Top 22 Influential People in the Short-Term Rental Industry 2023

If you're in the short-term rental space and looking for free mentorship, paying attention to what the influential people within the industry are doing is key. You can keep up with them on social media, taking advantage of their tips, hacks, investments, and more. 

 

From platform giants to thought leaders, these 22 individuals have significantly impacted the short-term rental market and positioned themselves as some of the most influential players in 2023.

 

1. Simon Lehmann:

The CEO of AJL ATelier, Lehmann is a short-term rental business magnate, often  hailed as one of the leading experts in starting an STR enterprise. The facilitator of the 2022 Vacation Rental Management Association's Executive Summit, he often gives talks on current STR market trends,  business strategies, and the future of the industry.

 

2.Richard Vaughton

Vaughton is a UK-based STR consultant and non-executive industry strategist dedicated to helping property owners and hosts maximise their profits from short-term rentals. He's the co-founder of an EU-based STR business with over 900 properties in its portfolio.

Currently, he's heavily involved in the tech space, having co-founded STR start-up Rentivo, which is the leading enterprise-level vacation rental management software. He's one to watch if you want to keep up with the latest advancements in the STR industry.

 

3. Amy Hinote

Amy Hinote is the founder and editor of VRM Intel, a vacation rental newsletter that provides  insight on the latest news, trends, and developments in the short-term rental industry. Hinote is an active thought leader in the space and her primary goal is to help rental managers capitalise on the booming STR market.

 

4. Bill Faeth

Lead coach and founder of Build Short Term Rental Wealth, Faeth is a vacation rental entrepreneur who helps like-minded individuals establish and grow their STR business. He offers in-depth educational resources and has extensive experience mentoring and coaching newbies getting into the industry. You can catch him at the Short Term Rental Wealth Conference in Nashville, TN in March 2023.

 

5. Damian Sheridan

Definitely one to watch in 2023, Sheridan is the founder and director of BookDirect.Show and ScaleRentals.Show two annual conference events that bring together property owners, hosts, and vacation rental professionals. He's a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) consultant with over 10 years of experience in the STR industry, meaning he's well-versed in helping brands maximise their presence online.

 

6. Thibault Masson

Digital marketer and luxury short-term rentals expert, Masson is adept at helping savvy STR entrepreneurs maximise their profits. His blog, Rentalscaleup.com, shares plenty of free resources and real-life case studies from successful vacation rental business owners,  making it a valuable online resource for any level investor.

 

7. Andrew Kitchell

Owner and founder of Wheelhouse, a pricing tool that allows STR owners to monitor the daily market rate for their properties, Kitchell is a serial entrepreneur who specialises in helping vacation rental businesses maximise revenue and optimise occupancy. 

 

8. Graham Donoghue:

Sykes Holiday Cottages' Group CEO, Donoghue is a successful entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the holiday letting industry. His expansive portfolio of properties spans from England to Scotland, and he's an active member of the Vacation Rental Management Association. He's especially passionate about creating quality experiences for travellers while also helping property owners optimise profits.

 

9. Rob Abasolo

Rob Abasolo is an innovative player in the STR world. He is passionate about helping aspiring short-term rental owners and hosts grow their businesses and build a more sustainable future for the industry. He also runs Robuilt YouTube Channel and is the founder of Hostcamp and Hostcon. Making him an incredibly influential asset in the rapidly growing STR space. He has one of the biggest YouTube channels in the space and his community is growing by the day. 

10. Heather Bayer:

Author of Vacation Rental Formula, Bayer is the brainchild behind the 10 Step Road Map to help short-term rental owners 5x their profits in  12 months. She's a frequent speaker at industry events and has dedicated her career to helping STR business owners increase their ROI while making long-term investments in their properties.

 

11. Jasper Ribbers

Co-Founder of Overnight Success, Ribbers is an expert in the vacation rental industry. His ‘Get Paid For Your Pad’ podcast is one of the most downloaded in the industry. 

12. Steve Milo:

Steve Milo is the owner and founder of VTrips. With over 10 years of experience in the short-term rental industry, Milo has a wealth of knowledge and is an advocate for responsible hosting practices. A regular at the VRMA Conference, Milo is a reliable source of information and guidance.

 

13. Matt Landau

After spending the first 10 years of his career managing STR properties, Landau is now the founder and CEO of VRMB.com. He  challenges owners to think differently about how they market their properties, and they offer a variety of services to help them reach their goals.  An advocate for homerunners, he's all about bringing together the fractured industry and helping property owners and hosts create more successful businesses. 

 

14. Wil Slickers:

Slickers is the host of SlickTalkPod, a podcast for the hospitality industry that involves talks from all kinds of hospitality professionals, including vacation rental owners. He's also the founder of Good Morning Hospitality, which provides in-depth insights into the hospitality market right now.

 

15. Chris Maughan:

Thought leader, industry speaker Trust Strategist, and the CEO and founder of I-PRAC, the global trust accreditation for the STR industry, Maughan also has a wealth of experience in STR as the CEO and founder of AES EVENTS GROUP, a luxury corporate property management company in Cannes South of France. Maughan is a respected figure in the vacation rental industry. He’s passionate on supporting and helping vacation rental owners build trust in their relationships with their customers, You can catch his contributions on LinkedIn, industry podcasts, and webinars, and he’s a regular at some of the leading hospitality events around the world.

 

16. Paul Stevens (Short Term Rentalz)

The man behind Short Term Rentalz, Paul Stevens is a well-known figure in the vacation rental industry. He's an expert on STR technology and is passionate about educating property owners on how to manage their businesses more efficiently. His website offers a wealth of information and resources on the industry, making it a go-to for anyone looking to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. The annual Shortyz event is becoming the Oscars of the Short Term Rental Industry

 

17. Alexander Caravitis Hosthub

Hosthub co-founder and CEO, Caravitis is  an avid advocate for the vacation rental industry. He's dedicated to helping owners create successful businesses and stay ahead of the competition by offering a comprehensive platform including property management, marketing, and analytics. Hosthub conducts a lot of research and data analysis into the industry, including where people are booking and how often, so it's an invaluable resource for anyone looking to stay informed.

 

18. Julie George:

Author and speaker Julie George is a thought leader within the vacation rental space. She wrote the book ‘Million Dollar Host' which dives into actionable steps for vacation rental owners to grow and scale their businesses. She's brought in over $8 million in income on Airbnb alone and is widely regarded as one of Airbnb's leading experts.

 

19. Jessica Gillingham

Gillingham is an award-winning PR specialist who is adept at helping STR owners  get their message out to the world. Founder at Adobe Worldwide, her PR agency has helped some of the biggest players in the hospitality space, including Breezeaway, Hostaway, and more.

 

20. Margot Lee Schmorak

Co-founder of Hostfully, Schmorak is a well-known figure in the short-term rental industry. She's known for her expertise in marketing, hospitality operations, and guest experience, and she's an expert on taking the hassle out of running an STR business. Hostfully's platform offers property owners everything they need to make their properties stand out from their competitors.

 

21. Moriya Rockman

Rockman is a marketing expert and CEO of Smiling House Luxury,  a full-service property management company. She's the founder of Triangle.luxury, a luxury vacation rental real estate platform that facilitates the rental of luxury properties to affluent guests. She's built her business around creating exceptional experiences for guests and property owners alike.

 

22. Vanessa de Souza Lage 

Vanessa de Souza Lage is the leader in short-term rental sustainability. The founder of Sustonica, the number 1 sustainability certification for Airbnb and vacation rentals, de Souza Lage is passionate about helping property owners build profitable portfolios that don't impact the planet or the local community.