Slick Talk With Wil

In this first 2024 episode of the Slick Talk podcast, we dive deep into important topics shaping the hospitality industry. From examining the role of partnerships and collaborations to unpacking the challenges of scaling businesses globally, we've got it all covered in this Q&A session. We also explore significant business model trends, the importance of brand differentiation in crowded markets, vital metrics to focus on for business growth, and invaluable advice for attracting investors. Stay tuned till the end for practical insights on capital markets and how to navigate the entrepreneurial journey without burning out. Join us for this discourse on the driving forces in the Hospitality industry, understanding market dynamics, and making strategic choices for the future. This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device, and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up wit

In this episode of the podcast, Jeremy Wells, Co-Founder of Longitude and owner of the Ozarker, discusses his entrepreneurial journey in the hospitality industry. He dove into understanding how the brand experience impacts the guest journey and how local partnerships can enhance this. Wells also highlighted the role of technology in streamlining the hotel experience and the importance of empathy and servant leadership in delivering a memorable guest experience. Wells further emphasized the diversification of the hotel experience from just an overnight stay to a lifestyle experience and how the Ozarker aims to achieve that. Despite the COVID-19 setbacks, Jeremy remains hopeful and optimistic about the future of the hospitality sector. Follow Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wellsjeremy/ https://longitudedesign.com/ https://www.flyoverdevelopments.com/ https://www.theozarkerlodge.com/ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise

We want to wish all of our listeners a happy holiday season, and we're so thankful for you this year! Many of you have become friends, guests, and colleagues, and we think that's pretty special. Thank you for all you do to support the show, and we are excited to see more of you in the New Year! In our Monthly Slick Talk Highlight Episodes, you will hear my producer, Kelsey Tran, and I share our favorite moments from the month's weekly episodes and hear those moments all in this one episode. If you enjoy what you hear, let us know, and we will continue to do these episodes! You can contact Kelsey at kelsey@hospitality.fm - plus, if you really like a specific clip, you will be able to go back and listen to the episode in its entirety; take a look at the show notes. Slick Talk Episodes Mentioned in This Episode: Eric Moeller - Listen Here Great Debate - Listen Here Brooke Pfautz - Listen Here Seth Bolt - Listen Here ——– Thank you for tuning into our podcast! Slick Talk is a Hospitality.FM production, a

Seth Bolt, Co-Founder of Bolt Farm Treehouse and a member of the band Need to Breathe, sits down to discuss his hospitality journey. Seth shares the origins of Bolt Farm Treehouse, the vision for the brand, the impact of their work on guests, and the importance of purpose and hard work in hospitality. He shares the thrilling experiences of battling a wildfire threatening their property and how it strengthened their team bonding. Seth also reveals their plans for a luxury outdoor wellness retreat and their determination to revolutionize luxury outdoor hospitality. For the listeners who may not have heard Tori Bolt (Seths' Wife) on the podcast, grab this link and go back to her episode from earlier in the year and give it a listen, is Tori shares the love story that started it all! A note from Bolt Farm Treehouse: We are excited to announce a lucrative opportunity for everyone! If you know someone who would be a perfect addition to our team, refer them to us. If your referral results in a hire, you'll receive a

Listen to the latest episode as Brooke Pfautz, CEO of Vintory & Comparant, talks about how vital inventory acquisition is in the vacation rental industry. Brooke shares how they compiled data from various platforms and created Comparant, a marketplace that guides homeowners in selecting a suitable property manager. He also discusses the potential of AI in business operations and how Comparant brings transparency and elevates the vacation rental industry by highlighting the best property managers. This conversation is a deep dive into the behind-the-scenes journey of launching Comparant publicly and its future goals. Claim your free listing at Comparant today and shine a light on your vacation rental management services! 00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Video 02:02 Podcast Discussion Begins 03:06 Introduction to Comparant 04:37 The Importance of Data in the Vacation Rental Industry 07:52 The Future of Comparant and AI in the Industry 15:32 The Role of AI in Property Management 20:29 The Impact of Invento

In this confluence episode featuring hosts from four different podcasts, the discussants explore the state of the vacation rental, short-term rental, and "Airbnb" industry. The panelists, Heather Bayer, Conrad O'Connell, Adam Norko, and Scott Fasanos, explore aspects of scale, hospitality, and market trends, including how brands can best meet guest expectations. The debate touches on defining the differences between short-term rentals and vacation rentals, as well as their business models. The discussion further delves into the hospitality approach versus the 'churn and burn' approach, with mentions of key industry big guns such as Vacasa and Sonder. The conversation closes with thoughts on the importance of continuous training and education for individuals in the industry. The Podcasts Mentioned in This Episode: The Art of Hospitality Podcast The Vacation Rental Success Podcast This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movem

You have so many podcasts and episodes to choose from every week, so we want to make it easy for you to enjoy Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast. In our Monthly Slick Talk Highlight Episodes, you will hear my producer, Kelsey Tran, and I share our favorite moments from the month's weekly episodes and hear those moments all in this one episode. If you enjoy what you hear, let us know, and we will continue to do these episodes! You can contact Kelsey at kelsey@hospitality.fm - plus, if you really like a specific clip, you will be able to go back and listen to the episode in its entirety; take a look at the show notes. Slick Talk Episodes Mentioned in This Episode: Mike Stone - Listen Here Chris Osaka - Listen Here Arthur Colker - Listen Here Richard Valtr - Listen Here Podcasts Mentioned in this Episode: STR Unfiltered STR Secrets No Vacancy Behind the Stays ——– Thank you for tuning into our podcast! Slick Talk is a Hospitality.FM production, and you can find more of our shows at Hospitality.F

In this episode, Eric Moeller, a hospitality entrepreneur, delves into the topic of 'Unreasonable Hospitality' and its crucial role in shaping the future of the short-term rental industry. In his third appearance on the show, he talks about his journey from running a conventional hospitality business to creating FreeWyld. This exceptional boutique hospitality brand prioritizes providing guests with extraordinary experiences.  This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device, and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management company? Vintory is giving Slick Talk listeners a free digital copy of their book "From 0 to 500 Properties In 5 Years" and a $50 Amazon Gift Card for those who sign-up to do a demo! Safely.com – The best STR insurance that covers guests, owners, and managers! Making Safely a no-brainer!

In this episode of Slick Talk, we invited Richard Valtr of Mews, a cloud-based property management software company, for another enlightening conversation. The discussion centers around several key points, including the evolution of Mews since our last conversation in July 2020, the immense potential of AI in the hospitality sector, and how a shift in perspective from viewing hospitality as merely 'real estate' to a provider of a 24-hour lifestyle experience can enhance operations and customer satisfaction. The podcast also covers the recent acquisitions by Mews and how they align with the company's vision, notably the acquirement of Nomi Travel, an AI-focused app, and the launch of Mews Ventures. Richard also shares some thoughtful insights about the role of AI and data in personalizing and improving the hospitality experience and his vision for the industry's future. This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and oc

Arthur Colker, the founder of StayFi, shares his thoughts on the venture capital (VC) model and why he decided to bootstrap the company. He discusses the need for startups to consider their ideal business outcomes before pursuing VC funding, citing the pressure to generate returns and the need to justify large-scale growth as potential downsides. Instead, Arthur reveals the benefits of alternative fundraising methods, such as crowdfunding and engaging customer-investors. He also shares the importance of product fulfillment, emphasizing delivering as advertised on sales promises and constantly striving to improve customer satisfaction. Arthur also points out how tech tool diversity is advantageous for property managers and advises on the right approach for choosing a property management system. A special discount for StayFi for listeners is also mentioned. 00:00 Introduction 00:00 The Challenges of VC-Backed Companies 02:02 Interview with Arthur Colker, Founder and CEO of StayFi 02:37 Overview of StayFi 04:10

The episode explores the concept of customizable hospitality spaces with Chris Osaka, the CEO of Tomu. Chris shares how he transitioned from his experience in retail, fashion, and working with brands like Nike into the world of hospitality. He also elaborates on Tomu's core purpose, which is focused on easing the entry into hotel ownership and enabling uniqueness in hotel construction. Chris explains how Tomu's building system is cost-effective, quick, and sustainable, allowing owners to create hotels that reflect their vision. He highlights some creative ways in which their customers plan to use their systems, ranging from standalone units to part of larger hotel concepts. Chris then concludes the conversation by reflecting on the challenges they faced in explaining to customers the possibilities of their system. Connect with Chris & Tomu: www.tomuhaus.com @tomu_haus @chrisosaka The Tomu team also has a special offer for all listeners interested in buying a Tomu unit! 50% off waitlist reservation deposit us

Mike Stone is the Owner and General Counsel of AllSTR Hospitality and in this episode, Mike shares his story and experience as a lawyer who hated his job and wanted out but didn't know how until he discovered short-term rentals through mentorship and industry related masterminds. Many masterminds or industry leaders mentioned in this episode have either been on Slick Talk or work within the Hospitality.FM Podcast Network in some capacity. Tune in to hear the story and vision Mike brings to the industry and specifically within his markets and properties. This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management company? Vintory is giving Slick Talk listeners a free digital copy of their book "From 0 to 500 Properties In 5 Years" and a $50 Amazon Gift Card for those who sign

You have so many podcasts and episodes to choose from every week and so we want to make it easy for you to enjoy Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast. In our Monthly Slick Talk Highlight Episodes, you will hear my producer, Kelsey Tran, and myself share our favorite moments from the months weekly episodes and hear those moments all in this one episode. If you enjoy what you hear, let us know and we will continue to do these episodes! You can contact Kelsey at kelsey@hospitality.fm - plus, if you really like a specific clip, you will be able to go back and listen to the episode in it's entirety, just take a look at the show notes. Slick Talk Episodes Mentioned in This Episode: Avery Carl Episode - Linked Here Kevin Reardon Episode - Linked Here Lauren Madewell Episode - Linked Here Brooke Pfautz Episode - Linked Here ——– Thank you for tuning into our podcast! Slick Talk is a Hospitality.FM production and you can find more of our shows at Hospitality.FM or anywhere else you listen to your podcasts! Li

An industry leader with 8+ years of experience in the vacation rental space, Meaghan Moylan leads a team of passionate and entrepreneurial-minded professionals at The Outpost Group, a fast-growing private investment office based in Jackson, Wyoming. The company’s portfolio includes Outpost, Snake River Roasting Company, Terrain Landscaping and Snow Removal, Provisions Catering, and O2 Cleaning.  In this episode, Meaghan and Wil discuss her journey through hospitality, being a young executive in an industry where people have been in it for a decade if not more, and how her leadership style wash shaped from the good and bad experiences in her past jobs. Meaghan is someone that the industry should keep their eyes on! This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management c

During my time here at the Operto office, I was able to sit down with Steve Davis (more than once and with other Operto team members) to talk about the difference between scaling successfully and failing at scale #scalefail and let's just say this was one of my favorite talks as we're all packing up to head to Orlando for VRMA tomorrow. If you have 30 minutes to dive in and hear how much depth we can cover in a short period of time, I highly encourage you to do so and let me know what you think! This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management company? Vintory is giving Slick Talk listeners a free digital copy of their book "From 0 to 500 Properties In 5 Years" and a $50 Amazon Gift Card for those who sign-up to do a demo! Safely.com – The best STR insurance t

In this weeks episode of Slick Talk, I was able to really dive into the life of Alex Alioto who went from New York actor to STR Tech Co-Founder. His journey is pretty incredible and from his perspective, we're just getting started in this industry we all know and love.  Connect with Alex & Whimstay: https://www.whimstay.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-alioto-819a9445/ https://www.facebook.com/aliotoalexander/ This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management company? Vintory is giving Slick Talk listeners a free digital copy of their book "From 0 to 500 Properties In 5 Years" and a $50 Amazon Gift Card for those who sign-up to do a demo! Safely.com – The best STR insurance that covers guests, owners, and managers! Making Safely a no brainer! Hostfully –

Hello Slick Talkers! We wanted to make sure this episode got it's spotlight on Good Morning Hospitality and so after about a month of letting it do it's thing, we wanted to now let you hear this one for yourselves as my co-hosts on GMH were thrilled to have had Sam Shank, Co-Founder and CEO of HotelTonight, on the show. In this episode Sam shared what it was like to build the platform in 10 weeks, how he looked at making the tough decisions as an entrepreneur, and how HotelTonight was eventually acquired by Airbnb and being one of their more successful acquisitions! This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management company? Vintory is giving Slick Talk listeners a free digital copy of their book "From 0 to 500 Properties In 5 Years" and a $50 Amazon Gift Card for t

Jon is the CEO of Topkey, the financial operating system for hospitality management companies. They're a Y Combinator Winter 2021 company. They've raised a $5.2M seed round led by Felicis Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Y Combinator. There are several other great investors participated in that round, including Assurant Ventures, Derive Ventures, and yours truly, Wil Slickers.  In this episode, Jon & Wil talk through what it's like to build a startup within our industry especially as Jon came from Starwood Hotels and even HotelTonight (Acquired by Airbnb) to now as he builds his own company, Topkey. Connect with Jon: Company Website http://www.topkey.io Jon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathansukhia/ Topkey: https://www.linkedin.com/company/topkey If you reach out to Jon or anyone at Topkey and mention this podcast (Slick Talk) you can get 3 months free of the their platform! This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noi

Niko Karstikko joins us on the podcast to share the story & meaning of Bob W. and how their approach & ethos is all about autonomous hospitality as a tech and hospitality brand within European markets. This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management company? Vintory is giving Slick Talk listeners a free digital copy of their book "From 0 to 500 Properties In 5 Years" and a $50 Amazon Gift Card for those who sign-up to do a demo! Safely.com – The best STR insurance that covers guests, owners, and managers! Making Safely a no brainer! Hostfully – Use code SLICKTALK for 3 months free of their digital guidebook or $100 off their property management platform! ——– Thank you for tuning into our podcast! Slick Talk is a Hospitality.FM production and you can find

Brooke Pfautz, CEO & Co-Founder of Vintory, has been a guest on the show more times than most but with good reason. The guy is a gem of knowledge and on this episode, he joins us to share some of the top secrets of our industry from the top vacation rental experts in his new book, Vacation Rental Secrets. Listen to Brookes' recent episode from earlier last year in 2022 - Listen here This episode is brought to you by our sponsors at: Minut – Minut has more than just security features! They monitor noise, movement, and occupancy all within one device and all Slick Talk listeners get 2 months FREE when they sign up with this link! Vintory - Scaling your property management company? Vintory is giving Slick Talk listeners a free digital copy of their book "From 0 to 500 Properties In 5 Years" and a $50 Amazon Gift Card for those who sign-up to do a demo! Safely.com – The best STR insurance that covers guests, owners, and managers! Making Safely a no brainer! Hostfully – Use code SLICKTALK for 3 months