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EP 207: Why I Sold My First Short-Term Rental and What We’re Doing Next

Branded & Booked

Release Date: 07/08/2025

EP 219: How We Drove $40K in Direct Bookings for Tremont Lodge Using an Integrated Marketing Strategy show art EP 219: How We Drove $40K in Direct Bookings for Tremont Lodge Using an Integrated Marketing Strategy

Branded & Booked

In this bite-sized solo episode, I’m breaking down the insane results we’ve helped our client, Tremont Lodge, achieve since partnering in spring 2025. From stock photos and low engagement to over $40,000 in tracked direct bookings, you’ll hear exactly how an integrated marketing strategy — blending social media, email, influencer collaborations, and automation — completely transformed their results. I’ll walk you through the story from the very beginning: where Tremont was when they came to us, the first steps we took to revamp their brand presence, and how each piece of the...

info_outline EP 218: How Strategy-Driven Interiors Are Winning in Today’s STR Market with Jordan from Somerled Designs show art EP 218: How Strategy-Driven Interiors Are Winning in Today’s STR Market with Jordan from Somerled Designs

Branded & Booked

Three years ago, it was enough for your Airbnb to have cute décor and a decent location. Today? The game has changed. In this episode, Steph sits down with Jordan, co-founder of Somerled Designs, to talk about what it really takes to compete in the 2025 short-term rental market. You’ll learn how Somerled has scaled from a college-friend side hustle to 50+ design projects per month, why they pair market research with creative interiors, and how their signature approach—“where strategy meets design”—helps investors turn underperforming listings into high-return assets. Whether...

info_outline Ep 217: What 5 STR Owners Changed in Their Marketing—And the Direct Booking Results They Saw show art Ep 217: What 5 STR Owners Changed in Their Marketing—And the Direct Booking Results They Saw

Branded & Booked

You don’t have to stay stuck on the OTA hamster wheel. 👏 In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on real short-term rental owners who decided enough was enough—and took control of their marketing. You’ll hear from five amazing hosts who implemented the exact strategies I teach inside and saw direct booking results they didn’t think were possible: ✨ Kathleen in the Poconos, who clarified her guest avatar (big groups celebrating milestones) and used content pillars to launch a direct booking site. ✨ April in Lake Tahoe, who leaned into lifestyle photography and a...

info_outline EP 216: Are direct bookings just a trend? show art EP 216: Are direct bookings just a trend?

Branded & Booked

Don’t forget — kicks off today (Sept 23–25)! It’s a free 3-day workshop where I’ll walk you through how to rely less on OTAs and build a marketing system that works. Save your seat (or catch the replays if you can’t make it live). 👉  Are direct bookings just a trend… or the future of your short-term rental business? In this episode of Branded and Booked, I’m diving into one of the most important conversations I’ve had with STR hosts over the last two years: should you go all in on a direct booking strategy, and if so, when? Airbnb isn’t going anywhere, but the...

info_outline EP 215: The 3 C’s of Social Media Strategy for Short-Term Rentals show art EP 215: The 3 C’s of Social Media Strategy for Short-Term Rentals

Branded & Booked

If you’ve ever wondered how to make social media actually work for your short-term rental, boutique hotel, or micro resort—this episode is for you. I'm breaking down my 3 C’s of Marketing on Social Media Strategy that I've been teaching since 2020. These tried-and-true pillars have helped businesses across industries grow their brands, book more clients, and build genuine connections. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to develop a content strategy rooted in your brand stories and guest experience. Why conversations (and engagement funnels like ManyChat) are essential to boost...

info_outline EP 214: Mistakes STR Owners make with marketing show art EP 214: Mistakes STR Owners make with marketing

Branded & Booked

Are you running yourself ragged trying to market your short-term rentals… and still not seeing results? You’re not alone. In today’s episode of Branded and Booked, I’m digging into the top two mistakes I see STR hosts make with their marketing—mistakes that cost you time, money, and bookings. Here’s what we cover: Why splitting your attention across multiple property accounts and brands is actually holding you back The difference between “spaghetti marketing” and strategy (and how to stop wasting energy) The two non-negotiables every STR owner needs in place before...

info_outline EP 213: How to Not Lose Money with Airbnb’s New Host Fee show art EP 213: How to Not Lose Money with Airbnb’s New Host Fee

Branded & Booked

Airbnb just announced another major policy change — and hosts on Facebook are losing it. But here’s the truth: panicking won’t protect your business. Strategy will. In this episode, I’m breaking down: ➡️ What the new Airbnb host fee structure actually means ➡️ The simple pricing adjustment we’re making right now to protect revenue ➡️ Why direct bookings must be part of your growth plan (and the exact first steps I’d take) ➡️ How email + SMS marketing is the lowest-hanging fruit you’re probably ignoring ➡️ The role social media and ads play when you’re ready...

info_outline EP 212: How We Got 1,100 Subscribers + $5K in Bookings with ONE Email Funnel show art EP 212: How We Got 1,100 Subscribers + $5K in Bookings with ONE Email Funnel

Branded & Booked

Are you leaving thousands of dollars in bookings on the table because your website has no opt-in? In this episode of Branded and Booked, I walk you through the exact funnel we set up for Cabins on the Cumberland that grew our email list to over 1,100 potential guests—people who have never stayed with us but are now primed to book. You’ll learn: Why simply having a direct booking site isn’t enough How to use pop-ups, giveaways, and promo codes to collect guest data The 5-email sequence we use to convert subscribers into paying guests How we’ve leveraged QR codes, ads, and...

info_outline EP 211: Personal Update: Proof You Don’t Need It All to Keep Going show art EP 211: Personal Update: Proof You Don’t Need It All to Keep Going

Branded & Booked

A question I was asked recently stopped me in my tracks: “Steph, where does your willpower come from?” It made me reflect on my story—and here’s what I realized: you don’t need everything perfectly lined up to create the life and business you want. I didn’t have financial support for college. I didn’t have a mic for 200+ podcast episodes. I didn’t have a clear, linear path into entrepreneurship. But I showed up anyway. In this episode, I’m sharing the real side of that journey: ➡️ How my family’s financial crisis shaped the way I work and lead ➡️ What self-funding...

info_outline EP 210: Why Your Instagram Isn’t Converting (and How to Fix It) show art EP 210: Why Your Instagram Isn’t Converting (and How to Fix It)

Branded & Booked

If you run a boutique hotel, micro resort, short-term rental, or property management company, your Instagram can lead to bookings — but only if you’re using it strategically. In this episode, I’m sharing why most hospitality brands miss the mark and exactly how to change that. We’ll cover: The one account setup mistake that instantly splits your audience (and how to fix it) Why your “pretty pictures” might actually be hurting your bookings The secret ingredient missing from most hospitality Instagram strategies A simple shift that turns passive scrollers into active...

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More Episodes

In this special solo episode, I get personal and share a raw behind-the-scenes look at where my heart, head, and business are at right now.

From influencer beginnings in 2016 to a (game-changing!) pivot into coaching and consulting in 2020, and then again into the world of short-term rentals—this episode takes you through the honest evolution of what it means to build a business and a life that’s in true alignment.

I open up about:

  • Why I walked away from chasing arbitrary revenue goals

  • The “two-year shift” cycle that always signals a big move

  • How selling our first STR created more opportunity, not less

  • Our family’s dream to hit the road for a year of camper life

  • What it looks like to build and scale two businesses with intention

  • Letting go of what success should look like—and rewriting it your way

This is one of those episodes that’s less about strategy and more about soul. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to hit milestones that don’t align with your actual dreams, this one’s for you.

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