Alex and Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals

Nashville was buzzing, and VRMA 2026 brought some of the industry's biggest conversations to the forefront!
From major OTA changes and AI developments to industry consolidation and predictions for 2027, this year's conference sparked some fascinating discussions about the future of vacation rentals.
And of course, Alex & Annie were right in the middle of it all.
In this special episode, we're taking you straight to the VRMA show floor for a mix of industry insight, candid conversations, and a little unexpected fun.
We caught up with some of our industry partners and put them on the spot with three burning questions: Where do hospitality professionals actually go on vacation? If their company were a band, who would they be? And the most entertaining question of all: "Rumor has it..."
We even kept an unofficial tally, and let's just say the beach won, Bali had a moment, and classic rock is apparently alive and well in vacation rentals.
Beyond the laughs and show-floor banter, we also sat down for separate conversations with Jeff Hurst of Furnished Finder, Ian Ackland of Booking.com, and Joel Schoen of Escapia, each bringing a unique perspective on the industry's evolving landscape. Their discussions explore Vrbo's fee changes, opportunities in midterm rentals, industry consolidation, AI, and the future of vacation rental technology and distribution.
From the latest industry developments to the unexpected moments that made Nashville memorable, this episode captures the energy, insights, and personalities of VRMA 2026.
Episode Chapters:
03:40 - Three burning questions: industry rumors, rock bands, and dream vacations
18:57 - Jeff Hurst on Furnished Finder and the growth of midterm rentals
21:40 - Vrbo's fee changes and the evolving OTA landscape
23:45 - Will AI transform vacation rental distribution?
33:58 - Ian Ackland on Booking.com, trust, and industry partnerships
41:20 - What's next for vacation rental industry consolidation?
45:01 - Joel Schoen on Escapia's latest innovations
47:58 - AI, customer support, and the human side of vacation rental technology
Whether you joined us in Nashville or missed the conference this year, tune in for an inside look at the conversations, personalities, and ideas making waves across the vacation rental industry.

✨ Exclusive Offers to Alex & Annie Listeners:
Thinking about the next chapter for your vacation rental business?
Connect with Monarch Collective to explore what growth could look like with the right platform behind you.
👉 Learn more: https://gomonarch.com/partnerships/

Reach more direct-booking travelers with Savvy.
List your professionally managed properties for free.
👉 Get started here: https://savvy.com/list

Build a direct booking site designed to get found and convert with CraftedStays.
Turn more visitors into direct bookings with less manual work.
👉 Get started: https://craftedstays.co/alexannie/

#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #VRMA2026
Send us a message!

Your revenue may be up in 2026, but how much of that growth came from a stronger strategy, and what can you learn from those results heading into 2027?
As vacation rental operators begin planning for the year ahead, understanding what drove their performance becomes especially important.
In this episode of Revenue Reality Check, presented by Beyond, Alex & Annie welcome back Julie Brinkman, CEO of Beyond, for a timely conversation about evaluating revenue performance, identifying missed opportunities, and building a more effective strategy for 2027.
Julie explains why portfolio-wide revenue numbers can hide important differences in performance across properties, markets, and inventory types. She shares how operators can use segmentation, historical trends, and market comparisons to understand where their strategies worked and where adjustments may be needed.
Through real questions from vacation rental operators, Julie offers practical guidance on setting realistic revenue targets, strengthening owner conversations, and making smarter decisions before the next booking season begins.
Episode Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to Revenue Reality Check, presented by Beyond
03:56 – How to evaluate your 2026 revenue performance
07:14 – Using performance data to retain and acquire homeowners
12:22 – Rethinking distribution, direct bookings, and AI search
16:03 – Turning guest data into repeat booking opportunities
20:04 – Why one revenue strategy doesn't work for every property
24:03 – Identifying inventory that may be holding your portfolio back
26:04 – The danger of lowering rates too early
29:46 – Using search demand to make better pricing decisions
30:51 – Setting 2027 revenue targets using historical performance
33:16 – When should you start planning your 2027 revenue strategy?
As operators prepare for another year of changing demand and booking behavior, Julie encourages a closer examination of the decisions behind their results and the opportunities available to improve performance.
Tune in to this episode of Revenue Reality Check, presented by Beyond, for insights to help you approach 2027 with a more informed and adaptable revenue strategy.
Connect with Julie Brinkman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrbrinkman/
Connect with Beyond
Website: https://beyondpricing.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-pricing/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondpricing/
#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #revenuemanagement
Send us a message!

Growing a vacation rental portfolio brings new opportunities, but maintaining the quality and consistency that made the business successful becomes increasingly challenging as operations expand.
In this episode, Alex & Annie catch up with Brandon Hall, Founder and CEO of Hallson Hospitality, for an on-location conversation in Nashville about the company's next chapter of growth.
Brandon shares the news of Hallson Hospitality's merger with Epicbnb, a partnership expected to bring their combined portfolio to approximately 175 properties. He explains how their shared commitment to hospitality standards, strong guest reviews, and thoughtful operations made the merger a natural fit.
As the company prepares for its next phase, Brandon shares how Hallson Hospitality is investing in better systems, centralized property information, and AI-powered tools to help teams work more efficiently and maintain service standards across a larger portfolio.
Episode Chapters:
02:32 - Welcome to Nashville: Inside Hallson Hospitality's Star Piano Suites
03:14 - Blending boutique hotel service with luxury vacation rentals
04:48 - Why design, branding, and consistency matter to the guest experience
07:12 - Brandon Hall's approach to responsible vacation rental growth
09:50 - Hallson Hospitality's merger with Epicbnb and expansion to 175 properties
11:59 - Expanding into boutique hospitality with Germantown Inn
13:34 - Scaling operations while maintaining quality and service standards
14:08 - How Hallson is using AI and centralized property data to support its team
18:51 - Improving information accuracy across a growing portfolio
19:44 - Integrating the merger and exploring future growth opportunities
From strategic partnerships and brand consistency to technology and operational readiness, this episode offers an inside look at how Hallson Hospitality is approaching expansion while keeping the guest experience at the center of its growth strategy.
Connect with Brandon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonhall/ 
Learn more about Hallson Hospitality:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hallson.co/ 
Website: https://hallson.co/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hallsonco 
✨ Exclusive Offers to Alex & Annie Listeners:
Thinking about the next chapter for your vacation rental business?
Connect with Monarch Collective to explore what growth could look like with the right platform behind you.
👉 Learn more: https://gomonarch.com/partnerships/
List your professionally managed properties on VacationFinder.com with no listing fees or booking commissions.
👉 Get started: https://partners.vacationfinder.com/alexandannie
Learn more about dormakaba’s vacation & short-term rental access solutions:
👉 Website: https://dk.world/Vacation26 
#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #guestexperience
Send us a message!

Your property management system says one thing. Your revenue management platform says another. Your accounting reports tell a different story.
So which numbers can you actually trust?
As AI becomes more integrated into vacation rental operations, inconsistent data across systems presents a growing challenge for property managers.
In this episode, Alex & Annie sit down with John An, Founder and CEO of TechTape, to explore why disconnected systems and conflicting data can lead to misleading reports, unreliable AI insights, and costly business decisions.
John also introduces Tidewell by TechTape, a solution designed to bring fragmented data from existing systems into one consistent, trusted foundation. They explore how cleaner, more connected data can give operators greater visibility into their business and support more informed decisions while building a stronger foundation for AI.
Episode Chapters:
02:43 - How John's experience as an operator led to TechTape
05:07 - Introducing Tidewell and the problem it solves
06:31 - Why vacation rental systems report different numbers
08:34 - The risks of using AI with inconsistent data
10:29 - Finding operational opportunities through connected data
13:58 - Why consistent definitions of revenue and occupancy matter
16:09 - Making enterprise-level data infrastructure accessible to smaller operators
19:11 - Maintaining historical data through PMS migrations
23:09 - Improving maintenance reporting with connected data
28:18 - Integrating existing software and data sources
31:11 - Building a trustworthy foundation for AI automation
Connect with John An:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-s-an/ 
TechTape: https://www.gettechtape.com/ 
Tidewell: https://www.gettechtape.com/tidewell/ 

✨ Exclusive Offers to Alex & Annie Listeners:
Get 3 months of Tidewell FREE with your property management system connected, for up to 20 properties.
Bring your vacation rental data together and start building a more reliable foundation for reporting, business insights, and AI.
👉 Learn more about Tidewell: https://www.gettechtape.com/tidewell/

Thinking about the next chapter for your vacation rental business?
Connect with Monarch Collective to explore what growth could look like with the right platform behind you.
👉 Learn more: https://gomonarch.com/partnerships/

Reach more direct-booking travelers with Savvy.
List your professionally managed properties for free.
👉 Get started here: https://savvy.com/list

#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #AI
Send us a message!

A high-end vacation rental and a premium nightly rate don't always guarantee well-behaved guests.
And when a stay ends with serious property damage, getting the home back in shape can be only part of the headache.
In Episode 4 of Pour Decisions: When Stays Go Sideways, presented by Safely, Alex and Annie are joined by Alexandra “Ali” Chaney of 30A Beach Stays & Vacations, alongside Amanda Martins and Zach Grimes of Safely, for a candid conversation about the unpredictable side of vacation rental management.
Ali brings firsthand stories of unexpected guest incidents and the challenges of managing damage claims, while Amanda and Zach share insights from Safely's experience helping operators navigate these situations.
Together, they explore the realities of guest-related risks, the challenges of recovering costs through booking platforms, and how the right protection and processes can help property managers safeguard the homes entrusted to them.
We discuss:
12:55 - Why luxury properties are not immune to destructive guest behavior
14:53 - The challenges of recovering damage costs through booking platforms
21:52 - How the right protection can support homeowner confidence
24:08 - What operators can learn from real guest damage incidents
27:47 - Why documentation and a clear claims process matter
30:14 - How different types of insurance and damage protection work together
36:48 - Where guest waivers fit into a broader protection strategy
From shocking guest stories to practical insights on damage protection, this episode offers plenty for property managers to think about before the next stay goes sideways.
Connect with Ali: https://www.alexandanniepodcast.com/guests/alexandra-chaney/ 
Connect with Zach:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-grimes-9242b478/ 
Connect with Amanda:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandakatmartins/ 
Learn more about Safely:
Website: https://safely.com/alex-and-annie
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/safely-stay/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/safely/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/safelyprotection 
This Episode's Cocktail: Ali's Special
A classic margarita with a fresh citrus twist.
Ingredients:
Tequila
Triple sec
Sour mix
Fresh lime juice, optional
Fresh orange juice, optional
Ice
How to make it:
Combine the tequila, triple sec, and sour mix in a shaker with ice. Add fresh orange and lime juice if desired. Shake well and pour into your favorite glass.
#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #damageclaims
Send us a message!