What if the smartest way to start in a crowded market isn't to start from scratch?

In this episode of Building It, I sit down with Dennis Goedheid, the founder of Casiola, who took an unconventional path. He bypassed the initial grind by acquiring a 20-property business to get his start.

We break down his playbook for buying a business, the brutal honesty of his first-year failure (with negative growth), and the standardization strategy he used to scale to over 550 properties. This is a masterclass in creative and resilient entrepreneurship.

Connect with Dennis:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisgoedheid/

Casiola: https://www.casiola.com/

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro: The Founder's Shortcut to Starting an STR Business

00:01:15 - Scaling Global: Taking a US Vacation Rental Brand to Europe

00:02:22 - The Onboarding Filter: Setting Property Standards for Your STR Brand

00:05:20 - The Scaling Mandate: Why You Must Standardise Your Operations

00:08:13 - Startup Strategy: Buying a Vacation Rental Business vs. Building From Scratch

00:09:45 - The Vacation Rental Myth: The Brutal Reality of "Passive Income"

00:11:36 - The Buy vs. Build Playbook: A Shortcut for STR Entrepreneurs

00:12:17 - Acquisition 101: How to Value & Buy a Property Management Company

00:20:31 - Due Diligence Tip: The Power of Property Location Density

00:23:27 - The First-Year Failure: Overcoming Negative Growth as a Founder

00:31:55 - Accidental Branding: How a Simple Colour Built Their Brand Identity

00:37:25 - Founder's Final Playbook: Creative Financing & Strategic Partnerships

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

🥊 Hotel - BNB - STR Owners! 🥊

Need more direct bookings or a brand new website?

The trusted tech partner you can count on. We deliver results.

🥊 https://www.ibooked.online ​​​​​​​​​​​🥊 ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button! This also keeps us going and creating more useful content for free!

ACCOMMODATION OWNERS AND MANAGERS FREE RESOURCES!

📧Join the mailing list for freebies and critical industry updates: https://news.theaccommodationshow.com/

🌍The Accommodation Owners and Managers Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/AMoFacebookCommunity

🗨 Connect with Bart Sobies for more industry insight: https://www.ibooked.online/bart/

🎙 Subscribe to the podcast to listen later: https://www.theaccommodationshow.com

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Disclaimer: The content shared on this YouTube channel, Podcast, or associated posts reflects personal opinions and insights. This content is not intended as legal, financial, or investment advice. Always consult with licensed professionals before making decisions. The hosts and guests disclaim liability for any consequences of using this content. Actions taken should be based on your personal due diligence.

Affiliate Disclaimer:

This blog, podcast & youtube channel; will occasionally contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission on a purchase without additional cost to you, if you buy something through my links.

This show aims to educate viewers and share everything I know about improving your accommodation, STR and AirBNB business. I believe in the products and services we link to and that you may benefit from them.

If you do purchase through my affiliate links; I want to thank you for your support.