04 | How to Succeed as a Family-Owned Vacation Rental Business

Imagine losing 40 properties — yet somehow boosting your revenue by 60%. That’s exactly what Tom Goodwin, owner of Mountain Laurel Chalets, pulled off. He’ll share the surprising strategy behind this risky move that redefined his business. This is a business that’s survived fires, recessions, and the challenges of a fast-changing industry. So, what’s kept Tom steady through it all? A set of values passed down through generations—and a commitment to creating something no tech-driven rental giant can touch. Today, we’ll explore Tom’s journey from outsider to Gatlinburg local and his bold new project that might just be the key to the future of vacation rentals. Resources: Mountain Laurel Chalets - https://www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/ Tom Goodwin LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trgoodwinmlc/ For The Love of Gatlinburg Podcast - https://www.fortheloveofgatlinburg.com/ Sponsored by - BrightSide Short-Term Rental Software Do more. Work less.™ https://bookonthebrightside.com/ =========================== Connect with us! LinkTree: ➡︎ https://linktr.ee/ankerpoint IG: ➡︎ https://www.instagram.com/ankerpoint/ =========================== ⏰ Timecodes ⏰ 00:00 Introducing Tom Goodwin 1:45 How It Started - "I Married Into Gatlinburg" 4:18 Overcoming Obstacles 7:17 The Community Wanted Us to Succeed 9:02 Discovering Our Core Values 14:51 The Future is Bright for Local, Family-Owned Businesses 17:22 Most Fruitful Marketing Tactics 21:50 Tom's New Podcast- "For The Love Of Gatlinburg" 26:20 What To Look for In A Podcast Guest 28:27 Community Stories Are Important 30:26 What's Next on "For The Love Of Gatlinburg" 35:37 How to Follow Tom Goodwin Music Credit: Elevator Girl_Full-15638 Content found during: 37:34 - 37:54 - Mike Goudreau | David Elias