What a week this is going to be!
What a week this is going to be!
I’m really not sure I’ve had so much positive anticipation for a three-day span of my life ever before. Professional life that is. Just so I don’t start any fights with my daughter or my wife…I love you both dearly and you are the most important people in my life.
Now, for this week.
Today, Monday, May 16th, 2022, I become a published Author. Don’t get me wrong, this is not War and Peace or The Great Gatsby or even Freakonomics. I wrote a chapter. Approximately 3,000 words. Just one of 40 amazing stories from hosts of short-term rental properties, aka Airbnb’s. But my name is on the cover.
On the surface, this book may not interest you. After all, what do you care about Airbnb hosts? Well, let me ask you this…where else can you read about 40 of the most successful, famous, popular, and inspirational CEOs in an industry? Where else can you learn what it’s like to wake up every day with the singular goal of making people happy? These are businesspeople. These are caregivers. These are Mom’s and Dad’s and Grandparents and travelers and celebrities and people you’ve never heard of before, all with a deep desire to keep you safe and entertained and comfortable…and happy. These are the people behind the scenes who make your vacation or work trip or class reunion or anniversary an experience you will never forget. And I am truly honored to be counted among this tribe of wonderful human beings. These are 40 individuals who have become my mentors, friends, and business partners over the past year. These 40 people are a large part of the revolution in the hospitality industry that is changing guest’s experiences from cold, sterile, secluded, and impersonal, to warm, inviting and one-of-a kind events that allow you to meet new people, make new friends and live and work in places you never thought possible.
Please take some time today to visit Amazon and pick up a copy of
I promise you won’t be disappointed.
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And if that wasn’t enough, on Wednesday the 18th is The Shortyz 2022. If you aren’t in the business of running, managing, owning, or supporting short-term rentals, you almost certainly have not heard of The Shortyz. But let me tell you, this is the Academy Awards of the world-wide short-term rental industry. The Shortyz awards recognize excellence, innovation, and achievement in this industry by individuals and companies from around the world. And my management company has been short-listed as one of only six companies in the world to be nominated for the Most Effective Use of Social Media award for my Team’s work on our Realtor Outreach campaign this past year. So, if you are a real estate agent or broker and you’ve heard about or worked with Unveiled Vacation Rentals, you are a big part of this nomination, so thank you for listening to me and letting me share our story. This nomination was one of the goals I set for the company when I started UVR a year ago. My goal was to receive a nomination within 5 years. Check.
So, this week is kind of a big deal for me. Please forgive me if I seem a little preoccupied. I’ll come back to sea-level in a few days. But until then, I’m enjoying the view from up here in the clouds. I’ve started, run, shut down and started over again, several businesses for over 30 years. I’ve had amazing successes and even more spectacular failures. But this week, I get to realize it was all worth it. There really was a plan in place. There really is a silver lining. The late nights, the weekends, missing school events and forgetting to call my Mom on Mother’s day (OK, that was bad)…It’s all lead to this. Not that I expect in any way, that this is the pinnacle. I’m just at basecamp. But I made it to basecamp. And through all the bad weather sure to come that is between here and there, I can now at least make out the summit on the horizon. It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to see where you’re headed.
And not to sound like an Oscars acceptance speech, but I wanted to take some time to show my appreciation for a few people who have helped me (and many others) get to basecamp.
Jodie Stirling, the visionary behind Hospitable Hosts and the whirlwind who brought together this amazing group of professionals to share their stories of inspiration, struggle and navigating this new era of hospitality.
Paul Stevens, the power broker behind Short Term Rentalz and the host of The Shortyz Awards, who had the vision to create a program to recognize leaders, rising stars and risk-takers in this young, but fast-growing industry.
And Julie George. Julie’s story was my inspiration to start my company over a year ago. I had no idea when I heard her story for the first time that she would, in a very short time, become my Coach, my mentor, my friend and my biggest cheerleader. Ta, mate, you’re the best.
And of course, all of my Hospitable Hosts co-authors, editors and publishing team. Thanks for your support and encouragement throughout this process. Adriana Monique Alvarez, Amanda Williams, Andrew Hanson, Anis Malouche, Mark Simpson, Plaxy Budzinska, Heather M Brown, Liam Carolan, Meredith Cowley, Omar Covarrubias, Tia Castle, Sergio Castaneda, Denine Echevarria, Rachel D. Gainsbrugh, Jane Dickinson, Toby Doré, Estelle Keeber, Fiona Smith, Julie George, Pam Holt, Jennie Holmes, Moriya Hatzav Rockman, Stacey St. John, Kat Pape, Kim Herrlein, Ruben Kanya, Sally Kember, Lizzi Large, Mez Tuc, Tracey Northcott, Robert Neundorf, Stacey Paretti Rase, Sasha Herman, Sean McGregor, Tatianna Taylor-Tait, Tim Mortimer, Valerie Malone, and Veronica Montalvo.
And if you made it to the end of this post, I appreciate you for your perseverance and I truly hope that your week will be as amazing as mine. Cheers!