107 - 0 to 200 Units in 4 Years, Sold to Vacasa, Now Serving the Military | Matt Hammlett

107 - 0 to 200 Units in 4 Years, Sold to Vacasa, Now Serving the Military | Matt Hammlett

What if you could get more bookings, give back to veterans, and list your properties for free all at the same time? That is exactly what Matt Hammlett and the team at Crew Dogs have built. Matt and Austin sit down with Matt Hammlett, COO of Crew Dogs and a seriously impressive STR operator in his own right, for a conversation packed with operator insight and a genuinely compelling platform that every host and property manager should know about. Before landing at Crew Dogs, Matt built a vacation rental management company from scratch near Yosemite National Park, scaling from 4 properties to 200 in just four years before selling to Vacasa in 2021. He then took a stint at Guesty before joining Crew Dogs, a military-exclusive travel platform built by veterans, for veterans, that perfectly combines his background in military service and STR operations. Here is what you will learn: How Matt scaled to 200 units in four years starting from zero STR experience, what Crew Dogs is and how the platform connects STR hosts with verified military guests who get a 10 to 20% discount on every booking, how a portion of every booking goes to a military nonprofit of the host's choice including Fisher House and K9 for Warriors, why listing on Crew Dogs is completely free for hosts with no monthly fees and only a 1 to 2% transaction cost on bookings, how the platform integrates directly with your PMS so your calendar, pricing, and messaging all stay in sync, why military guests are some of the most trustworthy and respectful guests you will ever host (and what happens if they are not), how tax collection and government travel bookings work on the platform, and what is coming next as Crew Dogs prepares to expand to 70 to 80 thousand properties with a big UK launch on the horizon. Matt also shares the story of how Crew Dogs got its name, rooted in military aviation culture and what it means to be someone you truly want on your team. List your properties for free at crewdogs.com [http://crewdogs.com] and connect with Matt on LinkedIn as Matthew Hammlett, COO of Crew Dogs. 👥 Follow The Show The Co-Host Bros Podcast Instagram: @cohostbros Facebook: @cohostbros YouTube: @cohostbros TikTok: @cohost.bros ⸻ Follow the Hosts Matt Codd Instagram: @creativecodds TikTok: @creativecodds Facebook: @matt.codd.3 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/] Austin Spitzenberger Instagram: @austin_spitzz TikTok: @austin_spitzz Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/]

106 - Why Your People Are 40-60% of Your Cost Structure (And What to Do About It) | Steve Trover

there is one person in the vacation rental industry who has literally seen and done it all, it is Steve Trover. Matt and Austin sit down with the co-founder and CEO of Better Talent for a conversation that every STR operator and property manager needs to hear. With over 30 years in the space, Steve has founded 16 companies, built and scaled a four-location vacation rental management company to 400 properties, co-developed LiveRez (one of the first SaaS PMS platforms in the industry), served as President of the VRMA, and helped launch VR Nation as a national trade association. He has seen the entire evolution of this industry up close and has the scars and wisdom to prove it. Today, through Better Talent, the industry's first subscription-based talent acquisition company, Steve helps over 500 vacation rental and STR companies hire the right people using a combination of technology, behavioral science, and a database of over 700,000 industry professionals. Here is what you will learn: Why the people side of your STR business represents 40 to 60% of your entire cost structure and why most operators barely think about optimizing it, why hiring based on a resume is one of the most common and costly mistakes in the industry and what to do instead, how behavioral profiling and personality assessments tell you more about a hire than five years of experience ever will, why Steve always recommends building your org chart with your name in every box first, and then systematically removing yourself from the roles you hate most, what a People Stack is and why every STR operator should have one alongside their tech stack, why Steve would take the right personality profile over industry experience every single time if forced to choose, and what is coming next with VR Pro, Better Talent's new LinkedIn-style profile for STR professionals. This is one of those rare episodes where you get a true industry legend who has seen it all from the ground floor and is still actively building. Do not miss it. Connect with Steve at bettertalent.com [http://bettertalent.com], book a demo, or find him on LinkedIn at Steve Trover. You can also email him directly at steve@bettertalent.com [steve@bettertalent.com]. 👥 Follow The Show The Co-Host Bros Podcast Instagram: @cohostbros Facebook: @cohostbros YouTube: @cohostbros TikTok: @cohost.bros ⸻ Follow the Hosts Matt Codd Instagram: @creativecodds TikTok: @creativecodds Facebook: @matt.codd.3 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/] Austin Spitzenberger Instagram: @austin_spitzz TikTok: @austin_spitzz Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/]

105 - Inside the Owner Relations Role: What Property Managers Need to Know | Stephanie Rounds

Not everyone gets into the short-term rental industry by owning or managing properties, and Stephanie Rounds is proof of that. Matt and Austin sit down with Stephanie, Owner Relations Manager at Beachside VR on Florida's Space Coast, who found her way into the STR world over 12 years ago through photography and conference work with VRMA, eventually landing at Better Talent as a Talent Relationship Specialist before transitioning to the property management side of the business. This one is a fun, candid conversation about what the owner relations role actually looks like from the inside, what owners really complain about, and why building genuine human relationships is still the most important skill in this industry. Here is what you will learn: How Stephanie built her career in STR entirely through relationships and networking rather than property ownership, what surprised her most about the owner relations role (hint: it is a lot more revenue management than you would expect), why "why is my property not booked more" is the most common owner complaint and how to handle it, how to set realistic revenue expectations with owners from the start before it becomes a bigger issue, why reviews, maintenance, and proactive communication are all connected and how one small fix can prevent a cascade of problems, and what it looks like to work for a fast growing company like Beachside VR that currently manages over 300 properties on the Space Coast. Stephanie also gives a great reminder that there are many ways to build a career in the short-term rental industry beyond owning or managing properties, whether that is through photography, recruiting, hospitality operations, or owner relations. Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn and find out more about Beachside VR at beachsidevr.com [http://beachsidevr.com]. 👥 Follow The Show The Co-Host Bros Podcast Instagram: @cohostbros Facebook: @cohostbros YouTube: @cohostbros TikTok: @cohost.bros ⸻ Follow the Hosts Matt Codd Instagram: @creativecodds TikTok: @creativecodds Facebook: @matt.codd.3 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/] Austin Spitzenberger Instagram: @austin_spitzz TikTok: @austin_spitzz Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/]

104 - Why Your STR Marketing Is Not Working (And What to Do Instead) | Chantell Hammond

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by marketing your STR or co-hosting business, this episode is exactly what you need. Matt and Austin sit down with Chantell Hammond, business and marketing strategy coach and founder of Strategy Square, who helps short-term rental operators cut through the noise and build marketing strategies that actually fit their business. Chantell did not start in the STR world. She ran a Pilates studio, sold a marketing agency, and found her way into the vacation rental space after STR operators kept showing up as referral clients. What she found was an industry full of smart operators who were completely lost when it came to marketing and she made it her mission to fix that. Here is what you will learn: Why trying too many marketing channels at once is one of the biggest mistakes STR operators make and what to do instead, how to identify the one or two tools that are actually right for your specific business, why paid ads can hurt you if you turn them on too early and what needs to be in place first, how to identify your guest avatar and use that to pick the right social media platforms, why luxury and experiential properties should be prioritizing influencer marketing and high end video content, how to use email marketing to build a direct booking engine that you actually own, and the difference between strategy consulting and just getting told what everyone else is doing. Chantell also shares how she is currently running Marketing Mondays inside the Systems Society community alongside Marissa Grover, a weekly office hours session built specifically for property managers who want real time marketing guidance. If you are managing between two and 40 properties and want to get serious about your marketing, that community is a great place to start. Connect with Chantell on Instagram at @strategy.square or find her on Facebook at Chantell Hammond. 👥 Follow The Show The Co-Host Bros Podcast Instagram: @cohostbros Facebook: @cohostbros YouTube: @cohostbros TikTok: @cohost.bros ⸻ Follow the Hosts Matt Codd Instagram: @creativecodds TikTok: @creativecodds Facebook: @matt.codd.3 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/] Austin Spitzenberger Instagram: @austin_spitzz TikTok: @austin_spitzz Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/]

103 - The STR Designer's Playbook: Amenities, Aesthetics, and More Bookings | Andrea Moxham

Design is one of the most underrated revenue drivers in the short-term rental business, and this is the first time in over 100 episodes that the Co-Host Bros have had a designer on the show. Episode 103 brings in Andrea Moxham, virtual STR designer and founder of Moxie and Co., to break down exactly how thoughtful design translates directly into more bookings and better reviews. Andrea started her career running a marketing agency before selling it and going all in on short-term rental design. Based in Ontario, Canada, she designs exclusively for US properties 100% virtually, using tools like Matterport to get precise measurements without ever setting foot in the space. Her background in marketing means she does not just make properties look pretty, she designs them to perform. Here is what you will learn: Where to splurge versus save when furnishing your STR and why amenities almost always beat renovations, why space planning and seating for your full guest count is one of the most overlooked design mistakes, how to stand out in a competitive market by researching what your competitors are missing, why wellness inspired amenities like infrared saunas, cold therapy, and yoga studios are trending hard right now, the genius glam room hack for properties with extra walk in closets, and how wallpaper can be the difference between a fully booked property and a ghost town listing. Whether you are setting up your first property or looking to refresh one that is underperforming, Andrea's insights are practical, actionable, and built for operators who want real results. Find Andrea on Instagram at @andreamoxham and check out her services and weekly design newsletter at www.moxieandco.ca [http://www.moxieandco.ca]. 👥 Follow The Show The Co-Host Bros Podcast Instagram: @cohostbros Facebook: @cohostbros YouTube: @cohostbros TikTok: @cohost.bros ⸻ Follow the Hosts Matt Codd Instagram: @creativecodds TikTok: @creativecodds Facebook: @matt.codd.3 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/] Austin Spitzenberger Instagram: @austin_spitzz TikTok: @austin_spitzz Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/]