies in the real estateย industry.

  • Why did you want to contribute to Hospitable Hosts in theย first place?

I wanted to help educate and inspire others in theย industry, to show others that it doesnโ€™t matter what yourย background is that if you go out and work hard you can rise toย the top!

  • What does it mean to you personally to be a ‘rentalpreneur’?

This means everything to me, especially just being a recentย nominee for the ‘2022 Entrepreneur of the Year‘ here in Newย Hampshire. To me, it means that you have several differentย businesses and are making an impact in many ways on yourย local economy, all while having the ability to serve others andย make an impact on their lives.

  • What is one notable passage or story from the book thatย readers should look out for in your contribution?

The sectionย where I share my top five quick tipsย for new hosts and property managers that are planning to getย into this industry. This is a must-read section of the chapter!

  • If you had just one piece of advice to give to prospective orย new hosts, what would it be? Or looking back in hindsight,ย what would you have done differently as a host starting out if anything?

My advice would be to go out and buy Hospitable Hosts.ย That would be a great start with overย 40 expert authors giving out their advice, then start to networkย and join like-minded groups and masterminds that can help youย expand your context and reality. The best way to start is justย that “Start” and you can figure out the rest on the journey!

Tatianna Taylor-Tait, Tatianna Taylor-Tait Ltd [Canada]:

  • Please introduce yourself and your business.
My name is Tatianna Taylor-Tait and I am an award-winningย designer and marketing specialist based in Vancouver, Britishย Columbia. With extensive experience in both interior designย and real estate, I now work with clients from all over the world,ย sharing my knowledge and skills to help individuals designย beautiful spaces while increasing their Airbnb profits and short-term rental returns.
  • Why did you want to contribute to Hospitable Hosts in theย first place?
I wanted the opportunity to share my story and inspire anyoneย who may have felt lost or found themselves along a similarย journey. Hosting has truly changed my life for the better and Iย feel so grateful for the connections and community it has built
for me.
  • What does it mean to you personally to be a ‘rentalpreneur’?
The freedom and ability to fulfil my creative passions every day.ย As a ‘rentalpreneur’, you tend to wear a variety of different ‘hats’ where no single day, property or project is always theย same, which, if I’m being honest, tends to be my absolute favourite part about this business. I love from one moment I could be focusing on design, the next delighting guests, or even negotiating new deals. Whatever the day, I wake up excited and ready to embrace any growth or experience that is coming my way.
  • What is one notable passage or story from the book thatย readers should look out for in your contribution?
With every guest, I have had a unique interaction, and eachย has been a gift. They have helped me to discover myself,ย inย their own, unique way. Including good and bad, they haveย culminated in an experience of true discovery, where my pathย in life has been defined. and I will forever be grateful to myย guests for the gift they have given me, and the transformationย that this has had on my life.
  • If you had just one piece of advice to give to prospective orย new hosts, what would it be? Or looking back in hindsight,ย what would you have done differently as a host starting out ifย anything?
Just start & donโ€™t let yourself get consumed with doubt. As withย anything new, there are often steep learning curves andย inevitable challenges that will surface along the way. Educationย is crucial, so I would encourage you to research the rules andย regulations in your city, or find a mentor with enoughย experience to ensure you do not make the same mistakes thatย many of us hosts have made before!

Tracey Northcott, Tokyo Family Stays [Japan]:

  • Please introduce yourself and your business.
Tokyo Family Stays – a true local home experience in Tokyo. Weย understand what it is like to live like a local in this truly magical
city. We provide you with the information and the tools toย thrive.ย Tracey Northcott Consulting – Short Term Rental guest
experience specialist. I help hosts using my Whole Heartedย Host methods to get booked in a crowded market withoutย discounting.
  • Why did you want to contribute to Hospitable Hosts in theย first place?

I wanted to tell my story and hopefully inspire other hosts thatย despite setbacks, you can rebuild after a disaster.

  • What does it mean to you personally to be a ‘rentalpreneur’?
Understanding the local nuances of your community andย looking for ways to add value to your business and guestย experiences through solving problems.
  • What is one notable passage or story from the book that readers should look out for in your contribution?
What you have done has added more value to your family andย community than simply earning a paycheck.
  • If you had just one piece of advice to give to prospective orย new hosts, what would it be? Or looking back in hindsight,ย what would you have done differently as a host starting out ifย anything?
Take pride in the business brand you are building and create anย identity and vision that is unique to your properties, yourย guests and your values. I want to give hosts the permission,ย the tools and the courage to make choices that suit theirย markets.

Toby Dore, Cajun Stays [USA]:

  • Please introduce yourself and your business.
My name is Toby Dore and I am the owner and founder of Cajunย Stays, a short-term rental management company in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA.
  • Why did you want to contribute to Hospitable Hosts in theย first place?
I really like the cause / charities. I had been thinking forย years about writing a full-length book but am currently involvedย in too many other projects. I think my story is unique and Iย thought this would be a great springboard into the goal ofย authoring one or more other books in the future.
  • What does it mean to you personally to be a ‘rentalpreneur’?
I started hosting when Airbnb was only about one year inย existence. Within a year, I was managing multiple homesย utilising all three models of management, while also renting outย my car and bicycle and travelling around the world staying inย other peopleโ€™s Airbnb properties.
  • What is one notable passage or story from the book thatย readers should look out for in your contribution?
โ€‹My tip about making sure that you educate yourself on the local regulations for short-term rentals in your area.
  • If you had just one piece of advice to give to prospective orย new hosts, what would it be? Or Looking back in hindsight,ย what would you have done differently as a host starting out ifย anything?
Start slow, start small. Attend conferences and join Facebookย groups. Join an accelerator programme. Learn the business before
scaling.ย I probably would have invested in fewer properties and higher-end but budget travel was my thing at the time so I donโ€™t regretย turning my house into a mini hostel.

Sean McGregor, SWAP CoHosting [USA]:

I am the chief experience officer of Stay Work And Play or SWAP CoHosting for short.ย SWAPย CoHosting has over 2,400 reviews, our SuperHosts have had aย 4.96 star rating since 2018, and SWAP is so confident in theย experience provided that it offers a five-star guarantee whereย no commission is owed if a guest leaves anything otherย than a five-star review.

I joined the Hospitable Hosts project because ofย the incredible people involved in the project that I hadย previously learned from and befriended. I also had anย interesting story to share about running a three-location coliving / coworking community for digital nomads and solo travellers in Austin, Texas, that my better half Lindsey and I ran remotely while travelling around the world with our son.
Once Covid made the idea of strangers sharing aย sleeping area a reallyย terrible idea, we used theย experience we gained in remotely running our properties toย pivot to cohosting so we could helpย owners from around the USA get the most out of their
properties while alsoย providing an amazing experience to their guests.
โ€‹
To me, being a Hospitable Host is all aboutย understanding that this might be our guests’ only trip allย year, their only time to be with this group of friends / familyย all year, and that I need to make sure their experience isย an incredible one so they can be the hero of their groupย for booking such a great venue.
In my chapter, I detail some of the methods usedย by SWAP to host homes readers have never seen before, inย places they’ve never been to before, for owners they’veย never met before, while being thousands of miles awayย and still having the confidence to offer a five-star guarantee.
A huge thing I learned from Lindsey when we firstย started dating is that travel is only expensive if you areย paying for two places when you go on a trip. Instead, if youย rent out your home while you travel, your home willย almost always pay for itself and your trip.
For anyoneย interested in getting started in hosting, rent out yourย home while you are away. It is a simple way to getย started, plus you’ll likely get a free trip while also gainingย valuable hosting experience.

Lizzie, Owl Valley Glamping [UK]:

  • Please introduce yourself and your business.

Hi, Iโ€™m Lizzie and I am a co-owner of Owl Valley Glamping, situated in North Devon, UK.

  • Why did you want to contribute to Hospitable Hosts in theย first place?

My main reason for contributing to Hospitable Hosts was because theย idea of the book made me really excited. Itโ€™s something really unique and itย really intrigued me.

  • What does it mean to you personally to be a ‘rentalpreneur’?

To me, being a โ€˜rentalpreneurโ€™ gave my family and I the time andย freedom to be together and help make some lifelong dreams a reality.

  • What is one notable passage or story from the book thatย readers should look out for in your contribution?

Whilst we may not be the biggest or the most experienced, we are justย โ€˜normal’ people who have jumped in with both feet and are enjoying theย process.

  • If you had just one piece of advice to give to prospective orย new hosts, what would it be? Or looking back in hindsight,ย what would you have done differently as a host starting out ifย anything?

My one piece of advice is donโ€™t sweat the small stuff. Not everything isย going to go the way you wished, hoped or planned for and thatโ€™s okay. Also,ย hosting can at times feel like a really lonely profession – social media is yourย friend, network and connection. Youโ€™ll find the most amazing community ofย crazy, knowledgeable individuals to help guide you and be your biggestย cheerleaders along the way.

 

Jodie Stirling – “the visionary behind the book”

Stirling knows that beingย hospitable is about ensuring her guests have a wonderfulย experience, not just a place to lay their heads. She had the vision to share her story and the stories of others from around the world about their passion for the short-term rental industry. Each author shares their journey of how they got to where they are in the industry and who their mostย memorable guests were. Hospitable Hosts is also an education toolย as each author shares their top tips to inspire others.

Since the book launched on Amazon in May, it has become a number one best seller, creating a global community of like-mindedย professionals that organises celebrations, meet ups and collaborations asย a result of the project.
โ€‹

Boostly, I-PRAC, SUPERHOG, Operto, Invested Talent, BNB Amplify sponsored the project. All proceeds from the sale of the book have been donated toย the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London andย WarChild.

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