STR Global Unlocked with Simon Lehmann: Unfiltered knowledge for the short term rental industry

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The short-term rental industry is evolving fast, and Simon Lehmann isn’t afraid to say what others won’t.STR Global Unlocked is where property managers, STR tech founders, vacation rental investors, and hospitality leaders get real about the business. Each episode breaks down what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s coming next: property management operations, direct bookings, vacation rental software, pricing strategies, mergers and acquisitions in real estate, professional host challenges, and the future of automation, AI, and tech stacks. Hosted by Simon Lehmann, CEO of AJL Atelier and one of the most trusted voices in the global STR space, the show delivers unfiltered conversations with the people shaping the industry. Simon has decades of experience in vacation rentals, travel tech, and hospitality, including leadership roles at Vacasa Europe, PhocusWright and HomeAway. If you’re scaling a property management company, building short-term rental technology, investing in vacation rentals, or entering this fast-moving market, this podcast is your seat at the table. 

  1. 022: Why STR Leaders Crack Under Pressure | CEO Coach Gary Cohen

    21H AGO

    022: Why STR Leaders Crack Under Pressure | CEO Coach Gary Cohen

    As short-term rental moves from rapid expansion into a more disciplined phase, leadership quality becomes the differentiator. In fast-scaling STR businesses, execution rarely breaks because of strategy. It breaks under pressure, idea overload, unclear decision rights, and human blind spots. In this episode of STR Global Unlocked, Simon Lehmann speaks with Gary Cohen, CEO coach and leadership advisor, about what actually changes in founders when complexity increases. They examine why scaling without documentation weakens execution, how ego and humility shape decision quality, and why many STR operators become the bottleneck in their own companies. The conversation also explores how leaders should think about AI, not as advanced search, but as a strategic thinking partner in an evolving discovery landscape. In this conversation, we discuss: Why short term rental leadership failures often begin with human behavior, not financial performance.How scaling STR companies must balance business systems, team dynamics, and executive self awareness.Where decisiveness becomes reactive decision making and how idea overload damages operational clarity.The relationship between ego, humility, and executive effectiveness in fast growing hospitality businesses.How AI is reshaping decision making, search visibility, and strategic leadership in short term rental.Resources and links: Connect with Gary Cohen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/garycohen/] to learn more about CO2 Coaching [https://co2coaching.com].   Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    47 min
  2. 021: Is Luxury Short-Term Rental Really Resilient? - Luxury STR Roundtable with Emerald Stay, Le Collectionist, The Luxe Nomad and Nocturne Luxury Villas

    FEB 24

    021: Is Luxury Short-Term Rental Really Resilient? - Luxury STR Roundtable with Emerald Stay, Le Collectionist, The Luxe Nomad and Nocturne Luxury Villas

    Luxury short-term rental has long been viewed as the most resilient segment of the STR industry. But resilience does not mean immunity. Rising interest rates, tighter capital, geopolitical instability, regulatory scrutiny, and growing operational costs are reshaping the landscape. Demand remains strong, yet it is more selective, more price-sensitive, and less forgiving than in previous cycles. In this special roundtable episode of STR Global Unlocked, Simon Lehmann convenes four global founders and CEOs operating at the forefront of luxury short-term rentals across Europe, Asia, and the United States: Maxime Friess, Founder & CEO, Emerald StayMax Aniort, Founder & CEO, Le CollectionistStephanie Chai, Founder & CEO, The Luxe NomadScott Wiseman, CEO, Nocturne Luxury VillasEach represents a distinct operating model and market dynamic within the high-end STR ecosystem. In this conversation, they explore with Simon Lehmann: Whether luxury demand is structurally resilient or simply slower to absorb macroeconomic pressureHow pricing has shifted from a revenue lever to a demand signal, and why overpricing can damage long-term competitivenessThe margin realities of high-touch hospitality, including staffing, fixed costs, and why operational discipline now outweighs topline growthWho truly owns the guest relationship in a fragmented distribution ecosystem, and what separates repeat bookings from genuine brand loyaltyHow regulation, insurance scrutiny, and safety standards are accelerating the professionalization of luxury STRWhether scale strengthens or dilutes luxury positioning, and what it takes to build a globally recognized luxury STR brandConnect with the panelists on LinkedIn: -   Maxime Friess: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxime-friess/  -   Stephanie Chai: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stchai/  -   Scott Wiseman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottfwiseman/ -   Max Aniort: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxaniort/  Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    1h 5m
  3. 020: Trust, Reviews, and AI: How Experience Intelligence Is Shaping Hospitality and STR with Ben Jost of TrustYou

    FEB 17

    020: Trust, Reviews, and AI: How Experience Intelligence Is Shaping Hospitality and STR with Ben Jost of TrustYou

    Reviews are everywhere in hospitality, yet most operators still misunderstand what they actually represent.  In this episode of STR Global Unlocked, Simon Lehmann sits down with Ben Jost, CEO of TrustYou, to unpack why guest feedback analytics, reputation management, trust, and experience intelligence are emerging as critical drivers of decision-making and long-term performance in hospitality and short-term rentals. Ben brings more than 15 years of experience working at the intersection of reputation management, data, and guest intelligence across global hospitality brands. While TrustYou’s roots are firmly in traditional hotels, the conversation repeatedly highlights how the same feedback dynamics apply to short-term rentals as the sector professionalizes and guest expectations increasingly mirror hotel standards. This discussion reframes reviews as strategic infrastructure rather than surface-level scores and shows how review data directly influences pricing strategy, revenue management, and conversion performance. The episode explores why operators who understand and act on feedback build stronger trust, clearer positioning, and more resilient businesses over time. In this conversation, we discuss: Why guest feedback functions as the quality management layer of modern experience intelligence.How small improvements in perceived quality directly influence pricing power, conversion, and long-term revenue performance.The disconnect between collecting reviews and acting on them, and how inaction weakens trust with guests over time.Why trust is created when expectations align with reality, not through brand alone, and how reviews shape that expectation.How consistency challenges in short-term rentals mirror hotel dynamics, and why operating without quality benchmarks creates structural risk.How AI will turn fragmented guest touchpoints into a continuous conversation, making feedback more timely, natural, and actionable across the guest journey. Learn more Connect with Ben Jost on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-jost-7761643/]  to learn more about TrustYou [https://www.trustyou.com/] Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    52 min
  4. 019: Travel Marketplaces That Endure: Lessons from HomeAway to RVshare with Jon Gray

    FEB 10

    019: Travel Marketplaces That Endure: Lessons from HomeAway to RVshare with Jon Gray

    Some platforms optimize for growth. Others optimize for survival. Very few manage both. In this episode of STR Global Unlocked, Simon Lehmann sits down with Jon Gray, CEO of RVshare and former executive at HomeAway (now VRBO), for a grounded conversation on what actually makes marketplaces last. Jon has seen multiple cycles from the early days of short-term rentals, through the $3.9B sale of HomeAway to Expedia, to scaling the largest RV rental marketplace in the world. This is not a discussion about categories, labels, or hype. It is about discipline, tradeoffs, and building platforms that hold up when demand shifts. Throughout the conversation, Jon returns to one core idea. Marketplaces exist to remove friction and expand real choice. Everything else follows from that. In this conversation, we discuss: Why the true job of a marketplace is removing friction and delivering meaningful consumer choice, regardless of category.What felt uncertain in the early HomeAway days but later proved obvious, including instant booking and inventory neutrality.Why guests prioritize experience quality over who manages the inventory, and what that means for professional operators.How RVshare translated STR marketplace fundamentals into a higher-friction, mobile asset class.Why pushing supply sophistication faster than feels comfortable protects long-term experience and reputation.Why resilience, unit economics, and survivability matter more than valuation narratives during growth cycles. Resources and links: Connect with Jon Gray on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathangray/] to learn more about RVshare [https://rvshare.com/]  Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    55 min
  5. 018: Where Real Estate Models Are Converging: Lavanda CEO Fred Lerche-Lerchenborg on Flexible Living, STR, and Multifamily

    FEB 3

    018: Where Real Estate Models Are Converging: Lavanda CEO Fred Lerche-Lerchenborg on Flexible Living, STR, and Multifamily

    In this episode of STR Global Unlocked, Simon Lehmann speaks with Fred Lerche-Lerchenborg, CEO of Lavanda, about how short-term rentals, mid-term stays, and multifamily are converging inside the same assets. This is not a tech pitch. It is a practical discussion on institutional real estate, operating risk, and why flexible living is becoming a core strategy for owners and investors. Fred breaks down why legacy long-term rental systems fail at daily pricing and mixed inventory, why lease-arbitrage collapsed at scale, and how investor psychology, cap rates, compliance, and risk transfer shape real decisions. The conversation also explores why Europe is moving faster than the US in flexible living, and what operators must get right before blending STR into multifamily creates value instead of backlash. In this conversation, we discuss: Why residential real estate systems were never designed for flexibility, and how changing living patterns are forcing new operating models.Where traditional PMS platforms fail when short-term, mid-term, and long-term stays coexist in the same building.Why institutional capital evaluates flexible living through asset value protection, not revenue upside alone.How lease arbitrage broke down at scale, and when selective leasing can still work for smaller STR operators.What flexible living unlocks for student housing, build-to-rent, and urban development in regulated markets.Why risk, liability, insurance, and guest vetting become non-negotiable when STR enters multifamily environments.Explore more: Connect with Fred Lerche-Lerchenborg on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-lerche-lerchenborg] to learn more about Lavanda [http://getlavanda.com]   . . . Podcast supported by Breezeway. Breezeway brings operational workflows, service execution, and standards together in one platform for hospitality operators. 👉 Get started with Breezeway here  Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    53 min
  6. 017: Decisions, Not Forecasts: How Professional STR Operators Win in 2026 with Simon Lehmann

    JAN 27

    017: Decisions, Not Forecasts: How Professional STR Operators Win in 2026 with Simon Lehmann

    The short-term rental industry is entering a more demanding phase. In 2026, performance will be defined by execution, discipline, and decision-making under pressure. In this solo episode, Simon Lehmann outlines what professional operators must change, what they must stop doing, and where time and capital should be focused to protect margin and build durable businesses. The 6 Decisions Shaping STR Performance in 2026 Quality of earnings – Why unit-level profitability matters more than portfolio growth.Pricing – How pricing shifts from a tactical tool to a leadership strategy.Operations – Why friction, not branding, defines trust and long-term value.Regulation – The transition from headline risk to enforcement and professionalism.Risk and insurance – How liability, safety, and preparedness are being repriced.Distribution – Why controlled exposure replaces maximum exposure in a changing discovery landscape. FOUNDING SPONSORS Founding PMS Partner, eviivo. eviivo Suite centralizes booking management, payments, automation, and OTA connectivity for 28,000 accommodation providers. 👉 Access the exclusive offer from eviivo here Founding Operations Partner, Breezeway. Breezeway brings operational workflows, service execution, and standards together in one platform for hospitality operators. 👉 Get started with Breezeway here Founding RMS Partner, PriceLabs. PriceLabs centralizes automated pricing and market intelligence for property managers operating at scale 👉 Start your 30-day free trial with Pricelabs here Founding Insurance Partner, Pikl. Pikl enables insurance-powered flexible cancellation and new revenue models for short-term rental operators. 👉 Know more about Pikl here Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    29 min
  7. 016: Flexible Living Is Reshaping STR: An Institutional Capital Perspective with Jaja Jackson of ICONIQ Capital

    JAN 20

    016: Flexible Living Is Reshaping STR: An Institutional Capital Perspective with Jaja Jackson of ICONIQ Capital

    Short-term rentals, flexible living, and multifamily are no longer separate conversations. For institutional capital, they are converging into a single question around risk, yield, and long-term durability. In this episode, Simon Lehmann sits down with Jaja Jackson, Senior Vice President of Real Assets at ICONIQ Capital and Corporate Development Officer at Sentral, to unpack how large-scale investors evaluate short-term rentals, midterm stays, and flexible living models. This conversation cuts through platform narratives and focuses on underwriting logic, operational discipline, and why integration matters more than experimentation. In this conversation, we discuss: Why Jaja Jackson sees STR as both an asset class and an operating strategy, depending on how risk and operations are structured.How institutional investors assess STR, mid-term stays, and unfurnished rentals through one core lens: predictable income, controlled risk, and lasting upside.Why flexible living works only when it is fully integrated into Class A multifamily operations, not treated as an add-on.What billions in deployed capital reveal about returns, and why mixed-length stay models outperform unfurnished-only strategies.How lessons from Airbnb shaped institutional thinking, and why early lease-arbitrage models broke down without deep operational integration.Why brand, transparent reporting, and operational discipline matter more to institutional capital than short-term yield spikes, drawing on perspectives from ICONIQ Capital and Sentral.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast solely represent the views of the respective speaker. Nothing expressed in this podcast should be viewed as investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security, nor creates an advisory relationship with ICONIQ Capital. Nothing in this podcast constitutes accounting, legal, regulatory, tax, or other advice.   Explore more: Connect with Jaja Jackson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaja-jackson-36832a57] to learn more about ICONIQ [https://www.iconiqcapital.com/real-assets] and Sentral [https://sentral.com/] Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    55 min
  8. 015: Is Raising Capital Like Ecommerce the Answer to Real Estate’s Funding Problem? Insights From DealMaker Co-Founder and CEO Rebecca Kacaba

    JAN 13

    015: Is Raising Capital Like Ecommerce the Answer to Real Estate’s Funding Problem? Insights From DealMaker Co-Founder and CEO Rebecca Kacaba

    In this episode of STR Global Unlocked, Rebecca Kacaba, Co-Founder and CEO of DealMaker, joins Simon Lehmann for a candid conversation on why traditional capital raising no longer works for most founders and what a modern alternative looks like. Rebecca is a former capital markets attorney who left Big Law to build one of North America’s leading online capital raising platforms. DealMaker has helped companies raise more than $2 billion online and has become a key infrastructure layer for founders operating outside the traditional venture capital funnel. This is not a fintech pitch. It is a practical breakdown of how capital markets are changing and what that means for founders in short-term rentals, hospitality, and real estate. In this conversation, we discuss: Why capital raising remains slow, opaque, and founder-unfriendly, and how moving it online shifts leverage back to operators.How DealMaker approaches fundraising like an e-commerce checkout, turning supporters into investors and long-term community members.The most common mistakes founders make when raising early capital, from unrealistic valuations to choosing capital that limits flexibility.Why community-driven capital can complement venture capital, especially as companies stay private longer and need alternative growth paths.How AI is reshaping capital markets by reducing friction in compliance, verification, and investor onboarding.Rebecca’s lessons from scaling DealMaker, including how to build a high-performance culture while staying close to customers as the company grows. Explore more: Connect with Rebecca Kacaba on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccakacaba/] to learn more about DealMaker [https://www.deaDlmaker.tech/]  Resources AJL Atelier – Global STR Consulting [https://www.ajlatelier.com]. Led by our host Simon Lehmann, AJL Atelier is a boutique advisory firm helping professional hosts, property managers, and investors succeed in the short-term rental industry. Connect with Simon Lehmann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lehmann-8375753b/] Stay connected: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/str-global-unlocked-with-simon-lehmann-unfiltered/id1842946960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kke4wOx0tNv0duq9MMWtO Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWVkmUOkmhSHcFjzi28AhaQNR98vaG65O Website: https://www.ajlatelier.com/podcasts Newsletter: https://str-global-unlocked.beehiiv.com/

    45 min

Trailer

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The short-term rental industry is evolving fast, and Simon Lehmann isn’t afraid to say what others won’t.STR Global Unlocked is where property managers, STR tech founders, vacation rental investors, and hospitality leaders get real about the business. Each episode breaks down what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s coming next: property management operations, direct bookings, vacation rental software, pricing strategies, mergers and acquisitions in real estate, professional host challenges, and the future of automation, AI, and tech stacks. Hosted by Simon Lehmann, CEO of AJL Atelier and one of the most trusted voices in the global STR space, the show delivers unfiltered conversations with the people shaping the industry. Simon has decades of experience in vacation rentals, travel tech, and hospitality, including leadership roles at Vacasa Europe, PhocusWright and HomeAway. If you’re scaling a property management company, building short-term rental technology, investing in vacation rentals, or entering this fast-moving market, this podcast is your seat at the table. 

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