Behind the Stays Sponstayneous

Meet Josh Luttrell, the innovative entrepreneur behind Home Theme Orlando, a company transforming vacation rentals into immersive themed experiences.
As a kid, Josh dreamed of being a basketball player, but life had other plans. However, he took his competitive spirit and he channeled it into real estate, eventually carving out a niche in Orlando's short -term rental market by creating uniquely themed homes.
From Marvel superheroes to Disney princesses, Josh's properties are designed to captivate and delight, ensuring unforgettable stays for families visiting the magic of Disney.
In this episode, Josh and Zach discuss:
- How he started in real estate and discovered the profitability of themed vacation rentals
- The unique aspects of the Orlando market that make it perfect for themed homes
- The process of selecting and designing themes to create immersive experiences that kids and their parents love
- The financial benefits and higher occupancy rates that come with investing in themed properties, insights into how upcoming attractions like Universal's Epic Universe will influence the market
- Whether or not these themed homes could perform in other markets, and so much more.
Learn more about Home Theme Orlando
Connect with Josh on LinkedIn
This episode is brought to you by our friends at AirDNA
Want to see if a Treehouse resort in Dubai pencils?  You can do so in AirDNA.
Want to buy land in Ontario to build a Glamping resort?  AirDNA will show you how other, comparable products are performing in the region.
Or maybe you’ve already got your stay up and running and you want a better understanding of how your Airbnb compares to others in the market?  You can connect your listing to AirDNA and get accurate nightly pricing recommendations based on real-world, real-time demand.
AirDNA is the key you need to unlock the insight behind what it’s going to take to bring those big dreams you have to life.
Pay just $25/month and access ANY market in the world — AirDNA is cheaper, faster, better, and stronger to use than ever before. 
Want to book a consulting brainstorm with Zach?
Send him an email directly at zach@sponstayneous.com or complete this payment link and get immediate access to his schedule where you can book some time with him!
About the Show
Behind the Stays is brought to you twice a week by Sponstayneous — a free, biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb.  
You can subscribe, for free, at www.sponstayneous.com. 
Behind the Stays is hosted by Zach Busekrus, co-founder of Sponstayneous, you can connect with him on Twitter at @zboozee.
 

In this episode of "Behind the Stays," we bring you a special and urgent conversation with a guest who's no stranger to the show, Elam King — we featured his story on Episode 180 of the podcast.  
Elam's story is nothing short of remarkable. Growing up in the Amish community, he transitioned into a successful hospitality entrepreneur, building an impressive portfolio of short-term rentals. However, just a few days ago, Elam faced a devastating blow—Airbnb kicked him off their platform, leading to a loss of over $200K in bookings.
As the host of this podcast, I have a deep respect and admiration for Airbnb. The platform has revolutionized the hospitality industry, providing incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs around the world. This podcast is dedicated to sharing the stories of some of the most inspiring and innovative hospitality entrepreneurs in the space. But it’s also important to share the hard stories—stories that hold Airbnb accountable to their promise of supporting hosts. This is one of those stories.
In this gripping conversation, Elam shares the shocking events that led to his account suspension, the challenges of being overly reliant on a single booking platform, and the emotional toll of questioning his own integrity and business practices. We delve into the specifics of how a series of unfortunate events and misunderstandings spiraled into a full account ban, impacting not just Elam but also his family and business associates.
This episode is not just a cautionary tale but also a story of resilience and determination. Elam opens up about his plans moving forward, his faith, and the support he's received from his community. Whether you're a seasoned host or new to the short-term rental space, Elam's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of diversification and the unpredictable nature of the hospitality business.
Without further ado, get ready to hear one of the most compelling and eye-opening stories we've ever shared on "Behind the Stays."
Connect with Elam
About the Show
Behind the Stays is brought to you twice a week by Sponstayneous — a free, biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb.
You can subscribe, for free, at www.sponstayneous.com.
Behind the Stays is hosted by Zach Busekrus, co-founder of Sponstayneous, you can connect with him on Twitter at @zboozee

Meet Cody Watson, the entrepreneur behind Explorely, a groundbreaking platform poised to revolutionize outdoor travel planning and experiences. 
Growing up, Cody dreamed of being an inventor. And while he didn't end up creating the next big gadget, he did channel that inventive spirit into the entrepreneurial world, ultimately founding Explorely — a platform designed to be the Kayak.com for outdoor travel.
Explorely simplifies the often fragmented process of finding and booking RV rentals, campsites, and glamping spots. 
In this episode, Cody and I discuss:
 The inspiration behind Explorally and how it evolved from his experiences at RVZ, a peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace
The challenges and opportunities in aggregating outdoor accommodations and building partnerships in a highly fragmented industry
The impact of technology, including AI and machine learning on the future of travel businesses
Why building a strong brand is more critical than ever in this digital age 
And so much more. 
Explore Explorely
Connect with Cody on LinkedIn
This episode is brought to you by our friends at Hostfully.
Hostfully Digital Guidebooks are the easiest way to help your guests get to know your property and discover just how special the community that surrounds it is.
Hostfully Guidebooks give you a dynamic place to store every bit of information you might want your guests to have — from the wifi password to how to work the hot tub to where to take the best selfies at golden hour.
Hostfully empowers you with easy-to-use tools that help you feature a totally curated list of your favorite eateries, pubs, hiking trails, and more — OR Hostfully can automatically create a list of experiences through their Guidebook Wizard if you’ve got dozens of properties and just can’t afford to curate a custom set of recommendations for each one.
Learn more here!
Want to book a consulting brainstorm with Zach?
Send him an email directly at zach@sponstayneous.com or complete this payment link and get immediate access to his schedule where you can book some time with him!
About the Show
Behind the Stays is brought to you twice a week by Sponstayneous — a free, biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb.
You can subscribe, for free, at www.sponstayneous.com.
Behind the Stays is hosted by Zach Busekrus, co-founder of Sponstayneous, you can connect with him on Twitter at @zboozee

 Meet Tyler Jordan, the co-founder of Nova Haus —a ground-breaking hospitality brand that's redefining luxury stays for larger groups and corporate retreats. 
Tyler and his business partner, Martin Papp, are on a mission to create the ultimate group getaway experience. Think luxury villas equipped with everything from gyms and saunas to podcast recording studios and content creation rooms, all set in breathtaking locations like Costa Rica.
In our conversation, Tyler shares the fascinating story of how personal experiences and a gap in the market led to the birth of Nova House. 
We dive deep into their innovative approach to hospitality, the challenges of creating such unique properties, and their ambitious plans for the future.
Tyler also reveals some jaw-dropping details about their first developments in Costa Rica, including a villa with the largest hanging garden in the country. If you're curious about the future of luxury group accommodations or interested in the nuts and bolts of developing high-end properties, this episode is packed with insights.
Alright friends, without further ado, get ready to meet Tyler Jordan.
Learn more about Nova Haus 
Connect with Tyler Jordan
This episode is brought to you by our friends at Turno. 
Turno is the smartest way to schedule, pay, and find vacation rental cleaners — think of Turno as an Uber or Task Rabbit for STR hosts. 
Simply create an account, describe your listing’s cleaning needs, and Turno will match you with cleaners near you. 
Turno offers simple, affordable pricing for STR hosts of any size. Single property accounts and Marketplace users get access to all the platform’s tools and features for FREE. And they make working with your existing teams easy too, with plans as low as just $6/month per property.
Learn more and earn a $150 Amazon Gift Card after you complete your first cleaning. 
Want to book a consulting brainstorm with Zach?
Send him an email directly at zach@sponstayneous.com or complete this payment link and get immediate access to his schedule where you can book some time with him!
Have you signed up for Ping yet?
Ping makes it easy for guests to be notified when their favorite Airbnbs become available — and it's the secret tool the best Airbnb hosts use to maximize bookings.
Sign up today at bnbping.com
About the Show
Behind the Stays is brought to you twice a week by Sponstayneous — a free, biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb.  
You can subscribe, for free, at www.sponstayneous.com. 
Behind the Stays is hosted by Zach Busekrus, co-founder of Sponstayneous, you can connect with him on Twitter at @zboozee.
 

Meet Alex Alioto, Co-Founder and Head of Growth at Whimstay, the Hotel Tonight for Vacation Rentals.
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alex had dreamed of being a wide receiver for the 49ers — he was the kind of kid you’d find walking around the grocery store sporting a helmet and a jersey even when it wasn’t game day.
While his dreams of playing in the NFL never came to fruition, Alex did wind up playing in another arena — he studied theatre at the University of Michigan and spent nearly a decade as an actor in New York City. 
And, believe it or not, this was all a precursor to Alex finding his way back to the Bay area to work at early-stage, high-growth startups.  After 7 years of helping Yelp become a household name, Alex met his cofounder, Ben Jamshahi, and the duo began building Whimstay. 
In this conversation, Alex and I discuss:
The massive market that exists for last-minute travel
The locations that Whimstay sees the most spontaneous travel to
The biggest differences between Whimstay and other OTAs like Airbnb and Vrbo
How Whimstay negotiates exclusive discounts with professional property managers 
What the next generation of travelers is looking for from travel brands
And so much more
Learn more about Whimstay
Connect with Alex on LinkedIn 
This episode is brought to you by our friends at Can Monkey — the Uber for Trash Service for your Short-Term Rentals. 
Can Monkey ensures that the trash cans at your Airbnbs are moved to the curb and back promptly on collection day so that if you’ve got a same-day turnover your new guest arrives to a clean and empty trash bin.
And for those unexpected situations, like a guest leaving behind excess trash or an unexpected mid-week turnover, their OnDemand trash removal enables you to book a CanRunner (cool name huh?) to immediately come and remedy the situation. 
For just $49/month per property, Can Monkey will pick up and return both your trash and recycling cans on your home’s pick up days  No hidden costs. You are never locked into a contract. And whether you’ve got one property or 100, Can Monkey can have you up and running within a week. 
To learn more about why hosts love this Uber for trash solution, head on over to CanMonkey.com and submit the form on the home page to get more information about how Can Monkey can help you.  Oh, and if you do, be sure to mention that Zach from Behind the Stays sent you there way and you’ll qualify for an exclusive discount off of your first month of using Can Monkey.
Have you signed up for Ping yet?
Ping makes it easy for guests to be notified when their favorite Airbnbs become available — and it's the secret tool the best Airbnb hosts use to maximize bookings.
Sign up today at bnbping.com
About the Show
Behind the Stays is brought to you twice a week by Sponstayneous — a free, biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb.  
You can subscribe, for free, at www.sponstayneous.com. 
Behind the Stays is hosted by Zach Busekrus, co-founder of Sponstayneous, you can connect with him on Twitter at @zboozee.

Meet Justin and Rebecca Rush, the creators of the River Rock Cabin on the Toccoa River in Blue Ridge, Georgia.
Justin and Rebecca are real estate photographers who had always dreamed of one day building their very own Airbnb…long after they had built their primary dream home, of course. 
One day Justin got a text from one of his clients about a piece of land that was for sale along the Toccoa River.  Justin assumed the call was a request to go take pictures of the lot, but his client asked him if HE wanted to buy it…he knew how much Justin and Rebecca loved the area…
Once Justin figured out he wasn’t joking he immediately said, “yes”...
There was only one problem — the home was only permitted for a 1 bedroom/1 bathroom which was too small for the primary residence they were hoping to build.
But the land was WAY too beautiful to pass up and that’s when the idea of building a unique cabin into the side of the mountain that overlooks 300 feet of private river frontage was born. 
In this conversation, you’ll discover: 
How Rebecca and Justin build a stunning cabin on the side of a mountain during COVID
How they got inspiration from Levi Kelly’s YouTube channel for their build — and the story behind how Levi wound up coming to the cabin the month after it opened
How they financed the build 
Their honest thoughts on the cons of direct booking 
Some ideas they have for modernizing RV parks as a next project
And so much more
Book a stay at the River Rock House
Follow the River Rock House on Instagram
This episode is brought to you by our friends at AirDNA
Want to see if a Treehouse resort in Dubai pencils?  You can do so in AirDNA.
Want to buy land in Ontario to build a Glamping resort?  AirDNA will show you how other, comparable products are performing in the region.
Or maybe you’ve already got your stay up and running and you want a better understanding of how your Airbnb compares to others in the market?  You can connect your listing to AirDNA and get accurate nightly pricing recommendations based on real-world, real-time demand.
AirDNA is the key you need to unlock the insight behind what it’s going to take to bring those big dreams you have to life.
Pay just $25/month and access ANY market in the world — AirDNA is cheaper, faster, better, and stronger to use than ever before. 
About the Show
Behind the Stays is brought to you twice a week by Sponstayneous — a free, biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb.  
You can subscribe, for free, at www.sponstayneous.com. 
Behind the Stays is hosted by Zach Busekrus, co-founder of Sponstayneous, you can connect with him on Twitter at @zboozee.