Welcome to Behind the Stays — a podcast that shares the stories behind your favorite boutique hotels, short-term rentals, and hospitality brands and the hosts, operators, and entrepreneurs who’ve brought them to life. Every Tuesday and Friday you’ll meet the military veterans, retired flight attendants, tech entrepreneurs, school teachers, single moms, hoteliers, and real estate investors who are all, in their unique ways, shaping the future of travel and hospitality. Discover how these visionaries — from all over the world — have built stunning landscape hotels in the mountains, designed bohemian bungalows on the beach, erected eclectic off-grid and nature-immersed escapes, and so much more. Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Behind the States is hosted by Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance.
Episodes
Friday Oct 21, 2022
Friday Oct 21, 2022
Meet Heather Davis, the creator of the Stone City Treehouse in Hardwick, Vermont.
Heather grew up in New York but always had great affinity for the Green Mountain State — so much so that her only criteria for where to go to college was that it had to be in Vermont.
In 2012 Heather started renting her home on Airbnb in order to help pay the bills. Being a single mom with two teenagers in Vermont was not always easy!
She had such a positive experience with the platform and the guests who stayed in her home that she started dreaming about how she might expand her business.
And that’s when the idea for the Stone City Treehouse was born. Tune in to hear the story behind how Heather built the Treehouse with a little help from the DIY Network’s The Treehouse Guys, and how she generated over 500 incredible reviews and 12k followers on Instagram.
Alright, without further ado, get ready to meet Heather.
Book a Stay at the Stone City Treehouse
Follow the Stone City Treehouse on Instagram
This week's episode is brought to you by Guesty for Hosts.
One of the questions I get asked a lot from listeners is what they should look for in a PMS or Property Management System.
Now, we’re lucky — there are a lot of great options in the market, which can’t be said for software platforms in all industries.
That said, I always encourage them to take a good look at Guesty for Hosts — and here’s why:
1. Guesty’s Channel Manager helps you centralize data across the major booking platforms and stay on top of all activity on your listings without having to hop back and forth between channels such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo.
2. Guesty’s automation tools enable you to ensure you connect with guests in a meaningful, creative, and instant fashion. You can make custom messages for a variety of situations, from a response to an initial inquiry to a post check-out follow up encouraging your guests to leave a review.
3. It includes a Website Builder feature that allows you to create your own branded booking website in just minutes…allowing you to grow your listing’s brand value and increase your direct bookings.
4. And finally, Guesty just raised over $170 million dollars which means they got some serious cash to continue to seriously invest in their product!
So here’s the deal. If you’re a STR host without a PMS system or a host looking to explore a new one, I’ve got a treat for you.
The team at Guesty is giving Behind the Stays listeners and Sponstayneous subscribers 20% off of their first year when they use the discount code “SPONSTAYNEOUS” at checkout.
Get started with a 14 day free trial today — no credit card, set up fee, or commitment required — and cancel anytime if you don't love it.
Once your 14 day free trial is up, use the discount code “SPONSTAYNEOUS” for 20% off of your first year. Guesty for Hosts — it’s the bestie of top-rated STR super hosts.
Try Guesty for Hosts for Free.
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.
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Meet Daniel Rusteen.
Daniel is the self-proclaimed “world’s best at Airbnb.”
And before you laugh or roll your eyes, he’s got a pretty solid case for why this title is fitting.
Daniel worked at Airbnb for several years, launched his own Airbnb property management business, is building his own collection of luxe Airbnbs, has a plethora of courses, tools, and resources he’s developed for Airbnb hosts AND has spent more than 2,000 nights staying at Airbnbs!
So, yeah, the dude knows a thing or two about the Airbnb ecosystem.
Tune into a riveting conversation on how to optimize your Airbnb business and what Daniel thinks the future of travel and hospitality will look like over the next few years.
Alright, without further ado, get ready to meet Daniel.
Book a stay at Daniel's Airbnb
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
Meet Nate Ritter — founder of Room Steals, a travel membership that provides customers with incredible deals on hotel rooms.
Nate is a technology executive who has started, bought, and sold companies and who has also consulted for companies like Microsoft and Land Rover.
Fun fact — Nate also popularized the use of the hashtag on Twitter…pretty cool, huh?
In this episode, we talk about:
- Where the idea for Room Steals came from and how it compares to Expedia and other OTAs
- How to build a productized experience for your STR collection
- Hot takes on the future of travel and hospitality
- What it’s like to live full time in an RV as a family of 5
Get to Know More About Nate on His Website
This week's episode is brought to you by Guesty for Hosts.
One of the questions I get asked a lot from listeners is what they should look for in a PMS or Property Management System.
Now, we’re lucky — there are a lot of great options in the market, which can’t be said for software platforms in all industries.
That said, I always encourage them to take a good look at Guesty for Hosts — and here’s why:
1. Guesty’s Channel Manager helps you centralize data across the major booking platforms and stay on top of all activity on your listings without having to hop back and forth between channels such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo.
2. Guesty’s automation tools enable you to ensure you connect with guests in a meaningful, creative, and instant fashion. You can make custom messages for a variety of situations, from a response to an initial inquiry to a post check-out follow up encouraging your guests to leave a review.
3. It includes a Website Builder feature that allows you to create your own branded booking website in just minutes…allowing you to grow your listing’s brand value and increase your direct bookings.
4. And finally, Guesty just raised over $170 million dollars which means they got some serious cash to continue to seriously invest in their product!
So here’s the deal. If you’re a STR host without a PMS system or a host looking to explore a new one, I’ve got a treat for you.
The team at Guesty is giving Behind the Stays listeners and Sponstayneous subscribers 20% off of their first year when they use the discount code “SPONSTAYNEOUS” at checkout.
Get started with a 14 day free trial today — no credit card, set up fee, or commitment required — and cancel anytime if you don't love it.
Once your 14 day free trial is up, use the discount code “SPONSTAYNEOUS” for 20% off of your first year. Guesty for Hosts — it’s the bestie of top-rated STR super hosts.
Try Guesty for Hosts for Free.
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.
Wednesday Oct 05, 2022
Wednesday Oct 05, 2022
Meet Bryce Garcia. Bryce works in sales for a SaaS company by day and is building his own collection of STRs by night.
When Bryce’s mom found out he had bought a condo in Austin, site unseen, during the middle of the pandemic, and planned to live in one room and rent out the other on Airbnb she thought he had gone NUTS.
But when Bryce made enough money over one holiday weekend to pay his mortgage for the month, she told Bryce’s father, “maybe the kid is on to something.”
In this episode, Bryce and I talk about:
- How to get into the game as a new STR investor
- The tech stack you need from 0 - 3 properties
- How to use Twitter to grow your brand and business as an STR entrepreneur
- The best people to follow on Twitter for tips on STR investing and business building
- And lots more.
This week's episode is brought to you by Guesty for Hosts.
One of the questions I get asked a lot from listeners is what they should look for in a PMS or Property Management System.
Now, we’re lucky — there are a lot of great options in the market, which can’t be said for software platforms in all industries.
That said, I always encourage them to take a good look at Guesty for Hosts — and here’s why:
1. Guesty’s Channel Manager helps you centralize data across the major booking platforms and stay on top of all activity on your listings without having to hop back and forth between channels such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo.
2. Guesty’s automation tools enable you to ensure you connect with guests in a meaningful, creative, and instant fashion. You can make custom messages for a variety of situations, from a response to an initial inquiry to a post check-out follow up encouraging your guests to leave a review.
3. It includes a Website Builder feature that allows you to create your own branded booking website in just minutes…allowing you to grow your listing’s brand value and increase your direct bookings.
4. And finally, Guesty just raised over $170 million dollars which means they got some serious cash to continue to seriously invest in their product!
So here’s the deal. If you’re a STR host without a PMS system or a host looking to explore a new one, I’ve got a treat for you.
The team at Guesty is giving Behind the Stays listeners and Sponstayneous subscribers 20% off of their first year when they use the discount code “SPONSTAYNEOUS” at checkout.
Get started with a 14 day free trial today — no credit card, set up fee, or commitment required — and cancel anytime if you don't love it.
Once your 14 day free trial is up, use the discount code “SPONSTAYNEOUS” for 20% off of your first year. Guesty for Hosts — it’s the bestie of top-rated STR super hosts.
Try Guesty for Hosts for Free.
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.
Friday Sep 30, 2022
Friday Sep 30, 2022
Meet Jon Kreye — an award-winning Airbnb and VRBO photographer.
Growing up, you’d often find Jon in the backyard snapping photos of trees, flowers, and wildlife — he has always been moved by the beauty nature offers.
Jon dreamed of being able to do photography full-time, but was sober to the fact that making it as a full-time photographer is super difficult.
One day, while traveling in Minnesota, Jon posted photos of the cabin he was staying at on Instagram — and while he didn’t know it at the time, this decision would change the course of his life forever.
Tune in to hear the story of how the success of those first posts on Instagram inspired Jon to focus his photography business around the short term travel space.
This episode is brought to you by BuildUp Bookings.
SEO. Paid Search. Email Marketing.
You know they are the marketing trifecta needed to build your brand and increase direct bookings to your properties...
But, outside of watching a couple of YouTube videos and listening to a few STR podcasts, you haven’t had the time to really understand how Google ranks content or what subject line and preview text combo are the best when sending an email to your list about last-minute availability.
If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are you’re not just any run of the mill STR or vacation rental host — you’re an entrepreneur who wants to see their portfolio of homes and the brand that encompasses grow.
And this week’s podcast sponsor, BuildUp Bookings, can help you do just that.
BuildUp Bookings is the digital marketing team that some of the best players in the game use to scale their businesses.
I had their founder, Conrad O’Connell on Episode 44 of the podcast...and let me tell you — this guys know his stuff! In just the last 12 months, BuildUp Bookingshas helped their clients earn over $48 million in direct bookings.
If 90% of your bookings are coming via the Airbnbs and VRBOs of the world, it might be time to audit and augment your direct booking strategy — and Conrad and his team have set up a special landing page for Behind the Stays listeners chock-full of free resources to help you do so.
Head on over to www.BuildUpBookings.com/BTS to learn more. And be sure to request a free marketing strategy session with Conrad and tell him Zach from Behind the Stays sent you his way!
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.
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
In just a moment you’ll meet Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts — an RV membership program that allows travelers to stay overnight at unique locations around the country including farms, wineries, breweries, and more.
Joel is what you might call a creative hustler. As a young teenager, you could either find him selling DVDs and books on eBay or out and about shooting video.
Joel loved capturing compelling video content. So much so in fact, that he launched a business called VideoBlocks, which was a marketplace for stock video footage.
He grew the company now known as StoryBlocks and sold it back in 2020 — but not before spending a year RVing around the country with his wife.
After taking some much deserved time off, Joel began looking for his next opportunity. And that’s when he stumbled upon Harvest Hosts.
Tune in to hear the serendipitous story of how Joel discovered, bought, and scaled one of the travel industry’s most beloved brands.
Explore Harvest Hosts
Connect with Joel on Twitter or LinkedIn.
This episode is brought to you by BuildUp Bookings.
SEO. Paid Search. Email Marketing.
You know they are the marketing trifecta needed to build your brand and increase direct bookings to your properties...
But, outside of watching a couple of YouTube videos and listening to a few STR podcasts, you haven’t had the time to really understand how Google ranks content or what subject line and preview text combo are the best when sending an email to your list about last-minute availability.
If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are you’re not just any run of the mill STR or vacation rental host — you’re an entrepreneur who wants to see their portfolio of homes and the brand that encompasses grow.
And this week’s podcast sponsor, BuildUp Bookings, can help you do just that.
BuildUp Bookings is the digital marketing team that some of the best players in the game use to scale their businesses.
I had their founder, Conrad O’Connell on Episode 44 of the podcast...and let me tell you — this guys know his stuff! In just the last 12 months, BuildUp Bookingshas helped their clients earn over $48 million in direct bookings.
If 90% of your bookings are coming via the Airbnbs and VRBOs of the world, it might be time to audit and augment your direct booking strategy — and Conrad and his team have set up a special landing page for Behind the Stays listeners chock-full of free resources to help you do so.
Head on over to www.BuildUpBookings.com/BTS to learn more. And be sure to request a free marketing strategy session with Conrad and tell him Zach from Behind the Stays sent you his way!
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.
Tuesday Sep 20, 2022
Tuesday Sep 20, 2022
Meet Tyann Marcink — the Queen of Guest Experience at Touch Stay, a digital guidebook platform for short-term and vacation rental hosts.
Tyann has a knack for charting her own path. She’s a resilient creative who owns 2 rental management brands and has been active in the vacation rental industry since 2007.
Discover Tyann’s hot takes about the future of the hospitality industry, hear the story behind how she bought a bank and turned it into a vacation rental in the Ozarks, and learn about how she ventured off on her entrepreneurial journey after losing a college scholarship in this episode of Behind the Stays.
Alright, without further ado, get ready to meet Tyann.
You can learn more about Touch Stay here.
Explore Tyann's Vacation Rentals here.
Connect with Tyann on Twitter here.
This episode is brought to you by BuildUp Bookings.
SEO. Paid Search. Email Marketing.
You know they are the marketing trifecta needed to build your brand and increase direct bookings to your properties...
But, outside of watching a couple of YouTube videos and listening to a few STR podcasts, you haven’t had the time to really understand how Google ranks content or what subject line and preview text combo are the best when sending an email to your list about last-minute availability.
If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are you’re not just any run of the mill STR or vacation rental host — you’re an entrepreneur who wants to see their portfolio of homes and the brand that encompasses grow.
And this week’s podcast sponsor, BuildUp Bookings, can help you do just that.
BuildUp Bookings is the digital marketing team that some of the best players in the game use to scale their businesses.
I had their founder, Conrad O’Connell on Episode 44 of the podcast...and let me tell you — this guys know his stuff! In just the last 12 months, BuildUp Bookings has helped their clients earn over $48 million in direct bookings.
If 90% of your bookings are coming via the Airbnbs and VRBOs of the world, it might be time to audit and augment your direct booking strategy — and Conrad and his team have set up a special landing page for Behind the Stays listeners chock-full of free resources to help you do so.
Head on over to www.BuildUpBookings.com/BTS to learn more. And be sure to request a free marketing strategy session with Conrad and tell him Zach from Behind the Stays sent you his way!
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.
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Meet Marcus Rader — Founder and CEO of Hostaway.
Marcus grew up in Finland. He was quite a curious kid, but struggled to develop any lasting hobbies as he was easily distracted.
After flying for the first time as a six year old, Marcus’ dream was to become a pilot. Something about being at 30,000 feet was inspirational and invigorating.
Sadly, Marcus was diagnosed with epilepsy just a few years later. And while he didn’t understand much about the disease as a kid, his soul was crushed when he learned he’d never be able to be a pilot.
Tune in to hear the inspirational story of how Marcus turned this moment of despair into the pursuit of greatness and how he ultimately built one of the most valuable all-in-one tools for vacation rental property managers on the market.
Alright, without further ado, get ready to meet Marcus.
This episode is brought to you by Build Up Bookings.
About the Show
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
Meet Marc Hostovsky, Founder and CEO of Minoan — a customizable, curated retail platform for short-term rental hosts.
Marc is a self-proclaimed boutique geek and is passionate about the future of retail.
After spending nearly 6 years working at Jet.com and then Walmart (acquired Jet.com), he quickly realized that the best product experiences don't happen on screens or shelves, they happen in real moments of use "in the wild".
Marc founded Minoan to help hosts:
- create, and capitalize on, rich moments in their homes
- save money on everything they need to buy
- and spend a fraction of the time on the unsexy things that come along with ordering (tracking, routing, logistics, etc.)
Tune in to discover the exciting story of the early days of Minoan and learn how you, as an STR host, can leverage Minoan for a current or future property.
Explore the Minoan Experience Website
This week's episode is brought to you by Mount.
Friday Sep 09, 2022
Friday Sep 09, 2022
In just a moment you’ll meet Heather Bien and Adam Shapiro, the creators of Rosehill Cottage — a charming river house on the Rappahannock River in Virginia.
Heather works in marketing at a tech start-up by day and runs her lifestyle and travel blog by night, and Adam works for the federal government.
While the couple lives in Washington DC, they thoroughly enjoy weekend escapes from the city. And it was on one of these weekend escapes that they fell in love with the charming Virginian towns along the Chesapeake Bay.
Tune in to hear the exciting story of how Heather and Adam found the perfect home in Locust Hill, Virginia and how they brought Rosehill Cottage to life.
Book Rosehill Cottage on Airbnb.
Visit the Rosehill Cottage Website.
Follow Rosehill Cottage on Instagram.
Follow Heather Bien on Instagram.
Discover Heather's Lifestyle Blog.
This week's episode is brought to you by Mount.