WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.940 --> 00:00:02.340 It's the Casa Cast. 00:00:02.570 --> 00:00:03.730 We've got Orange Credo. 00:00:03.730 --> 00:00:05.350 The Casa Cast. 00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:06.780 Our company's neato. 00:00:07.210 --> 00:00:08.170 The Casa Cast. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:10.356 Created by Casa Go. 00:00:10.356 --> 00:00:14.137 It's time for the show. 00:00:14.137 --> 00:00:15.649 Let's go. 00:00:15.830 --> 00:00:16.790 Hey, welcome to Casa Cast. 00:00:16.790 --> 00:00:17.640 I'm Steve Schwab, your host. 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:22.980 Today we are with Michelle Gilliland and Tim Wilson from B& B Finder. 00:00:23.030 --> 00:00:24.050 Guys, welcome to the show. 00:00:24.485 --> 00:00:25.264 Thanks for having us. 00:00:25.485 --> 00:00:25.764 Yes. 00:00:25.764 --> 00:00:26.595 Thank you for having us. 00:00:26.874 --> 00:00:27.134 Yeah. 00:00:27.134 --> 00:00:27.935 Glad to have you guys here. 00:00:27.935 --> 00:00:31.285 So we just had you on an orange meeting a couple of Fridays ago, 00:00:31.345 --> 00:00:35.195 and there was a great response to your offerings that you put out and 00:00:35.195 --> 00:00:36.435 explanations of what you guys do. 00:00:36.615 --> 00:00:37.405 Yes, there was. 00:00:37.445 --> 00:00:42.085 And we had the fortunate opportunity to meet with a couple of folks. 00:00:42.825 --> 00:00:46.505 After your revenue manager, Arthur, and some other folks. 00:00:46.955 --> 00:00:50.355 Uh, and I think we signed up another five or six or seven 00:00:50.365 --> 00:00:53.095 that week, uh, Casago franchises. 00:00:53.104 --> 00:00:57.314 So I think we're up to, I don't know, Tim, probably 10 or 12. 00:00:57.315 --> 00:00:57.854 That's great. 00:00:57.955 --> 00:00:59.085 With more in the works. 00:00:59.945 --> 00:01:01.465 I love your guys model. 00:01:01.515 --> 00:01:05.445 I think that the other OTAs have left a hole in the industry that 00:01:05.445 --> 00:01:08.375 you guys are filling and we're going to get to talk all about today. 00:01:08.874 --> 00:01:11.645 So but before we get started on that, Tim, you're originally 00:01:11.645 --> 00:01:13.334 from Denver, Colorado, right? 00:01:13.695 --> 00:01:16.094 I've lived in Denver, Colorado for 25 years. 00:01:16.094 --> 00:01:16.594 Yes. 00:01:16.684 --> 00:01:21.934 I grew up in Indiana, went to IU, but have been in Colorado for the last 25 years. 00:01:22.570 --> 00:01:25.030 And you moved there for the skiing and you stayed for the fishing. 00:01:25.770 --> 00:01:26.100 Yeah. 00:01:26.410 --> 00:01:26.580 Yeah. 00:01:26.580 --> 00:01:31.239 I always tell people I moved here for the skiing, but I caught the fly fishing bug. 00:01:31.460 --> 00:01:33.399 And so I stay here for the fly fishing. 00:01:34.820 --> 00:01:38.769 If there's one thing that you could teach somebody like me, who's not a fly fisher 00:01:39.090 --> 00:01:40.494 about fly fishing, what would it be? 00:01:40.795 --> 00:01:46.045 I would say that fly fishing, you need some patience, of course, so patience 00:01:46.045 --> 00:01:50.484 is key, but really it's just figuring out the right bug at the right time and 00:01:50.485 --> 00:01:54.635 then you'll catch fish almost every cast and that's when it becomes really fun. 00:01:55.435 --> 00:01:56.665 Man, I'm coming fishing with you. 00:01:56.864 --> 00:01:57.174 That sounds amazing. 00:01:57.175 --> 00:01:57.514 All right. 00:01:57.850 --> 00:01:58.370 Let's do it. 00:01:59.360 --> 00:02:00.600 And Michelle, you're an epidextrous. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:02.940 You are right handed, but you play pool left handed. 00:02:03.710 --> 00:02:04.960 Yes, it's odd. 00:02:05.020 --> 00:02:10.210 I didn't discover that I played pool backwards until someone called me out. 00:02:10.230 --> 00:02:10.979 They said, Oh, you're left handed. 00:02:11.150 --> 00:02:12.139 And I said, Oh, I'm right handed. 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:14.769 Like, well, you play pool backwards, but I had already been playing for 00:02:14.770 --> 00:02:16.690 so long that way I couldn't switch. 00:02:17.130 --> 00:02:22.330 So I guess technically I'm not completely ambidextrous, but yeah, a little bit. 00:02:22.910 --> 00:02:24.150 So are you a pretty good pool player? 00:02:25.200 --> 00:02:27.809 You know, I have, uh, I've won a tournament or two. 00:02:27.869 --> 00:02:28.379 Yes. 00:02:29.350 --> 00:02:30.190 Shark. 00:02:30.320 --> 00:02:30.540 All right. 00:02:31.619 --> 00:02:31.859 Yes. 00:02:33.079 --> 00:02:36.950 My first question for you guys is what is the mission of B& B Finder? 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:38.180 Tim? 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:39.170 Yeah. 00:02:39.940 --> 00:02:41.210 Um, yeah. 00:02:41.210 --> 00:02:45.600 So our, our whole goal is to save everybody on travel 00:02:45.600 --> 00:02:46.549 and on their vacations. 00:02:46.970 --> 00:02:51.029 We think that some of the other platforms, channels that are out there that, you 00:02:51.029 --> 00:02:55.269 know, a lot of travelers look to and rely upon have gotten pretty expensive. 00:02:56.890 --> 00:03:01.350 They really can impact a person's ability to get away, whether 00:03:01.350 --> 00:03:03.210 it's for work or for pleasure. 00:03:03.670 --> 00:03:06.840 And so here at B& B Finder, we are a couple things I would say. 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:12.019 Number one, trying to put the hospitality back into the hands of the folks who 00:03:12.019 --> 00:03:15.970 provide the hospitality, that being the management company that manages 00:03:15.970 --> 00:03:17.810 the properties that folks are renting. 00:03:18.650 --> 00:03:22.605 But two, I would say cut out the middleman and some of the excessive 00:03:22.614 --> 00:03:25.765 fees and commissions that some of the other platforms are charging 00:03:25.775 --> 00:03:30.765 that really limit people's ability to get, uh, the most out of their money 00:03:30.784 --> 00:03:32.155 and the most out of their vacations. 00:03:32.324 --> 00:03:37.144 And so we're just connecting travelers directly to the companies that are 00:03:37.155 --> 00:03:41.085 managing the properties that travelers are renting and cutting out the middleman. 00:03:41.485 --> 00:03:46.005 Yeah, you know, I've been talking about it for years that when VRBO and Airbnb 00:03:46.015 --> 00:03:51.695 had left a listing model that it left a massive gap in the industry that 00:03:51.705 --> 00:03:55.885 somebody having the listing model where you go in and have a direct conversation 00:03:55.895 --> 00:04:01.484 with your guests, you know, potential guests was so much more valuable to the. 00:04:01.575 --> 00:04:05.725 Property manager than going through, you know, this paper booking now where 00:04:06.195 --> 00:04:11.295 there's really a wall between you and that guest of being able to have a good 00:04:11.295 --> 00:04:17.144 conversation and be able to use the cancellation policies and the local 00:04:17.194 --> 00:04:20.335 rules, if you'd have it to make sure that you're protecting your market. 00:04:20.365 --> 00:04:24.585 And I think you guys really fill that void in to the industry. 00:04:24.790 --> 00:04:29.760 Yeah, we're excited to do that and and we agree it's, uh, I was going to say, 00:04:29.850 --> 00:04:36.070 I think there was a time 10 years ago when paying for placement and like a 00:04:36.190 --> 00:04:41.709 monthly or annual subscription, it made sense for folks that were great players 00:04:41.710 --> 00:04:46.829 in the market for folks that just paid a little bit of extra money for higher 00:04:46.829 --> 00:04:51.019 placement, but didn't respond quickly to travelers, you know, it became 00:04:51.089 --> 00:04:55.844 probably a little bit of an issue for, you know, Come away, Virbo, Airbnb 00:04:56.444 --> 00:05:00.905 and fast forward now, though, I think primarily we've got so many professionally 00:05:00.905 --> 00:05:06.104 managed properties and the number one goal for all property managers is to 00:05:06.124 --> 00:05:09.844 respond as quickly as possible and do all of the right things by the traveler. 00:05:10.384 --> 00:05:13.434 And so we just thought it was such a great time to bring back. 00:05:13.640 --> 00:05:18.200 That pay for placement, because we know the behavior of everyone that joins 00:05:18.200 --> 00:05:20.419 our platform is going to be top notch. 00:05:20.789 --> 00:05:23.039 And so you can pay more to get higher placement. 00:05:23.039 --> 00:05:25.449 But at the end of the day, yes, you own the guest relationship 00:05:25.530 --> 00:05:26.739 from the very beginning. 00:05:27.530 --> 00:05:29.059 You get all the guest information. 00:05:29.309 --> 00:05:31.169 As a matter of fact, we think it's important that. 00:05:31.495 --> 00:05:36.325 The property manager has the chance to convert and close the sale, so to speak. 00:05:36.325 --> 00:05:36.675 Right. 00:05:36.675 --> 00:05:42.145 So instead of risking that sort of redacted communication back and forth 00:05:42.155 --> 00:05:46.925 for several days, sometimes weeks, you get to have that conversation and 00:05:46.964 --> 00:05:51.495 provide the hospitality that you would a direct booking to the guests right away. 00:05:51.745 --> 00:05:56.064 . What I like to say, too, is just that whereas so many other companies have 00:05:56.094 --> 00:06:02.384 gone to great lengths to, I would say, prevent direct communication between the 00:06:02.384 --> 00:06:08.034 traveler and the host of their property, we facilitate all of that communication. 00:06:08.314 --> 00:06:12.764 By linking to their websites, showing their phone number, linking to their 00:06:12.764 --> 00:06:15.934 email address, linking out to all of their social media channels, 00:06:15.934 --> 00:06:19.814 and basically giving the property management companies that we work with 00:06:20.254 --> 00:06:25.454 every opportunity to capture and book that traveler directly versus losing 00:06:25.454 --> 00:06:27.044 them potentially somewhere else. 00:06:27.779 --> 00:06:28.389 Exactly. 00:06:28.709 --> 00:06:31.649 How in the world can you be hospitable if you can't have 00:06:31.649 --> 00:06:32.699 a conversation with somebody? 00:06:33.569 --> 00:06:34.019 We agree. 00:06:34.029 --> 00:06:34.669 It's pretty tough. 00:06:37.509 --> 00:06:40.979 And we're a hospitality industry and a company to have a firewall 00:06:40.979 --> 00:06:43.419 between you and the person you're trying to be hospitable to just. 00:06:43.999 --> 00:06:44.659 Just doesn't work. 00:06:45.019 --> 00:06:48.429 So today we're talking about seven things that you didn't know about B& B Finder. 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:49.609 Let's get started. 00:06:49.609 --> 00:06:53.519 So number one, and I didn't know this, you guys were founded in 1998. 00:06:53.929 --> 00:06:54.509 That's true. 00:06:54.549 --> 00:06:55.049 Yes. 00:06:55.089 --> 00:07:00.009 And I think Tim, correct me if I'm wrong, you've been around, uh, B& B Finder a 00:07:00.009 --> 00:07:04.619 little bit longer than me, but we do like to sort of call ourselves 25 year startup. 00:07:05.149 --> 00:07:07.919 We were founded back in 1998. 00:07:07.989 --> 00:07:10.529 Actually, I'm going to pass it to you, Tim, you, you know more about the history. 00:07:10.954 --> 00:07:15.204 Yeah, so we, uh, we did, we started in 1998 and historically we had always 00:07:15.214 --> 00:07:20.184 promoted professionally operating inns and B& Bs and I guess about, 00:07:20.424 --> 00:07:25.074 Oh, 14 months ago or so we opened our platform up to working with 00:07:25.104 --> 00:07:26.974 professionally managed vacation rentals. 00:07:27.494 --> 00:07:30.384 And so historically we'd always, we've always worked with small 00:07:30.384 --> 00:07:34.094 and unique lodging and now we are working with just, I would say 00:07:34.094 --> 00:07:36.364 another segment of unique lodging. 00:07:36.504 --> 00:07:39.084 And so, uh, yeah, it's been great. 00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:40.559 We're having a lot of fun. 00:07:41.549 --> 00:07:42.109 That's fantastic. 00:07:42.109 --> 00:07:43.439 I had no idea you guys have been around that long. 00:07:44.014 --> 00:07:46.484 It even goes back further than that, if you're interested, 00:07:46.504 --> 00:07:49.624 but, uh, Eric, our owner, he actually started bedandbreakfast. 00:07:49.714 --> 00:07:54.724 com, uh, back in 1995, uh, which for about 20 years was the largest 00:07:54.754 --> 00:07:58.584 global platform for ends and BNBs, HomeAway sold to Expedia in 2015. 00:07:59.884 --> 00:08:02.549 And then, Expedia shut bedandbreakfast. 00:08:02.549 --> 00:08:03.139 com down. 00:08:03.189 --> 00:08:04.389 Now, if you type in bedandbreakfast. 00:08:04.429 --> 00:08:05.719 com, you go to BRBO. 00:08:06.099 --> 00:08:11.009 So Eric actually got back into the business when he acquired B& B Finder in 00:08:11.029 --> 00:08:16.379 April of 2019 from its longtime owner, original founder, and a very friendly, 00:08:16.649 --> 00:08:18.779 I would say distant competitor of ours when we were at bedandbreakfast. 00:08:19.489 --> 00:08:19.629 com. 00:08:21.509 --> 00:08:23.349 John Benzac was part of that group, right? 00:08:23.739 --> 00:08:25.289 He was part of the group at bedandbreakfast. 00:08:25.329 --> 00:08:25.629 com. 00:08:25.629 --> 00:08:25.809 Yeah. 00:08:25.809 --> 00:08:27.559 He was our COO at bedandbreakfast. 00:08:28.229 --> 00:08:31.509 com and helped to orchestrate the sale of bedandbreakfast. 00:08:31.509 --> 00:08:33.179 com to HomeAway. 00:08:33.419 --> 00:08:37.659 And then I think was probably involved with HomeAway and Enxpedia as well. 00:08:38.789 --> 00:08:39.129 Yeah. 00:08:39.169 --> 00:08:39.339 Yeah. 00:08:39.339 --> 00:08:40.459 He's, he goes way back. 00:08:40.479 --> 00:08:43.229 He's a, he's an icon in the industry. 00:08:44.019 --> 00:08:46.969 So for number two, And I think this is a big one. 00:08:47.839 --> 00:08:48.919 It's free to list. 00:08:50.089 --> 00:08:50.539 Correct. 00:08:50.579 --> 00:08:51.079 Yes. 00:08:51.449 --> 00:08:57.969 So, you know, I think when we transitioned from primarily supporting 00:08:58.229 --> 00:09:03.149 boutique lodging, bed and breakfasts, for example, to property management 00:09:03.149 --> 00:09:07.424 companies, where there's one, uh, Property versus multiple properties. 00:09:07.454 --> 00:09:11.674 It just made sense to open up the ability for PM's to list 00:09:11.714 --> 00:09:13.354 all of their properties with us. 00:09:13.914 --> 00:09:18.404 And, you know, I just remember back in the early days of home away 00:09:18.404 --> 00:09:20.064 before the name switch to verb. 00:09:20.064 --> 00:09:22.534 Oh, a lot of PM's didn't list. 00:09:22.709 --> 00:09:25.629 A lot of their properties because they just didn't have it in their budget. 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:28.219 Uh, it was before the commission listing model. 00:09:28.489 --> 00:09:33.389 And so we wanted people to every PM to get exposure for every single property. 00:09:33.699 --> 00:09:37.719 And then if they choose to pay for higher placement for certain properties or 00:09:37.719 --> 00:09:39.329 all of their properties, that's great. 00:09:39.329 --> 00:09:42.439 But at the end of the day, um, it's a win win for both of us. 00:09:42.469 --> 00:09:47.209 We get more inventory on our site to provide more options for travelers. 00:09:47.469 --> 00:09:50.379 You get to advertise all of your properties at no cost. 00:09:51.789 --> 00:09:52.459 Yeah, it's free. 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:53.539 It's great. 00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:56.189 So for number three, and this kind of ties right into it. 00:09:56.239 --> 00:09:57.859 Exposure to your company and brand. 00:09:58.119 --> 00:09:59.569 You promote the company. 00:10:00.179 --> 00:10:01.439 We display the logo. 00:10:01.619 --> 00:10:01.789 Yeah. 00:10:01.789 --> 00:10:05.809 So, so again, I would just say that's kind of another example of us 00:10:05.819 --> 00:10:08.949 trying to give all of the exposure and branding to the management 00:10:08.949 --> 00:10:10.199 companies that we are promoting. 00:10:10.229 --> 00:10:14.719 So, uh, what I love is that every property on our site is found within 00:10:14.719 --> 00:10:16.999 their geographic sort on our site. 00:10:17.129 --> 00:10:21.129 So their listing, uh, you know, maybe it's a listing in Austin, Texas, for example. 00:10:21.459 --> 00:10:23.219 But when you're on that actual listing. 00:10:23.819 --> 00:10:27.609 You're going to see a brief description about the company that's 00:10:27.609 --> 00:10:29.349 actually managing that property. 00:10:29.669 --> 00:10:31.339 You'll see that company's logo. 00:10:31.699 --> 00:10:34.469 And then if you actually click on the logo for that management 00:10:34.469 --> 00:10:38.519 company, you'll go to what we call a property manager profile page. 00:10:38.874 --> 00:10:43.204 Which is almost like a website within our website for the management company. 00:10:43.524 --> 00:10:46.454 Uh, all of their properties are going to be listed on this page. 00:10:46.754 --> 00:10:51.404 Uh, there's a date search on this page where if I search dates, I'm exclusively 00:10:51.404 --> 00:10:53.644 searching this company's inventory. 00:10:53.974 --> 00:10:57.004 I'm not going to be shown other properties from other companies. 00:10:57.334 --> 00:10:59.744 Uh, we, we keep the guest in house with you. 00:11:00.409 --> 00:11:04.789 Once they key in on your management company, but that manager profile page 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:08.639 displays your phone number, your email, your social links, your website, and it's 00:11:08.649 --> 00:11:12.909 also a way for you to potentially pick up additional properties to manage as well. 00:11:13.459 --> 00:11:17.009 You can talk about yourselves as a management company, you know, 00:11:17.009 --> 00:11:20.419 that would be homeowner facing in addition to traveler facing. 00:11:21.189 --> 00:11:24.879 Yeah, I think to add to that as well, Tim, that was a great explanation. 00:11:25.219 --> 00:11:29.749 In addition, you know, I remember watching the news one evening and 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:34.649 hearing a story about an Airbnb and I thought, well, that's not 00:11:34.649 --> 00:11:37.499 an Airbnb, that's a Casago rental. 00:11:37.849 --> 00:11:38.609 You know what I mean? 00:11:39.219 --> 00:11:44.029 And it dawned on me before I joined B& B Finder and then all these 00:11:44.049 --> 00:11:45.409 days after just the fact that. 00:11:45.854 --> 00:11:49.154 We are advertising the vacation rental. 00:11:49.434 --> 00:11:54.104 Someone isn't booking an Airbnb or a Vrbo, they're booking a Casago, right? 00:11:54.374 --> 00:11:58.064 And so how great is it that they can come to B& B Finder to book a Casago, right? 00:11:58.074 --> 00:12:00.284 Not to book a B& B Finder. 00:12:00.614 --> 00:12:02.004 So that's part of it too. 00:12:02.004 --> 00:12:06.584 And part of our mission is really just giving the, I guess, sort of 00:12:06.584 --> 00:12:08.594 credit for where credit is due. 00:12:08.914 --> 00:12:14.184 All of the beautiful properties that you guys rent are yours, not ours. 00:12:14.184 --> 00:12:14.294 Thanks. 00:12:14.649 --> 00:12:14.979 Yeah. 00:12:15.549 --> 00:12:18.349 There's an entire, I don't want to say theft of it, but there's been an 00:12:18.349 --> 00:12:23.869 entire rebranding of the industry by Airbnb and verbose, you know, and it 00:12:23.869 --> 00:12:27.499 started with Verbo and we're like, Oh, stay in a Verbo or stay at Airbnb. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:33.079 And it's really taken away from the local heroes who are doing 00:12:33.079 --> 00:12:37.219 the true property management every single day and the hard work and 00:12:37.219 --> 00:12:40.769 rebranding all their work into an OTA. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:43.979 And it's unfair and it's actually not good for our industry as a whole. 00:12:43.979 --> 00:12:44.069 Yeah. 00:12:44.274 --> 00:12:45.544 Couldn't have said it better myself. 00:12:47.094 --> 00:12:49.854 So for number four, you guys said there's no call centers. 00:12:49.864 --> 00:12:52.984 You're based in Austin and you pick with the phones yourselves. 00:12:53.654 --> 00:12:54.224 That's true. 00:12:54.264 --> 00:12:54.654 Yes. 00:12:54.684 --> 00:13:00.104 From experience, whether it's a cell service provider or a cable provider or, 00:13:00.134 --> 00:13:03.784 um, any, any support line that you call when you're on hold and you feel like 00:13:03.784 --> 00:13:06.514 you're going in circles in this industry. 00:13:07.029 --> 00:13:11.479 Going back to the hospitality aspect of it, we believe that you should 00:13:11.489 --> 00:13:14.989 be able to reach someone easily, and we don't want to make it hard. 00:13:15.049 --> 00:13:19.149 And so for most folks, everyone has my cell phone number and my email address, 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.119 and you can call me at any time. 00:13:21.469 --> 00:13:26.229 If you call me at midnight, chances are my Phone is turned off and I will not answer. 00:13:26.499 --> 00:13:30.489 Um, but this goes with everyone at our company and that's why we chose the email 00:13:30.489 --> 00:13:33.959 addresses that we did so people can find us easily and that's why we display our 00:13:33.959 --> 00:13:36.519 direct phone numbers out on everything. 00:13:36.529 --> 00:13:40.519 We do have a dedicated support team and so if there is an issue or a 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:44.549 question or a challenge or anything that someone needs to discuss, if I'm 00:13:44.549 --> 00:13:46.719 not the person that can solve it, I'll certainly get you to the right person. 00:13:47.939 --> 00:13:51.779 Yeah, we pride ourselves in that and as much as any company grows, it's 00:13:51.779 --> 00:13:56.419 nice to always have a direct line to a real person and not have to go 00:13:56.419 --> 00:13:59.009 in circles for days before you feel like you're getting a problem solved. 00:13:59.504 --> 00:14:03.054 Yeah, it's very much that local property manager feel to it, right? 00:14:03.064 --> 00:14:04.344 Like, Hey, you can call me. 00:14:04.344 --> 00:14:05.294 I'll get a fix for you. 00:14:05.954 --> 00:14:09.334 Uh, , you're in alignment with that same sort of idea of, you know, with Casago 00:14:09.354 --> 00:14:12.934 where you want to talk to the owner of Casago when you're in Fort Lauderdale, 00:14:13.324 --> 00:14:18.594 you can call Andres and talk to the owner of Casago, Fort Lauderdale, or, you know, 00:14:18.594 --> 00:14:22.214 Mike Ryman or, you know, in Redwoods, whoever you're speaking to is the person 00:14:22.214 --> 00:14:23.734 on the ground taking care of business. 00:14:24.224 --> 00:14:26.314 And I think that's pretty cool that you guys are doing that. 00:14:26.624 --> 00:14:28.464 Well, and I would say we're doing it all the way to the top. 00:14:28.634 --> 00:14:33.624 I mean, when Eric Goldreier, our CEO does a podcast or an interview or 00:14:33.624 --> 00:14:37.874 whatever, a webinar at the end of every podcast or webinar, he has his 00:14:37.964 --> 00:14:41.574 email address there on the screen for anybody who wants to reach him. 00:14:41.574 --> 00:14:43.964 And so, uh, we're, we're an open book here. 00:14:44.299 --> 00:14:44.779 That's amazing. 00:14:44.779 --> 00:14:46.409 That's a whole lot of email time. 00:14:46.479 --> 00:14:46.889 Good for him. 00:14:50.109 --> 00:14:54.479 We didn't promise a quick response, but well, and sometimes you might afford 00:14:54.479 --> 00:14:56.599 it to me or Tim, but that's okay. 00:14:56.599 --> 00:15:00.279 At the end of the day, someone's taking care of somebody, right? 00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:06.564 So my assistant has been with me for 20 Three years now, Janet, you know, 00:15:07.114 --> 00:15:10.094 and uh, yeah, I'm telling you right now, Janet's listening to this podcast. 00:15:10.094 --> 00:15:12.474 She's saying, please do not put your email on. 00:15:17.154 --> 00:15:17.924 That's awesome. 00:15:18.094 --> 00:15:19.204 She's been great by the way. 00:15:19.664 --> 00:15:20.034 Thank you. 00:15:20.064 --> 00:15:20.354 Yeah. 00:15:20.354 --> 00:15:21.404 She's, she's amazing. 00:15:21.414 --> 00:15:24.484 If, uh, I'd be working at a gas station and probably getting fired 00:15:24.484 --> 00:15:27.284 from it today if it wasn't for Janet and not at the front either. 00:15:27.284 --> 00:15:31.934 I'd be in the back somewhere cleaning toilets and, and failing 00:15:31.934 --> 00:15:33.104 at that as well without her. 00:15:33.134 --> 00:15:35.034 So very, very, very lucky to have her. 00:15:35.489 --> 00:15:37.619 So for number five, and this is kind of cool. 00:15:37.619 --> 00:15:39.849 I didn't know this a 10 minute onboarding. 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:41.079 Yeah. 00:15:41.199 --> 00:15:42.179 You know, it's interesting. 00:15:42.249 --> 00:15:46.399 I am a huge promoter and supporter of Airbnb and Verbo and the other OTAs. 00:15:46.439 --> 00:15:50.929 I think the more places your properties are listed in the higher conversion, then 00:15:50.929 --> 00:15:52.449 the more bookings you can get, the better. 00:15:52.449 --> 00:15:54.439 And so whatever works for you, I think. 00:15:54.549 --> 00:15:55.749 Um, you should do that. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:59.829 I will say, you know, it was a huge frustration for me at Vrbo for many 00:15:59.829 --> 00:16:03.179 years, because people would say it would take them five minutes to get 00:16:03.179 --> 00:16:08.399 signed up with Airbnb and only two weeks or a month to get signed up on Vrbo. 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:09.779 And I'm like, what is happening? 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:14.819 Well, you know, our signup process, we've, we've, we've basically decided 00:16:14.819 --> 00:16:19.399 that was a number one priority and goal for us was to make the onboarding 00:16:19.409 --> 00:16:22.339 really Easy and simple and fast. 00:16:22.709 --> 00:16:25.399 Make it easy for folks to join and do business with us. 00:16:25.909 --> 00:16:29.759 And I think we attribute that to our certified API connections. 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:32.509 We do have really good relationships with our software partners. 00:16:32.929 --> 00:16:35.989 And at the end of the day, it's a less complicated API because 00:16:35.989 --> 00:16:37.229 we're not merchant of record. 00:16:37.469 --> 00:16:41.979 So all of your casago PMs are merchant of record, and we have 00:16:41.979 --> 00:16:44.709 a really great relationship in connection with streamlines. 00:16:44.719 --> 00:16:49.289 So, I mean, at the end of the day, you give us your API key and some credentials 00:16:49.329 --> 00:16:51.579 and the feed happens and you're listed. 00:16:51.869 --> 00:16:53.869 We put, I think, did we say 10 minutes? 00:16:54.109 --> 00:16:59.939 It's been as as low as seven and it's been as high sometimes as like 30 depending on. 00:17:00.694 --> 00:17:05.144 What we're distracted by when we're on the phone, but yes, it's very easy and simple 00:17:05.414 --> 00:17:07.094 And it's a we're very proud of that. 00:17:07.584 --> 00:17:10.904 I was just gonna say I don't it's when we tell people that most of the time I think 00:17:10.914 --> 00:17:15.054 people think we're joking Uh, and then when we actually go through the exercise 00:17:15.054 --> 00:17:19.469 and onboard their properties almost every single time at the end they'll say Wow. 00:17:19.539 --> 00:17:20.509 You weren't kidding. 00:17:20.529 --> 00:17:23.519 That was maybe the easiest onboarding I've ever experienced. 00:17:23.579 --> 00:17:25.819 And so, uh, we have a lot of fun with that. 00:17:26.089 --> 00:17:26.689 That's really cool. 00:17:26.719 --> 00:17:28.419 And I think it's really smart of you guys to do that. 00:17:28.419 --> 00:17:31.719 Turning on the inventory in a frictionless way is so important. 00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:32.859 Our partners, they're busy. 00:17:32.939 --> 00:17:34.569 It's a lot going on every day. 00:17:34.619 --> 00:17:35.019 So. 00:17:35.349 --> 00:17:35.989 Good job on that. 00:17:36.609 --> 00:17:39.309 So for number six, you said no travelers fees. 00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:43.659 Yes, that is a huge part of our business model. 00:17:44.069 --> 00:17:50.679 We Know that we're in an era of travel where folks are travelers 00:17:50.689 --> 00:17:55.849 specifically are Finding a place on a verbal or an airbnb or a booking. 00:17:56.029 --> 00:18:00.859 com and then they're going to try to book direct Maybe they don't know how Maybe 00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:05.619 they don't get to the right direct person um because they've started realizing 00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:10.199 there are a bunch of fees and they could probably get that same exact or even 00:18:10.414 --> 00:18:14.264 I don't even know a quicker connection and experience with the property manager 00:18:14.334 --> 00:18:16.194 by not paying a bunch of extra fees. 00:18:16.464 --> 00:18:21.674 And so, , that is a huge part of our business model is fee free for travelers. 00:18:22.044 --> 00:18:23.004 We pride ourselves on that. 00:18:23.469 --> 00:18:28.509 So I'm going to add number seven for myself, and I know this is unscripted, 00:18:28.509 --> 00:18:35.109 so I hope you guys don't mind, but the fact that you're not charging those fees 00:18:35.189 --> 00:18:42.129 on a per reservation basis is helping fight margin compression for our program. 00:18:42.454 --> 00:18:43.284 Franchise owners.. 00:18:44.034 --> 00:18:47.314 Adding those extra fees, , we end up taking a smaller piece of the ADR 00:18:47.314 --> 00:18:50.924 because, , when you're adding on a lot of those extra fees going , into 00:18:50.924 --> 00:18:54.394 the nightly rate, that compresses our margins, , and our profitability. 00:18:54.424 --> 00:18:56.854 I've been watching it happen ever , since we RBO in the early days 00:18:56.874 --> 00:18:59.234 came out and, , little by little. 00:19:00.084 --> 00:19:04.914 That compression happens and you guys are directly fighting that for us. 00:19:04.914 --> 00:19:09.304 So the more reservations that come through B and B finder, the more profitable 00:19:09.304 --> 00:19:10.634 each one of our franchises could be. 00:19:10.694 --> 00:19:15.124 So I really do see that as a, as a net positive for our, our partners. 00:19:15.834 --> 00:19:17.444 And so for number eight, you guys have. 00:19:17.849 --> 00:19:23.319 A freemium service, and there's a pretty big difference in the opportunity 00:19:23.339 --> 00:19:24.609 between the different levels. 00:19:24.629 --> 00:19:25.769 Can you tell me a little bit about that? 00:19:26.409 --> 00:19:29.589 Yeah, so we, we have basically four levels of listing. 00:19:29.739 --> 00:19:32.529 There's our free standard listing, which is available to everybody. 00:19:32.849 --> 00:19:34.769 And then we have our premium listing levels. 00:19:35.089 --> 00:19:38.879 Uh, and in premium, we have what we call bronze, silver and gold. 00:19:39.294 --> 00:19:43.264 Uh, if anybody's been doing this for a very long time, those names might sound 00:19:43.264 --> 00:19:45.094 familiar going back to the VRBO days. 00:19:45.094 --> 00:19:48.374 They actually got that from us originally back at bedandbreakfast. 00:19:48.374 --> 00:19:50.894 com when HomeAway bought our old company. 00:19:51.184 --> 00:19:56.094 Uh, so we brought it back here at B& B Finder, but as the precious metals might 00:19:56.094 --> 00:19:59.154 suggest, gold is listed first, randomly. 00:19:59.709 --> 00:20:03.989 Followed by our silver listings, randomly followed by our bronze listings, 00:20:04.009 --> 00:20:06.339 randomly followed by our free listings. 00:20:06.699 --> 00:20:09.919 One of the things we love here at BNB Finder is that if you're in a market 00:20:10.359 --> 00:20:14.409 where perhaps we don't have any premium listings, we're never going to tell 00:20:14.409 --> 00:20:18.899 you that you should upgrade to gold so you can be first because there's no 00:20:18.899 --> 00:20:23.999 need to, you could be first by simply being bronze that might make you first. 00:20:24.029 --> 00:20:28.964 And so Here at B& B Finder, we're all about, I think, recommending to you 00:20:28.974 --> 00:20:32.974 what we think actually makes the most sense for you, as opposed to what 00:20:33.084 --> 00:20:34.664 might make the most sense for us. 00:20:35.024 --> 00:20:39.224 Uh, we want to give you the best advice to work with us in the best possible 00:20:39.224 --> 00:20:43.394 way so that you're happy working with us and you want to keep working with us. 00:20:43.474 --> 00:20:44.294 And that makes sense. 00:20:44.444 --> 00:20:45.284 Everything pretty easy. 00:20:45.284 --> 00:20:46.044 I think for everybody. 00:20:46.324 --> 00:20:47.274 Yeah, exactly. 00:20:47.304 --> 00:20:50.504 I was just going to add to our engineering team just released a 00:20:50.504 --> 00:20:53.004 really great port to the aggregates. 00:20:53.514 --> 00:21:00.144 All of our listings and all of the premium levels and free standard levels advises 00:21:00.194 --> 00:21:05.684 based on market where someone should or shouldn't upgrade their properties. 00:21:05.684 --> 00:21:09.804 And so if anyone has questions about that, we have really good reporting 00:21:09.804 --> 00:21:11.064 on that and be happy to share.. 00:21:11.784 --> 00:21:14.774 And Can you guys tell me a little bit about the difference in traffic 00:21:14.834 --> 00:21:16.494 between the premium services? 00:21:16.534 --> 00:21:20.094 We'd love to tell , our partners a little bit about the different opportunities 00:21:20.124 --> 00:21:22.204 when it comes to traffic multiples. 00:21:22.484 --> 00:21:26.354 Yeah, so the numbers we'll share here, these are site wide average numbers, 00:21:26.584 --> 00:21:31.114 but our premium listings definitely get more exposure than our free listings. 00:21:31.404 --> 00:21:34.854 And the way that works from what we're seeing in our data anyway, is 00:21:34.854 --> 00:21:40.319 that our bronze listings, On average on the site, get about 42, 43 times 00:21:40.329 --> 00:21:42.569 the exposure of a free listing. 00:21:42.949 --> 00:21:47.069 Uh, we can also see that a silver listing, for example, gets roughly, it's about 00:21:47.069 --> 00:21:50.049 140 times the exposure of a free listing. 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:54.709 And then if you're a gold listing, you're, you're literally getting 220 00:21:54.719 --> 00:21:56.899 times the exposure of a free listing. 00:21:56.919 --> 00:21:57.229 Now. 00:21:57.629 --> 00:22:00.639 Couple, I guess, considerations, you know, we might have one market 00:22:00.659 --> 00:22:02.149 where there are six properties. 00:22:02.469 --> 00:22:05.959 We might have another market where there might be 1, 500 properties. 00:22:05.979 --> 00:22:09.729 And so these multiples are going to be skewed by the 00:22:09.729 --> 00:22:10.939 size of the market, of course. 00:22:10.949 --> 00:22:14.169 So those numbers I was sharing, those are site wide as an average. 00:22:14.999 --> 00:22:17.129 But, uh, yeah, it's, it's a lot more exposure. 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:21.739 And I would say bottom line is The folks we're working with have the 00:22:21.739 --> 00:22:26.659 control and flexibility to use us the way it best suits their business. 00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:29.759 Uh, and so you guys can, you know, do whatever you want with us. 00:22:29.789 --> 00:22:33.039 We're, we're here to support you and we want to help you in the best way we can. 00:22:33.159 --> 00:22:38.249 You know, often in the portfolios that I personally manage, sometimes we'll see a 00:22:38.249 --> 00:22:42.139 property that's having some weakness in a season and we're not exactly sure why. 00:22:42.584 --> 00:22:43.964 But we're priced competitively. 00:22:43.974 --> 00:22:45.284 , we're doing all the right things. 00:22:45.284 --> 00:22:49.454 We think that we're placing well and being able to pick and choose like, 00:22:49.454 --> 00:22:51.564 Hey, let's throw a little more love. 00:22:51.909 --> 00:22:56.459 On to this property to get it back up to where it needs to be is really a great 00:22:56.489 --> 00:22:58.819 option that we have with B and B finder. 00:22:58.859 --> 00:23:01.469 Cause you can say, okay, look, we need to save this homeowner. 00:23:01.469 --> 00:23:03.999 This homeowner needs to get, you know, when you get this homeowner to a certain 00:23:04.009 --> 00:23:08.339 number to make sure that we don't churn, he doesn't leave or he or she leaves. 00:23:08.689 --> 00:23:13.229 So why don't we go ahead and throw a gold listing on this property and see if we can 00:23:13.229 --> 00:23:17.229 get them a few extra bookings to make sure that we stabilize that account , and do 00:23:17.229 --> 00:23:18.739 the right thing by that homeowner, right. 00:23:18.739 --> 00:23:18.799 Okay. 00:23:18.949 --> 00:23:20.329 That's super interesting, Steven. 00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:20.989 And it's interesting. 00:23:20.989 --> 00:23:24.289 I've heard, I've heard a number of managers that we work with share 00:23:24.289 --> 00:23:27.849 similar sort of examples as to how they might use B& B Finder. 00:23:28.429 --> 00:23:32.019 You know, another one has said to me, Oh, so if I, you know, if I take on a 00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:35.479 new owner and I really want to show them, you know, right out the gate that I'm 00:23:35.479 --> 00:23:37.219 aggressively marketing their property. 00:23:37.669 --> 00:23:42.089 I could bump them up in tier for those first couple months to show them, you 00:23:42.089 --> 00:23:44.859 know, Hey, we're doing all these things for you to get you all the business 00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:48.899 we can, or maybe you've got, you know, a cranky homeowner who's wondering, 00:23:49.169 --> 00:23:50.639 Hey, where are all my bookings? 00:23:50.639 --> 00:23:52.319 And how come you're not doing more for me? 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:57.369 Well, this is a lever that you can pull to try to do more on an as needed basis. 00:23:57.509 --> 00:24:01.299 Uh, and so again, that's, that's, I would say our mission here is to, to 00:24:01.299 --> 00:24:04.489 give you the control to, to do what you need to do to get the business 00:24:04.529 --> 00:24:06.579 that you need in a cost effective way. 00:24:06.984 --> 00:24:07.544 Fantastic. 00:24:08.284 --> 00:24:09.654 A couple last questions. 00:24:09.864 --> 00:24:12.094 And, uh, this one's really serious. 00:24:12.604 --> 00:24:17.874 Michelle, can you repeat any of the songs from the Beastie Boys? 00:24:21.309 --> 00:24:25.189 Well, of course, I mean, their first album, License to Ill, a lot of 00:24:25.199 --> 00:24:30.979 people think that it is their sort of most amateur or juvenile album. 00:24:31.009 --> 00:24:32.099 But yes, I can. 00:24:32.529 --> 00:24:37.219 It's my go to for karaoke, several songs from off of that album. 00:24:37.249 --> 00:24:39.799 Yes, I'm a big Beastie Boys fan, as you can tell. 00:24:40.829 --> 00:24:44.799 So since the podcast is audio only, I'll just tell everybody out there that as 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:49.499 I'm talking to Michelle, uh, behind her is a book called the Beastie Boys book. 00:24:49.579 --> 00:24:51.459 And so I thought I would just throw that out there. 00:24:52.219 --> 00:24:57.909 So guys, as we're winding down, what is your favorite thing about Casago? 00:24:59.099 --> 00:25:07.519 I have to say the very first Casago video that I saw, I'm not sure if it's 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:10.539 the one that you did with Matt Landau or if it's, it was a different one. 00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:15.849 I've seen several where you basically go around and talk to lots of 00:25:15.849 --> 00:25:21.809 franchisees and their experience and sort of their, their business before 00:25:21.809 --> 00:25:24.519 and after it brought me to tears. 00:25:24.539 --> 00:25:26.169 It was, it's just so. 00:25:26.594 --> 00:25:33.924 Heartwarming and genuine And joining your friday meeting last week, man 00:25:34.294 --> 00:25:40.434 Everyone just seems so happy and so Uh stoked to be a part of the casago team 00:25:40.464 --> 00:25:44.014 and that's my favorite thing I mean, you can't buy that kind of happiness. 00:25:44.014 --> 00:25:44.654 You know what I mean? 00:25:44.664 --> 00:25:47.124 That's pretty incredible Thank you. 00:25:47.134 --> 00:25:51.114 Well and not to piggyback on michelle there But I would agree just being on 00:25:51.114 --> 00:25:54.684 that call with you guys last week where I want to say there were upwards of 00:25:54.794 --> 00:26:00.269 probably 50 Different Casago franchisees, and then just team members there. 00:26:00.619 --> 00:26:05.579 But just seeing how everybody interacted and how personable 00:26:05.579 --> 00:26:06.989 everybody was with each other. 00:26:06.989 --> 00:26:10.439 And I was just the whole time I was thinking to myself, wow, what an 00:26:10.439 --> 00:26:14.879 amazing resource that must be for all of you guys to have each other. 00:26:15.274 --> 00:26:19.424 In all these different markets and to be able to talk about all of the different, 00:26:19.784 --> 00:26:24.074 call it challenges or successes or different things that you guys are 00:26:24.074 --> 00:26:28.554 experiencing in your own franchise, but to also be able to come together and share. 00:26:28.614 --> 00:26:32.219 And I just thought, holy cow, what a Awesome thing you guys have there. 00:26:32.229 --> 00:26:34.109 It was, it was really neat to be a part of that. 00:26:34.109 --> 00:26:37.849 I've only seen it one other time in my professional experience anyway. 00:26:38.169 --> 00:26:42.409 And it was a web design company who during COVID would get together for a 00:26:42.409 --> 00:26:44.479 weekly zoom call with all of our clients. 00:26:44.479 --> 00:26:47.829 And they would all kind of commiserate about how they were managing COVID. 00:26:48.179 --> 00:26:50.814 And so seeing that you guys are doing that, I just thought how cool. 00:26:50.954 --> 00:26:51.394 Awesome. 00:26:51.474 --> 00:26:52.814 I thought it was a really cool thing. 00:26:52.844 --> 00:26:56.984 So anyway, that's my thank you very much. 00:26:56.984 --> 00:26:58.404 Yeah, we're very proud of our community. 00:26:58.404 --> 00:27:01.844 You know, this community is actually become our strongest suit 00:27:02.254 --> 00:27:03.584 of all the offerings that we have. 00:27:03.604 --> 00:27:05.594 , we can certainly put out support. 00:27:05.594 --> 00:27:10.214 , we put out thousands of hours of support a year, a lot of resources . But what we're 00:27:10.214 --> 00:27:15.194 finding is this community as they grow and take on the challenges themselves and help 00:27:15.194 --> 00:27:18.654 each other is becoming the most valuable part of the entire, uh, community. 00:27:18.809 --> 00:27:19.679 Offerings that we have. 00:27:19.679 --> 00:27:22.369 So thank you for recognizing that guys. 00:27:22.369 --> 00:27:23.299 Thanks for coming on the show. 00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:26.619 We sure appreciate it And everybody out there, , if you get a chance to make 00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:31.599 sure to get onto bmp finder It's a free service and then obviously if you want 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:35.979 to have uh, you know A better rankings in there or you can always go to the premium 00:27:35.979 --> 00:27:40.409 services There's no risk in it getting on there and showing your homeowners that 00:27:40.409 --> 00:27:43.629 you're on another channel is always a good thing And the bookings that you get bring 00:27:43.629 --> 00:27:47.989 along along with the The commissions that you don't have to pay is a fantastic 00:27:47.989 --> 00:27:50.409 way to proliferate your listings again. 00:27:50.409 --> 00:27:51.489 Thanks so much for coming on guys. 00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:53.159 Thank you so much for having us. 00:27:53.339 --> 00:27:56.779 I mean, this was awesome and we, we really appreciate all your support 00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:59.539 and everything that you guys do for the industry, and we're just, we're 00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:02.359 happy to be here partnering with you guys in every way that we can. 00:28:02.689 --> 00:28:03.079 . Likewise. 00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:03.559 Yes. 00:28:03.979 --> 00:28:04.609 I second that. 00:28:04.609 --> 00:28:05.634 Thank you, . Thank you. 00:28:10.429 --> 00:28:15.889 They ought be, just don't call in their b. 00:28:19.834 --> 00:28:19.954 C.