Furnished Finder’s CEO Jeff joins us to break down why thousands of hosts are moving away from Airbnb and into the booming midterm rental space.

In this episode:

• Jeff’s journey from VRBO and Expedia to Furnished Finder

• Why monthly rentals are the most underserved niche in real estate

• How to price your MTR listings for max profit

• The 3 types of hosts who thrive on Furnished Finder

• Tech upgrades, new guest demographics, and the future of midterms

• Why most Airbnb hosts still don’t understand real returns

Whether you’re a casual host or a pro operator, this episode will help you rethink your strategy, lower your fees, and build a more resilient rental business.

Guest Bio:

Jeff Hurst is the President and CEO of Furnished Finder, a role he assumed in November 2023 at the invitation of the company’s founders. Prior to that, Hurst was the Chief Operating Officer of Expedia Brands and Co-Lead of Expedia Group Marketing. Before that, he was the President of Vrbo and Chief Strategy Officer of HomeAway, where he oversaw the company’s successful sale to Expedia, Inc. Before venturing into the vacation rental industry, Hurst worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, collaborating with consumer brands on corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and pricing strategies. Hurst received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and BA from the University of Texas at Austin.

00:05:00 - Game-Changing Insights: Luxury Brands in Vacation Rentals

00:10:00 - Unstoppable Leaders: CEOs Who Shaped My Philosophy

00:15:00 - Winning Balance: How I Prioritize Family, CEO Role, & Life

00:20:00 - Bold Moves: Why I Chose Furnish Finder Over Other CEO Jobs

00:25:00 - Secret Advantage: Choosing the Right City & Team First

00:30:00 - Proven Blueprint: Advice to My Son on Career & Leadership

00:35:00 - Power Tip: Best Way to Reconnect with Furnish Finder

00:40:00 - Ultimate Secret: #1 Tip for Short Term Rental Success

00:45:00 - Smart Hack: How Hosts Save Money by Reverse-Engineering Airbnb

Guest Link:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-hurst-atx

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

Airbnb quietly changed the rules, and if you’re not paying attention, you could be giving refunds you didn’t agree to.

In this episode, we break down exactly what changed and what to do about it.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why Airbnb is auto-switching hosts to a “Firm” policy, without clear consent

• What happened to the original Strict policy (spoiler: it’s weaker now)

• The difference between “Strict,” “Firm,” and the new “Limited” cancellation options

• Real refund scenarios, who gets paid when guests cancel

• Why Mike is switching to “Limited” on all new listings

• How to check if your policy was changed (and how to fix it)

Don’t let Airbnb rewrite your house rules without you knowing.

Want to get the latest Airbnb Policy One-Pager?

Just click the link below and DM the word "Policy".

Link: https://ig.me/m/mike.sjogren?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Captivate&utm_campaign=T020&utm_content=Policy

00:00 - Airbnb Cancellation Policy Changes & How To Adapt

01:24 - Choosing the Right Cancellation Policy: Strict vs Firm vs Limited

02:49 - How To Use Rank Breeze To Track Your Airbnb Rankings

04:14 - Opting Out of Airbnb’s Forced Policy Changes

05:39 - How New Listings Are Affected By Airbnb’s Updated Rules

07:04 - Strategies for Competing in Saturated STR Markets

08:29 - Building Repeat Clients & Getting Direct Bookings

09:54 - Protecting Against Chargebacks With Rental Agreements

11:19 - Know Your Market’s Booking Window & Adjust Policies

12:44 - Using Tools Like AirDNA & Rank Breeze To Optimize Revenue

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

What started as a favor for one struggling homeowner turned into a multi-property, multi-market STR business, and a system built on honesty, hard lessons, and smart investing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why most first-time hosts shouldn’t expect a profit (and what to aim for instead)

• The $65K reno gamble that paid off, plus how to pitch owners to invest

• 5 non-negotiables every STR investor needs to check before buying

• How to match properties to real investor goals (not hype)

• What to say when a listing has bad photos, ugly furniture, and zero bookings

• How to turn stale listings into discounted wins using seller credits

• The mindset shift that helped turn their lowest income year into their highest ever

Whether you’re starting from scratch or trying to turn things around, this episode is packed with honest advice and real numbers to help you grow the right way.

Don’t go it alone, learn from people who’ve already done it.

00:01:14 - Revenue Boost: Previous Owner’s $30K Shows Untapped Potential

00:05:05 - Hustle Story: From Mowing Lawns to Building Wealth

00:09:37 - Mindset Shift: Realizing It Was Never Just a Job

00:13:00 - Profit Jump: Small Changes, Big Revenue Growth to $70K

00:16:54 - Unique Selling Point: Win Without a Pool

00:19:31 - Client Filter: Say ‘No’ More Often to Grow Stronger

00:20:42 - Investor Clarity: Aligning with Each Investor’s True Goal

00:22:45 - Negotiation Win: Securing $130K in Seller Credits

00:26:29 - Host Reality: Why Airbnb Won’t Help When It Matters

Guest Bio:

Joe Rohne bought my first two short-term rentals in 2022, one with his wife and one with a business partner. Within three months, he shifted into cohosting and picked up 2 cabins in Branson. Joe went to the STR Wealth Conference and met a bunch of people. From there, he started his own cohost mastermind to have weekly calls and help each other grow. He grew to 12 mostly luxury cohost properties. Joe sold his first two STRs in 2024 and upgraded to a larger luxury property, and is looking to buy another this year. All this turned into him having a co-host podcast and helping others get into this space. He has been a realtor for 5+ years in St. Louis, and got his license in Florida to sell in Panama City Beach, which is where the majority of his STR business is. In August 2024, Joe got linked with Tyler and the Savvy team, and he is now building a team that services the entire panhandle. He currently has ten co-hosts and one owned property.

Guest Link:

facebook.com/joe.rohne

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

Mark had 11 Airbnb units, a full-time medical sales job, and barely any profit.

Just 18 months later?

He runs 37 listings, left his W-2, and built a profitable, freedom-filled business, all without using his own capital.

In this episode, we break down exactly how he did it:

• The red flags in his arbitrage model that forced a pivot
• How he turned losses into leverage with a co-hosting pitch
• A case study that took one property from $90K → $211K
• The “Underserved Investor Method” for finding hidden gems
• Why volume doesn’t matter, precision does
• And the system he used to scale without capital or burnout

If you’re stuck, tired, or scaling blindly, this might be the episode that saves your business.

00:00 - Burned Out at 11 Units, Freedom at 37: The Mark Story

00:01 - Rising Rents and Saturation: Why Arbitrage Fails

00:04 - Audit and Pivot: How a Simple Portfolio Audit Changes Everything

00:05 - Switch to Co-Hosting: Scale with No Capital

00:06 - The Design ROI Pitch: Turn $10K Into $33K Fast

00:09 - Underserved Investor Method: Find Hidden Gems Others Miss

00:12 - $30K Redesign → $211K Revenue: Real Numbers, Real Proof

00:13 - Fire Bad Managers: Care Wins Big

00:14 - Small but Mighty: Profit Without Massive Volume

00:15 - Cohosting Margins: 50%+ With Full Teams

00:16 - Don’t Blame Pricing: Fix Your Offer and Model Instead

00:17 - Raise the Bar: Better Hosts, Better Homes, Better Industry

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

Amanda Williams branded herself as The Traveling Realtor and built a thriving rental business, only to be banned from Airbnb overnight.

In this episode, she shares how that crushing moment forced her to pivot into midterm rentals, automate with AI, and rebuild a better business that runs with less stress, higher profits, and total platform independence.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Airbnb banned her (and what you can do to prevent it)
• How midterm rentals (MTR) gave her 90–95% occupancy
• The AI tool she built to automate listings, guest comms & content
• How she balances business with nervous system regulation & wellness
• Her playbook for turning burnout into purpose-driven success

Tools & strategies for STR → MTR pivots, burnout recovery, and branding with integrity.

00:35 - Never Build Your Whole Business on Someone Else’s Platform

06:03 - Building a Strong Real Estate Brand Identity

07:01 - How to Be Known in Your Network to Grow Your Business

13:00 - Choosing the Right Community to Plant Roots for Business & Life

16:17 - Growing from STR to MTR: Changing Ownership Structures

17:33 - Airbnb Kicked Me Off: The Risk of Platform Dependence

19:20 - Switching from Short-Term to Mid-Term Rentals: Why & How

25:00 - Why Midterm Rentals Mean Better Clients & Less Work

26:12 - Using AI and Custom GPTs for Marketing and Operations

30:51 - Becoming a Relocation Specialist: Multiple Income Streams

33:02 - Smart Branding: Pick a Consistent Name & Handle

34:28 - Niche Marketing: Speaking Directly to Your Avatar

39:46 - Sharing Authentic Life Stories to Build Audience Trust

43:53 - First Aid Kit for Burnt Out Hosts: Breathwork, Meditation, Nervous System Health

48:35 - Success Secret: A Never-Quitting Mindset

Guest Bio:

Amanda Williams, widely known as The Traveling Realtor, is a seasoned real estate entrepreneur, eXp Realty agent, and visionary behind Carolina Furnished Rentals (CFR). Founded in 2019, Carolina Furnished Rentals skyrocketed in 2020 as demand for longer stays surged during the pandemic. This pivotal success became a lifeline in 2021 when Amanda was unexpectedly removed from Airbnb through no fault of her own—a common challenge for many hosts relying solely on third-party platforms.

Rather than seeing it as a setback, Amanda turned this challenge into an opportunity to take full control of her business, doubling down on the mid-term rental (MTR) model. She transformed Carolina Furnished Rentals into a thriving enterprise, proving the power of owning your brand and building a business independent of volatile platforms.

Today, Amanda uses her expertise to help Airbnb hosts with 5+ properties transition to the stability and profitability of MTRs. Through her 30-Day MTR Sprint Program, she provides hands-on coaching, automation strategies, and proven systems to help property owners scale smarter, reduce headaches, and create a business they truly own.

Amanda’s mission is simple: empower others to build wealth, freedom, and a brand they’re proud of while navigating the ever-changing rental landscape. From coaching clients to speaking at events, Amanda inspires hosts to take control of their future and achieve financial independence on their own terms.

Guest Link:

https://www.instagram.com/amandathetravelingrealtor/

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

Most co-hosts are blaming the market. But it’s not the market...

...it’s your offer.

In this episode, we walk through how to dominate even when bookings slow down, using frameworks that helped our clients grow from 0 to 100+ properties (without lowering their standards).

Inside, you’ll learn:

• The 2 sales you must make to land AND grow every client
• How to niche down with an offer big managers can’t touch
• Why “boutique” isn’t enough (and what to say instead)
• ChatGPT + Hormozi = your unfair advantage
• The COHOST sales framework that turns owners into clients fast

If you’re tired of feeling stuck in the cohosting middle zone…This is the episode that unlocks your next 10 doors.

Want to generate your Perfect Offer? Just click the link below to get the ChatGPT Prompt:

https://ig.me/m/mike.sjogren?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Captivate&utm_campaign=T018&utm_content=Prompt

00:00 – Stand Out or Stay Stuck: Why Differentiation Is Non-Negotiable

00:12 – The COHOST Framework: A Proven Sales Funnel for STR Growth

00:45 – Survive the Booking Slump: Why Traditional Markets Are Struggling

02:44 – Don’t Panic Price: How to Maximize Occupancy Without Slashing Rates

04:48 – The #1 Mistake: Thinking Being Small Automatically Wins Trust

05:15 – Riches in Niches: Hyper-Focus Your Property Strategy

07:00 – The Plus-One Strategy: Tiny Add-Ons That Win Big Contracts

10:33 – STR Takeover Transformation: Craft an Offer They Can’t Refuse

14:59 – Risk-Reversal Guarantees: The Ultimate Owner Conversion Tactic

21:00 – Make STRs Great Again: Why Boutique Operators Are the Future

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

Most people quietly self-sabotage…

Not because they don’t want success.

But because they still talk like the person who doesn’t have it yet.

In this solo episode, Mike and E breaks down how internal dialogue shapes your future, and how AI can help you become the version of yourself that already wins.

What you’ll learn:

• How to reprogram your self-talk to unlock growth
• Why “watering down” your vision is killing momentum
• The AI tools Mike uses weekly to review sales calls, write listings, automate ops, and even train his team
• How to use custom GPTs to build an internal consultant that never sleeps

If you’re still running 80% of your business manually…this episode will change that.

03:00 - Audit Your Inner Voice to Align with the Life You Want

07:00 - Step Into Your Vision by Speaking It Out Loud

10:00 - Optimize Sales Calls Using Custom GPT Feedback Loops

12:30 - Write High-Converting Listings and Titles with AI

14:00 - Do Market Research, Regulations, and Pricing with GPT

15:30 - Automate and Personalize Guest Messaging at Scale

17:00 - Generate Social Media and Website Content with ChatGPT

19:00 - Streamline Hiring, SOPs, and Onboarding with AI

22:00 - Analyze Property Performance and Build Offers with GPT

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

The end of an era. The final STR WealthCon is here, and Mike Sjogren and Bill Faith are going out with a bang.

In this episode, we break down exactly what’s coming, why this event will never happen again, and how to make the most of it.

What you’ll learn:

• Why this is the last WealthCon hosted by Mike & Bill

• The new format designed for all STR business levels

• Speaker highlights: Cody Sanchez, Pace Morby & more

• The 9 deep-dive masterclasses (creative finance, hotels, scaling)

• Real deals, partners, and freedom stories born from past WealthCons

• VIP & Diamond perks: elite networking, pre-events, premium access

• Mike’s “Generational Wealth Blueprint” sneak peek

Whether you’re coming or just curious, this is the behind-the-scenes breakdown you need.

Learn more about the 2025 STR Wealth Conference

https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=829193&discountcode=MEMBERSONLYCLUB

Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:

https://group.strsecrets.com

02:58 – Why This Is the Final STR WealthCon

04:50 – Scaling from 15 to 2000+ Attendees in 3 Years

06:45 – Why This Will Be the Most Impactful STR Event Yet

07:17 – Keynote Power: Cody Sanchez, Pace Morby & Business Mastery

12:00 – A Brand-New Generational Wealth Roadmap (Never Shared Before)

15:26 – Networking Blocks: How Deals Worth Millions Begin

17:20 – Raising Industry Standards: How Better Hosts Beat Regulation

20:03 – How to Build a Business That Runs Without You