{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"","title":"STR Conferences: Are They Worth It and How to Get the Most Value","description":"Short-term rental conferences are a big investment of time and money. Are they worth it? And if you go, how do you actually get the most out of them?\n\nJasper shares 12 years of conference experience, from the early Airbnb Open in 2014 to GuestyVal and VRMA, with practical advice on how to maximize the value of any STR conference you attend.\n\nIn this episode:\n\n**Is it worth going?** - The answer depends entirely on your goals; the people who get the least value are the ones who show up without a plan\n\n**Get on stage** - Being a speaker or panelist is the highest-leverage move at any conference; you save on the ticket, gain automatic credibility, and people come to you\n\n**You underestimate your value** - Most operators assume they are not expert enough to speak; most of the time they are wrong; apply anyway because the downside is zero\n\n**Be prepared, not passive** - Show up knowing who you want to meet, what you want to learn, and what you want to walk away with; sitting in sessions and taking notes is the lowest-ROI use of your conference time\n\n**Use the app** - Many conferences including VRMA have scheduling tools built in; use them to book meetings before you arrive\n\n**Protect your energy** - Conferences are exhausting; sleep, limit the late nights, and pace yourself so you can show up sharp on day two and three\n\n**Protect your time from vendors** - Vendors will fill your calendar if you let them; be selective about who you meet with and guard your open time for organic connections\n\n**VRMA Nashville** - Freewyld Foundry will be at VRMA October 4-6 with a workshop on building an AI revenue management agent (Tuesday 11:30 AM), a surprise in-person event Monday night, and a booth offering free revenue audits; if you are attending, reach out\n\n**Which conferences are worth it?** - VRMA is the largest in the US with 2,500 to 3,000 attendees and is the go-to for property managers; regional conferences are better for building local operator networks; IMN is more investor-focused\n\n**The real value** - The energy and motivation from being around other operators is underrated; business can feel lonely, and conferences are a reset\n\nMentioned in the Episode:\n\n- VRMA Nashville: October 4-6; freewyldfoundry.com/booth\n- Free Revenue Report: freewyldfoundry.com/report\n- Email Jasper: jasper@freewyldfoundry.com\n\nGet Paid for Your Pad is the number one podcast for short-term rental operators who want to maximize revenue and run a professional business.\n\nNew episodes every Monday.\n\nSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms.","author_name":"Freewyld Foundry"}