1st of the Year Special Episode: Charging into 2026 — The Year of the Horse

Alex Husner: 00:02
Welcome to Alex and Annie, the real women of Vacation Rentals. With more than 35 years combined industry experience, Alex Euter and Annie Holcomb have teamed up to connect the dots between inspiration and opportunity. Seeking to find the one story, idea, strategy, or decision that led to their guests' big aha moment. Join them as they highlight the real stories behind the people and brands that have built vacation rentals into the $100 billion industry it is today. And now it's time to get real and have some fun with your hosts, Alex and Annie. Welcome to Alex and Annie, the Real Women of Vacation Rentals. I'm Alex and I'm Annie. And we are here today, joined by nobody, just the two of us for a solo episode. This is an episode we do every year. It's our first of the month, but the first of the year episode. So we are back. This is we've done it uh 22, 23, 24, 25. This this is you know our fourth one. So really exciting that we're still doing it.

Annie Holcombe: 01:03
I guess we we've put some good habits in place. That's a that's a good thing.

Alex Husner: 01:07
Yeah, yeah, for sure. And this is a fun episode because there's a few things that we do. One, we look back on some of the highlights of this year, favorite moments that we had, what we're excited for in the next year. And my favorite part, we do our words of the year, which we've announced on the show every year that we've done this episode. And we'll recap what they are, and maybe you can see some alignment in the ones we've chosen and the things that have happened in our lives, kind of fun to map. Um, and then at the end, we're gonna go through our top episodes of 2025. And you know, it was it was hard to it was hard to choose. I mean, we we looked at a a blended model this year of not only number of downloads, but also uh reactions and feedback from our followers. So um we we appreciate everybody that listens and and it really means a lot when you reach out and tell us that you loved an episode. We share that feedback with the guests that come on our show, and I know that makes them really happy too.

Annie Holcombe: 01:59
Yeah, yeah. And and to this year was a great year. I think we had some, I don't know, fascinating guests, some people that we'd wanted to have on the show, some people that have been on the show numerous times and just the conversations get deeper. I think that it opened up doors for, you know, potential partnerships, for potential collaborations. Um, we'll obviously talk about all of that, but I think uh, you know, the the guests were we were a little more strategic this year about really trying to have guests that were gonna bring value to our listeners, but we're also going to um, I think prompt us to to be better and try more and and look further beyond what we do within our within our days. And it helped me, I know, in my new venture in terms of like making the decision to step outside of working for somebody and going to work for myself. So we'll get into all of that. But what a great year it's been.

Alex Husner: 02:48
Yeah, yeah. And you know, to to segue into it, so our top moments of 25 are just milestone things that happened. I would say you starting your own business was the biggest thing to happen for both of us. I mean, that was that's it, that was huge and such an amazing, you know, just uh leap, not leap of faith. It's not like you just blindly jumped into this, but a huge leap to do at the point in the career that that you're at and having been working for a company for so many years. Um, and you know, I've told you this a million times. I'm so proud of what you've done. And I think you know, you're seeing every day getting a little bit more clarity into like, you know, why you're doing what you're doing. And it's just it's it's a great thing. So that's a huge milestone for this year.

Annie Holcombe: 03:31
Yeah, and I think um, you know, it we talk about it all the time. There's no coincidences, you know, everything happens for a reason and a purpose. And what is it, Amber always says, like reason, season, lesson, something like that. And so all the people that have kind of, I don't know, I feel like I've curated a really good group of women and and men leaders around me that enabled me to feel confident to make that decision. And but I think that that's been over time and I would say central to everything for both of us. I mean, in some ways, this is this podcast. And so just think, had you um been scared to talk to me way back in the day when we were at that Atma conference, or or I had just thought, nope, I don't want to meet another person. Like, can you imagine if we had never met? Like it's crazy. It's unbelievable.

Alex Husner: 04:18
Yeah. I mean, you know, we always talk about connecting the dots and how you can't connect the dots until you're further ahead to look back and see why things happen. And that's such a perfect example of it. And and just all the people that have come into our our lives because of this show. And then uh it's just it's it's been a it's been a wonderful thing. And and we actually one of the milestones we had this year too is that we hit our 200th episode, and that was pr pretty early on in the year. And actually, that one that's not on our list of the top episodes, but I honestly there could be so many more here that we loved every single one of them. That was really fun to share that with all the other podcasters and Travis and Amber MC on our show. It was a lot of fun. Good stuff, all good stuff, yeah, for sure. And so one other theme that emerged this year that was really, really cool and something we've been advocating for and wanting to do for a long time is that and in this this year we didn't even really have to ask. We got asked. Uh, we were set up with the podcast on site at every conference that you and I went to, which is incredible. That used to have to be, you know, we were kind of begging to do it and sometimes would get a no, but um, you know, things have things have changed. I think people have realized that, I mean, the power of podcasting and the ability to reach people that don't go to all the conferences is is massive. And I mean, that's something that we hear from our sponsors all the time of, you know, there's there's only so many people that always go to these shows, but we want to reach the people that don't go to the shows. And for us, being able to get our message out is, you know, we we want to hit everybody, but uh being at the show and being able to report and show the energy of the show, I think that's really the important part. We we love these events, not just because we're going for the content, we we love it because the camaraderie and the community that um our industry has built and those connections that we've made. But we were live on site at uh the track next conference in Nashville that kicked off the year. That was an excellent, excellent event. We were at VR Nation, the VRMA Executive Summit. We did Italy for the second time, and that was super, super fun. A whole whirlwind uh gals adventure this year.

Annie Holcombe: 06:26
Definitely memorable.

Alex Husner: 06:27
And then VRMA in Vegas, and then at Darm, we did our first live stream at the event. So yeah, really cool. I hadn't even thought about it until I started writing down notes for today, but pretty cool.

Annie Holcombe: 06:38
Yeah, it's it is funny how you know, go back what our first year when it wasn't just us asking, there's other podcasts trying to say, like, hey, we want to advocate for these conferences and we want to, you know, we want to unite because everybody has like different audiences, and it's just finally, I think, you know, having having people see the value of what we're trying to do and understanding that it's it's really just betterment for everybody and kind of helping create FOMO for these events. I mean, it's there's so many events that that they struggle with trying to keep the attendance up. And it's like, you know, we want to help everybody with that, but it I think it just also creates such a unique experience at the shows where I know we've spent interview people and they'll come up to the table and just start talking to us while we're interviewing somebody, not realizing that like that's what's going on. And then they're like, oh my gosh, I just interrupted you. But that it's just, it's just like they're we're approachable and they can approach us and we can talk to them. And then it's added, I think, it to our listenership. It's added to people um commenting on the things that we do and sharing ideas for things that we could do, interviews that we could do. I mean, we definitely have uh moved away from having to seek out people to come on the show. Now we kind of have an overabundance of people to come on the show. And so it's it's nice to have that choice, but I think it it's all of these things have played into played into where we are today.

Alex Husner: 07:55
Yeah, I remember when we first started the show, I think it was Sarah and Annette uh with Thanks for Visiting that they told us they're like the number one thing is just it's consistency. You gotta show up every week, you gotta keep doing it. And it's it there are times where you don't think that you're making a whole lot of progress, but you really are. And you know, we've seen that compound effort now after four years of doing this. So yeah, and the events, they they certainly help. So and we and we love seeing everybody there. And I one thing that I had on my list too, of something that was just kind of you know, totally out of the norm milestone was I went to Costa Rica in May to Matt Landau's Here Goes Nothing retreat. And oh my God, I mean, if anybody, if you have that uh as an option or if you're looking at that for next year, I would definitely recommend it. It was an amazing experience and just met amazing people, a few that were from the industry, but some people that weren't. And just really conversations that, you know, these are conversations that I feel like I'd have with somebody that I've known them for 50 years because they were very deep. And we just met each other. But Matt does an incredible job of curating the right people, the right environment, the right experience for those conversations and moments to happen in a just a really organic, natural way. And that's what that was. So and Costa Rica was amazing, anyways. I had my own little bungalow and there was a hummingbird in my room, and I was cool overlooking the the mountains and the water. I mean, it was just totally picturesque. So that that was a really cool thing for sure.

Annie Holcombe: 09:29
I feel like for me, um, our trip to Italy was was my like big experiential moment for the year. And I say that because it was not like any, we we thought we had it all planned out. We all had, you know, our our tickets and every our schedules and everything was all aligned, and then like we just completely got off track. And so I think when we did like the, you know, kind of like the the the post-wrap-up of it, it was like, you know, what are the things that you would have put on your bingo card? You know, it's like just there were so many things that happened to us that you just are like, how did that like how did it happen? I mean, there were riots, there were protests, there were train, um, you know, train strikes, there was misflights, there was delays, there was, yeah, it was just everything that could possibly have like just tripped us up, did. But when we all got together, it was that experience of just, you know, five women in in Europe navigating their way around an uncharted city, trying to figure things out. The great thing about Italy is like people speak English and they're friendly. Um, but it was cold and it was rainy. Um, but we just had the best time. And I just feel like I got to know the girls that we were with, like just on such a different level that had we not had that experience, you know, we wouldn't have learned the things that we learned and been able to bond the way we did. And so I know that we got invited to go back um for the skill in Barcelona and then also for the women's um summit that will happen in Barcelona in the fall. So I think we're all planning to do that again and um just another experience, hopefully no no hiccups this time. But um, but what a what a great, what a great um, just what a what a great soul-filling uh situation it turned out to be.

Alex Husner: 11:06
Yeah, I totally agree. And it was one of those trips where anything that could go wrong went wrong, mostly for you. You really had, and you were the most excited about the trip. That's why my heart was just breaking. You know, it is what it is. But everybody just went, you know, rolled with it. You know what I mean? And nobody, nobody had meltdowns, and you know, quite honestly, like going into that trip, I haven't traveled with just a group of women in a long time. And normally when I have, it's been like on bachelorette parties or like, you know, way before in college. And normally there's always drama or somebody's just a pain, and like it, there was none of that. Like all of us just had such a marvelous time. And and I agree on, you know, even the people that I feel like I know all of them, except for your friend Shannon, who you brought, who she's amazing. But I I know all those other women that were with us. I mean, Tyane, Amber, who's else? Is that it? I guess that's it.

Annie Holcombe: 11:56
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, that was the the core, yeah, the core of us. Yeah.

Alex Husner: 11:59
Um, but Tyane in particular, I hope she's listening. I've known Tyane forever. And it really we've had we've had good conversations, but nothing like what we've talked, we talked about on that trip. And it just goes to show, like, you know, the more you invest in a friendship and really getting to know somebody, you end up finding you have so many things in common that you might have never even guessed. And that was really special for me, just building more of a friendship with her on that trip.

Annie Holcombe: 12:24
Yeah. I think I mean all of it was, and I definitely came out of it. I mean, we came out of it with a lot of like kind of inside jokes. Um, we all got red phones, like in the city. Yeah, I know. I we did not write, yes. It's not my last birthday. My bug there too. So, but I but we saw we saw another part of Italy that we, you know, hadn't been to. Um, we got to meet Amber's sister who lives in Rome. She came up and spent the day with us. It was Fashion Week in Milan, so it was chaotic. Like it was just absolutely crazy. So um I I am thankful that I finally made it to Genoa. Um, that was that was really great. And then Christiana and the entire um Tara home consulting team, like they are just absolutely amazing in what they're trying to create with the women's conference. It was just an amazing, it was so different than the women's summit here that Amy Hino puts on. Um, the feeling was different. I think everything, the room was different. I mean, we're in a castle, for goodness sake. It was crazy. Just so honored to be part of that. And I think it's it's just those experiences that you just put down as like, you know, core memories that you just carry, you'll you'll carry on forever.

Alex Husner: 13:23
Yeah, 100%. Well, it and we're very excited for all things coming 2026. So we've we've had a lot of great memories this year. There's more coming. We've got some really cool things that we're working on as far as content partnerships. Uh, we can't give all the details away, but we've got one with a major supplier uh that's gonna be coming in 2026 that's gonna be really, really fun for us, where we're on site doing a lot of video content. And then another program that we're working on that we're equally as excited about is an offering that we're going to do for vacation rental management companies that we are partnering with Click Media. And if you guys know Click Media, that's who does the photography. They did VRMA this year, they did DARM, they did the women's conference. It's Frank and Marissa. We had Marissa Gale on the show uh probably about two months ago, I'd say. And they are incredible. They are, they have an eye for capturing an event, um, and and they've expressed interest in doing some work with us. And so basically what we've put together, we we want to help vacation rental management companies tell their story. And when I say that because there's a lot of great operators out there, and the pictures of their properties are amazing, and you know, their website might look great, but many of them are not telling the story of the company and the people behind the company. And we feel that that is so incredibly important, especially in the age of AI and just and how technology has changed, that there's so many options for a homeowner and who they how they choose a rental management company. And, you know, in my uh personal business, that's that's something that I had done a similar project for Host and Home, um, where we did a brand video that we interviewed all of the team and just did some amazing um creative work showing the destination. And it became you know a living, breathing content library that they're able to use in so many different ways, and not just homeowner marketing, but guest marketing. And so through this program, we're going to be going on-site with management companies. We're gonna do, as part of it, an on-site um podcast episode with them. And then we're going to facilitate this video production and really help them and how they get that message out there, which it's it's cool because this is actually that's not related to the podcast at all. So this will be the first thing you and I work on that's I mean, it's intertwined with we're gonna do an episode, but it's kind of like the first marketing type project that you and I will have done together. And I think it's gonna be just a lot of fun. So if that's something that you are interested in hearing more about, um, please reach out and I can send you some examples of of videos that that that I've done and what we're trying to replicate across the country.

Annie Holcombe: 16:01
Yeah, I think it's I think it's so timely too. And and I'm consulting with someone right now that, you know, we're looking at their website, and one of the things is you just not not having the the eyes on their site to say, like, okay, you've grown, you need to add some more content, more substance, and like really you have a great story, like share it with people because with all of this AI, and I think we talked about it at Dharma a lot. It was like, you know, the the human component is being moved further and further away from the business. And the only way to factor that in is to make sure that you're telling your story and having you know, having the video and having that compelling hook because people want to connect with you. They may do it through AI to get to you, but once they're there, they're gonna read your story, understand what your mission of why your business is doing what it's doing and you know, why you started in the first place. And I think that that's that's the piece that that managers are gonna really, really need to focus on is just having their story in a way that can be one looked at by these AI tools. I don't even know what to call them, bots, these robots, whatever they are. Um, but also just because it the people want to, they want to know who they're staying with, where they're spending their money, where they're going to make their memories. And and I just it there's so many possibilities with it. I'm really excited about it. And I think that we did a little bit of it and and it resonated well, and it it just can go a malt like a multitude of ways. And so I don't know, I think 2026 is the year of AHA media. So yeah, exactly.

Alex Husner: 17:25
Aha media. That's right. That's right. Yeah, so that's gonna be that's gonna be really fun. I'm excited for that for sure. So next up, we as we mentioned, we always choose our words of the year on on the show. And just as a recap, and I always have to go back and go through our transcripts so I can make sure that in my mind, sometimes I always get one wrong. So in 2022, my award was discernment. In 2023, it was patience. Got tested a lot that year. Uh, 2024 was courage, and that was the year that I went off on my own after being working for Condor World and then Cossego collectively for about 15 years. And then 2025 was connection. And it was, you know, looking back on this year, that was a really a good choice of a word for me. And I feel like I, you know, really leaned into, I leaned into the connections with the people and the companies that I work with. But where I'm taking it to the next level in 2026, the word that I've chosen is devotion. It follows connection in a manner that is indicative of where I'm at in my journey right now, of I want to go deeper into the things that are important to me, whether that's the work that I have, the relationships that I have, um, the things that make me happy, you know, and really, really focusing on that. And I've spent, you know, the majority of my life at this point really dedicated to my career. Uh, I don't have children, I have dog children, and um, you know, that's the I it's by choice. I mean, but I I love what I do, but I want to pour my devotion into work in a different way than I have in the past. Um, and the same with with my relationships. And uh in a way, it's it's slowing down in a bit, um, but being more intentional, I guess, about what are the things that I really want to focus on, who I want to spend my time with, what what I want to be doing with my time, and making sure that at the end of the day that my soul is happy and that I'm not doing things because I feel that I need to do them. I I've really outgrown. And if I look back to 2022-ish, 2023, you know, there a lot of me was very focused on doing things that I thought I needed to do and maintaining reputations for what I had built and that having prestige and accomplishments was was very important to me. And not that all that's not important to me, but I turned 40 this year, and I feel like you hit certain milestones where you realize how. Having alignment on those things is really the most important and uh aligning yourself with the people that mirror what you want to be and what you want your life to look like. And uh on that, so devotion, another interesting thing, Annie and I this year, well, I've always been into it. I think you've gotten more and more into it, and it's been really fun uh seeing your journey. But uh a lot of our gal friends are really interested in this too. But we we follow astrology, we follow numerology. You've probably heard us talk a little bit about that on the show before. But when you really start to look at things, it's about pattern mapping and understanding that you know things aren't just randomly happening. You know, everything happens for a reason, but there are also external forces that are making things become either more pronounced in your life or taken away in your life. And when you watch these patterns uh that we watch, you start to see, okay, this all starts to make sense. And 2025 was the year of the snake, which is uh the Chinese zodiac, as Danny and I were saying before we hit play. It's like when you go to the Chinese restaurants and it's the paper menu that has the animals around it. I think we all remember that at some point from our lives, but 2025 was the year of the snake, and the snake essentially is about shedding things, shedding a skin and shedding a version of you that no longer um applies to your life. And I think that that applies to me in a lot of ways, um, what this year was and and to what I'm becoming. This was the end of a nine-year cycle as far as numerology. 2025 was a year nine, which means 2026 is a year one. Um, that's not personal numerology, that's just universal numerology. So the entire world is starting in year one and 2026. And I think it's very indicative of where we are at as a society and a culture and AI and everything right now, of like things are gonna start changing and there's gonna be a lot of movement, and it should be in a good way. I feel very strongly that this is a positive thing, but 2026 by the Chinese zodiac is the year of the horse. And the horse is all about forward movement, committing to things that are important to you. It's not about rushing, it's about doing the right things and in the right time. And, you know, it's it's a very positive force after the year of the snake concludes. Without knowing this, this had nothing to do with my decision, but the my big announcement for this episode, I guess you could say, is that in 2026, I well actually, not even 2026. This is this journey literally starts in 30 minutes when we end up when we end recording this episode. I'm getting back into horseback riding. And I haven't really talked about that. I don't even know maybe a little if if at all on the show, but horseback riding was a major, major part of my life from when I was literally two years old until probably 20 years old, and grew up riding American saddlebreads. And my my mom rode, my grandmother rode, my aunt rode, um, grew up on a farm, um, but then became I became very competitive with it and had show horses where we would go from New Hampshire and bring the horses all the way down to Kentucky and Virginia and the Carolinas, and you know, went to the World's Championships multiple times. And it was something that I I just absolutely adored as a child and a young adult. And I didn't stop because I wanted to. I stopped because I was, you know, get in in high school and uh getting ready to go to college. And I think my dad realized he didn't want to have to keep paying for this anymore. Um but I so that was kind of the end of it for me at that point. And but it's been something that I've I've missed literally every day since then. And it's it's been 24 years since I've ridden a saddlebred. Uh, I've I've ridden other horses on vacations and stuff like that. But um this afternoon I'm heading up to North Carolina and I'm looking at a few different horses, some young prospects that I would get to develop with a trainer and get back into the chauvin and uh evaluating the barn and um just a lot of a lot of big decisions with this. Um and it's it's funny that that I all of a sudden it hit me that this is what I need to be doing because I've I've really have thought about this for the last few years of like maybe I should get back into it and I think no, I don't have enough time, or like, no, it's gonna be it cost too much money. It's gonna be all those things. But like I've never been so committed to to a decision that I remember in a long time. We're excited about it. So this is the right time, and there's going to be, you know, a lot of decisions to be made with this of like, you know, getting back into it. The the barn that I keep my horse at, the the trainer, the culture of that barn is is really important. That horse shows are basically like conferences, is the best way to put it. Like the whole barn goes, you set up the barn, your decorations around the stalls and everything, and the branding, and that that's like us setting up booths at conferences, and then when you're in the show ring, same as all of us being on stage, our friends come up to support us, and then afterwards, everybody networks and just enjoys each other's company. So it's a it's a similar experience, and I'm excited this time for Michael, my husband, to be involved in it. And I think he's actually really excited about this journey too. So uh this is premature, but probably by the time this airs, I might own a horse. So we're very close to it. Um, so a lot of exciting things with it.

Annie Holcombe: 25:21
Yeah, I'm super excited. I I I had a few friends growing up that rode. Um, one of them did show jumping, like the I guess it's show jumping. Um so she had horses, and so I had been around them a little bit, but I was always kind of fearful of them because I'm so small, like horses were just really, really big. And I fell off a horse when I was younger, not because the horse threw me, just because I fell off the horse. And so I'm just scared of them. But I've always been fascinated by like how a horse is such a big creature, like that you can maneuver it. I mean, it's it's it's it's in the relationship that you have and it's the bond that you have. And and I'm excited for you because I know it's something that um you when you have talked about it just in passing, it it lights you up. It it's a passion, it's something that has a it's a fire in you. So I thought when you said you were doing it, I thought it was absolutely perfect and perfect timing. Um, and then the year of the horse, it was just like, oh, it just like, oh my God, I'm doing it. I can't wait to have the Alex and Annie booth set up at a horse show near you.

Alex Husner: 26:19
You know my God, I honestly I I can't wait to get back into this industry too, because I've been thinking the same thing. Like there, one, there's no podcast in it. So I'm like, oh my gosh, we would have such a ball doing it. But um, yeah, you're right. And they are they're they're huge, they are huge, but at the same time, you know, horses are just like dogs as far as their personalities. Like they have they they love like like dogs do. I mean, they they're funny like dogs are, like they're just they're just a lot bigger. But um, but it they're a very grounding presence to be around, and that's kind of the cool thing of like, you know, a horse's head is basically the size of you know my torso, but like something that is that large that can be so sweet and that I mean, horses that the way that they operate, they're listening to their riders. I mean, the connection with between you and your horse is so incredibly important. And you know, they're they're very highly intuitive animals. But yeah, so that's that's gonna be it's gonna be fun. I will keep everybody uh updated on our future first of the month and get ready because I'm sure I'm going to be posting some things about this on LinkedIn for sure, because this is this is exciting. Well, I can't I can't wait. I think it's super exciting. We'll be back in just a minute, but first, a word from our premier brand sponsor.

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Annie Holcombe: 29:52
I was listening to a podcast this week, um, one of my favorite like comedy podcasts called Smartless. And um, I can't remember the exact quote, but one of the one of the uh hosts said they were talking about aging, and they said the nice thing about aging is that it gives you the the freedom and the authority to be who you were meant to be. Something in that range. Like just like you know, you you find the comfort to be who you were born to be. Um, and I and I feel like that that's been this year for me. And so in looking back at my words, I feel like I was just like with yours, it was like paving the way for me. So I always lean back on my first word that we did this with was authenticity. And I know it became like the a word that people were like, oh, it's so overused. And and but for me, it was like when I finally stopped being what I thought everybody wanted me to be or showing up as how everybody expected me to be and just be who I was be with all the quirkiness and odd things that I can say and do, like and and embrace it. Everything just sort of fet started to fall into place. And so I had a great year that year. And then so for 2023, I went with inspire because I was leading a team. That was when I got to Marriott and I was um, you know, with the Homes and Villas team and I wanted to inspire them to like find their path and find their their truth. And then the next year was just grace. And it was just really like, you know, I think we're so hard on ourselves and and sometimes we forget that we have to show ourselves as much grace as we show others. Um, and I think we both had had some experiences with people in the industry who just weren't kind of living in that way. And it was it was very hurtful to to each one of us to be like um, and I'm victim is not the word, but to be um the person where like some of the the the jabs were sent and and some of the um conversation was directed and and it was just like we would show those those people grace, but we needed to show it to ourselves. And so I really focused on that. 2024, um, I lost my friend Joy. And so our our friends, we focused on living life in that we would look for the joyful moments and look for joy. So my 2025 was about seeking joy and finding joy in every moment. And so, you know, we talk about Italy, it was crazy, but it was so it was also so full of joy. And I Shannon came with me kind of as a as a celebration of our friendship with joy. Um this past year has been very joyful for me. Um, and it gave me the the comfort. It it gave me the comfort and the knowledge that if I stepped out on my own, that I could do it and be joyful in doing that. And so um what I looked at for this coming year was really um, as Amber will always say, like stepping into my power. We all have this power, we need to stand in and stand firm in it. And so I wanted to make sure that I was on a path, which all these words have led me to this path that I could attract the right opportunities and and attract the right people. And I think of the people have come and now it's opportunities, and now it's like where I go with this business and what I do with it. And so I chose my word to be magnetic. So I wanted to just be magnetic for myself, for my friends, for the business. You know, I I was on a call earlier today and we were talking about why I started Annie and Co. I wanted to like, I felt like it was there was a way to like bridge the gap between the STR and the VR world. And I've talked about it a lot on the show. And I just wanted to be sort of this magnet to bring all the pieces together. And so, like, you know, kind of the theme of my business is is you know, putting the puzzle pieces together. So I'm going into the year with a magnetic hope for where we'll do it.

Alex Husner: 33:19
Magnetic energy, really, you know, and I I once it was funny because we we've been texting about this episode for the past week and I started thinking about mine. And uh when I went back and listed all of ours out so we could remember, I left 2026 blank for you. And when you wrote back and said magnetic, I was like, oh my God, I love that. I mean, it's such a great one. And you know, that's one. I love the journey of the words that you've chosen over the years and the ones that I have too. But it's it's really there's such a map to be weaved between them. It's like every year we've learned different things, and like it's interesting just to look back on. But with 2025, when your word was joy, I just thought this yesterday, going to get my hair done. I see something that says joy on it all the time. You know, like I mean, literally like this year, I feel like I saw it everywhere. And you know, it's like when you give attention to something, you're gonna notice it more, the the whole theory. And um, so not only by you using that as your word of the year, I think you spread it to other people. And that's what magnetism is. And you and by spreading, you also bring things back to you. Magnetic is such that's that's literally what a brand wants to be. I mean, like you want to be the brand that is bringing people to you. And I think with the business that you're doing now with these companies, like you're helping them find their own magnetism. Like, how how do they not just compete for competitors, but what makes them magnetic? And that mag being magnetic is it creates a different sense of not loyalty, but it's like it's a different sense of following that like people they know that you're on to something and and they want to be part of it. And it's mission-driven. There's there's much more of a a story with magnetic than it is just about I need all the attention because I'm a great brand. And I think for you and the journey where you're at in your career, it's the perfect word. So well done.

Annie Holcombe: 35:15
Yeah, I it is amazing to look back at this and kind of see what things have occurred with each one of these words and like what we've learned about ourselves, about each other, about our friends, about our relationships, about business, like all the things. And and so I just like think like, oh my god, what is the word I'm gonna choose for? You know, like you just like think down the road. I was like, I don't know that I can top these, but um we will. We will. So I I I put it out on LinkedIn and I think I just encourage everybody to do this. And I've had several people message me saying, Okay, I'm doing this. I I did it last year and it really was helpful, and they're doing it. And so I think it's it's just a really great like grounding tool to discover this process.

Alex Husner: 35:52
And well, it's aspirational of like what you want that year to be too, you know, and it's like we put it out to the universe, and it's you're much more likely to achieve something if you make it public that that's what is important to you and what you're going for. So yeah, and honestly, anybody, we would love to hear what your words of the year are. I know several of our of our listeners, they do this because they've listened to us doing this for so many years now. But if you've never done it, uh, we would love to hear what it is. So send us a message on on LinkedIn or whichever social media channel or you know, a post. We'd we'd love to hear. And it would be fun to maybe next year we collect from our listeners what their words of the year are and like do like a map of because I'm sure there's a lot of overlap, you know. I mean, and it goes back to people being in different time periods of their life and like what is, you know, kind of orchestrated of like, you know, when I turning 40, like there's a lot of things that I've heard it's very similar of other people who'd also just turn 40, that there are certain things that you start caring less about what other people think. Like, and yeah, you know, you're turning 55 this year. Like there's there's certain things that happen at points in your journey where it's it's not just you, there's other people that feel the same. And I think the more we love bringing people together and we love talking about this stuff. So really cool. Okay, next up, so our top episodes of 2025. Uh, number one, and this one um chosen uh not not only because we love the episode, but he actually did get the most downloads uh was Tim Rosolio's episode that aired back in February, and it was episode 206, and it was basically this first time we had Tim on the show. He was an absolute pleasure to have on the show, and and we are grateful to call him a friend now. We've had him on a few times. Um, but he was giving an update on where Verbo uh was at. And I think, you know, in 2024, there was a lot of, you know, just just a lot going on at Verbo that there were bookings were down for a lot of partners and they were re-reorchestrating their tech stack on the back end there and needed to go through that growth. But he very authentically and transparently shared about that journey and what why they had to do what they had to do and what was setting them up for a really strong 2025. And I will say for sure, for the vacation rental companies that I work with, Virgo killed it this year. I mean, like did really, really well. Um, so what they're doing is working, their advertising is working, they're getting great guests in. And that was that was just a fun really fun episode.

Annie Holcombe: 38:23
Yeah, and it was nice because I think I, you know, I had the opportunity to um interview him or moderate a panel that he was on at VRMA in Phoenix. And so I had had some calls with him, got kind of gotten to know him, but not really know him well. And I think it just it it humanized VRBO, you know, like it made it where it wasn't this big OTA that was, you know, really trying to do bad things or, you know, didn't care about the managers. I mean, it really like I think sometimes we get lost in um the conversation about OTAs versus direct business that sometimes they're made out to be the 500-pound gorilla. You know, they're made out to be something that's like to be feared. And that that entire team that we've been able to work with at Virbo has been incredible and they're very passionate about what they're doing and passionate about the partners that they work with, both on the connectivity side where I had worked with them a bit, and also on the property manager side. And so I think just getting to know Tim and his team a little, a little better, people understand that they're they're a really great company and they're really good to work with and they do truly care about the business. Yes, they're in business for business just like the rest of us, but I like to be able to humanize some of these larger companies because I think that sometimes it that gets lost in it.

Alex Husner: 39:31
Yeah, and and on that too, we we didn't mention this earlier, but I would say this was a highlight of just an unexpected offer that was really nice. When we were at uh BR Nation in Austin, uh the Verbo team reached out to us and asked if we would do a luncheon with all of their senior women leadership. And and it was great. And we had only met, I think, like one or two of them that were there, but there's probably, you know, 10 to 12, maybe more than that, um, women from their team that we got to have lunch with. Uh the waiter spilled an entire Entire bottle water. Water all over me. Oh my gosh. Yeah, that was fun. Um, but no, really enjoyed the lunch and and just meeting them and and their support of the show. And it's just, it's, it's, they're just, they're great for the industry and uh very grateful for the involvement that they've they've shown with us. Um, so that was number one. Number two, when you want to do this one?

Annie Holcombe: 40:25
Yeah, that's so this one was just, uh, I mean, you talk about a uh just a heart wrenching, heart felt Angie Leon. Um, she has uh was it coconut? What is it? Uh Coconut condos. Coconut condos in Maui. And she lost her business in the the tragic fires in Maui. And she had spoken on stage at the um women's summit in Charleston and just moved everybody in the room, and it was just amazing. And I, you know, we've had the conversation before. I connected to her just knowing her story, just going through a tragedy. And my tragedy was nothing compared to what her community went to. Um, but her having her talk about it and talking about like the purpose that she found on the other side and how, you know, she she was able to find peace in a really dark time and find presence of of mind and awareness that, you know, it was okay to grieve and it was okay to go through, you know, the these moments where you just felt like you couldn't get anywhere if you had sort of um systems in place that would help you do that. And so she talked about the importance of having, you know, her her um time to read scripture and she journals and she cold plunges and does saunas. And I think what what she's been able to do is, you know, it's kind of that that adage of like the phoenix rises from the ashes. I mean, she she's really taken a really bad situation and made it something wonderful for her. It's gonna take a long time and they probably will never fully, you know, recover from that. But I think that she's found a purpose in it and found an another voice that she didn't know um that she had. And she's gonna be writing a book or she's, I guess, finishing her book, um, and then going speaking about her experience. And I I know that you were you and I both were just completely moved by it. And I think anybody that listened to her story was moved by it and just, you know, felt every every bit of that, the tragedy and the despair that she felt. Yeah.

Alex Husner: 42:16
Yeah, no, it was that was episode 248. If anybody missed it, if you want to go back, it's so inspiring, I guess. That's the main word I can use to describe it. But her sense of resiliency that she, you know, had to develop because there was nothing else that she could do. And like you said, the things that that she get got her through that terrible situation, you know, it's it's applicable to all of us because I mean, and sadly, bad things are gonna happen to all of us at some some point, whether it's you know, loss of a loved one or natural disaster or career loss, and you know, having those things in place to keep you grounded uh is is critical. Um, so just a lot to be learned from that episode. And she's just such a I just want to hang out with her mother. She's just a sweet, kind, um, humble, genuine person. So yeah.

Annie Holcombe: 43:04
And she has a place in Nashville. So she said next time she's there, we'll we'll have to go visit her there. We both we both love Nashville.

Alex Husner: 43:11
Yeah. Yeah. Um, number three uh was Ashley Ching, episode 243. And this was a really fun one. She presented on this topic at a couple different conferences this year that basically talking about what happens when companies try to scale, and went over some of the missteps within some travel brands, some other non-travel related brands, um, and compared it to the rise of Cassago and Vicasa, and just did it in a incredibly well put together manner that she spent a lot of time like this. This was a full-blown research project that she put together on this. And I think her assessment of things was was spot on. And for somebody, she's in Haven, the company she owns, has been in the industry for probably, I don't know, five years or so now. I could be wrong on that, but they've been around for a while. But Ashley's background is in with major, major brands. I mean, worked with Tiffany's and uh some other like really large-scale retail brands. So her experience that she brings to the table, I think is just it's eye-opening. And it's cool to see that our industry is now attracting people of that level, that you know, people that have done other things and they're choosing to come to vacation rentals.

Annie Holcombe: 44:26
We're not sure why, but we'll keep them. I say it's where all the cool kids car. But what I think what was really neat about this is just she just had this curiosity that was like, you know, this is just an insatiable curiosity to try to figure this out and identify like what went wrong. And it wasn't just on the vacation rental side. It was, I mean, she looked at hotels and the parallels. And, you know, we we talk about how hotels and vacation rentals are they're similar. There's there's some differences, but there's they're more similar than they're not. And I think that her what the research that she found showed a lot of those similarities. It's like, you know, business operations are gonna be somewhat similar in every type of business. There's gonna be some core things that are always there, but just the the depth that she went into and then bring the hotel piece of it into the conversation was really, I thought was super fascinating having started out in hotels because there's just been this whole like we're two totally separate pieces of of hospitality and we're really not. You know, we we we we cross over. And so I I'm I'm fascinated to see what curiosity is sparked for her for this year because I know that when she gets a hold of something, like she's just that brain of hers is just constantly thinking on some such a different level than everybody else around her. Um, I I just I I love being around her because the way she thinks and and that report was absolutely fascinating.

Alex Husner: 45:45
Yeah. And and as a side note too, just following her post this year in that process of when Cossigo was acquiring Vicasa, she she had an incredible information and a dissection of what was going on and that whole process, which everybody was kind of waiting on pins and needles to see what would happen because it was, it was uh there was a lot to it. Um, but she kind of like led the charge as far as far as like taking what was happening, explaining it as it was, but then putting it in layman's terms so that everybody could follow along and understand the nuances and how complicated this deal was to get across the finish line. But um, yeah, she she's a welcome addition to our industry and and so smart. Yeah. Absolutely adore her.

Annie Holcombe: 46:26
Yeah, and this next episode was just, I mean, John Suzuki. He is just the most one of the most fabulous people that you could ever want to meet. It was episode 233. He had been at Virbo, well, before it was Virgo, back when it was home away, and had been their chief evangelist and actually went on the road and had to deal with things when things were not going well, um, and had to deal with a lot of negativity towards the channel. And and just he always has this way of uplifting any room that he walks into, any conversation. And he is somebody I think goes to my joy word because I had met him several times and we tried to figure out how to get him on the show and just like we could never get schedules to align. And it finally did. And I think he is one of those people that just exudes joy in everything that he does. And so I started talking to him and talking about his chapter of leaving vacation rentals and kind of going out, you know, as a consultant. And then he was gonna just spend time with his grandkids. And actually, you know, we're very fortunate he's come back in the business and and he's doing some things um, you know, with some tech partners. But it's just, I think he was very well listened to because people just love to hear his thoughts. And I think he the way he speaks is a way anybody can hear and understand. And he doesn't speak in hyperbole. He doesn't speak in a way that it's you know, he's trying to be um, you know, give you too much information. He just is very, very matter-of-fact and um always again, always looking for the sunny side of life in any situation. And I think he's having him back in the business is is very, very exciting for me because he um I like the sunny side of life.

Alex Husner: 48:01
So yeah, absolutely. Yeah, and it was funny recollecting on, you know, many of us have been in this business for a long time. I brought up the matchback policy when Virgo to look into your PMS and see if the guest had found inquired on Virgo. This is going back probably, I don't know, eight years ago. And if they booked on your website, they were gonna charge you half of the commission and like it just it sent the industry up in just eruptions. And when I asked you, you said, Oh god, no, no, I had the skills. We still got flashbacks. Poor John, I mean, they they put him out there. I mean, he was the one that was hitting the streets and was going around to these different like morning meetup little verbo uh events that they had in markets, and that was actually the first time I had met him. But it was a very wise decision on their part. Like he was so likable and so genuine, and and he made you feel better, even though if he couldn't fix the problem. Um, but he did, he he really he took the feedback that he heard from people and he brought it back to them and and said, guys, we got to change this. This isn't good enough. And I think it's really important for any company to have somebody in your company or with your company that kind of that has a similar role to that. That they are, you know, they really are kind of the they're hearing what's going on in the streets, they are talking to your customers or talking to people that aren't your customers, but they're bringing back the information that you need to know that when you're working in the business, you you don't, you're not able to see that. It's like you can can't see the forest or the trees. Like it's really good to have um that kind of a partnership with somebody. And I think he was integral to verbal getting to where they are right now, which is a respected uh supplier for many of the companies in the industry.

Annie Holcombe: 49:40
Yeah. So we'll have him back to talk about his new venture sometime next year. But again, just I think everybody just loved to listen to his, just his tone, everything about him. I just he's just he's just like a walking ray of sunshine. Absolutely.

Alex Husner: 49:54
Yeah, yeah, for sure. And last but not least, but at all definitely not at least, uh, episode, our top five episode was Chillin with Dylan, where we were in 30A, Florida. This is just about a month ago, um, and we did a an on-site interview with Dylan of 30A Escapes, and it was it was great. We actually we came up with this concept, I think it actually started at a track conference earlier this year that we we tried to interview Dylan, the microphones weren't working, so we had to do it again, and then something else happened, but he did great. And then at the next conference, for some reason he like couldn't remember what he was gonna say. So we said, like, you know, what is it, what does it mean to keep it chill? And um he just he somehow that probably some glasses of wine. We all came up with chillin' with Dylan, like just keeping it chill. Like, what do you do when when things get hot, when you're dealing with homeowners or guest issues, and uh Tara from his team had shirts made. So Dylan had a chillin' with Dylan shirt. I mean, he was prepared for the episode, but um Dylan's a you know a friend of both of ours, and I I work with 30A Escapes and have known that company for a long, long time and have all the respect in the world for them and for Dylan for sure. And he was such a good sport that um he he did great on that episode. And honestly, we just we love doing in-person um episodes like this. It's just it's nice to be able to look somebody you know directly in the eyes and you know, understand body language and just have a nice regular conversation when we're so used to doing everything over Zoom these days. So that was a highlight for sure of this year.

Annie Holcombe: 51:32
Yeah, and I think what's nice about it too is it's interviewing the managers that are doing the job, you know, in that we was in one of their homes, you know, in their market, like just having them being in there, you know, on their turf. Um, it you just get a whole different, a whole different sense of their purpose. And he talked about how important his team, you know, is to the operation and the the various things that they do with their owner relations. And and I just think that, you know, he's he's a young guy. I mean, there's no telling where he's gonna be 20 years from now. He could be owning one of these large, you know, companies.

Alex Husner: 52:06
Maybe he will. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, at some point he said he was like, God, after that episode, aired like I had so many people reaching out to me. I'm like, oh, that makes me so happy. That's exactly why that's what we want to happen. But yeah, he's he's a very operationally uh sound uh operator. I mean, like he's he's been in this business for a long time and just a good leader for that team and really cool and was fun because it was close to your house. So I got to see you and all worked out. Well, so those are our top episodes, our words of the year, devotion and magnetic, a lot of exciting things that are coming in 2026. And I think we end this episode every year with like just a feeling of gratefulness looking back and also excitement for looking forward. And I hope that everybody feels that, you know, in your own situations for looking at this year and into the next year. And just, you know, I just want to express a lot of gratitude to our listeners who've stuck with us. Actually, one really cool thing at Darm got to meet Roxanne Olsen that she was after Natasha, she was, I think, our second review four years ago. And she went to the boom party that we hosted at that beautiful home. And it was so nice to finally get to meet her in person. But it's it's great to have our followers that have been here with us all four years, and we love the new ones that are just catching up. So yeah, if you're catching up, there's a lot of antics you can go back and listen to. A lot more coming in 2026, that's for sure.

Annie Holcombe: 53:36
Yep. I can't wait to see what we do and excited, and I'm excited for you for the horse and can't wait to see the pictures, and we've got a lot of really exciting things coming for for both of us and for the show and for the industry. So yeah, about 2026.

Alex Husner: 53:54
Yeah, uh Kramer. Yeah. Oh, awesome. Well, if anybody wants to get in touch with us, you can go to alex and anniepodcast.com and for the last time in 2025, thanks for tuning in, everybody.