VRS629 - From Digital Guides to Donut Walls: Inside a Next-Gen Guest Experience
Release Date: 09/17/2025
VRS656 - How STR Businesses Are Using Claude for Smarter Marketing and Better Workflows
Vacation Rental Success
In this episode, Heather sits down with returning guest Jodi Bourne to talk about how short-term rental professionals can use Claude in practical, business-building ways. Rather than focusing on AI hype, this conversation digs into what actually matters: saving time, improving clarity, supporting creativity, and using tools like Claude to strengthen both operations and marketing. Jodi shares why she moved toward Claude, what makes it so useful in her day-to-day work, and how features like Projects, Skills, and Cowork can help STR operators stay organized, create more relevant content, and...
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VRS655 - The Shift from Collecting Prompts to AI That Actually Knows Your Business
Vacation Rental Success
In this solo episode, Heather explores one of the biggest shifts happening in the AI space right now: the move away from relying on prompt libraries and toward building systems powered by context. A couple of years ago, prompt engineering was everything. People were collecting prompt packs, saving templates, and searching for the āperfect promptā that would magically produce the right result. And at the time that made sense. Early AI tools needed much more structure, narrower inputs, and a lot more hand-holding. But things have changed. Todayās AI tools are better at understanding...
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VRS654 - VRNation, Education, and the Next Chapter of the Vacation Rental Industry
Vacation Rental Success
In this episode, Heather Bayer sits down with Heidie Henriksen, Executive Director of VRNation, to talk about how the organization is helping to strengthen the short-term rental industry through education, collaboration, and community. Heidi shares her 25-year journey in the vacation rental industry - from starting as a host, to working in property management and technology, to now leading a national nonprofit focused on supporting operators across the sector. They discuss the evolution of VRNation, the success of its roadshow events bringing education directly to local markets, and the launch...
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VRS653 - The Authority Shift: What AI Agents Mean for STR Leaders
Vacation Rental Success
Weāre at a genuine turning point in how AI is being used in the short-term rental industry - and the language we use right now really matters. In this episode, I unpack the difference between two words that are being thrown around almost interchangeably: assistant and agent. They are not the same. And if you donāt understand the distinction, you could either underestimate what AI can do for youā¦ or worse, hand over more authority than you intended inside your business. This isnāt a technical episode. Itās a clarity episode. Because clarity is what allows you to adopt AI confidently...
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VRS652 - Structure Before Speed: The Smarter Way to Bring AI Into Your Business
Vacation Rental Success
AI is no longer a curiosity in our industry - itās becoming a priority. In this first episode of a new AI-focused solo series, Heather steps back from tools and prompts to explore something more fundamental: is your business actually ready for AI? Because AI doesnāt fix messy operations - it magnifies them. This episode introduces a practical framework for building real AI readiness across your organization. It starts with leadership setting clear direction. AI adoption canāt be left to individual experimentation; it needs intention, visibility, and someone responsible for connecting...
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VRS651 - Trust, Conversions & The Direct Booking Mindset
Vacation Rental Success
What makes a guest trust your website enough to enter their credit card details? Thatās the question at the heart of this conversation with Amber Knight from Bookings Cloud - and itās one every property manager should be asking. Amber has been in this industry long enough to remember tape charts and highlighters (yes, really). From growing up around her fatherās vacation rental business in Sun Valley to helping build corporate development initiatives at Vacasa, sheās seen this industry evolve from fully analog to algorithm-driven. And through all of that change, one thing hasnāt...
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VRS650 - Amber Hurdle ā Keeping the Human in the Loop: Building a Strategic AI-Driven Brand
Vacation Rental Success
Amber Hurdle is back for her fourth appearance on the podcast - and once again, sheās lighting up the conversation with her bold, insightful take on branding, leadership, and the evolving role of AI in business. A year after her last visit (when ChatGPT was just becoming mainstream), Heather reconnects with Amber to explore how the AI landscape has shifted - and how short-term rental pros can ride the wave without losing their voice. From crafting a strategic AI approach to retrofitting your team structure and refining your brand voice, Amber offers practical, no-nonsense advice with her...
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VRS649 - Sewn in Soil and Spirit ā Designing Guest Experiences with Heather Dunwoody - A Book Direct Day Special
Vacation Rental Success
On this very special Book Direct Day, Iām thrilled to welcome Heather Dunwoody to the podcast for a deeply resonant conversation about the why behind what we do in this industry. Heather isnāt just someone who works in branding and guest experience., sheās someone who truly understands that hospitality goes far beyond service. For her, itās about creating meaningful connections and welcoming guests into something much deeper than just a place to stay. After reading her article Sewn in Soil and Spirit on Medium, I knew we had to dive into a conversation about designing guest experiences...
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VRS648 - Lead Better, Clean Smarter: The Coaches and Consultants Behind Vacation Rental Growth
Vacation Rental Success
In this special episode from our Training Series, host Heather Bayer is joined by Brittany Blackman (Discover Freedom) and Sean Kemper (ETI Solutions) - two powerhouse professionals who are bringing serious change to the short-term rental industry through coaching, consulting, and training. Together, they unpack the often unseen emotional weight of solopreneurship, why training isnāt just ānice to haveā but foundational, and how leaders can prioritize people over process for long-term success. Whether you're doing it all in-house or looking to bring in outside expertise, this episode is...
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VRS647 - The Missing Piece in STR Training: Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever - with Ali Cammelletti
Vacation Rental Success
In this episode, Heather sits down with returning guest Ali Cammelletti, a hospitality consultant, speaker, and the founder of Spark Your Mindset. With more than 30 years of experience in hospitality, Ali brings powerful insights into how soft skills - like empathy, emotional intelligence, and communication - can make or break a vacation rental business. While software training and hard skills often dominate onboarding and development, Ali makes the case for why soft skills are just as essential across every role in a short-term rental company - from the cleaners to the C-suite. Whether...
info_outlineI first met James Rubino at a VRMA conference in Orlando two years ago. He was there at the start of his journey in short term rentals, to learn and network and I mentioned to him then I would have him as a guest on the podcast down the road. So two years later here we are and what a story it is .
At just 26, James launched Rubino Home Ventures and later co-founded Lake George Vacay, two short-term rental management companies that already stand out for their professionalism, creativity, and community connection. In our conversation, James shares how he went from working in marketing and real estate to building a growing business rooted in service, innovation, and unforgettable guest experiences (wait until you hear about the S'mores with Sasquatch and The Donut Wall!
š£ Midroll Sponsor: STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program
This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning.
And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality.
š Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI
Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here:
https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/VRS629