The STR Growth Show

110. 5 to 40 STR Units: Here's What Actually Changes

In this episode, we sit down with Mariam of Lume Stays and Natalie Bykov of The Orange Cabins, two powerhouse co-hosts and full-time moms who built thriving short-term rental businesses from the ground up. They share what it actually took to scale from a few properties with no software to 40 units and beyond.We get into the real operational stuff: when to hire your first VA, how to structure shifts, what a boots-on-the-ground person actually does, and how to know when your ops manager is maxed out. Mariam breaks down her referral incentive strategy with vendors and how dominating Desert Hot Springs gave her a natural path into Palm Springs. Natalie shares how a single viral video drove millions of views and turned social media into her biggest lead source. At the same time, she and her husband Alex, run active outbound sales calls to grow their Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear portfolio.We also talk about working with spouses, letting go of guest messaging, and why they both believe hospitality still needs a human touch. Connect with me....YouTube Channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@patrykswietek Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/patryk_swietek/ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/strnation/ Connect with Mariam & Natalie on:Mariam: https://www.instagram.com/mariam.av_/Natalie: https://www.instagram.com/nataliebykov/Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/confessionsofahost/

109. The Challenges Of Growing to 100 Units

Chris Petzy, co-owner and CEO of Seacoast 2 Summit Vacation Rentals, discusses scaling from a self-managed two-family property to 120+ short-term rentals through inbound leads, referrals, and operational discipline. In this episode, we cover how Chris and his partner divide responsibilities between sales, marketing, and operations, what changes as you grow from operator to CEO, and why scaling a vacation rental management company is really about people, roles, systems, and quality control. You’ll also hear how Chris thinks about direct bookings, AI tools, CRM systems, homeowner communication, maintenance workflows, VAs vs. stateside staff, and building the leadership structure needed to grow without sacrificing service or family time. Connect with me.... YouTube Channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@patrykswietek Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/patryk_swietek/ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/strnation/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispetzy/

108. High-Touch Hospitality in Luxury Homes In Cabo

In this episode, we sit down with Mishan Andre of Cabo Platinum to break down how luxury short-term rentals can actually compete with hotels. Managing an 85-villa portfolio in Cabo, he shares the systems, service standards, and operational discipline behind high-end STRs. You’ll learn how they scaled from VRBO into a premium brand, how they protect $10M+ homes with detailed inspections, and why human service still beats AI in luxury hospitality. If you’re building or scaling a high-end STR business, this episode is for you. Connect with me.... YouTube Channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@patrykswietek Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/patryk_swietek/ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/strnation/ Connect with Mishan Andre at caboplatinum.com

107. How AI Is Transforming Vacation Rental Operations

JJ King, founder of Beachside Vacation Rentals, joins the show to share how he scaled to 300 units in three years and how he’s using AI in real STR operations. We break down where AI actually works (guest messaging, SOPs, internal tools) and where it can hurt like fully automated messaging leading to worse guest experiences and team disengagement. JJ also shares lessons from over-automation mistakes, the rise of AI agents like Claude tools, and how to implement AI without overcomplicating your stack. Connect with me.... Podcast: YouTube Channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@patrykswietek Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/patryk_swietek/ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/strnation/ Connect with JJ King on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjking321/

106. The Surprising Power of AI in Short-Term Rental Operations and Marketing

Lynell Gordon joins the STR Growth Show to share her journey through vacation rentals and proptech, from founding and exiting a SaaS company to going deep on property management software and operations. We get into why the "one software does everything" dream is a myth across different STR markets, how short-term rental operators should actually be thinking about AI, and where automation wins versus where hospitality still demands a human touch. Lynell also drops sharp takes on trust accounting, fintech risk, OTA dependency, direct booking strategy, and what every STR operator needs to understand about EBITDA and add-backs before even thinking about selling. If you run a short-term rental business, cohosting company, or vacation rental management firm, this one will sharpen how you think about tech, operations, and building something worth owning long-term. Connect with me.... YouTube Channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@patrykswietek Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/patryk_swietek/ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/strnation/ Connect with Lynell Gordon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynelleaddy/ The Vacation Rental Show: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-vacation-rental-show/