Leadership Episodes

On the August 1st of the Month Bonus Episode, Alex & Annie welcome the return of Simon Lehmann - CEO and Co-Founder of AJL Atelier, a boutique consultancy that specializes in the international private accommodation and vacation rental industry. The topic of today is the shifting landscape of the short term rental industry, and what the current situation is in different STR hotspots around the world. Simon has a 360 view of the global vacation rental market, as both his consultancy and the clien...

Here’s an episode you won’t want to miss: We talk to Matt Durrette, Founder and CEO of Cozi Vacation Rentals, about their journey to success. Nestled in the beautiful Texas Hill Country in Fredericksburg, Cozi is a premier 24/7 provider of property management and marketing services for its owners and a provider of unforgettable experiences for its guests. Originally founding the business out of Baltimore, MD, in 2014, Matt was able to grow his managed portfolio in this downtown market to 100 ho...

In today’s episode, Alex and Annie sit down with Steve Trover, the Founder, and CEO of Better Talent. Knowing a person makes connecting their talents with the right jobs easier. Interestingly, Steve is also the one who brought together Annie and her current role today at Homes & Villas by Marriott International. Steve talks about the people stack and how optimizing human capital has a profound effect because it is most companies' single biggest cost. He shares how a company's integrator works...

VALUES AND ETHICS ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF SUCCESS In today’s episode, Alex and Annie welcome Steve Schwab, CEO of Casago. He shares his unintentional entry into the vacation rental industry and how working with the local community is at the core of his success. Steve also talks about Casago University, the company’s in-house training institution, and how this empowers local heroes because their success is the franchise's success too. Find out more about Steve and the owner-centric systems he c...

THE KEY TO A GREAT TEAM IS AUTHENTICITY In today’s episode, Alex and Annie welcome Alex Zemianek, the Founder and CEO of JZ Vacation Rentals. He shares how trial after trial left him broke and almost broken. However, when he allowed himself to be vulnerable with his team, they rallied behind him during their darkest days. Alex says that it was through an authentic relationship with the people who make up his team that this was even possible. Find out more about Alex and JZ Vacation Rentals in this latest episode of Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals. “REAL” TALK ALEX ZEMIANEK: AUTHENTICITY CREATES A TEAM THAT STAYS "The biggest thing is making sure that you have some kind of authentic relationship. And when people feel that you're genuine, then they're probably going to perform a little bit differently." ALEX ZEMIANEK: GIFT KNOWLEDGE THROUGH EDUCATION "I genuinely feel that education is the best gift you can give and receive as well because people can …

Lauren Madewell joins us today to share the story of her family's business, Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals. The company is ran by Lauren and her sister Mallory, along with their Dad, John Madewell, who fell into vacation rentals when a relative passed away and left the business to John in 2008. The family rose to the occasion, and has grown the company into one of the most respected outfits in the Smoky Mountains with a loyal following of guests that return year after year. Topics we cover: ...

Flash back! On November 2, 2021, we launched the Alex & Annie Podcast with our 1st episode, The A-HA Moment. As we reflect on the past year and so many incredible memories, we thought it was fitting to revisit this episode. Yesterday on our 1st of the Month Bonus Episode, we made 2 major announcements - Alex has taken a new role as CMO for Casago, and Annie has taken a new role as Director of Business Development for Marriott Homes & Villas. It's impossible to ignore the timing of these two incr...

Andrew McConnell joins us today for look behind his new book, Get Out of My Head: Creating Modern Clarity with Stoic Wisdom. Known in the vacation rental world for his role as CEO of Rented, Inc., Andrew shares the most expensive rent of all: the self doubt and negativity that we allow to live rent free in our minds. In this book, Andrew shows it’s possible to achieve clarity, make good decisions, and rise in your career, by illustrating that the human mind is not unlike real estate: adopting a...

We are honored to be joined by two of the most inspirational female leaders in travel, Silvia Camarota and Rachel Humphrey, as they share a behind-the-scenes look at the networking & mentorship organization Women in Travel Thrive. Founded to propel women closer to equality in the travel industry, this organization provides connections, education, and tangible resources designed to support women in their travel careers. Silvia leads Expedia as the Senior Director for North America Market Manag...

In this insightful and candid interview with Hostaway CEO, Marcus Räder takes us on an eye-opening journey of what companies really learn as they attempt to grow with investment capital. Marcus joins us today as another member of "The Blondies", and while the three of us together look we could also be members of the Brady Bunch, we dive into some seriously impactful topics that are applicable to any business looking to scale and grow. Marcus shares how companies can only learn by doing the wron...

Tracy Johnstone is one of those leaders who if you are lucky enough to encounter on your career journey, will aspire you to become so much more than you ever thought possible. As a female who rose to the top of the ranks of corporate McDonald's in the 1990’s, Tracy shares how she built her confidence and found her voice in a male dominated boardroom. She recalls, “There’s lots of seats at the table… I just learned early on, which ones I wanted. Just being on the team wasn’t enough for me, at som...

Ali Cammelletti joins us today to discuss all things related to leadership and resilience in the workplace. Ali has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including several years with Navis where she worked with resort and lodging companies around the world to drive revenue and increase sales agent performance. Ali now owns her own consulting company, Spark Your Mindset, and specializes in leadership coaching with business leaders in all industries. While vacation rentals...

As one of Greg Fisher’s partners recently said, “There’s a difference between an Owner and a Founder; and Greg is a Founder.” Greg joins us today to share his entrepreneurial journey and how he grew TripShock into one of the largest online tour & activity marketplaces in the country. When Greg launched TripShock back in 2009, he faced significant headwinds as he battled to get the platform up and running. Most water sports and attractions were still managed by pen and paper during this time, so ...

Tune in to this inspiring episode as Jen Ford shares highlights of an impressive career and the pivotal decisions that helped her build confidence, discover her passions and ultimately, lay a solid runway for future growth opportunities. As Jen reveals, it's all in your mindset! Jen is a seasoned executive with a background in e-commerce, retail, travel, and technology. During her career, Jen has worked in both public and private companies, from start-up to Fortune 100. She has led successful t...

In today’s episode we are joined with Vered Raviv Schwarz, President/COO of the property management platform Guesty. We had the pleasure of meeting Vered at the Women’s Conference at the end of 2021, and got to listen to her speak about being a female entrepreneur in a male dominated tech world. An advocate for women in business and technology, Vered shares with us stories from her career that led her to understand that you can truly do anything you put your mind to, and that with the right amou...

On today's episode we share highlights of an amazing week at the Vacation Rental Women's Summit (VRWS) at The Ritz Carlton in New Orleans. This event was top-notch on every level, and the collaborative atmosphere among attendees was truly remarkable. We had the opportunity to go to dinner with keynote speaker Amber Hurdle, who was also our very first guest on the podcast (Episode 2) and has affectionately become our "spirit woman". More on that in the episode! We share highlights from our very ...

Join us for our 1st live guest interview , Amber “the Velvet Machete” Hurdle to dive into finding your personal power and how being outside your comfort zone is where the magic happens. From her days with Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Attractions to her award-winning talent optimization firm, we uncover the strategies and moments that gave Amber the voice to be a powerhouse businesswoman and helped her to create the Velvet Machete Brand Strategy. This engaging chat is a sneak peek into her upcomin...

In this inaugural episode of Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals, we explore the spark that started our journey to making this podcast. We provide a high-level overview of our industry background, and highlight two AHA moments that defined the future of our careers. Topics we cover: Who are Alex & Annie? The importance of having a good mentor Two AHA moments that defined our careers Where will this journey take us? Vacation Rental Women’s Summit Thank you for jo...