Behind the Stays
Episodes
How to Build an Independent Vacation Rental Brand — Musings from Arthur Colker, Founder of StayFi
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Arthur Colker, Founder and CEO of StayFi. Growing up, Arthur thought he wanted to be a politician. He was intrigued by how power and influenc...
He Sold His Cannabis Dispensary to Become an STR Entrepreneur — Meet Jason Neil
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Jason Neil — the creator of Golden Tiny Homes – a collection of minimalist short term rentals in Golden, British C...
Meet Chad Ludeman — The Engineer Turned Entrepreneur Building Design-Driven Hotels and STRs
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Chad Ludeman, Co-Founder of Post Green Homes and Lokal Hotel. Chad moved around a lot as a kid, but spent high school in upstate New York. He’...
How to Build a Bespoke Hotel Brand and Management Company in 2022
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Dylan Petrich — Co-Founder of Wilder Ways, a Texas-based hotel brand and management company. Dylan was born in Paris but grew up in London...
How to Market Your Airbnb Like a Pro
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Conrad O'Connell (@conradoconnell), Founder and CEO at BuildUp Bookings, a digital marketing agency that helps STR hosts increase direct bookings...
How to Build a Short-Term Rental Business — And Also Change the World.
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Debbie Todd, creator of The Woodlands at Hocking Hill. Debbie is a physical therapist and mother of three by day, and an STR host by night. Deb...
How to Upsell Amenities at Your Airbnb — Ideas from Madison Rifkin, Founder of Mount
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Madison Rifikin — Founder and CEO of Mount, a platform designed to help short term rental hosts upsell their guests. Madison has always been...
How to Design Highly-Experiential Stays for the Next Generation of Travelers
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Jack Buck — a hospitality entrepreneur working on his first luxe vacation rental concepts in Sedona, New Orleans, and The Boulders in Arizona. ...
Is Home Swapping the Future of Travel? Justine Palefsky Thinks So. Meet the Co-Founder of Kindred.
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Justine Palefsky, co-founder of Kindred — a members-only community for home swapping. Growing up, Justine loved to ...
She Designed the First Eco-Luxe Vacation Rental in Hocking Hills in Honor of Her Father — Meet the Creator of The Carpenter’s Cabin
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Jami Jenkins — the creator of The Carpenter’s Cabin — a top-rated, luxe cabin stay in Southeastern Ohio's Scenic Wonderland - Hocking Hil...
He’s a Serial Entrepreneur And His Latest Venture is an Off-Grid Housing Technology Company — Meet Jeff Wilson, Founder of Jupe
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Jeff Wilson, the founder and CEO of Jupe. Jeff is a serial entrepreneur in the real estate technology industry. If you were to have asked ...
He’s a Doctor by Day, a Twin Girl Dad at Night, and an STR Entrepreneur In-Between
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Billy Chu — owner of The Blue Bungalow, a chic escape in Palm Springs, California. Billy and his wife Becky are...
314,000 People Applied for Airbnb’s Live Anywhere Contest — And They Won. Meet the Family Traveling the World and Living Full-Time on Airbnb.
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Stephanie Hays and Peter Woolcock — winners of Airbnb’s Live Anywhere contest. Last summer, Airbnb announced that they were looking for 12...
He’s An Accountant, Artist, and Airbnb Superhost — Meet Isaac French the Creator of Live Oak Lake
03 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Isaac French, the creator of Live Oak Lake, a collection of seven stunning cabins nestled around a small lake in Waco, Texas. Isaac is what you...
He Lost His Job During COVID — So He Watched 200 Hours of YouTube Videos And Then Went All in on STRs (And Twitter)
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Taylor Jones, Head of Acquisition at Superhost Labs. Taylor was working in sales when COVID hit. A few weeks aft...
Why These Mission-Driven Entrepreneurs Built an Airbnb in Virginia Wine Country
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you will meet Katrina Kuhn and Kathy and Sayres Dudley — the dynamic trio who brought to life The Dwelling Place, a special, pe...
How They Used Human-Centered Design to Build a Scandinavian Villa in Asheville
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Hillary and Jason DeMeo — the creators of the IROX ONE, a Scandinavian modern retreat in Asheville, North Carolina. ...
How They Knew It Was Time to Go All In — And Just Get The Lake House
14 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Megan and Darrin — the creators of the Lakeview Hilltop, a coastal-chic cottage on Claytor Lake in Radford, Virginia...
He’s An Actor By Day and Super Airbnb Host by Night — Meet the Creator of Airstream Island
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Andrew Hunter — the creator of Airstream Island, a mid-century, tropical hideaway in Atlanta, Georgia. Andrew is an ...
He’s Worked at Fairmont, Sonder, and Airbnb — Now He’s Pioneering The Next Big Thing in Hospitality
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Ryan Killeen — General Manager of The Annex Hotel. You might call Ryan a child of the hospitality industry. He gre...
They Left It All Behind to Build a Luxury Micro-Resort in Highlands, North Carolina: The Story of Flat Mountain Farm
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Margaret Shutze — the creator and owner of Flat Mountain Farm, a luxury escape and events venue in the Appalachian Mountains of Highlands, Nort...
Meet the Founder of BnB Buyer — A Curated Newsletter Featuring the Best Airbnb Investment Properties
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Alex Breen, founder of BnB Buyer — a biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers a list of new Airbnb and other short term rentals that are for...
He Built a Story in the Form of a House — Meet the Creator of The Nook, a Hyperlocal Airbnb in Asheville
12 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Mike Belleme — the creator of The Nook, an obsessively handcrafted Airbnb just outside Asheville, NC. Growing up, Mike loved to skateboard —...
How He Built One of San Diego’s Most Artistic Escapes — The Story of Shelltown Sanctuary
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Joshua Nunnally, the creator of The Shelltown Sanctuary in San Diego, California. Joshua is an artist. Originally f...
How They Built a Top-Rated Collection of Airbnbs in Southern California — The Story of Arrivls
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Steven and Kylee Niederhauser, the founders of Arrivls, a boutique vacation rentals management company based in San Die...
They Left Campus Ministry for a New Calling — How the Corbett’s Built a Collective of Airbnbs Where All Belong.
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Get ready to meet Amy Corbett Co-Founder of All Belong Co — a collective of short term rentals based in Lynchburg, Virginia. Amy and her husband ...
How (and Why) a Tech Entrepreneur Built an Off Grid Eco-Hotel: The Story of Safa Farms
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Navid Safabakhsh, the creator of Safa Farms — a boutique eco-hotel featuring a collection of cabins outside of Guad...
How to Renovate an A-Frame Airbnb by Yourself
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Kayla Stormont — the creator of The Apex Cabin in Big Bear, California. When Kayla would go to a toy store or jewelr...
How to Buy and Build Airbnbs Thousands of Miles Away from Where You Live
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Kelly Cronin — the creator of Cronin's Castles, which is a new collection of unique short-term rentals. Kelly has a...
From HGTV Producer to STR-Tech Start Up Founder — Meet Annie Sloan
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Annie Sloane — Co-Founder and CEO of The Host Co. Have you ever been in an Airbnb and wished you could buy one of t...
How They Built a Luxurious, Eco-Friendly Escape in the Canadian Forest — The Hinter Story.
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Emily Padan — co-creator and co-owner of Hinter Company. A few years ago, Emily left her career as a school teache...
How They Built a Tiny Cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Tim and Cindi Spaulding — the builders, designers, and hosts of Salamander Ridge — a charming tiny cabin in Virgi...
From Serving in Afghanistan to Hosting on Airbnb: Meet the Founders of Seasons‘ Yield Farm
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Daniel and Fawn Shear, the founders of Seasons' Yield Farm. Daniel, like his father before him, served in the military...
How She Transformed a Horse Barn into an Enchanting California Airbnb Retreat
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Michaela Carozza, the creator and host of one of Carmel Valley’s top-rated Airbnbs. Michaela had been in the market...
How They Launched an Airbnb Glamping Resort for Under $700
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Alla and Garrett Hohn — the creators of The Hohnstead, which is a mini-glamping resort featuring a collection of tin...
How to Build a Modern Mountain Home That Stands Out on Airbnb
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment, you’ll meet Andrew and Bianca — founders of the Serenity Hill Group, a growing collection of luxury Airbnb escapes in the White ...
How They Built Bespoke Airbnbs to Help Fund Their Goat Dairy: The Story Behind Big Picture Farm
13 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Louisa Conrad, Co-Founder of Big Picture Farm. Big Picture Farm is a Vermont farmstead goat dairy and confectionery w...
How to Transform a Backyard Shed into a Luxury Airbnb Cottage
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Maris LeBlanc and JR Amantea, the creators of The Little House of Essex — a chic cottage near the Connecticut River i...
How to Design a Luxury Airbnb in Harmony with Nature
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In just a moment you’ll meet Laura Gentry and Carollani Sandberg — the creators of The Sagecliff Satori, a luxurious Airbnb cabin in Quincy, Washi...
How They Built 5 of the Most Unique Stays on Airbnb — Meet the Clark Family Silos.
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Behind the Stays, you’ll meet Eli Clark and Alexa Lang from Clark Family Silos. Eli grew up on a farm in Kalispell, Montana ...
How to Choose a Design Style for Your Airbnb and Why It Matters
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a minute, you’ll meet Valerie Malone — Creator and Founder of Quill Decor, a design consultancy that specializes in short-term rentals. Val...
Fourth Generation Dairy Farmers, First Generation Airbnb Empresses — Meet the Brodt’s.
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The idea was born on a road trip from Waco, Texas to Ferndale, California. Merritt Brodt and her daughter, Callie Alexandre, had gone to the Lone...
How to Build a Tiny House Airbnb with No Money — Meet the Woodruffs
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
They met at a Starbucks. Amber was working as a barista and Tyler had just moved from Utah to Tennessee. They didn't know it at the time, but just...
How She Built It — Meet the Founder of Bees Nees Getaways Who Brought an Airbnb to Life During a Global Pandemic
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Katie Denton — a mother of three small children and a lifelong lover of travel and fine hospitality. On this episode of Behind the Stays, Kat...
From Flight Attendant to Top-Rated Airbnb Host — Meet the Creator of the Sparrow's Nest
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Suzie has spent most of her life working at the intersection of travel and customer service. She traveled the world as a flight attendant for many y...
Meet the Family of Hospitality Entrepreneurs who Turned a WW2 Train Car and an Aircraft Hanger into Top-Rated Airbnbs
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When they purchased their home in 2016, the Smith family had no idea what adventures lay ahead. On the far edge of their property sat an empty WWII t...
An Escape to the Cape at Camp Adelaide — A Rustic-Chic Airbnb Stay in Barnstable, Massachusetts
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this epsiode of Behind the Stays, Zach interviews Kristen Bishop — a real estate professional who purchased the historic guest on the Filene fami...
Welcome to Behind The Stays — Trailer
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Behind the Stays — a podcast that shares the stories behind your favorite Airbnbs and the hosts who’ve made them memorable.