Michael Hamilton loves surfing so much that every decision he makes revolves around surfing and travel. He loved the ocean as a kid, and growing up, he saw the ocean as a part of who he is. Michael founded Live Swell with Maria Feurer, his business partner/life partner, who is also an ocean enthusiast like him. Michael used his experience in real estate combined with their passion for the coastal life to create the perfect getaway that feels like home. In this conversation, Michael shares how he was able to build a recognized status in the vacation rentals world. Being in real estate for many years, Michael gives expert advice in purchasing a property, appraising for value, solving the equity problem, and being financially literate. We also learn insider tips and wisdom in managing debt, having a model for your business, offering top quality services, welcoming guests, creating your listings, booking psychology, crafting unique experiences for your guests, and protecting against losses. More and more people are already embarking on their journey to experience what life has to offer. If you're tired of the traditional 9-5 route, tune in and hear how to live a balanced life- and that means living the rad ocean life! Don’t live just to exist. Live, and actually live. Episode Highlights: 02:36 Get What You Want Out of Life08:33 Is Money the Problem? 17:27 The Live Swell Proven Process 25:00 The Secret Service31:34 Tips on Welcoming Guests and Doing Your Listings35:36 How to Use NLP to Get Bookings 41:13 Protect Against Losses 47:51 Choose Balance Living Hi Oceanriders, and welcome to Episode 56 of The Oceanriders Podcast! I hope you're doing well, and that you're staying healthy and getting a daily dose of seawater. A lot of us, oceanriders, have to travel to the coast to score their coastal waves, and in some cases, the coasts can be further away down the road. I don't know about you, but in booking hotels for my holiday destinations, I've almost always booked holiday rentals instead. Even when Airbnb didn't exist, I've used holiday rentals. I've even rented out my own house a few times on Airbnb, and that's why I found today's conversation so helpful and insightful. “Making the choice to not have to go to a 9-5 provided a lot of freedom. Choosing a path like this is, there's more freedom, but there's also more responsibility.” -Michael Hamilton Today, my guest is Michael Hamilton, who is the co-founder of Live Swell. He's a surfer and is based in the Outer Banks USA. Michael has created a self-maintaining super host holiday rental business. He's turned holiday rentals and property investment into an art and has been awarded Airbnb Super Host status for the past five years. His model is so successful that he even wrote a book about it. So quite naturally, I was interested in finding out his tips and tricks to make a holiday rental property a success and to create a business model that turns out passive income indefinitely. Wouldn't that be a dream for you too? In this conversation, Michael takes us through his journey and gives us expert tips on how to create a successful short rental property business. I hope you enjoy this episode. Take care, have fun, and enjoy the waves. Ciao, Imi Connect with Michael: WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramLinkedIn Resource Links: Books Vacation Rental Confidential by Michael HamiltonTraction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino WickmanThe E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael GerberThe Customer Service Revolution: Overthrow Conventional Business, Inspire Employees, and Change by John R. Dijulius IIISecret Service: Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service by John R. Dijulius IIIThe 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss, et al.Freebies Get 20% Discount when you order at The Oceanriders Shop Use Discount Code: BETHECHANGE20 Quotes: 08:54 “A lot of times, it's not necessarily money that is somebody's issue- it's somebody's education around money.” -Michael Hamilton 10:00 “When we're purchasing the property, we're buying it with value in it.” -Michael Hamilton 14:12 “Debt is like fire and water. Fire is great to heat your house and cook food, but it could also be a disaster scenario, as in California. Water is the same thing. It's important for life, but it can also take people's lives. So debt, if it's used wisely is an accelerator of wealth.” -Michael Hamilton 17:36 “We want to develop a process for our business because it's easier to have a model to do something if you want to replicate it rather than try to reinvent the wheel every single time.” -Michael Hamilton 19:21 “At the end of the day, the money supports the mission. So any business needs to be able to make money to survive and continue.” -Michael Hamilton 21:30 “It's a lot more fun to work on a business than working in a business.” -Michael Hamilton 23:12 “Money can be raised but time is the great equalizer.” -Michael Hamilton 32:07 “Make your listing accurate and don't make the expectations too much outside of what the actual impression is going to be.” -Michael Hamilton 32:26 “Accuracy is kindness.” -Michael Hamilton 33:06 “The customers that have complaints are typically the ones that are giving you the stuff that people wouldn't tell you.” -Michael Hamilton 34:01 “Your listing is like a newspaper or a billboard. The first thing is, it has to be as catchy... in the thumbnail image and also your title.” -Michael Hamilton 37:34 “Match the right guest with the right property.” -Michael Hamilton 48:12 “Making the choice to not have to go to a 9-5 provided a lot of freedom. Choosing a path like this is, there's more freedom, but there's also more responsibility.” -Michael Hamilton SHARE THE LOVE: SUPPORT THE OCEANRIDERS PODCAST The Oceanriders Podcast is a passion project and, if you like it, you can support it in a number of ways: 1: Share your love for this podcast on iTunes by giving it a few stars, or a review. Better still, subscribe. Anything in this direction increases my ranking and lets more people hear about my fascinating guests and how they are busting the surfing stereotype 2: Comment, and join the conversation on social media. You will find links to my social media accounts on theoceanriderspodcast.com Alternatively, you can connect with me on: Instagram: @theoceanriderspodcastFacebook: @theoceanriderspodcast Twitter: @ImiPodcast3: Join me for an episode or sponsor my podcast! Just send an email to hello@theoceanriderspodcast.com with a quick bio and I’ll take care of the rest. 4: I have created an online merch shop, called the Oceanriders Shop. It has a collection of t-shirts, sweatshirts, greetings cards, and wall art for all types of budgets, so be sure to check them out on theoceanridersshop.com.
