From Tragedy to 65 Units: How Cara and Mark Truckey Built a Life and Business on Their Own Terms

The 4-Year Warning: Why AI is About to Replace Average Operators | David VanWert

📲 Connect with STR Secrets: Free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book STR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets Apply to work with us: https://strsecrets.com/apply STR Secrets Podcast: https://strsecrets.com/podcast [https://strsecrets.com/podcast] Most luxury STR owners write that electric bill every month without ever knowing what's causing it. David VanWert did the same thing — until he built a platform to fix it. In this episode, E and Chris sit down with David VanWert, founder of Umbra and owner of seven STR cabins in the Smoky Mountains and Mammoth Lakes. David built Umbra after spending years watching energy costs silently destroy the profitability of high-end vacation rentals — and after realizing no existing solution was built for the STR world. In this episode David covers: - What Umbra does: smart power monitoring and automation built specifically for large luxury STRs - How Umbra integrates with your PMS to automatically cut power when guests check out - Real results: 45% reduction in electricity cost per night, $620 saved in one month on one property, 30% lower bill YoY - How silent system failures — clogged AC units, water leaks, tripped breakers — get caught before they become emergencies - Why electricity costs in the Smoky Mountains regularly hit $2,000-$3,000 per cabin in winter — and how to stop that - How David scaled to seven properties in under five years using second home loans, cost segregation studies, and the STR tax loophole - Why the STR tax play — not cash flow — is the real opportunity for high-income earners buying right now - David's full AI workflow: how he rebuilt his entire business from the ground up using Claude - How he cut a 100-hour design project down to under 20 hours with AI - Why he believes operators have a 4-6 year window to get ahead of AI before things get "weird" - The time study method: how to audit every 15-minute block of your day and identify what AI can automate - What happens to property managers and co-hosts when AI agents handle all communications, scheduling, and pricing - David's #1 secret to STR success: tenacity This is a rare conversation — equal parts operations, tech, and honest truth about where this industry is headed. --- About David VanWert: David VanWert is the founder of Umbra, a power-monitoring and automation platform built specifically for large luxury short-term rentals. He owns seven cabins — six in the Smoky Mountains and one in Mammoth Lakes — and built Umbra after experiencing firsthand how much energy waste and property risk goes undetected in high-end vacation rentals. His background is in technology and design, and he now splits his time between operating his own portfolio and helping other owners and property managers answer one simple question: what's running right now, and should it be? Connect with David and Umbra: Website: umbra-energy.com Instagram: @umbraenergy Facebook: Umbra Energy Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:22 - Introducing David VanWert and Umbra 5:28 - E's Michelin Restaurant Story: Service Is Black and White, Hospitality Is Color 9:06 - What Is Umbra and Why Did David Build It? 10:58 - The Real Cost of Running a Luxury STR: $2,000-$3,000 Electric Bills in the Smokies 12:49 - How Umbra Works: Smart Power Automation Tied to Your PMS 14:34 - Real Results: 45% Reduction, $620 Saved in One Month 16:37 - How Umbra Catches Silent Failures Before They Become Emergencies 18:34 - David's Background: From High-End Home Automation to STR Investor 20:26 - How David Scaled to Seven Properties in Under Five Years 21:58 - The STR Tax Play: Why High-Income Earners Should Be Buying Right Now 24:30 - Is the STR Market Still Worth It? What David Is Seeing Today 27:46 - How David Rebuilt His Entire Workflow Using Claude and AI 33:25 - From 100 Hours to 20: How AI Changed His Design Business 40:13 - The 4-6 Year Window: Why You Need to Get Ahead of AI Right Now 43:11 - What Happens to Property Managers When AI Handles Everything? 45:00 - Where to Start With AI If You Have No Tech Background 47:26 - David's #1 Secret to STR Success: Tenacity

The Split Fee Is Not Back: What Airbnb's 15.5% Host-Only Fee Actually Means for Your Payout

AS OF APRIL 15TH, AIRBNB MOVED EVERY HOST TO A 15.5% HOST-ONLY FEE. If you haven't updated your pricing yet — your next booking will pay you less than you expect. Btw you can grab the spreadsheet from here : https://www.strsecrets.com/airbnbfee [https://www.strsecrets.com/airbnbfee] Also, if you want to talk to us directly: http://strsecrets.com/implement [http://strsecrets.com/implement] In this training Mike covers: - What the Airbnb fee change actually means: 15.5% host-only fee applies to nightly rate, cleaning fee, resort fee, pet fee — everything - Why the split fee showing back up in your account is a bug — not a reversal - The exact price increase you need to make: 18.34% minimum for direct owners - How co-hosts and property managers need to handle this differently — and why checking the listing owner's account first matters - The fee change spreadsheet walkthrough — how to model the right scenario for your business (comment FEE CHANGE to get it) - How to split the channel fee with your homeowner so nobody loses - How to track your Airbnb algorithm ranking after raising prices using Rank Breeze - Why five-star properties make 18% more in RevPAR than 4.7-star properties — and how that matters more right now - How Mike's portfolio is pacing 130% of June goals and 120% of July goals — and why - Why now is the time to get on Vrbo — Mike is seeing 10% more bookings YoY from Vrbo this year - How to retarget past guests with text messages and automated campaigns to offset any Airbnb drop - Listing optimization basics: why your first five photos, your copy, and your reviews are your most valuable assets right now This is the most important training for STR operators this month. 📲 Connect with STR Secrets: STR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets Apply to work with us: https://strsecrets.com/apply STR Secrets Podcast: https://strsecrets.com/podcast Timestamps: 0:00 - What Just Happened: Airbnb's Fee Change Explained 1:16 - The Split Fee Is Not Back — It Was a Bug 2:23 - What 15.5% Host-Only Fee Actually Means for Your Payout 3:04 - Step 1: Increase Your Airbnb Pricing by 18.34% Right Now 4:27 - Step 2: Track Your Algorithm Ranking After Raising Prices 5:44 - How to Check and Confirm Your Fee Setting in Airbnb 8:21 - The Fee Change Spreadsheet Walkthrough 12:30 - How to Split the Channel Fee With Your Homeowner 14:26 - What Co-Hosts and Property Managers Need to Do Differently 15:12 - How to Make Pricing Changes Inside Your PMS 16:03 - Testing Price Increases: 15% vs 18% vs 25% — What We've Seen 18:01 - The Airbnb Algorithm: What Actually Moves Your Ranking 18:25 - Five-Star Properties Make 18% More in RevPAR 19:48 - Virtual Stays, Friends and Family Reviews and Algorithm Boosts 20:15 - Mike's Portfolio Is Pacing 130% of June Goals — Here's Why 21:03 - Get on Vrbo: Mike Is Up 10% YoY From Vrbo This Year 22:15 - Retarget Past Guests With Text Campaigns Right Now 23:45 - Listing Optimization Basics: Photos, Copy and Reviews 24:07 - Action Steps and Where to Get the Spreadsheet

What the #1 Restaurant in the World Taught Me About Running a Better STR Business

Free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book STR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets E just got back from the Unreasonable Hospitality Summit in Nashville — and this solo episode is his full recap. Will Guidara wrote Unreasonable Hospitality during COVID. He took Eleven Madison Park from a nice restaurant to the #1 restaurant in the world — the only restaurant to ever go from one Michelin star to three in a single year. His philosophy: service is what you do for people. Hospitality is how you make them feel. In this episode E breaks down the biggest lessons from the summit — how to systematize hospitality so your team delivers it consistently, why hiring the person over the resume matters more than you think, how to build a culture of praise and feedback that makes teams want to grow, and why the magic moments your guests remember are never accidental. He also tackles the AI question head on: the answer is not cutting your team — it is repurposing them to create more human moments in a world where genuine connection is becoming a scarce resource. The episode closes with the question Will Guidara asked the room that E says called him to greatness: "What would you attempt to do if you knew you couldn't fail?" Get the book: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara New book: Unreasonable Hospitality Field Guide (released April 28, 2026) Free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book STR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets

The STR Tax Loophole That Could Save Your Homeowners $100,000 — And Win You More Clients

If you want to increase your revenue, automate your day to day operations and spend more time with your kids: http://strsecrets.com/implement [http://strsecrets.com/implement] If you want to join our weekly free training: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets] Most property managers and co-hosts pitch homeowners on management fees. Mike Reilly pitches them on $100,000 in tax savings. And it closes more deals than anything else. In this Portfolio Clinic training, Mike breaks down the STR tax loophole — why it works, who qualifies, and exactly how to use it to attract high-income homeowners and win management contracts. This is not investment or tax advice. But it is the most powerful conversation you can have with a prospective homeowner — and most co-hosts and property managers are never having it. In this training Mike covers: - Why taxes are the #1 expense for every high-income W2 earner and business owner - How a doctor making $375K in California goes from a $145K tax bill to a $47K tax bill — with one STR - What a cost segregation study is and how it accelerates depreciation in year one - The two requirements to qualify for the STR loophole: 7-day average stay and 100+ hours of material participation - Why 90% of CPAs don't know this loophole exists — and how to help your homeowner educate theirs - The exact conversation flow to have with prospective and new homeowners - How Mike charges a $20-25K consulting and design fee upfront — then takes over management in year two - Real results: one homeowner got $80K back this year, another got $60K last year - How to structure the deal so the homeowner qualifies AND you get the management contract - What to do with a cost segregation study if the homeowner wants to be fully passive - How to handle depreciation recapture and when to recommend a 1031 exchange This is one of the highest-leverage strategies a co-host or property manager can learn right now. Want help implementing this in your business? Go to: https://strsecrets.com/implement 📲 Connect with STR Secrets: Free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book STR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets Apply to work with us: https://strsecrets.com/apply STR Secrets Podcast: https://strsecrets.com/podcast Timestamps: 0:00 - Why Taxes Are Your Homeowner's Biggest Expense 3:20 - The Math: How a Doctor Paying $145K in Taxes Can Change Everything With One STR 6:00 - What Is a Cost Segregation Study and Why Every Homeowner Needs One 8:30 - How Much Can You Depreciate in Year One? (The 25% Rule) 10:00 - The Two Tests to Qualify for the STR Loophole 12:00 - Running the Numbers: From $145K Tax Bill to $47K With One Property 14:30 - The Exact Conversation to Have With Every Prospective Homeowner 16:30 - How to Charge a Consulting Fee and Design Fee Upfront 18:00 - Real Results: $80K Back This Year, $60K Last Year 19:30 - What If the Homeowner Wants to Be Fully Passive? 21:00 - Depreciation Recapture and When to Recommend a 1031 Exchange 22:00 - Q&A: Cost Seg on an Existing Property, Passive Losses and More

From Tragedy to 65 Units: How Cara and Mark Truckey Built a Life and Business on Their Own Terms

In 2016, Cara and Mark Truckey lost their 14-month-old son. He never woke up at daycare. Most couples don't survive a loss like that. Instead, it became the moment that changed everything. In this episode, E and Chris sit down with Cara and Mark Truckey — two STR Secrets boardroom alumni who have built a real estate portfolio of 65+ units across Wisconsin and Florida while raising three kids and running multiple businesses. This is one of the most honest and human conversations we have had on this show. In this episode Cara and Mark cover: - How losing their son reshaped their entire perspective on time, work, and money - How Cara quit her hospital job in 2020 and Mark quit his plumbing W-2 in 2021 - How they went from a few house flips to 65+ rental units across two states - Their first STR — a lake property in Wisconsin they bought by accident - Why Mark struggled with delegation for years — and the 80/20 rule that broke the pattern - How to find the right people for the right seats — and why belief in the vision matters more than skills - How Cara transitioned into Savvy Realty as a top agent in the Tampa Clearwater market - What actually keeps a husband and wife business partnership aligned - The daily habit that is their real superpower — and has nothing to do with business - How to change your identity before the results show up - Mark's upcoming $130 million capital campaign for a K-12 school in Wisconsin - Cara's goal: 40 STRs under management in Florida by end of 2027 - Their #1 secrets to success: courage and fighting past limiting beliefs If you want to increase your revenue, automate your day to day operations and spend more time with your kids: http://strsecrets.com/apply [http://strsecrets.com/apply] If you want to join our weekly free training: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets] Connect with Cara: Instagram: www.instagram.com/caratruckey Facebook: www.facebook.com/caratruckey Savvy Realty: www.savvy.realty/cara Timestamps: 0:00 - Highlights 1:00 - Introducing Cara and Mark Truckey 5:05 - Their Story: Growing Up in Wisconsin and Losing Their Son in 2016 7:32 - How Grief Changed Their Relationship With Time and Money 9:03 - How They Built the Portfolio: Flips, BRRRs and Their First Accidental STR 10:21 - How They Split the Business: Cara on Sales, Mark on Construction 11:56 - Building the Team: Florida and Wisconsin Operations 14:11 - Mark's Delegation Journey: The 80/20 Rule That Changed Everything 16:48 - Right People in the Right Seats: Why Belief in the Vision Matters Most 18:24 - Identity First: You Have to Become the Person Before the Results Show Up 21:33 - How to Actually Change Your Identity — Not Just Understand It 24:28 - Why Being Part of a Mastermind Has Always Been Their Edge 25:25 - Running a Business With Your Spouse — What Actually Works 26:47 - Spiritual Alignment: The Foundation That Kept Them Together Through Tragedy 27:23 - The Matthew McConaughey Analogy: You Won't Always Walk Side by Side 32:21 - How Cara Made the Decision to Join Savvy Realty 35:00 - Their Real Superpower: Health, Accountability and Alignment 38:27 - What's Next: Mark's $130M School Campaign and Cara's Management Goals 42:23 - Their #1 Secrets to STR Success