Say Goodbye to Strangers Renting Your Second Home | Brent Hieggelke

In this episode, we’re thrilled to sit down with Brent Hieggelke, the visionary founder of Trustr, a groundbreaking platform redefining the short-term rental experience.  Brent brings decades of experience in the vacation rental world, and together, we dive into how Trustr taps into the power of social networks to create trusted, more personal guest-host connections. Say goodbye to renting to total strangers and hello to curated "guest lists" of friends, family, and acquaintances! We explore how this innovative model leverages word-of-mouth recommendations, integrates with property management tools, and even uses an affiliate-style approach to enhance platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.  Whether you're a property owner hesitant to list or a guest seeking more authentic stays, this episode is packed with insights into the future of short-term rentals. Tune in now to hear how Truster is bridging the gap and opening new doors!  Things we discussed in this episode: Truster's mission to enable more trusted short-term rental experiences by leveraging people's existing social networks. The hesitation some property owners have about renting to complete strangers, and Truster's solution of curated "guest lists." The power of word-of-mouth and personal recommendations over generic online reviews. Truster's plans to integrate with property management software and leverage an affiliate-style model. The challenges of convincing some owners to list their properties, especially if they view them as personal retreats. Brent's personal experiences navigating the vacation rental industry as a property owner. The evolution of the short-term rental market and the potential for platforms like Truster to unlock new opportunities. The concept of "serendipitous" property recommendations through social media and community groups. Truster's approach to offering different levels of privacy for property listings, from completely private to public. The idea of Truster serving as a "pipeline builder" for larger vacation rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. Get in touch with Brent: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brenth Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bhieggelke/ Website - https://trustr.com/ #SmartStayShow #realestate #realestateinvestor #realestateagent #RealEstateInvesting #AirbnbManagement #ShortTermRentals #TrustedConnections #SocialNetworkRentals #PersonalizedHospitality #VacationRentalInnovation #PropertyOwnerEmpowerment #WordOfMouthMarketing #RentalMarketDisruption #TrustedRecommendations #CuratedGuestExperience Follow Us! Join Jason Muth of Prideaway Stays and Straightforward Short-Term Rentals and Real Estate Attorney / Broker Rory Gill for the first episode of SmartStay Show! Following and subscribing to SmartStay Show not only ensures that you'll get instant updates whenever we release a new episode, but it also helps us reach more people who could benefit from the valuable content that we provide. SmartStay Show Website and on Instagram and YouTube Prideaway Stays Website and on Facebook and LinkedIn Straightforward Short-Term Rentals Website and on Instagram Attorney Rory Gill on LinkedIn Jason Muth on LinkedIn Hospitality.FM SmartStay Show is part of Hospitality.FM, a podcast network dedicated to bringing the best hospitality-focused podcasts to those in and around the industry, from Food + Beverage, Guest Experience, Diversity & Inclusion, Tech, Operations, Hotels, Vacation Rentals, Real Estate Law, and so much more!