Confessions of a Host
by Confessions of a Host
Welcome to Confessions of a Host, where we spill the tea on all things short-term rentals.We’re Natalie and Mariam—moms, operators, and business owners managing a growing portfolio of properties and we’re pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to run a hosting business. From the wins to the chaos, the mistakes to the strategies, we talk about the things most hosts won’t say out loud.No fluff, no sugarcoating—just honest conversations, practical insights, and a little bit of drama along the way.
Episodes
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Building an Airbnb Business That Gives You Freedom
What if your Airbnb business could give you the freedom to travel the world with your family? In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we're joined by Jed and Kayla, owners of Travel To Profit, a short-term rental management company based in Colorado. They share how they've built a business they...
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Airbnb Is Changing the Rules Again: What Hosts Need to Know
Airbnb just announced new policy changes regarding house rules and rental agreements, and they've already sparked a lot of frustration and concern among hosts. In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we're breaking down these latest updates, what they mean for short-term rental operators, and…
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19 - Luxury Airbnbs, Crazy Guest Stories & The Reality of Hosting with Tony from Hello Hideout
In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we sit down with Tony, the owner of Hello Hideout, who owns and manages luxury vacation rentals. Tony shares how he got started in the short-term rental industry, what it really takes to run luxury Airbnbs, some of the craziest stories he’s experienced…
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18 - Protecting Your Airbnb & Automating Your Operations with Alex Bykov
In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we sit down with Alex Bykov to talk about the systems and tools that can make short-term rental operations smoother and more secure. We cover damage waivers and deposits, collecting guest IDs, getting rental agreements signed, and automating locks and...
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17 - The Story Behind The Investing Mom Academy
In this episode, we sit down with Jane, founder of The Investing Mom Academy, a former CPA, mom of three, and short-term rental investor and co-host. Jane shares her journey from working in corporate America to starting her own real estate business, investing in short-term rentals, and eventually...
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16 - STR Accounting and Tax Strategy with Ryan Bakke
In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we're joined by Ryan Bakke, founder of Tax Strategy 365, to talk about everything accounting-related for short-term rental owners and managers. We discuss how to turn cost centers into profit centers, when to handle bookkeeping yourself versus hiring a...
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15 - The Mompreneur Dream Team
As busy moms, growing a business is important, but so is having the time to actually enjoy life with our families. In this episode, we’re sharing the two different approaches we took to building our teams and creating more freedom in our businesses. We break down exactly who we hired, what they…
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14 - Beyond Airbnb: How to Build a Direct Booking Business
What if you could turn your Airbnb guests into repeat customers—and stop relying entirely on third-party platforms? In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we’re diving into the world of direct bookings and why building your own booking strategy can be a game changer for short-term rental…
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13 - Mastering Revenue Management with Federico Zimerman
What separates high-performing vacation rentals from the rest? It's not just beautiful design or five-star reviews—it's smart revenue management. In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we're joined by Federico Zimerman, a revenue management expert, to break down the strategies that help…
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12 - From 18 to 140 Units in Just a Few Months with Cameron Masters
In this episode, we sit down with our friend Cameron Masters to discuss how he completely transformed his business by scaling from 14 units to 140 in just a matter of months through the acquisition of an established property management company in Lake Tahoe. We dive into every stage of the...
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11 - Recovering from a Sex Toy Incident (And Other Airbnb Nightmares)
Every host will eventually face a guest complaint—but some are far more memorable than others. In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we're sharing the real stories behind some of the most unexpected guest issues we've encountered, including the infamous sex toy incident, a broken A/C during a...
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10 - Building, Buying & Scaling STR Management Companies with Patryk Swietek
In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we sit down with Patryk Swietek, Co-Founder of The Cohost Company, to talk about one of the hottest topics in the short-term rental industry: acquiring and scaling vacation rental management companies. Patryk shares what he looks for when evaluating...
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9 - Owner Red Flags: When to Say Yes... and When to Walk Away
Not every owner is the right owner. In this episode, we're sharing the biggest red flags we've encountered when onboarding vacation rental owners—from unrealistic income expectations and micromanagement to deferred maintenance and communication issues. We'll also discuss the green flags that make...
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8 - "I Made $250,00 Renting My Pool (Not My Airbnb)"
In this episode, Natalie shares how her journey into hosting didn’t start with Airbnb at all. It started by renting out her backyard pool on Swimply, eventually generating over $200,000 in revenue.We dive into the unconventional ways homeowners and Airbnb hosts can monetize their properties…
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7 - Go Bolder, Get Booked: Interior Design Tips for Airbnb Success
Ever wonder why some Airbnbs stop you mid-scroll while others blend into the crowd? In this episode, we're diving into the boldest, craziest, and most memorable Airbnb properties we've come across and breaking down what makes them stand out. From jaw-dropping amenities and unique design choices…
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6 - Social Media Strategies for Short-Term Rental Managers
If you've been posting on social media and hearing crickets — or worse, not posting at all — this episode is your wake-up call. In this quick but packed episode, we are breaking down exactly how short-term rental managers can turn social media into a powerful tool for attracting property owners,...
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5 - How to Get Into Airbnb Cohosting in 2026
Thinking about getting into Airbnb cohosting in 2026? In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we’re talking about how we got started in cohosting, how we landed our first clients, and what helped us grow our businesses in the short-term rental industry. We share practical advice for new…
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4 - How Smart Hosts Are Using AI Right Now
AI is everywhere right now—but how are hosts actually using it in their day-to-day operations? In this episode of Confessions of a Host, we sit down with Alex Bykov, the cofounder of The Orange Cabins to break down how he’s using AI to run and streamline his short-term rental business. From guest...
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3 - Scaling Smarter with Remote Teams with Blendi Muriqi
Let’s be honest… most hosts and business owners hit a point where doing everything themselves starts holding them back. In this episode, we sit down with Blendi Muriqi, Founder & CEO of Delegate.co, to talk about scaling smarter—not harder. We get into remote teams, systems, and the real reason…
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2 - We Made These Mistakes So You Don't Have To
This podcast breaks down the real mistakes that cost short-term rental operators time, money, and sanity. From hiring the wrong photographers and taking on bad owners, to weak contracts, poor systems, and relying too heavily on platforms like Airbnb, we cover the lessons most people learn the…
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1 - Introductions and Wild Donkeys at our Airbnb
Welcome to our very first episode! We’re getting real about how it all started! We’re Natalie and Mariam: moms, business owners, and operators managing a combined portfolio of short-term rentals and this is the behind-the-scenes version of hosting no one talks about. We break down how we each got...
About this show
Welcome to Confessions of a Host, where we spill the tea on all things short-term rentals.We’re Natalie and Mariam—moms, operators, and business owners managing a growing portfolio of properties and we’re pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to run a hosting business. From the wins to the chaos, the mistakes to the strategies, we talk about the things most hosts won’t say out loud.No fluff, no sugarcoating—just honest conversations, practical insights, and a little bit of drama along the way.
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Confessions of a Host
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