{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"","title":"EP193: How to Become an Airbnb Entrepreneur","description":"If you’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but you’re looking for a low-risk way to start small, Airbnb might be the answer. The vacation rental ecosystem is ripe with opportunity, and there is no better way to learn the skills necessary for running your own business than… well, running your own business.
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\nSid Kosatsky started simply, freelancing to help a small boutique hotel in the Dominican Republic set up their Airbnb listings. Hiring cleaners for his own Airbnb listing in the Halifax region of Nova Scotia led to Soapy Cleaning, a company created to find additional work for his team! From there, he established HostOften, a full-service Airbnb property management company.
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\nToday, Sid’s team includes a team of seven employees, five of whom are full-time, and he has systems in place that allow him to do the work of growing the business. On the podcast, he shares his advice for aspiring Airbnb entrepreneurs, the technology he uses to save 15 hours a week, and how he built his talented team. Listen in and find out if Airbnb is the entryway to entrepreneurship you have been looking for!
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\nTopics Covered
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\nSid’s Airbnb story
\n•\tListed room in house last summer (Dartmouth)
\n•\tRelocated to Truro in May, started renting entire home
\n•\tStress around hosting from far away
\n•\tInterviewing cleaners, considering property management company
\n•\tInspired by entrepreneurial podcasts to start his own businesses
\n•\tStarted as freelancer, helping international clients create Airbnb listings
\n•\tExpanded to HostOften property management
\n•\tHired cleaners for HostOften, then created Soapy Cleaning
\n•\tAutomated systems have allowed him to do both
\n•\tAdvertised for clients, employees on Kijiji
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\nSid’s advice to aspiring Airbnb entrepreneurs
\n•\tDo it!
\n•\tAirbnb provides quick and easy entry
\n•\tReinvest Airbnb earnings to build business
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\nThe entrepreneurial skills Sid learned from Airbnb
\n•\tHospitality
\n•\tReal estate
\n•\tHiring
\n•\tManaging employees, contractors
\n•\tScheduling
\n•\tCustomer relations, guest management
\n•\tFinances, paying taxes
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\nThe software Sid used to create systems
\n•\tGoogle sheets (log cleaner, client hours) didn’t work well
\n•\tMoved to QuickBooks for payroll
\n•\tTSheets App integrates with QuickBooks (time sheets)
\n•\tAutomation saves Sid 10-15 hours/week
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\nThe responsibilities Sid has outsourced to other employees
\n•\tStopped cleaning, check-ins right away
\n•\tFull-time VA took over scheduling, reviews, guest communication and coordination of maintenance
\n•\tLead cleaner has become ops manager (hires, manages new cleaners)
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\nSid’s role in the business
\n•\tWebsite maintenance
\n•\tProcuring new clients
\n•\tScripts, systems
\n•\tHire, train employees
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\nHow Sid built his cleaning team
\n•\tScanned Kajiji for cleaners, part-timers
\n•\tConducted interviews (20% didn’t show)
\n•\tCleaned with prospects, assessed their work
\n•\tFosters culture of fun to attract good employees
\n•\tHas three core full-time cleaners
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\nThe importance of ‘taking yourself out of the equation’
\n•\tFrees up time to grow business, focus on big picture
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\nThe scale of Sid’s current business
\n•\tManages three listings
\n•\tWooing five new clients
\n•\tIn talks with landlords, developers
\n•\tThree full-time, two part-time cleaners
\n•\tFull-time virtual assistant
\n•\tFreelancer optimizing SEO for website
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\nHow Sid found his VA
\n•\tHas used Fiverr, Upwork in past
\n•\tDiscovered new company (Cara Helps)
\n•\tService hires, trains in your software
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\nSid’s current profits
\n•\tAirbnb listing income of $5K/month
","author_name":"Freewyld Foundry"}