Vacation Rental Success

VRS652 - Structure Before Speed: The Smarter Way to Bring AI Into Your Business

AI is no longer a curiosity in our industry - it's becoming a priority. In this first episode of a new AI-focused solo series, Heather steps back from tools and prompts to explore something more fundamental: is your business actually ready for AI? Because AI doesn't fix messy operations - it magnifies them. This episode introduces a practical framework for building real AI readiness across your organization. It starts with leadership setting clear direction. AI adoption can't be left to individual experimentation; it needs intention, visibility, and someone responsible for connecting strategy to day-to-day use. Heather also emphasizes the importance of fixing your processes before layering in AI. If your documentation is unclear or inconsistent, AI will simply reproduce that confusion. Clean structure comes first. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 📣 STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community [https://community.vacationrentalformula.com/communities/groups/short-term-rental-ai-technology/private-group] - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning. And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/ai]. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality. 🌐 Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI [https://vacationrentalformula.com/] Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/VRS652 [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/vrs652-structure-before-speed-the-smarter-way-to-bring-ai-into-your-business]

VRS651 - Trust, Conversions & The Direct Booking Mindset

What makes a guest trust your website enough to enter their credit card details? That's the question at the heart of this conversation with Amber Knight from Bookings Cloud - and it's one every property manager should be asking. Amber has been in this industry long enough to remember tape charts and highlighters (yes, really). From growing up around her father's vacation rental business in Sun Valley to helping build corporate development initiatives at Vacasa, she's seen this industry evolve from fully analog to algorithm-driven. And through all of that change, one thing hasn't shifted: If you don't own your guest relationship, you don't own your business. In this episode, we dig into what really drives direct bookings - and why trust is the single most important conversion tool on your website. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 📣 STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community [https://community.vacationrentalformula.com/communities/groups/short-term-rental-ai-technology/private-group] - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning. And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/ai]. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality. 🌐 Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI [https://vacationrentalformula.com/] Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/VRS651 [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/vrs651-trust-conversions-the-direct-booking-mindset]

VRS650 - Amber Hurdle – Keeping the Human in the Loop: Building a Strategic AI-Driven Brand

Amber Hurdle is back for her fourth appearance on the podcast - and once again, she's lighting up the conversation with her bold, insightful take on branding, leadership, and the evolving role of AI in business. A year after her last visit (when ChatGPT was just becoming mainstream), Heather reconnects with Amber to explore how the AI landscape has shifted - and how short-term rental pros can ride the wave without losing their voice. From crafting a strategic AI approach to retrofitting your team structure and refining your brand voice, Amber offers practical, no-nonsense advice with her signature energy and clarity. This episode is packed with fresh thinking on how to infuse your humanity into AI-generated content, maintain consistency across platforms, and future-proof your brand with the right systems. Whether you're a one-person team or running a 100+ property operation, you'll take away actionable ideas you can implement today. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 📣 Midroll Sponsor: STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community [https://community.vacationrentalformula.com/communities/groups/short-term-rental-ai-technology/private-group] - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning. And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/ai]. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality. 🌐 Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI [https://vacationrentalformula.com/] Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/VRS650 [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/vrs650-amber-hurdle-keeping-the-human-in-the-loop-building-a-strategic-ai-driven-brand]

VRS649 - Sewn in Soil and Spirit – Designing Guest Experiences with Heather Dunwoody - A Book Direct Day Special

On this very special Book Direct Day, I'm thrilled to welcome Heather Dunwoody to the podcast for a deeply resonant conversation about the why behind what we do in this industry. Heather isn't just someone who works in branding and guest experience., she's someone who truly understands that hospitality goes far beyond service. For her, it's about creating meaningful connections and welcoming guests into something much deeper than just a place to stay. After reading her article Sewn in Soil and Spirit on Medium, I knew we had to dive into a conversation about designing guest experiences that go beyond the surface. From wild foraging to mushroom inoculation, from stargazing rituals to unlocking the potential of your pollinator garden, this episode explores how authentic, participatory experiences can redefine what it means to host. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 📣 Midroll Sponsor: STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community [https://community.vacationrentalformula.com/communities/groups/short-term-rental-ai-technology/private-group] - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning. And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/ai]. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality. 🌐 Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI [https://vacationrentalformula.com/] Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/VRS649 [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/vrs649-sewn-in-soil-and-spirit-designing-guest-experiences-with-heather-dunwoody-a-book-direct-day-special]

VRS648 - Lead Better, Clean Smarter: The Coaches and Consultants Behind Vacation Rental Growth

In this special episode from our Training Series, host Heather Bayer is joined by Brittany Blackman (Discover Freedom) and Sean Kemper (ETI Solutions) - two powerhouse professionals who are bringing serious change to the short-term rental industry through coaching, consulting, and training. Together, they unpack the often unseen emotional weight of solopreneurship, why training isn't just "nice to have" but foundational, and how leaders can prioritize people over process for long-term success. Whether you're doing it all in-house or looking to bring in outside expertise, this episode is a deep dive into the role of real education in our business. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 📣 Midroll Sponsor: STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community [https://community.vacationrentalformula.com/communities/groups/short-term-rental-ai-technology/private-group] - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning. And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/ai]. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality. 🌐 Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI [https://vacationrentalformula.com/] Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/VRS648 [https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/vrs648-lead-better-clean-smarter-the-coaches-and-consultants-behind-vacation-rental-growth]