The Art Of Hospitality

Welcome to "The Art of Hospitality," where the Operator meets the Philosopher to unravel the intricate tapestry of the vacation rental industry. Led by Conrad O'Connell, the Digital Strategist who turns clicks into bookings, and hosted by Scott Fasano, the "Operator," and Adam Norko, the "Philosopher," our podcast presents a trinity of perspectives that uniquely positions us at the intersection of practical operations, philosophical depth, and digital innovation. We tackle the gamut—marketing strategies, guest relations, property management, and internal operations—all while keeping an eye on the ever-changing landscape of our industry. This isn't just about running a vacation rental management business; it's about mastering the Art of Hospitality, where operational precision and thought leadership intersect to create extraordinary experiences. So, if you're keen on listening to discussions that marry tactical excellence with intellectual depth, all underpinned by game-changing digital strategies, you're in the right place. Join us as we redefine what it means to excel in the vacation rental industry.

Finding The Functional Layer Of AI Tooling For Vacation Rental Growth (With Braeden Flaherty)

In this episode, we're joined by Braeden Flaherty of Aidaptive (again!) to talk all things AI, tooling, what's functional today, growth with tools, conversion rates, "merchandising" and more. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellAidaptiveBraeden Flaherty

12-18
53:41

Looking For Growth In Unique Places (With Landon Schlabach)

In this episode, we're joined by Landon Schlabach of BNB Breeze to chat growth, acquiring investors and inventory, taking care of guests, ops and a LOT more... Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellLandon SchlabachBNB Breeze

12-11
52:30

What Can We Learn From An "Ignored" Industry In Lodging? (With Nathan St Cyr)

In this episode, we're joined by Nathan St Cyr of Howzit Hostels to chat all things hostels, travel, the cost of travel, hospitality and a LOT more...Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellHowzit HostelsNathan St Cyr

12-04
51:37

How Does Marketing Build Success In The Top Vacation Rental Companies? (With Amber Carpenter)

In this episode, we're joined by Amber Carpenter of VTrips to talk all things marketing, CXO, revenue, conversions, merchandising properties and a LOT more. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellAmber Carpenter VTrips

11-27
52:41

Is It Possible To Build The Proper Loyalty Program For Unique Stay Hospitality Brands? (With Zach Busekrus)

In this episode, we're joined by Zach Busekrus of Journey to discuss his recent joining of company & sale of StayWatch, loyalty, hospitality, unique stays, credit card points and a LOT more...Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellZach BusekrusStayWatchJourney

11-20
51:04

Where Do We Go With Vacation Rental Industry Conferences? (With Madison Rifkin, Amy Hinote and Matt Landau)

In this episode, we're joined by an all-star cast - Madison Rifkin, Amy Hinote and Matt Landau - to discuss the future of vacation rental industry events, DARM, looking for the right conference for you and a LOT more...Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellAmy HinoteDARMMadison RifkinMountMatt Landau Here Goes Nothin

11-13
53:43

Why Stories About Our Destinations Matter & How They Can Build A Brand (With Tom Goodwin)

In this episode, we're joined (again) by Tom Goodwin to share the launch of his podcast and upcoming media - For the Love of Gatlinburg Podcast! Tom shares a LOT more than just that however and goes into detail on building a brand, competing with the big guys, connecting with your local community and even more...Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellFor the Love of Gatlinburg Tom GoodwinMountain Laurel Chalets

11-06
48:27

Enhancing The Guest Experience By Listening In And Showing Up (With Annie Sloan)

In this episode, we're joined by Annie Sloan of The Host Co. on all things guest experience, upsells, NRR (non rental-revenue), expansion, going from a host to a pro host and a lot more.Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellAnnie SloanThe Host Co.

10-30
52:52

Strong Vacation Rental Leadership: Big Vision, Great People, Get Out of the Way (With Clark Twiddy)

In this episode, we're joined by Clark Twiddy from Twiddy & Company to share his thoughts on growth, leadership, balancing guest vs homeowner, being the 'best' in a market and a lot more. You do NOT want to miss this one. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellTwiddyClark Twiddy

10-23
59:26

How Much Progress Are We Making On Vacation Rental Safety? (With Justin Ford)

In this episode, we're joined (again) by Justin Ford who is the Director of Short-Term Rental Safety & Certification Programs at Breezeway. Justin gives us an update on what's trending and happening in the world of safety in 2024 and where we need to do better. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellJustin FordBreezeway

10-16
52:44

How THIS Mindset Makes This Property Management Software Unlike Any Other... (With Paul Waldschmidt)

In this episode, we're joined by Paul Waldschmidt, CEO of Ownerrez. We talk all about the origin of Ownerrez, an engineering mindset, updates, growth, funding in our space and LOT more. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellPaul WaldschmidtOwnerrez

10-09
56:57

Diving As Deep As We Can Into Vacation Rental Data (With Kenny Bedwell)

In this episode, we're joined by Kenny Bedwell of STR Insights to talk all things data, marketing, ops, finding the right properties and a TON more. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellKenny BedwellSTR Insights

10-02
57:46

What Does It Mean To Be A 'Professional' Vacation Rental Manager?

In this episode, the trio takes on trying to better define what it means to be a truly "professional" property manager or vacation rental manager.Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'Connell

09-25
48:11

What Should Your Vacation Rental Business Do To Prevent Harmful Regulation? (With Scott Leggat)

In this episode, we chat with Scott Leggat who is the Director Government Affairs & Advocacy at Inhabit IQ. We dive into regulations, how to build the right local relationships, marketing, Scott's background and more. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellScott Leggat

09-18
51:27

How To Build The RIGHT Fundamentals In Your Vacation Rental Business

In this episode, the trio takes on the fundamentals of vacation rental business building and how it applies to building a winning organization. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellThe Webinar: Conrad / Adam

09-11
46:03

Diving Into The Data To Build The Ideal Approach To Getting More Bookings (With Jeff Brown)

In this episode, we chat with Jeff Brown of IntelliHost on data, getting more traffic on Airbnb with testing, thumbnails, how to run tests and even more...  Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellJeff BrownIntelliHost

09-04
54:24

Building A Large Vacation Rental Business The Smart Way (With Dustin Abney)

In this episode, we chat with Dustin Abney of Portoro on his stunningly quick growth building his vacation rental mangement company to hundreds of units in just a few short years, trends, PMS platforms, building technology, what the future holds and a lot more. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellPortoroDustin Abney

08-28
55:41

Welcoming All Travelers With Heart And Hospitality To Grow Your Vacation Rental Business (With Becky Large)

In this episode, we chat with Becky Large of Autism Travel Club on her movement to accept all travelers, why focusing on families with Autism can be not just be more 'welcoming' but also a driver of growth for your business too. Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellBecky LargeAutism Travel Club

08-21
56:49

Breaking Into The PMS Space With A Novel Approach (With Wes Smithe)

In this episode, we interview Wes Smithe of Direct Software on what it's really like to build a PMS, his unique takes on where we're heading, how change is creating opportunity for Direct and a lot more...Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellDirect SoftwareWes Smithe

08-14
54:03

Dealing With The Changing Landscape Of OTAs With Vrbo (With Tim Rosolio)

In this episode, we interview Tim Rosolio of Vrbo / Expedia Group on all things Vrbo, technology, tech debt, building towards the future, merchadising vacation rentals and a lot more... Enjoy!⭐️ Links & Show NotesAdam NorkoScott FasanoConrad O'ConnellTim RosolioOne Key

08-07
49:38

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