How do you scale a short-term rental property management business while keeping both guests and owners happy? In this Host Planet Playbook – powered by Hospitable – Tracey Choy from Dongle Capital shares how she transitioned from the corporate world into the vacation rental industry and built a portfolio of 60 short-term rental units in Ontario, Canada. Tracey explains the systems, mindset, and operational tactics that helped her grow a successful STR property management company while maintaining a strong human touch with both guests and property owners. In this episode we cover: * How Tracey moved from corporate life into the short-term rental industry * The strategies used to scale a property management business to 60 units * The opportunities and challenges of operating vacation rentals in Ontario, Canada * Why smart locks can transform the guest experience * The importance of communication when working with property owners * The biggest lessons learned from running a short-term rental business * How corporate skills translate into STR management success If you’re an Airbnb host, vacation rental investor, or property manager, this episode is packed with practical insights on growing a professional short-term rental business. 1:43 Managing short-term rentals in Canada 2:29 From the corporate world to vacation rentals 3:52 Having an owner-led business with the human touch helps Dongle Capital stand out 5:15 The tactics used to scale the business to 60 units 6:50 The challenges and opportunities in Ontario, starting with regulation 7:58 Top tips for delivering a great guest experience, starting with smart locks 11:34 Top tips for keeping owners happy, starting with communication 13:31 Tracey’s biggest lesson learned: be proactive 14:57 What Tracey loves the most about hosting 16:21 The transferable skills from corporate to short-term rentals 17:54 Quickfire questions Download a free copy of the Host Planet Playbook: https://www.hostplanet.club/host-planet-playbook The Host Planet Playbook was created in collaboration with property management software, Hospitable. Interested in using a PMS which will help you manage your rentals on autopilot? Get 25% off Hospitable for the first three months: https://hospitable.com/partners/hostplanet Tracey Choy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/choytracey/ The Host Planet Playbook series is presented by James Varley, Founder and CEO of Host Planet. Connect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/ Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/ The Host Planet Podcast is where Airbnb hosts, Booking.com hosts, Vrbo hosts, and short-term rental operators come to learn what actually works. Each episode features expert insights from people actively building, managing, and scaling short-term rentals, covering everything from Airbnb hosting fundamentals to advanced rental strategies. Whether you’re focused on guest satisfaction, rental management, or smarter automation tips, the show delivers practical advice you can apply immediately to improve performance and increase Airbnb bookings. Across the series, we explore Airbnb host tips, listing optimization, price optimization, and Airbnb listing optimization – alongside real-world investing insights and behind-the-scenes Airbnb secrets you won’t hear elsewhere. From hosted conversations with industry leaders and Airbnb ambassadors to actionable guidance on bookings and short-term rental growth, Host Planet helps hosts navigate short term rentals with confidence and clarity. The show is presented by James Varley, a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club #DirectBookings #VacationRental #ShortTermRental #GuestExperience #PropertyManagement #HostPlanetPlaybook #HostPlanet #Hospitable
