On this week's episode, Avery is joined by Bethany LaFlam, a “recovering attorney,” community architect, and author of The Power of OPE. Bethany and Avery dive into what it really means to stay in your lane, leveraging “other people’s everything” (money, time, assets, skills) so you can scale without burning out. They break down how to safely and legally use other people’s money in syndications, why true operators—not just capital raisers—are the ones who last, and the dangers of growing too fast without experience or infrastructure. Bethany also shares how transparent communication with investors during tough seasons can build trust, and how offloading work outside her lane transformed both her business and her life.

How to connect with Bethany:

http://bethanylaflam.com

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

Production done by Outlier Audio

On this week's episode, Avery is joined by Frank Napolitano. Frank shares how he and his family transitioned into short-term rentals in the Smokies, leveraging bonus depreciation and cost segregation to maximize tax advantages. He discusses what makes their property stand out—like a pool, tiki bar, and ADA accessibility—and how small touches such as holiday decorations and guest amenities have led to rave reviews. Frank also talks about navigating market saturation, negotiating during high-interest rate cycles, and his long-term goal of building a small portfolio, along with the lessons he’d give his younger self about money and investing early.

How to connect with Frank:

https://smokymountaincozycottage.com/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Smoky-Mountain-Cozy-Cottage-61563198517049/

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

Production done by Outlier Audio

On this week's episode, Avery is joined by Joe DelGrosso. Joe shares his journey from working in TV production to owning short-term rentals and why his first Smokies cabin proved that thoughtful refreshes can outperform flashy, high-cost amenities. He explains his boutique management approach at Southern Sons Hospitality, focusing on capped inventory, strong revenue management, and design upgrades that truly make properties stand out. Joe also offers advice for new operators, emphasizing the importance of running the numbers, staying focused, and building slowly with intention.

How to connect with Joe: https://www.facebook.com/people/Southern-Sons-Hospitality/

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week’s episode, Avery is joined by Thibault Masson, Head of Product Marketing at PriceLabs. They unpack Booking.com’s challenges in the U.S. versus Europe and how Airbnb’s fee changes are reshaping the playing field, before diving into PriceLabs updates like Dynamic Minimum Stay, the new Listing Optimizer, and a free revenue-management course. Avery also spotlights Market Dashboards for comp sets, cleaning-fee benchmarking, and smarter buy-box analysis, while Thibaut closes with data-driven advice for new investors.

How to connect with Thibault:

pricelabs.co

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

Production done by Outlier Audio

On this week’s episode, Avery is joined by Toni Boer. Toni shares how she and her husband turned a $200k family getaway into a cash-flowing STR, eventually building an eight-property portfolio along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail plus a new Florida beach house. She opens up about losing a riverfront property to a historic flood, the hard lessons she learned about insurance, and how she used those setbacks to strengthen her investing strategy. Toni also discusses deal-finding in emerging markets, using the “enemy method” to outshine competition, and why patience and persistence still uncover strong STR opportunities.

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week’s episode, Avery is joined by Tamara Brown. Tamara shares how she stumbled into real estate while caring for her grandparents, turning multiple family homes into rentals before purchasing her first STR in Destin, Florida. She explains how she analyzed her numbers, leaned on mentorship, and embraced the “enemy method” to size up competition. Tamara also talks through condo ownership fears, financing through a family sale, and why fear should never stop you from pursuing real estate opportunities.

How to connect with Tamara:

HELLOSUNSHINE.BIZ

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week’s episode, Avery is joined by Amy Morehead. Amy shares how turning a family chalet in the Smokies into an STR during her mother’s Alzheimer’s caregiving season sparked a value-add strategy focused on “hot-mess” properties, smart renovations, and self-management. She explains why high-impact finishes beat flashy amenities for appraisal value and how she hunts deals with high days-on-market near the Smokies and along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail. Amy also talks numbers, the refi-later mindset, and the education-plus-mentorship approach that helped her triple revenue after taking management in-house.

How to connect with Amy:

https://mapleleafpromise.com/
https://strfixitpros.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Strfixitpros/
@STRFIXITPROS

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
Short Term Shop Plus - stsplus.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week’s episode, Avery is joined by Annie Lee to dig into Hello Host, an AI “autopilot” for guest communications that plugs into PMS tools like Guesty, Hostaway, and Hospitable. They discuss how it learns from past conversations and listing data, makes judgment calls on escalations, and pings hosts when a human decision’s needed. Annie shares where AI is headed next, plus practical tips for choosing serious AI vendors and focusing your time on high-touch guest experience. They wrap with Annie’s founder journey, favorite resources, and why AI should augment—not replace—the human side of hosting.

How to connect with Annie:

Hellohostai.com

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
www.strquestions.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon