Tim Smith on Challenging the Status Quo in Vacation Rental and Why Doing the Right Thing Keeps Paying Off

🎙️ From Manhattan to New Smyrna Beach: Tim Smith's Journey Building a 230-Unit Vacation Rental Operation at CasagoTim Smith, Owner and Operator of Casago New Smyrna Beach and Casago Daytona, shares his journey from a Manhattan apartment he bought in March 2020 that he never returned to, through COVID-era acquisitions of a beachside rental management company he had no prior experience running, to surviving a devastating internal fraud event in 2023, keeping every single owner whole, and emerging with 230 properties under management, an 89% year-over-year booking surge, and a team culture built around doing the right thing even when it costs money.✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:Purchased what he thought was a personal vacation property in March 2020 and accidentally acquired the management company running it when COVID scared the previous owners into selling at the right priceJoined the Casago franchise network in 2023 after recognizing that domain expertise, technology infrastructure, and national vendor pricing power were gaps he could not fill alone in a small beach townGrew from 30 units in one building to 230 properties across Daytona and New Smyrna Beach through referrals, competitor acquisitions, and purchasing the local Vacasa contracts when Casago acquired that brandMade a deliberate decision to stay geographically concentrated, turning down 70 additional units an hour away to protect team efficiency and guest response timesOperates on a commission-only model with no monthly or annual fees, choosing to be paid entirely on results rather than guaranteed income from ownersDiscovered an internal misappropriation of funds in 2023, raised money from friends, family, and two loyal owners within four months, made every owner whole, and did not lose a single client through the processRolled out a seven-day full refund cancellation policy across all direct channels and saw bookings increase 89% year over year in the first 45 days, with cancellations rising only 10 to 14%Washes comforters after every guest stay, a standard his team set independently that he chose not to override because it aligned perfectly with the five-star experience philosophyUses AI for guest and owner communications trained in the firm's voice🌟 Tim's Key Mentors:COO Brittany: Former real estate investment firm operator who serves as the operational translator between Tim's entrepreneurial ideas and the team's day-to-day reality, described as the glue holding everything togetherCasago Franchise Network: Provided 20 years of accumulated knowledge, technology infrastructure, vendor pricing power, and a support team that has seen nearly every scenario before it hitsTwo Loyal Owners Who Invested During the 2023 Crisis: Chose to back Tim financially at the lowest point, demonstrating that years of doing the right thing had built real trust worth protectingHis Late Wife Tina: Her death from breast cancer permanently recalibrated his sense of perspective, making most business setbacks feel manageable while deepening his empathy for people going through hard things👉 Don't miss this conversation about building a hospitality business on trust and transparency, why flexible cancellations turned out to be the most profitable decision Smitty ever resisted, and how he kept every owner intact after the hardest year of his professional life.🔗 Connect with Tim Smith:LinkedIn: Tim Smith Company: Casago New Smyrna Beach and Casago Daytona Website: casagonsb.com📄 Transcript Available: Tim Smith on Challenging the Status Quo in Vacation Rental and Why Doing the Right Thing Keeps Paying Off📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com