Blue Gems Podcast Aidan Groll and JB Bullock

In this episode, we dive into the intricate world of hotel investments with a focus on acquisitions, financing, and strategic partnerships. The discussion unveils practical insights into navigating the hotel investment landscape, emphasizing the significance of strategic acquisitions, innovative financing options, and the power of partnerships in optimizing hotel operations. The conversation is rich with tactical advice, offering listeners a comprehensive blueprint to navigate the complexities of hotel investments successfully, from making compelling offers to mastering the art of hotel syndications.

Top 3 Takeaways from the Podcast:


Strategic Acquisitions: Learn the essentials of unlocking hotel deals, focusing on practical strategies to identify and acquire lucrative hotel investment opportunities.


Innovative Financing: Discover various financing avenues, including seller financing and other creative tactics, to facilitate smooth and successful hotel acquisitions.


Power of Partnerships: Gain insights into leveraging partnerships and syndications to optimize hotel operations, enhance investment strategies, and drive success in the hotel investment realm.


Follow Sujay online: https://www.instagram.com/Sujmehta/

Let's connect!
► Blue Gems Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluegemsgroup/
► JB's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbinvested/
► Aidan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidangroll/
► Blue Gems STR Management: https://bluegemsmgmt.co
► STR Meetup: https://bluegemsgroup.com

Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Intro
[05:00:00] Transition into the Hotel Investment Space
[10:00:00] Strategies for Acquiring Hotels and Properties
[15:00:00] Discussion on Financing Options and Seller Financing
[20:00:00] Insights into Hotel Syndications and Partnerships
[25:00:00] Challenges and Learning Experiences in Hotel Investments
[30:00:00] Advice on Making Offers and Securing Deals
[35:00:00] Closing Thoughts and Final Pieces of Advice

*None of this is meant to be specific investment advice, it's for entertainment purposes only.

In this episode of the Blue Gems podcast, we dive deep into the world of short-term rentals (STR) with Stacy St. John, a seasoned STR investor and property manager. Stacy shares her journey from starting in the real estate space to now owning 10 properties and managing a total of 26. She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's goals and vision before diving into the STR business. Stacy also highlights the significance of researching and choosing the right market, and the value of establishing strong relationships in the industry. Additionally, she touches upon the challenges and rewards of managing client funds and the importance of transparency in the property management space.


Top takeaways from this episode include:

1) Establish Clear Buying Criteria: Before jumping into the STR market, it's essential to outline your goals and vision for your business. Understand what you want from your rental and how it aligns with your life goals.

2) Research is Key: Once you have a clear vision, research potential markets that fit your criteria. Dive deep into understanding the dynamics of each market and evaluate each deal from an investment standpoint.

3) Transparency in Property Management: In the world of property management, transparency is crucial. Whether it's managing client funds or maintaining quality standards, being open and honest with clients can set you apart in the industry.


Follow Stacey online: https://www.instagram.com/stacey_st.john/

Let's connect!
► Blue Gems Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluegemsgroup/
► JB's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbinvested/
► Aidan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidangroll/
► Blue Gems STR Management: https://bluegemsmgmt.co
► STR Meetup: https://bluegemsgroup.com

Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:01:47] Getting into short-term rentals.
[00:05:29] Ugly properties turned market opportunities.
[00:10:02] How did you do it?
[00:14:43] Concierge service for short-term rentals.
[00:20:23] Handling financial reporting correctly.
[00:24:10] Transparency in property management.
[00:32:39] Short-term rental advice.
[00:34:12] Different acquisition strategies.
[00:38:44] Finding a mentor for success.


*None of this is meant to be specific investment advice, it's for entertainment purposes only.

In this episode of the Blue Gems podcast, we dive deep into the inspiring journey of JB Bullock, the co-founder of Blue Gems. From his early fascination with real estate in middle school to his professional poker career, JB shares how he transitioned into the real estate world during the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses the importance of taking action, even if imperfect, and how he scaled from zero to 44 units in just under two years using none of his own money.
Top three takeaways:

The significance of building relationships and trust when raising private capital for scaling in real estate.

The value of partnerships, especially with complementary skill sets, in achieving rapid growth and success.

The importance of balancing personal life with business, and how reframing societal norms can lead to a fulfilling partnership both in business and marriage.


Follow JB online: https://www.instagram.com/jbinvested/

Let's connect!
► Blue Gems Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluegemsgroup/
► JB's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbinvested/
► Aidan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidangroll/
► Blue Gems STR Management: https://bluegemsmgmt.co
► STR Meetup: https://bluegemsgroup.com

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro
[00:01:09] Real estate journey during COVID.
[00:04:33] Proof of concept in real estate.
[00:07:17] Full-time professional poker player.
[00:12:45] Raising private capital and partnerships.
[00:14:29] Scaling through raising private capital.
[00:19:55] Visionary vs. Integrator
[00:23:12] Defying societal expectations.
[00:26:14] Time in the game.
[00:31:19] Losing the essence of hospitality.
[00:34:57] Personal goals and travel.

*None of this is meant to be specific investment advice, it's for entertainment purposes only.

Shownotes:
On this episode of the Blue Gems podcast, we spoke with Fouad Bazzi, the founder and owner of Crescent Retreats. Fouad shares his journey of opening gourmet restaurants and differentiating himself in a saturated market. He emphasizes the importance of diving into the data and understanding the supply and demand in the industry. Fouad also discusses his transition from a banking career to owning vacation rental properties on the West Coast, including Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Huntington Beach. He reveals his latest venture in the Florida market, just miles away from Disney World. Tune in to hear Fouad's inspiring story and his insights on building a successful business.

Follow Fouad online: https://www.instagram.com/fouadbazzi_airbnb/

Let's connect!
► Blue Gems Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluegemsgroup/
► Aidan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidangroll/
► JB's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbinvested/
► Blue Gems Management: https://bluegemsmgmt.co
► STR Meetup: https://bluegemsgroup.com

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro
00:04:20 Importance of mentorship and education
00:05:11 Mastermind groups are valuable
00:14:03 Differentiate and compete on quality
00:14:20 Maximizing revenue through property utilization
00:22:11 Build relationships for raising capital
00:27:47 Short-term rental market is growing
00:28:04 Embrace nomadic lifestyle, know your market
00:32:28 Abundance mindset fosters connection.

*None of this is meant to be specific investment advice, it's for entertainment purposes only.

Shownotes:
Coming from the STR Investor side, Kenneth Bedwell felt the struggle of finding new markets to invest in. With a smaller budget, it was hard to find a good market that didn’t break the bank and this inspired Kenneth to create a data comparison formula that originally wasn’t going to be shared with anyone other than some of Kenneth’s close connections in the STR world. He has some good friends though, and they pushed him to turn his spreadsheets into a whole platform. As a result of this, we now have STR Insights, a data platform that is the only place you can compare market data side by side to figure out the next market to invest in. 
Knowing all that he does about data, Kenneth shares a lot of insight on markets across the country. He tells us what markets he would invest in right now (and one that he is) along with his opinions on what has to go into the decision of investing in a new market.

Follow Kenneth online:
► Kenneth's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenny_bedwell/
► STR Insights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strinsights/
► Facebook Group, The STR Data Host: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1242310879999732/

Let's connect!
► Blue Gems Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluegemsgroup/
► Aidan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidangroll/
► JB's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbinvested/
► Blue Gems Management: https://bluegemsmgmt.co
► STR Meetup: https://bluegemsgroup.com

Timestamps:
[00:00] Intro
[01:00] STR Insights and what it is
[01:46] What was Kenneth doing before STR Insights
[05:24] Sourcing the data and how it’s shared 
[09:28] Data points on amenities 
[10:53] Kenneth’s take on the luxury STR market 
[12:36] If Kenneth owned a property management company, what would he do?
[14:09] What is a reasonable variance between STR Insight data and actual revenue?
[17:07] What markets to look at for MTRs
[18:19] Blue Gems Management
[18:46] Mistakes new investors make when underwriting a STR
[23:00] Taxes on STRs
[24:05] What three markets would Kenneth invest in right now?
[26:41] If I wanted to gross 200k or more, where should I invest?
[28:50] Kissimmee and Davenport
[30:48] Kenneth’s opinion on boutique hotels 
[32:42] Number one piece of advice for a new STR investor
[33:59] Where is the STR market going in 2024
[35:21] One last blue gem

*None of this is meant to be specific investment advice, it's for entertainment purposes only.

From both the guest side and the host side, Daniel Rusteen’s experiences in the STR space have helped him create great strategies for optimizing your Airbnb. A pro in the field, Daniel coaches other STR investors to supercharge their STR properties. In this episode, he is sharing the importance of running your STRs like a business with two main points: using dynamic pricing and direct booking. Dynamic pricing tools are a must and while sometimes there’s a learning curve, it can be a game changer. Building out your online presence off of the Airbnb platform by using direct bookings can also change the game for STR business owners. 
Daniel has been a long term guest of mid- and short term rentals, and has a great perspective to share without listeners on things to think of if you want to get into MTRs. Many things that short term renters will overlook become nuisances to mid-term renters. You don’t want to miss this episode of Blue Gems, so go ahead and give it a listen!

Follow Daniel online:
► Website: https://optimizemyairbnb.com/
► Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwKwfQEYlbTCUynJHqjDmUA
► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optimizemyairbnb/?hl=en

Let's connect!
► Blue Gems Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluegemsgroup/
► Aidan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidangroll/
► JB's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbinvested/
► Blue Gems Management: https://bluegemsmgmt.co
► STR Meetup: https://bluegemsgroup.com

Timestamps:
[00:00] Intro
[01:00] Who is Daniel?
[02:14] Running your STRs as a business
[04:02] Optimize My BnB
[05:45] Getting your review count higher and booking online
[09:03] Tools and software Daniel uses to run BnBs like a business
[12:36] Daniel’s book and potential titles
[15:33] The difference between STRs and vacation rentals 
[16:27] Mid-term rentals
[17:31] What Daniel looks for as a guest in a MTR
[20:34] Reviews for STRs vs. MTRs
[21:44] Blue Gems Management 
[22:12] Daniel’s lifestyle of living in MTRs and STRs: pros and cons
[27:37] A piece of advice for a new STR investor
[29:19] Where is the market going in 2024?
[35:24] One last blue gem

*None of this is meant to be specific investment advice, it's for entertainment purposes only.