Meet Your Host

Jenn Boyles

Jenn Boyles is the founder and CEO of Direct Booking Success – the podcast | the summit | the program. Her mission is to help vacation/short-term rental property managers and owners increase their direct bookings with organic marketing.

She is the host of the Direct Booking Success Podcast which is produced weekly with a mix of educational solo episodes and interviews with Hospitality and Accommodation professionals along with fellow property managers and owners.

Jenn is also a property manager and owner herself, managing her own award-winning properties since 2013. Finding herself with a property in an OTA over-saturated area was what initially led her down the direct booking path.

Meet Your Speakers

MRIDUL BANSAL

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MRIDUL BANSAL is a Product Marketing Manager at PriceLabs, a dynamic pricing and market data tools provider used by over 400,000 properties daily. He often shares his knowledge at direct booking-related events and also conducts a weekly Mastermind for hosts. Mridul is a big believer in using market data to keep your offerings competitive, regardless of how guests find you. At PriceLabs, he stands as an advocate for incorporating customer feedback into product innovation, and training resources.

AMIT BHATIA

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AMIT BHATIA possesses deep expertise in the travel, hospitality and sustainability sector, backed by extensive hands-on experience at an international level with Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and various tourism establishments. Currently, he is pursuing a part-time PhD in sustainable tourism and communications, furthering his expertise and commitment to the space.

HEATHER BAYER

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HEATHER BAYER started blogging about vacation rentals in 2007 at Cottage Blogger, after the success of her first book, “Renting Your Vacation Home for Profit”. She launched the Vacation Rental Success podcast in 2013. Before becoming obsessed with vacation rentals, Heather was CEO of Leading Minds, a management training company in the UK.

JODI BOURNE

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JODI BOURNE is a Business Consultant, Educator and Website Designer specializing in luxury or niche vacation rentals and accommodations. With a rich background in business management, customer service, brand messaging and marketing and a passion for tourism and community, Jodi is driven to help hosts understand the vacation rental industry, create memorable, guest-first experiences and build long-term business strategies so they can concentrate on what they love about hosting. Jodi is a champion for a more professional, guest-first vacation rental industry that helps create a world where everyone can experience the joy of traveling like a local.

RACHAEL BUTLER

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RACHAEL BUTLER owner and host of Angel Caves Farmstay. They offer unique accommodation in the heart of the idyllic Gran Canarian mountains. Aside from the views, what really stands out about them is their impeccable customer service and guests’ experience which is reflected in their excellent reviews, ratings, and repeat bookings. Having traveled all over the world she has first-hand experience of excellent customer service, these hosts helped to create lasting memories that she cherishes and now replicates those details in her own business with proven results.

ALI CAMMELLETTI

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ALI CAMMELLETTI is a certified Leadership and Sales coach with over 30 years of experience within the Hospitality & Tourism Industry. Prior to becoming a full-time coach, she served in capacities in the field, from a front-line restaurant and lodging employee to managing restaurants in San Francisco as well as building and owning a successful event planning business and now a business consultant.

CAITLIN CASSADY

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CAITLIN CASSADY as the VP of Marketing at Beyond, Caitlin leads the company’s marketing strategy and cross-functional initiatives that use data-driven storytelling to drive tangible business impact. Prior to Beyond, Caitlin spent fifteen years as a communications and content marketing leader at enterprise tech businesses. She’s an avid reader, a recovering journalist, and a mac & cheese connoisseur.

MEGAN CASTOR

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MEGAN CASTOR is a former teacher turned copywriter who combines her love of travel and hospitality with her passion for writing to create compelling content and copy for vacation rental businesses. She helps busy property managers build brand awareness, nurture relationships with guests and homeowners, establish themselves as experts, and market their properties through website copy, blogs, emails, newsletters, property descriptions, and more.

DANIELA DERIN

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DANIELA DERIN has been a Holiday Rental Manager + Real Estate Broker since last century. When all bookings were direct and a result of personal connections and a genuine love for guest communication. She fell in love with digital marketing in lockdown, and the rest is history. She achieved 85% direct bookings + 65% repeat.

SUZANNE HACKER

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SUZANNE HACKER former Banker turned Business Coach, offers 1:1 coaching to Vacation Rental Owners to help them with new business strategies, design ideas, and marketing. She has also launched a training and certification program for Vacation Rental Owners to make their properties suitable for families with autism, by making them Spectrum- Friendly. She has also launched the 1st annual Welcoming-All 2024 Inclusive Hosting Summit for Vacation Rental Owners.

YVONNE HALLING

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YVONNE HALLING is the founder of Bed and Breakfast Coach.com and the creator of B&B Money Maker Business Transformation Program where clients typically increase their business by at least 25% in one season, while working less, paying less commissions and having more fun. Yvonne ran her B&B in the Champagne region of France for 17 years, first as a hobby making less than €10k per year, before transforming it into a thriving and profitable business, making over €100k a year with just 4 rooms without any listings with online travel agents. She won several hospitality and marketing awards and is now an award-winning consultant, coach and mentor for independent owners worldwide. Along with her team, she helps clients to implement key business principles that are very much missing from the small hospitality landscape, which is why online travel agents such as booking dot com and Airbnb have pretty much taken over. Yvonne believes that hospitality businesses are the hub of local communities, attracting new money by way of guests, and which couldn’t have come by any other means. Returning the power to the owners, encouraging direct bookings via their websites, not third parties and restoring owners to their rightful place at the heart of their communities, along with educating and inspiring them on how to run their businesses on their terms in the 21st century using the internet, is Yvonne’s mission

SHIVEN VINOD KHERA

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SHIVEN VINOD KHERA is a visionary in the short-term rental industry, recognized for his innovative approach and foresight. As co-founder and CEO of Linkbase Technologies Inc., Shiven has revolutionized vacation rental management with a focus on automation for access locks and lobby management. Linkbase’s seamless check-in solutions, including lobby check-ins powered by CIBO and automated door access, enhance guest convenience and safety. Shiven’s leadership earned him the “Top 40 Under 40” award by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce in 2022. His commitment to simplicity and efficiency drives innovation, making Linkbase a leader in hospitality tech.

DEBORAH LABI

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DEBORAH LABI is a creative minded entrepreneur with passion with 18 years of Vacation Rental experience behind her. She is the founder of Have You Got a monetised guest referral system and direct booking listing site for Short Term and Vacation Rental Managers and Owners. She is also the founder of The Guest Innspector, offering an end-to-end service for STR Businesses to improve business systems, property & guest experiences and founder of The Techsplained Series, an industry resource page, and the Tech Minis.

JANE MACK

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JANE MACK is the owner of Jane Mack Consulting, providing consultancy and coaching services to the holiday let industry. Jane and her husband bought a holiday home property management company back in 2010, and decided to expand it to offer advertising and bookings. By 2012 they had created a full holiday letting agency. Their business continued to grow until they sold it to the UK’s largest holiday-letting company in 2017. After a few years of continuing to run and manage the local office of the company, Jane decided that it was time for a change. After doing training in social media and Facebook Ads to better her knowledge of the ever-changing online world, she got her coaching accreditation and realized that her true passion still lay in the holiday let industry. Having managed over 100 holiday properties, and thousands of guests and with 10 years of hands-on experience, she decided to help others in the holiday let industry to grow their businesses, just as she had done. That’s where her real joy lay. Jane is also a mum of 2 boys and lives on the beautiful Isle of Arran where she enjoys morning runs, big walks and beach BBQ’s.

TRACEY NORTHCOTT

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TRACEY NORTHCOTT of Enfour, Tokyo Family
Stays and Tracey Northcott Consulting, is a serial
entrepreneur and multi-preneur based in Tokyo,
Japan. She is one of the most successful AirBnB hosts
in Tokyo. She also runs Software development
company Enfour with her family as well as Tracey
Northcott Consulting where she helps other hosts
discover the true potential of their STR or AirBnb
business maximizing their investment, enjoyment and
hospitality standards.

KELLY ODOR

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KELLY ODOR is the Marketing Director at Bookster property management software. She’s passionate about vacation rentals, with a love of using marketing to help businesses flourish.

SARAH ORCHARD

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SARAH ORCHARD is an award-winning marketing strategist, #1 best-selling author, and fellow host, who helps Airbnb hosts, holiday cottage and glampsite owners master their marketing to maximize their commission-free direct bookings. Sarah provides marketing support through affordable online training courses, a monthly marketing club membership, and 1:1 marketing strategy and advice sessions. Sarah is the co-owner of award-winning The Hudnalls Hideout treehouse and has saved over $85,000 in agent commission with 100% direct bookings in the last 3 years. The Hideout is one of the UK’s most sought-after treehouses.

MADISON RIFKIN

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MADISON RIFKIN is the Founder and CEO of Mount where she is on a mission to change the way we travel. She connects STR hosts and local businesses so travelers can discover hyper-local experiences directly through their host. She’s rooted in the Short Term Rental Industry where she’s won the Rising Star Award in 2022 and 2023.

LISA ROADS

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LISA ROADS has been in the short-term sector for over twenty years, initially as the founder of a successful property management business in Cyprus. After selling her business in 2021 she is now leveraging her years of experience and is supporting property managers and property owners to create a unique brand experience to stand out and drive their direct booking strategy.

BRIAN SEELOS

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BRIAN SEELOS is a Sales Representative at Hospitable and a short-term rental property manager in Athens, Georgia. He manages 15 short-term rentals using Hospitable as his property management software.

ANNIE SLOAN

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ANNIE SLOAN is Co-Founder and CEO of The Host Co, the hospitality platform connecting local amenities to short-term rentals – from massage and chef to fresh flowers, bike rentals and beyond. Prior to The Host Co Annie was a Creative Director at both Facebook and Twitter. She has led embedded projects for Google, Airbnb, and Samsung, and is a graduate of USC Film School, and has produced and directed broadcast television and film internationally. Through her years in film she spent a cumulative four years on projects in Asia, Africa, and Europe, developing both a global POV and a passion for supporting small businesses tourism through technology.

CHRIS SMITH

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CHRIS SMITH Stoke Marketing has been one of the most innovative marketing agencies in the Vacation/STR space since 2016. We are a vital addition to the marketing stack of a small, very selective list of vacation rental partners. We’re an industry unicorn. Small, boutique, nimble….but most importantly: innovative and effective. From social media strategies to email and content creation, we are helping our property manager partners boost revenues and drive more direct bookings than their competitors.

BART SOBIES

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BART SOBIES is a renowned figure in the Short-Term Rental (STR) industry, known for founding The Accommodation Show and iBooked.Online. His journey began with launching his first online business at 15, eventually leading him to revolutionize the STR industry. Bart’s expertise in direct bookings, marketing, and branding has significantly impacted hospitality owners, helping generate substantial revenue through iBooked.Online. He’s also the founder of the Accommodation Managers and Owners Facebook Community, now boasting over 2400 members, and the creator of the STRive to Thrive conference, with successful events in July 2023 and another planned for March 2024. His influence extends globally, with speaking engagements at major industry events like ASTRA conference QLD and The Book Direct Show in Miami. 2022 marked a significant year for iBooked.Online, achieving finalist status in the Shortyz Awards and receiving a government grant for international expansion. The company saw a remarkable increase in client base and demand for consulting services. Bart Sobies remains a pivotal figure in the tourism sector, driving innovation and empowering accommodation owners and managers to excel.

SARA SOKOL

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SARA SOKOL has been an educator her whole life, starting at age 14 teaching ballet to young children while on a professional dancer track herself. After retiring from the dance world Sara became a certified yoga instructor, with a large Hollywood celebrity clientele, in the Los Angeles area. In 2010 Sara became a professional positive reinforcement dog trainer, and since then her business, Mr. Dog Training, has been voted best dog trainer in the state of Maine for the past 9 years. In addition, she is currently ranked the 25th best trainer in the US. In 2020 Sara purchased her first short-term rental on the coast of Maine and started her business, Little White Dog Properties. When looking to market her dog-friendly STR in Facebook groups she was surprised that she could not find one group geared towards connecting pet-friendly STRs with travelers traveling with their dogs, so she created one. In the spring of 2022, the Dogs Welcome Community was born. In addition to being the creator of the Dogs Welcome Community, including the Facebook group and its associated Instagram and Facebook pages, as well as a free listing website, Sara‘s work as a dog trainer gives her unique and fun insights into hosting dogs. She has had the privilege of being interviewed by Heather Bayer, Jenn Boyles, Sarah Karakaian, and Annette Grant for their respective podcasts, and has presented on the dog-friendly topic at the Virtual Women’s Summit, as well as the Home Share Side Hussle Summit.

ROSE TIPKA

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ROSE TIPKA is a homeschooling mom of 6, a best-selling author, and a Vacation Rental Expert, founder of Your Family’s Place, a vacation rental company nestled in Ohio’s Amish country focused on multi-generational, pet-friendly, large homes, and the mom behind Hosting In the Motherhood. Think of Rose as the fairy godmother of family vacation; making it easy for moms to enjoy their next “trip” and for hosts to make welcoming families easier. As a mom of six, you can say Rose knows a little bit about family vacations—the ups, downs, and everything in between. When she and her husband opened Your Family’s Place in 2017, they created their homes with mommas in mind. Designed with nostalgic vacation memories, families reconnect like the good old days—back before lives became too busy with jobs, technology, and a phone that never stops buzzing. Whether sitting on the dock catching fish, hiking the trails in the woods, or going head-to-head over air hockey downstairs, there’s something for everyone. Your Family’s Place can’t stop time but welcomes guests to slow down and reconnect with the most important people.

UVIKA WAHI

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UVIKA WAHI is the Head of Content and Community at Rental Scale-Up, a media company providing actionable insights to short-term rental hosts and property managers. She publishes industry reports and analyses, assisting stakeholders in making informed decisions. Additionally, Uvika aids luxury short-term rental businesses in developing effective marketing strategies, bringing unique perspectives to the industry. She also organizes monthly online conferences aimed at empowering hosts to thrive in the competitive market. Her work continues to shape and drive the success of the short-term rental community.

VIVIAN YIP

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VIVIAN YIP After two decades navigating the corporate maze, Vivian and her partner James decided it was time to break free from the 9-to-5 grind and bid farewell to the dreaded request for days off. With their heads together, they dove into the exciting world of house flipping, determined to build up their cash reserves and secure a future filled with financial freedom. In 2019, James took the leap and waved goodbye to his corporate gig, paving the way for Vivian to follow suit in 2021 after a rather unexpected hair-raising experience left her feeling like she’d lost control over her own life. Armed with the power of real estate investing and a knack for the mid-term rental game, Vivian left her career at Apple in the dust and she Vivian didn’t just bounce back; she soared. She’s now proudly rocking a six-figure semi-passive income and leading the charge in creating a mid-term rental empire that spans the nation. Today, Vivian’s on a mission to sprinkle a little hospitality magic into the real estate world, showing others how to craft a life that’s not just about paying the bills but about living it up with purpose and joy.