EP 234: The 90-Day Hotel Transformation (And How It’s Already Driving 30% Direct Bookings) with Andrés Pérez
Release Date: 03/10/2026
EP 251: From 3 Million Views to 80% Direct Bookings with Deborah Goetz
Branded & Booked
What actually happens when you stop treating your short-term rental like a property and start building it like a hospitality brand? In this episode of Branded & Booked, I’m sitting down with Debra Getts, owner of in Blue Ridge, Georgia, to talk about exactly that. Debra and her husband have built an incredibly clear brand around being some of the most dog-friendly stays in their market. And when I say dog-friendly, I don’t just mean they allow dogs. They’ve thought through the entire experience, from fenced yards and crates to dog blankets, treats, cleaning supplies and the little...
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EP 250: How Our Micro-Resort Grew Revenue 76% (And What It Really Took)
Branded & Booked
For the first time, I'm pulling back the curtain on what our first full peak season actually looked like at Cabins on the Cumberland. There are so many conversations online about buying boutique hotels, building micro resorts, and creating passive income, but very few people are willing to talk about the numbers behind the scenes. In this episode, I'm sharing ours. I break down our June and July performance year over year, where our ADR and occupancy landed, how a completed guest experience changed everything, and why branding, revenue management, direct bookings, and thoughtful hospitality...
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EP 249: The Difference Between a Nice Hotel and a Booked-Out One with Courtney Petrovich
Branded & Booked
What separates a hotel that's simply beautiful from one that guests can't stop booking? In this episode, I sit down with hospitality designer Courtney Petrovich, founder of Deanery Designs, to talk about the role design really plays in the success of a hospitality brand. We dive into why boutique hotel design is so much more than selecting furniture and finishes, how thoughtful design can help attract investors before a project is even built, and the operational decisions that can save owners time and money for years to come. We also talk about the shift we're seeing as more short-term rental...
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EP 248: Our First Weeks Living in an RV + A New Way to Bring Your Brand to Life
Branded & Booked
We're officially recording our first podcast episode from the camper, and after more than two weeks on the road, it's safe to say this adventure has already taught us more than we expected. In this episode, I'm sharing an honest behind-the-scenes look at what it's been like transitioning into full-time RV life with our family. From unexpected truck delays and finding a long-term tenant for our home to exploring South Dakota's national parks, navigating tiny living with two little boys, and discovering just how much lifestyle freedom entrepreneurship can create, this episode is a candid update...
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EP 247: How They Reached 70% Direct Bookings (And Why Most Hosts Are Asking the Wrong Question) with Rose Tipka
Branded & Booked
Everyone wants more direct bookings. But what if the question isn't "How do I get more direct bookings?" What if the real question is, "How do I build a business that guests want to book from directly?" In this episode of Branded & Booked, I sit down with Rose Taika, founder of Your Family's Place, a vacation rental company in Ohio's Amish Country that generates roughly 70% of its bookings through its own website. Rose is a homeschooling mom of six, a best-selling author, and a hospitality entrepreneur who has built a portfolio of family-focused vacation rentals by thinking differently...
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EP 246: How 29% of Our Bookings Generated 43% of Our Revenue
Branded & Booked
In this episode of Branded & Booked, I'm pulling back the curtain on the real booking and revenue numbers from May at Cabins on the Cumberland. If you've ever wondered whether investing in direct bookings is actually worth it, this episode provides the proof. I break down exactly where our bookings came from, how much revenue each channel generated, and why direct bookings continue to outperform Airbnb when it comes to profitability. I also share the pricing strategies, marketing tactics, and guest experience considerations that have helped us grow direct bookings into a meaningful part of...
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EP 245: The Hospitality Industry Is About to Split in Two (And Most Hosts Aren’t Ready) with Gil Chan
Branded & Booked
I genuinely think the hospitality industry is entering one of the biggest shifts we’ve seen in years — and the hosts who survive over the next 3–5 years are going to think very differently than the ones who thrived during the Airbnb gold rush. In this episode, I sat down with Gil Chan, founder of Crafted Stays, to talk about where hospitality is headed, how AI is changing the way guests search for stays, and why branding and direct bookings matter more than ever moving forward. We talked about why relying completely on Airbnb is becoming increasingly risky, how AI tools like ChatGPT are...
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EP 244: Building Businesses, Raising Kids & Going on the Road for a Year
Branded & Booked
We’re about 30 days away from leaving for a year-long camper trip with our boys… and honestly? Life feels a little chaotic right now. In this episode of Branded & Booked, I’m sharing a very real behind-the-scenes update on what’s been happening as we prepare to leave “normal life” for a completely different season. From our disastrous first RV test trip to truck issues throwing a wrench into our plans, packing up our house, balancing explosive business growth, and preparing for Collin to leave his six-figure job… there’s been a lot happening all at once. This episode is...
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EP 243: The Legal Mistakes STR Owners Keep Making with Katie Johnson
Branded & Booked
Most short-term rental owners spend all their time thinking about branding, bookings, design, amenities, and guest experience… But almost no one talks about the legal side of this business until something goes wrong. In this episode, I sat down with STR attorney, host, and co-host Katie Johnson to talk about the legal mistakes we see owners and property managers making all the time and honestly, some of these are way more common than they should be. We talk about LLCs, insurance, rental agreements, safety compliance, co-hosting contracts, operating agreements, capital raising, and what...
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EP 242: What Virgin Voyages & Coachella Understand About Influencer Marketing That Most Brands Don’t
Branded & Booked
Influencer marketing is not just about getting pretty content. It’s about creating a moment people want to be part of. In this episode of Branded and Booked, I’m breaking down what boutique hotels, micro resorts, and short-term rental brands can learn from companies like Virgin Voyages, 818, COMFRT, and Colorescience when it comes to using creators in a way that actually drives attention, demand, and revenue. Because the brands doing this well are not treating influencer marketing like an afterthought. They are building entire experiences around it. I’m sharing why Virgin Voyages’...
info_outlineWhat happens when you take an underperforming boutique hotel… and completely reimagine it?
In this episode, I’m joined by former client Andrés Pérez, co-owner of The Iceberg Tahoe, and we’re breaking down the story behind transforming what was once the Avalon Lodge in South Lake Tahoe.
Andres spent nearly a decade working at Google before transitioning into real estate investing. Like many investors, he started with long-term rentals, then moved into short-term rentals. But eventually he realized something a lot of people in this industry are starting to discover.
Scaling single properties is hard.
The margins are tighter than people on Instagram make them seem, interest rates change the math, and building a real hospitality business requires something more strategic than just buying one property after another.
That realization is what led Andres and his team into the boutique hotel space.
In this conversation, we walk through the entire journey of acquiring the property that would eventually become The Iceberg Tahoe. From building broker relationships that led to an off-market opportunity, to negotiating seller financing, raising investor capital, and renovating a 20-room hotel in just 90 days.
But the transformation didn’t stop at the renovation.
The property had outdated branding, weak reviews, and no real identity that matched the experience Andres wanted to create. Instead of trying to polish what was already there, they made the decision to start fresh.
That’s where the branding work came in.
Together we built the strategy behind The Iceberg Tahoe. A name designed to be memorable, iconic, and deeply tied to the Tahoe experience. A brand story rooted in mystery, discovery, and the idea that there’s always more beneath the surface.
Because branding is not just about making something look better.
It’s about creating a story people want to be part of.
It’s about giving a property an identity that guests remember, talk about, and come back to. It’s about positioning a business so that marketing actually works.
And the early results are already showing up.
Just a few months after launch, The Iceberg Tahoe has already seen strong early revenue and is generating a meaningful percentage of direct bookings. Even more interesting, the branding has created real excitement among investors and stakeholders who now feel emotionally connected to the project they helped bring to life.
This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when branding, strategy, and hospitality vision all come together.
If you’ve ever wondered what it actually takes to reposition a property, launch a boutique hotel, or build a hospitality brand that stands out in a crowded market, this conversation is packed with insight.
Let’s get into it.
Connect with Andrés and The Iceberg Tahoe: @theicebergtahoe
Connect with Steph: @theweberco
Apply to work with us: theweberco.com