Short Term Rental Secrets Podcast

MICHAEL SJOGREN
  • 4.7 (121)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Short Term Rental Secrets Podcast is dedicated to providing actionable content to help new and seasoned real estate investors launch, automate and scale their Airbnb business and fast track their journey to financial freedom. You can enjoy the podcast and other free resources at www.STRsecrets.com

  1. Your Listings Are Dying on Airbnb — Here's Exactly How to Fix It with Maryann Wahhab

    1D AGO

    Your Listings Are Dying on Airbnb — Here's Exactly How to Fix It with Maryann Wahhab

    If you want to increase your revenue, automate your day to day operations and spend more time with your kids: http://strsecrets.com/apply Check out our free 6 step course: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book If you want to join these live trainings: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets If your listings aren't getting booked right now — don't panic and drop your prices. In this week's Thursday training, Mike Reilly sits down with Maryann Wahhab, revenue management expert and STR operator across 6 states, to break down exactly what's working right now to get booked at the rates you want. Maryann went from college basketball coach to full-time STR revenue manager — and now helps operators stop leaving money on the table in soft markets. In this episode, Mike and Maryann cover: - Why your slow bookings are probably a listing problem — not a pricing problem - The booking window zones every operator needs to understand (and how to price each one) - How Mike went 30% up year over year on Vrbo with one simple OTA trick - The "booking velocity" metric Maryann tracks at 7, 15, and 30-day marks - How a listing went from page 6 to page 2 on Airbnb in one week - Why virtual stays are a game changer for dead listings - The full listing re-optimization playbook for properties with no bookings in 30+ days - How to use Airbnb's rule sets and length-of-stay discounts to capture more revenue in slow season This is the training your listings need right now. --- 🎙️ About Maryann Wahhab: Maryann is a revenue management expert and STR operator managing properties across 6 states. A former Division I basketball coach, she left the game in 2023 to manage properties full-time — and now helps STR operators maximize revenue in any market condition. --- Timecodes: 0:00 - Why Your Listings Aren't Getting Booked Right Now 2:30 - Meet Maryann Wahhab: From Basketball Coach to STR Expert 6:00 - How to Read Your Market Before You Touch Your Prices 10:00 - Booking Window Zones Explained (And How to Price Each One) 15:30 - Booking Velocity: The Metric That Tells You When to Act 20:00 - How to Play the Airbnb and Vrbo Algorithm Game 25:30 - The OTA Trick That Got Mike 30% Up Year Over Year on Vrbo 30:00 - Virtual Stays and How to Reinvigorate a Dead Listing 36:00 - The Full Re-Optimization Playbook for Struggling Listings 41:30 - Length-of-Stay Discounts and Airbnb Rule Sets in Slow Season 46:00 - How to Differentiate Your Listing So You're Never in a Price War

    38 min
  2. Ep - 285 The 'Help First' Sales Mindset That Grew Them From 12 to 120 Properties with Sean Bakhtiari

    4D AGO

    Ep - 285 The 'Help First' Sales Mindset That Grew Them From 12 to 120 Properties with Sean Bakhtiari

    Connect with Sean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sean_bakhtiari/ Check out Seacoast 2 Summit: https://www.seacoast2summit.com Check out our free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book STR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets What happens when a corporate finance guy from Boston decides he's done working for someone else — and bets on short-term rentals? Sean Bakhtiari is the co-founder of Seacoast 2 Summit Vacation Rentals and The Bakhtiari Group, a top-performing real estate sales team across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. As an active STR investor, his work sits at the intersection of real estate, hospitality, and investment strategy throughout New England. After 9 years in Boston's financial district, Sean bought his first STR. Then a second. Then started building a management company. At 12 properties, he hit a wall. He was good at business development and client relationships. But systems, operations, and scale? Not his strengths. That's when a serendipitous call from Chris changed everything. Today, Sean and Chris co-run Seacoast to Summit Vacation Rentals — managing 120+ properties across the New Hampshire seacoast, lakes and mountains region, and North Shore of Massachusetts. Almost entirely on referrals, with virtually no paid marketing. In this episode, Sean and Chris pull back the curtain on: - How they identified each other as the right partner (and what 3 things you need to align on before you sign anything) - Sean's "help first, never sell" philosophy — and why it's responsible for most of their growth - Why they've said no to 10+ deals in the last 3 months (and why that's the right call) - The two fears they stay up at night thinking about as they scale - How to delegate without feeling like you're losing control - What it takes to keep your team culture intact as you grow - Why boutique hotels might be the next frontier for this business This is a rare episode — a founder bringing on his business partner and pulling off the veil on how a real, values-driven STR company actually works at scale. --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Introducing Sean Bakhtiari: Chris's Business Partner 2:45 - How Sean Went From Corporate Finance to STR Management 6:30 - Building Seacoast to Summit: From 12 to 120 Properties 10:15 - How Sean and Chris Found Each Other (The Serendipitous Call) 15:00 - The 3 Things You Must Align On Before Partnering 18:30 - The "Help First" Sales Mindset That Built the Business 23:00 - Why They Said No to 10 Deals in 3 Months 27:00 - The Two Fears They Have About Growing Too Fast 32:30 - How to Delegate Without Losing Control 37:00 - Keeping Team Culture Intact at Scale 42:00 - What the Future Looks Like: Boutique Hotels and Brand Building 46:00 - Sean's #1 Secret to STR Success

    43 min
  3. From Rock Bottom to 18 Properties: How Jeremiah Quit His Job and Built a Real Business

    MAR 12

    From Rock Bottom to 18 Properties: How Jeremiah Quit His Job and Built a Real Business

    Connect with Jeremiah: Instagram: @jeremiahkwatson Business: www.affluentvacays.com Check out our free 6 step course: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book STR Secrets FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets He did everything people told him to do. Got clean. Went to college. Got a good job. Made good money. And he was still unhappy. In this episode, we talk with Jeremiah Watson. Jeremiah just quit his corporate job. He now runs an 18-property cohosting business in Los Angeles. He is the 73rd person to leave their job through STR Secrets. Here's what you'll learn: → How Jeremiah went from addiction and jail to building a real business → Why he lost $50K his first year — and what he changed → How he got his first cohosting deal with one cold call → The small team that runs his business today → His goal: 66 properties by the end of 2026 This is what actually doing the work looks like. Timestamps: 00:00 - Who Is Jeremiah Watson? 03:12 - From Addiction and Jail to Turning His Life Around 08:11 - Why He Chased the Corporate Dream 11:36 - He Tried STRs and Lost $50K in Year One 13:16 - How He Found Cohosting and Got His First Deal 16:36 - How He Grew From 1 to 18 Properties 19:11 - His Team and How the Business Runs Today 21:27 - His Big Goal: 66 Properties by End of 2026 22:45 - What to Do If You Have a Job and No Time 27:06 - How to Balance Drive With Gratitude 31:57 - Why This Business Is About More Than Money

    38 min
  4. Ep - 284 Why Most STR Operators Fail at Hiring (Leadership Masterclass) with Alex Hall

    MAR 9

    Ep - 284 Why Most STR Operators Fail at Hiring (Leadership Masterclass) with Alex Hall

    Scaling a short-term rental company isn’t just about getting more properties. It’s about building the team that can support the growth. In this episode, Chris and E sit down with Alex Hall — talent advisor and leadership strategist — to break down the real challenges STR operators face when building teams. From job clarity and org structure to burnout, hiring, and leadership development, Alex shares the frameworks that help operators scale from a handful of listings to a real company. If you're trying to grow beyond the stage where you do everything yourself, this episode is a masterclass in leadership and people management. Inside this episode: • Why most STR companies don’t actually know who reports to who • The biggest hiring mistake operators make while scaling • How to structure a team from 10 to 100+ listings • Why burnout happens during fast growth • The leadership habits that retain great talent • When to introduce equity or long-term incentives If you want a real business — not just a portfolio of properties — it starts with leadership. Guest Bio: Alex Hall is the founder of Valinor Talent Solutions, where he serves as a fractional HR executive helping growing companies build strong people strategies, leadership development, and scalable teams. With over a decade of experience in talent and organizational development, he partners with businesses to create high-performing workplaces. Alex works with short-term rentals to develop their talent strategy so they can focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences through thoughtful design, strong systems, and hospitality-driven service. Guest Contacts: alex@valinortalent.com www.valinortalent.com Get FREE Access to our 6 STEP course: https://www.strsecrets.com/podcast Timestamps: 00:00 – Why Most Teams Don’t Know Their Role 02:00 – Success, Identity, and Leadership Growth 04:30 – Introducing Alex Hall: Talent Advisor for STR Operators 07:25 – When STR Businesses Actually Need HR Support 09:20 – The 3 Levels of Team Structure as You Scale 12:40 – The Most Common Hiring Problems in STR Companies 14:00 – Why Job Clarity and Accountability Are Missing 17:10 – The 33% Rule: When Leaders Outgrow Their Team 20:05 – Burnout Signals Every Operator Should Watch 23:20 – Building Org Structures for 10–100 Listings 26:00 – Why Systems Matter More Than Org Charts 27:00 – How Great Leaders Reward and Motivate Teams 30:00 – Equity vs Performance Bonuses for Key Employees 33:00 – The 3 Rules of Leadership: Clear, Kind, Respectful 36:10 – Leadership Lessons for First-Time Founders 39:50 – AI’s Role in Future STR Operations 42:40 – Final Advice for Building a Great STR Team

    43 min
  5. 37 - The Property Management Sales Playbook (How We Added 6 Owners in Q3 last year)

    MAR 5

    37 - The Property Management Sales Playbook (How We Added 6 Owners in Q3 last year)

    Want the resources mentioned in the training? Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/mikereillync/ Follow this link for the Free training: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-book You want to grow a property management business, you will eventually hit the same wall: You become the person slowing things down. In this video, I share the exact playbook we built before hiring our first salesperson. Inside this training you’ll learn: • The perfect type of property we target • The exact type of homeowner we want to work with • The biggest problems Airbnb owners face today • How we show our value to sign new clients • The "UI Method" for finding struggling Airbnb properties • The exact numbers and goals we set for our sales team • The best ways we find and talk to new owners • Our step-by-step sales process and first phone calls • What happens right after an owner signs with us If you want to grow your company to 30, 40, or 50+ properties, you need a sales plan that works every single time. This episode shows you exactly how we built ours. Subscribe for new weekly videos ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Nrn4XO Timestamps: 00:00 – Why You Need a Sales Plan 01:12 – The 4 Steps of Our Sales Playbook 02:10 – Finding the Perfect Property 03:05 – The Perfect Homeowner 04:18 – Problems Airbnb Owners Face 05:45 – Creating a Strong Offer 07:00 – Why You Need a CRM Software 08:50 – Sales Goals and Numbers to Track 10:20 – The Experiment: 120 Calls in 6 Weeks 11:35 – Our Sales Win Rates 12:18 – How to Find Leads: The UI Method 13:30 – Using Referrals and Partners 14:05 – Direct Mail and Ads 15:05 – Running Facebook Ads for Leads 16:10 – Our Sales Process 17:20 – The First Call and Asking Questions 18:15 – Handling Owner Concerns 19:05 – Bringing on a New Owner 20:00 – Weekly Sales Tracking 21:10 – Hiring and Testing a Salesperson Connect with us on other social media platforms: STR Secrets FB group ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecrets Michael Sjogren FB Page ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/theAirbnbGuy Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/miike.sjogren Linkedin ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesjogren

    22 min
  6. Ep - 283 From Bankruptcy to a $100M Real Estate Vision with Jonathan St.Leger

    MAR 2

    Ep - 283 From Bankruptcy to a $100M Real Estate Vision with Jonathan St.Leger

    He built a “sexy” real estate portfolio in the early 2000s… Then 2008 hit. Reserves drained. Assets liquidated. Eventually — bankruptcy. Most investors never come back from that. In this episode, Jon St. Leger breaks down: • What the 2008 crash really felt like • Why he keeps his portfolio at 33% LTV • How to prepare for the next recession • What “Equity Manifestation” actually means • How he turned a 20-room motel into a 47-key boutique hotel • Why delayed gratification builds real wealth • The blue-collar advantage most people ignore Jon now owns 13+ short-term rentals, long-term rentals, and is breaking ground on a beachfront boutique hotel in the Outer Banks. If you’re serious about building generational wealth in real estate — this one is different. Follow Jon on Instagram: @jon_boy14 Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings: https://group.strsecrets.com/ TimeStamps: 00:00 – Equity Manifestation & The $100M Vision 02:00 – Identity, Mindset & Future Self Thinking 05:30 – From Blue Collar Beginnings to Construction Company 09:45 – Building a Portfolio… Then 2008 Hit 12:30 – The Mental Toll of Bankruptcy 14:45 – Lessons From the Crash: Reserves & Exit Strategies 17:00 – Why He Keeps 33% Loan-to-Value 19:00 – Not Overleveraging in Growth Cycles 21:30 – From STR Portfolio to Boutique Hotel Developer 24:00 – Turning a 20-Room Motel into 47 Keys 27:00 – Getting Town Buy-In & Emotional Attachment 30:00 – Leading Teams & Maintaining Morale 32:30 – The Power of Delayed Gratification 35:00 – Return on Sweat Equity (R.O.S.E.) 37:00 – Blue Collar Wealth Strategy 39:00 – The $100M Real Estate Target 41:00 – Where Opportunity Lives & Final Advice

    43 min
  7. The 4-Step Airbnb Photography System That Wins in 2026

    FEB 26

    The 4-Step Airbnb Photography System That Wins in 2026

    2026 is going to separate serious operators from everyone else. Supply is rising. Middle-class travel is tightening. Occupancy is projected to decline. Rates are compressing. If your Airbnb still looks like 2024… you're in trouble. In this training, I break down my full 4-step photography system: – What to upgrade BEFORE hiring a photographer – How to properly interview lifestyle photographers – What to do on photo day to maximize impact – How we use AI to write captions and enhance photos – How we organize everything inside our operating system If you’re scaling a property management or co-hosting business, this is not optional anymore. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why 2026 Will Be Harder for STR Operators 02:12 – Supply Is Rising, Occupancy Is Falling (The Reality Check) 03:30 – Step 1: Refresh Before You Photograph 06:10 – Using ROI Analysis to Justify Property Upgrades 09:20 – Real Estate vs Lifestyle Photography (Huge Difference) 12:05 – What Elite STR Photos Actually Look Like 16:00 – How to Properly Interview a Photographer 19:10 – Photo Day Execution: Staging That Converts 22:15 – Organizing Photos for Scalable Operations 25:00 – Using AI to Write Captions for Every Photo 27:00 – Editing & Enhancing Photos with AI 29:15 – The Freedom Operating System Explained 32:00 – How to Scale Photography Across Multiple Listings 34:15 – Mastermind, CRM, and 2026 Growth Strategy 36:50 – Final Advice: Upgrade or Get Left Behind Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings: https://group.strsecrets.com/

    37 min
  8. Ep - 282 What’s Actually Holding Your STR Business Back

    FEB 23

    Ep - 282 What’s Actually Holding Your STR Business Back

    Most entrepreneurs think they need better strategy. They don’t. In this Boardroom recap from the Freedom Factory, we unpack the real reasons businesses stall — and it’s not systems. It’s people, identity, and the state you operate from. Inside this episode: • Why most business bottlenecks are solved by the right “who” • The difference between hiring people and developing talent • W2 vs 1099 mistakes operators make • Why State → Story → Strategy is the real order of success • The 4 archetypes running your decisions (Warrior, Magician, Lover, Sovereign) • Why high performers get stuck in Warrior mode • How seasonality applies to your business and your life • Why kindness to yourself is a competitive advantage If you feel like something is holding you back… this episode will hit. Timestamps: 00:00 – Boardroom at the Freedom Factory Recap 02:15 – From Cooked Books to 80,000 Meals a Week 04:10 – Visionaries Get Small When Stuck in Operations 05:45 – The “Right Who” Solves Most Bottlenecks 07:50 – Building Talent Structure (Not Just Hiring) 10:40 – W2 vs 1099: What Operators Must Understand 12:20 – The 3 S’s of Breakthrough: State > Story > Strategy 15:05 – The 4 Archetypes Running Your Life 18:30 – Warrior Mode & The Seasonality of Growth 21:10 – Kindness, Presence & The Power of Awareness Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings: https://group.strsecrets.com/

    26 min
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4.7
out of 5
121 Ratings

About

The Short Term Rental Secrets Podcast is dedicated to providing actionable content to help new and seasoned real estate investors launch, automate and scale their Airbnb business and fast track their journey to financial freedom. You can enjoy the podcast and other free resources at www.STRsecrets.com

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