Podcast

Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing with Jonathan Greene

303: Building Bold Brands For Your Short-Term Rental or Boutique Hotel with Steph Weber

In this episode, Steph Weber shares how understanding your customer avatar is the key to creating exceptional hospitality experiences. She explains how simple enhancements, like adding dog runs at RV sites, can transform guest satisfaction when operators truly listen to what travelers need. Her perspective highlights the creativity, curiosity, and service mindset required in the experiential hospitality space.

Steph also breaks down why direct branding has become more important than ever for short-term rental owners. With Airbnb’s recent changes affecting hosts, she stresses the importance of owning your brand and maintaining control over how guests discover, remember, and return to your properties. For operators looking to grow into boutique hotels or multi-property portfolios, brand clarity becomes a foundational asset.

Finally, Steph dives into influencer marketing, sharing how to evaluate opportunities, avoid overpriced partnerships, and ensure that creators can deliver measurable results. Her insights help operators use influencer relationships strategically by aligning goals, storytelling, and meaningful data.

In this episode, you will hear:

Why talking to your avatar unlocks stronger guest experiences
How simple amenities can significantly boost satisfaction
Why direct branding gives operators long-term control
How Airbnb’s changes impact short-term rental owners
How to evaluate influencer marketing based on ROI
Why follower count isn’t enough when selecting influencers

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