Get the strategies you need to tackle today’s toughest vacation rental challenges. With Airbnb’s new Experienced co-hosting platform on the horizon, the stakes are higher than ever. Don’t get left behind—equip your business to thrive in a crowded market.
Hi there!
I'm Heather Bayer and I'm excited to share my journey with you. With over 30 years in the short-term rental business, it's been an amazing ride.
Before my adventures in entrepreneurship, I trained as a psychologist specializing in hypnosis and psychotherapy. This background, together with 10 years of operating a management training business in the UK, has been invaluable to my work in the vacation rental industry, where I spent 20 years as the CEO of a property management company. During that time I owned and operated six of my own vacation homes.
I sold the business in 2022 to focus exclusively on helping upcoming owners and managers achieve their goals. In 2013, I launched the Vacation Rental Success Podcast, which has grown into the leading resource for vacation rental owners and managers. With over 570 episodes and over 1.5 million downloads
it features interviews with leaders in the industry and my own insights and advice.
My passion for this business has grown into a mission to help others achieve success in this thriving field and I'd be honored to work with you to make that success happen!
When not working, you can find me walking my beautiful German Shepherd, Britta, or on the pickleball courts, where I’m known as the spin queen. Thanks for taking the time to learn more about me.
Now I want to get to know you and help you through the challenges you are experiencing.
This 8-week program is designed for property managers, who want to elevate their business development, leadership skills, and community engagement. Through expert presentations, Q&A, a comprehensive resource package, and actionable takeaways, this program will equip you with the tools to build a successful and sustainable short-term rental empire.
Each week will focus on a specific theme with relevant guest speakers, interactive exercises, and peer-to-peer learning. These weekly sessions will be held online via video conferencing for 60-90 minutes supported by a private online forum for ongoing discussions, resource sharing, and peer coaching.
This session explores where you are now in your business and where you want to be going forward. The industry is changing rapidly and you may have to think outside the box to maintain a competitive edge. We’ll look at evolving market dynamics, and strategies, and identify opportunities for innovation and adaptation. You’ll begin to develop a blueprint for the future.
Are the rising expectations of guests causing challenges with your business and team? Learn how to understand and exceed those expectations through personalized service and technology. This session will fire up your creative juices and provide the tools to wow your guests and bring them the ‘hot dog’ moments that will turn them into raving fans
Trust is at the core of our business and if you struggle to build trust with your guests, owners and your community your business will stall. This session will teach you how to establish core values and translate them into effective leadership practices. You’ll learn strategies to foster trust and integrity with all your stakeholders. By the end of this session, you will have a personal leadership mission statement and actionable steps to build stronger relationships, alleviating stress and improve team cohesion
You cannot succeed without great owners, and owner acquisition is the focus of this session. You’ll learn effective marketing strategies to attract new property owners and develop a winning value proposition. You’ll also discover techniques to maintain strong relationships with existing owners, ensuring their satisfaction and loyalty. By the end of this session, you will have a personalized growth plan and strategies to keep your property owners happy and engaged, reducing turnover and increasing your portfolio.
We’ll guide you through the components of a responsible rental strategy, including safety protocols, sustainability practices, and regulatory compliance. You’ll also learn the massive opportunities that are available by building on these foundations. The session will equip you with the tools to uphold high standards and maintain compliance in your operations as well as being at the forefront in your community and beyond.
If you are struggling with oversaturation and competition, then we’ll share the exact steps you need to take to get the edge over the others. Your local knowledge and community impact can enhance your business reputation and create strong local partnerships, positioning your business as a community asset. You’ll develop a community engagement plan that will become your secret weapon to blow your competition out of the water.
In this session we explore the importance of getting the right people in the right seats. You’ll learn when it's the right time to hire and how to attract top talent and foster a dynamic, engaged team. You will leave this session with a clear picture of how to make the right choices in hiring and an actionable plan to build a high-performing team that supports your business goals.
Wrap up the program with a comprehensive Q&A and in-depth coaching session to address lingering questions and consolidate your learning. Develop a personalized action plan for continuous improvement, leveraging the insights and strategies gained over the past weeks. This session ensures you leave with a clear roadmap for sustained success and ongoing growth in your short-term rental business.
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Understand where the short-term rental industry is heading. Learn to think creatively and identify opportunities for innovation, helping you stay competitive and prepare for the future.
Discover how to establish core values and translate them into effective leadership practices. Develop a personal leadership mission statement and actionable steps to build stronger, trust-based relationships with guests, owners, and your community.
Learn effective marketing strategies to attract new property owners and maintain strong relationships with existing ones. Develop a growth plan that keeps owners happy and engaged, reducing turnover and increasing your portfolio.
Understand and exceed guest expectations through personalized service and technology. Gain tools to wow your guests, creating memorable experiences that turn them into loyal, raving fans.
Explore strategies for hiring the right people at the right time. Learn how to attract top talent and foster a dynamic, engaged team that supports your business goals.
Learn the key components of a responsible rental strategy, including safety protocols, sustainability practices, and regulatory compliance. Equip yourself with tools to uphold high standards and maintain compliance, benefiting your community and beyond.
Discover how local knowledge and community impact can enhance your business reputation. Develop a community engagement plan to create strong local partnerships and position your business as a valuable community asset.
Wrap up with a comprehensive Q&A session to address lingering questions and consolidate your learning. Develop a personalized action plan for ongoing growth and success in your short-term rental business.
I was first introduced to Brooke Pfautz at a VRMA conference at a standing-room-only session. It was well deserved, as his knowledge on growing vacation rental inventory and business development in general, is in the top tier. His books, From 0 to 500 Properties in 5 Years, and Vacation Rental Secrets, are must reads for anyone seeking growth in this business.
If I’m doing a podcast episode on the value of community connection I’ll reach out to Travis. His passion for keeping it local led in part to the creation of The 100 Collection - an evaluation program that recognizes hospitality excellence as well as community representation. His own PM company, Stay Charlottesville embodies all these principles.
Co-founder of Rent Responsibly, David Krauss refers to Alexa as "a turbo-boosted human” for her feats in productivity and "the brilliant conductor of all things” at Rent Responsibly. I first came across her writing when she was with VRM Intel and learned how passionately she cares about this business and all the components that make up a responsible rental operation.
I've know Tyann Marcink since 2012 when we first met at the HomeAway Summit. We were novice presenters and supported each other through the weekend and have been friends ever since. Tyann is brilliant at so many things - she manages two amazing brands in Missouri; builds huge family homes in Branson; is the dynamo behind some of the most unique Touch Stay events, and is the undisputed Queen of Guest Experience.
I am happy to call the founder of VRMB and the Inner Circle, the creator & host of the TV shows, A Sense of Place and The Vacation Rental Show, and the maestro behind the new project, Here Goes Nothin’, a friend. I’ve known Matt for over 10 years and watched him flourish in the industry as a coach, mentor and purveyor of wisdom. He will get you thinking in ways you’d never thought possible.
Steve had been a Vacation Rental industry staple for as long as I've been in the business taking much of my early inspiration from his property management companies. Now leading the top talent agency for our business he has his finger on the pulse of what works and does not work when building your perfect team
Chris is at the leading edge of the campaign to encourage owners and PMs to earn the trust of their guests particularly when asking them to make a direct booking. After seeing first-hand the damage that can be inflicted by rental fraud, Chris has dedicated himself to spreading the message that trust is the foundation of a successful rental business.
The Vacation Rental Management Growth Accelerator Program is an intensive 8-week coaching initiative designed specifically for property managers and aspiring leaders in the short-term rental industry. This program addresses the common pain points faced by property managers and provides the tools, strategies, and insights needed to build a successful and sustainable business.
This program is designed for leaders and aspiring leaders in the short-term rental industry who want to enhance their business development, leadership skills, and community engagement.
This program is tailored specifically for the short-term rental industry, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by property managers. With expert-led sessions, interactive learning, and a comprehensive resource package, you'll gain practical, actionable strategies that you can implement immediately. Plus, the support network of peers and ongoing Q&A sessions ensure you have the guidance you need every step of the way.
Our group coaching sessions are held weekly, focusing on providing individualized questions and advice tailored to the participants' specific situations and growth areas in their vacation rental business. Despite being a group format, every effort is made to ensure personal challenges are addressed, fostering an environment of tailored support and growth.
Our sessions are hosted every Thursday afternoon from 3 PM Eastern Time, and lasting between 60 to 90 minutes.
Some meetings start with a 20 to 30-minute training period on a specific topic, followed by a Q&A session. Other meetings are entirely dedicated to answering questions in a round-robin format, similar to an 'ask me anything' style session. All questions are related to the business of vacation rental property management.
While it is highly recommended that you attend, one of the unique features of the VRM Growth Accelerator Program is that every meeting is 100% optional. You don't have to attend any of the live weekly sessions.
All sessions of the program are recorded. Replays, transcripts, and a summary of all questions and answers are provided. This allows you to review each session at your own pace.
Yes, if you are new to the business, you can join the program. It would be beneficial to already have an understanding of what vacation rental property management entails and a clear intention to pursue the growth of your rental business.
Participants can expect to gain practical strategies, tools, and insights for effectively growing their vacation rental business, attracting and retaining new owners, and overcoming common obstacles in transitioning to growing your company. The program aims to instill confidence in team leadership that aligns with your values, and to create a sustainable property inventory, ultimately leading to a thriving rental business.
The Vacation Rental Management Growth Accelerator Program is $1500 for the 8-week program, but early bird signup discounts are available.
Heather and the VRF B-School team has personally invested significant time and money to discover the techniques, tools, strategies, and frameworks presented in this program. You will learn in a fraction of the time, and with far less financial investment, what took others decades to master.
The Vacation Rental Management Growth Accelerator Program is an ongoing group coaching program grouped into 8-week sessions. Payment is for 8 consecutive sessions.
You're likely to find ongoing value in the evolving content and community, keeping you engaged for years.
As a professional vacation rental property manager, being committed to constant learning and adaptation is essential. We continuously uncover new insights, frameworks, formulas, and strategies. Working with hundreds of rental companies across the world and finding effective solutions, Heather and the VRF B-School team ensure the program stays at the forefront of professional rental management development, providing you with fresh, actionable content.
The Vacation Rental Management Growth Accelerator Program ensures personalized attention by allowing you to bring your individual questions to each session. Here, you receive personalized advice on your specific challenges. This approach ensures that your unique journey and obstacles are directly addressed.