Alex & Annie Vacation Rental Podcast
Alex & Annie Vacation Rental Podcast

The Leading Podcast for Vacation Rental Professionals

With over 35 years of combined experience in vacation rentals, Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe bring you the award-winning Alex & Annie Vacation Rental Podcast—your go-to source for expert insights, industry trends, and inspiring success stories.

Each episode dives deep into the real stories behind vacation rental industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators, uncovering the strategies, pivotal decisions, and “A-HA” moments that shaped their success.

Whether you're a vacation rental property manager, short-term rental host, investor, or travel industry professional, this podcast delivers actionable takeaways to help you grow your business and stay ahead in the $100 billion vacation rental industry.

Tune in and discover what it takes to build a thriving vacation rental business from the experts who’ve done it!

Recent Shows

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From Turnaways to Takeaways: Monetizing Referrals through
July 9, 2025

From Turnaways to Takeaways: Monetizing Referrals through "Have You Got", with Deborah Labi

Send us a message! This week, we’re joined by Deborah Labi, a seasoned hospitality professional and the founder of Have You Got, a verified global guest referral network designed to help independent property managers expand t...
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Listing Isn’t Enough: How NextPax Powers Smarter Vacation Rental Distribution with Lennart Kok
July 2, 2025

Listing Isn’t Enough: How NextPax Powers Smarter Vacation Rental Distribution with Lennart Kok

Send us a message! Many short-term rental operators think that getting listed on Airbnb or Vrbo is enough. But in today’s competitive landscape, basic distribution is no longer enough to stand out or to sustain growth. In thi...
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Introducing StakeholdersVR: Built by Operators and Backed by Vision, with Lino Maldonado and Brady Stump
July 1, 2025

Introducing StakeholdersVR: Built by Operators and Backed by Vision, with Lino Maldonado and Brady Stump

Send us a message! In our first of the month bonus episode, we’re joined by two well-known names in the vacation rental industry: Lino Maldonado and Brady Stump, co-founders of the newly launched StakeholdersVR. You’ve probab...
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How Franchising Offers a Scalable Path to STR Success - with Patrick Stewart of Grand Welcome
June 25, 2025

How Franchising Offers a Scalable Path to STR Success - with Patrick Stewart of Grand Welcome

Send us a message! Is your short-term rental business growing, or just getting harder to manage? In this episode, we sit down with Patrick Stewart, CEO of Grand Welcome, to explore how franchising offers property managers a s...
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Live from the VRMA Executive Summit: Big Energy, Bold Conversations, and Lots of Fun!
June 18, 2025

Live from the VRMA Executive Summit: Big Energy, Bold Conversations, and Lots of Fun!

Send us a message! In this week’s episode, we’re taking you back to Miami Beach for a special look at one of the most talked-about events in the industry this year, the 2025 VRMA Executive Summit. It’s been a few weeks since ...
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From FIFA to Host Planet: James Varley’s Journey to Empowering STR Hosts
June 11, 2025

From FIFA to Host Planet: James Varley’s Journey to Empowering STR Hosts

Send us a message! When media veteran James Varley stepped away from a decade-long career working on the FIFA World Cup, he had no idea that a single Airbnb stay would spark his next chapter: empowering short-term rental host...
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About the Hosts

Alex O. Husner

Alex O. Husner

A seasoned vacation rental marketing expert with over 15 years of industry experience, Alex has played a key role as CMO in two enterprise vacation rental management companies in the United States, Condo-World and Casago. In early 2024, Alex left the corporate world to pursue her own initiatives as CEO/Founder of Directly Alex, a consultancy firm specializing in marketing and business growth strategies for vacation rental management companies and technology providers. Alex previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB and is a past Board Member of VRMA (Vacation Rental Managers Association).

Annie Holcombe

Annie Holcombe

Annie has 30+ years of experience in hospitality and tourism. She began her career in hotels and property management in 1992. Working from front desk to VP of Business Development at several property management groups in the panhandle. Experienced at managing owner relations, marketing and online distribution. In 2012 she joined the Expedia Group where she oversaw the Florida Panhandle as a market manager and then moved to Senior Key Account Manager specializing in vacation and non-traditional lodging accounts on a national level. Later moving into the channel management world with Lexicon Travel, she helped managers optimize and grow revenues through OTA channel distribution. Annie also served as Director of Business Development-US & Canada for Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, and joined channel manager Nextpax in 2024 to oversee their growth and partnerships in North and South America. This diverse background makes Annie one of the industry’s most knowledgeable and well-rounded leaders.

Sponsors

Grand Welcome
Boom
Beyond Pricing
Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy
Track
Lynnbrook Group
NextPax- Your Onramp to the Distribution Highway!

Recent Blog Posts

Introducing Stakeholders VR: Built by Operators and Backed by Vision, with Lino Maldonado and Brady Stump
June 18, 2025

Introducing Stakeholders VR: Built by Operators and Backed by Vision,…

In our first-of-the-month bonus episode, we’re joined by Brady Stump and Lino Maldonado, two of the co-founders of StakeholdersVR, a new venture that is gaining momentum among respected vacation rental operators across the country. Stakeholde…

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How Franchising Offers a Scalable Path to STR Success - with Patrick Stewart of Grand Welcome
June 18, 2025

How Franchising Offers a Scalable Path to STR Success - with Patrick …

For many short-term rental (STR) operators, growth can feel like a double-edged sword. As the portfolio expands, so do the demands. There are more guest issues to manage, more tech decisions to make, and more owner relationships to maintain. Eventua…

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From FIFA to Host Planet: James Varley’s Journey to Empowering STR Hosts
June 11, 2025

From FIFA to Host Planet: James Varley’s Journey to Empowering STR Ho…

After a 10-year career at the  FIFA World Cup in Qatar, James Varley found himself stepping into a very different world of short-term rentals. What started as a personal decision to invest in a holiday let quickly revealed something much bigger…

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Reviews

As good as it gets....
Not sure that you'll find a better combination of industry chops and informative, charming dialogue than with these two STR mainstays. Whether the plan is to learn as you enter the industry, or grow as you're already in it, I love this podcast because it caters to the gamut. Smart, well intentioned bad asses is always a lethal combo in a podcast. Couldn't recommend enough.
  • Alex A.
  • Dec. 22, 2021
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Two of the Best
I have had the honor of getting to know these to giants in our industry, and I'm as impressed with how good this pod is as how great they are in person. Annie and Alex, are two of the most knowledgeable, innovators in our business and it's so cool to watch them crush something new.
  • Blcolema
  • Jan. 9, 2022
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The best in the game!
I absolutely love this podcast! I came across it about a month ago and binged it like a series on Netflix. These girls are so motivational and inspirational. I love each and every one of their guests but the episode with Julie George speaks volumes to me. Thanks Alex and Annie! you girls Rock!
  • Roxann2005
  • Jan. 9, 2022
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Pure Vacation Rental Gold
These ladies are brining a fresh, engaging, and entertaining perspective on the amazing industry that is vacation rentals. Their experience and expertise provide great questions, comments and content with fantastic interviews. The content is relevant and insightful. I look forward to all the future episodes!
  • clbhappy
  • Feb. 17, 2022
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I always get great takeaways from every episode
I'm new to this space and there is not an episode I don't get some invaluable insight, advise, tip and tricks. Have listened to some (lots of) episodes multiply times as the information is so relevant and valuable. Thank you both for creating this podcast and thank you both to help shape the industry into such an empowering, information sharing & positive environment.
  • Lou Delaney - Australia
  • April 1, 2022
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Highly recommended
Alex and Annie have an uncanny knack for engaging their guests in a way that delivers a universal message that is appreciated in any industry. They are not only experts in hospitality, they are also both well-versed in the management and development of relationships, and this is evident in every episode.
  • Travis E. Ashley, Ph.D.
  • April 8, 2022
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Fantastic STR content and a pleasure to listen!
Top of the list podcast for STR enthusiasts, hosts, investors and everyone else in the industry. Empowered by amazing women, they bring a lot of great content and experienced guests in a very casual and easy conversation. As a woman entrepreneur in the STR world, I highly recommend this podcast. Great job!
  • Vacation Rental Design
  • April 6, 2022
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All things STR and business!
Being new to the Short Term Rental Industry - this is my new favorite podcast. Alex and Annie are great interviewers and bring on wonderful guests with vast backgrounds that bring such great knowledge to not only STR, but business as a whole. Keep it up ladies!
  • Karisk
  • March 1, 2022
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Always a good listen!
These two bring so much to the table, in this podcast and beyond. Fantastic interviews by and with short term rental industry leaders—I have not yet finished an episode without feeling like I learned something valuable.
  • EllenS71
  • Feb. 17, 2022
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Pure Vacation Rental Gold
These ladies are bringing a fresh, engaging, and entertaining perspective on the amazing industry that is vacation rentals. Their experience and expertise provide great questions, comments, and content with fantastic interviews. The content is relevant and insightful. I look forward to all the future episodes!
  • clbhappy
  • Feb. 17, 2022
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Episode 28 - You Don’t Want To Miss This One
This one is going to be hard to beat.
  • Terry Whyte
  • May 5, 2022
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Real!
Real Content & Relevant! Alex & Annie provide so much substance within their podcast. It is refreshing to hear topics of what we are seeing in vacation rentals and how other professionals are approaching them. Alex & Annie along with the guests on each episode are all notable within the hospitality and tourism industry and provide knowledge and thought provoking insight. I'm so glad to have Alex & Annie as an asset to further expand my knowledge in this very complex world of vacation rentals.
  • Vicki Crumpton, Young's Suncoast Realty & Vacation Rentals, Gulf Shores, AL.
  • July 6, 2022
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Excited Face Emoji
I listen to a lot of podcasts, a lot of audiobooks, and every morning I spend time getting them all queued up for my daily drives and down time at work. I believe in order and maintain that structure throughout my day. That is, unless... Alex & Annie drop a new episode. When this happens I, mentally, shove everything off of my desk and onto the floor to make room for their podcast. Reason being, they've got a listening presence that is just sort of comfortable for any setting. It's like having a
  • *JETO
  • July 6, 2022
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Master Class for Vacation Rental Owners
If you want a great education in a variety of Short Term Rental topics, this podcast is the perfect resource. I ran into Annie at the Vacation Rental Manager's Association Executive Summit. She mentioned her podcast and I have been listening to Alex and Annie ever since! I have been in this industry for over a decade and have learned more in a month than I ever did on my own. Thanks Alex and Annie for generously sharing your time, your passion and your great conversations with the best leaders i
  • Hope for musicians in the Digi
  • July 8, 2022
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Vacation Rental Goddesses
I love how down to earth these 2 ladies are. I can not wait to see what is next on the horizon for both of them and to continue our adventure of getting to know and supporting each other.
  • Jenn Maher
  • Feb. 2, 2024
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A 10 Star Podcast without a doubt!
The Alex & Annie Vacation Rental Podcast is a MUST for ALL Vacation Rental Managers! Entertaining, Education, and Insightful, they tackle the challenges and successes of our industry in a fun and meaningful way. You'll feel like you're chatting with old friends - it's a do not miss!
  • Elaine M. Stitcher, Seaside Vacations & Sales
  • Feb. 5, 2024
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Such A Killer Podcast
Alex and Annie crush it. They always dig deep and ask the questions that matter. As an owner of a luxury vacation rental property management company, I can't emphasize enough how helpful this podcast is. I'm obsessed.
  • Valerie Gangas
  • Feb. 5, 2024
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