STR Conferences: Are They Worth It and How to Get the Most Value

Short-term rental conferences are a big investment of time, money, and energy. Are they worth it? And if you go, how do you actually get the most out of them? Jasper shares 12 years of conference experience, from Airbnb Open in 2014 to GuestyVal Madrid and VRMA Nashville, with practical advice on how to maximize the value of any STR conference you attend. Want to outperform the market? Freewyld Foundry's Revenue and Pricing Management service is driving an average 19% performance lift for $1M+ STR operators, even in down markets. If you are managing 15+ listings and want a free pricing audit, apply here: freewyldfoundry.com/get-started You will learn: Why the operators who get the least value from conferences are the ones who show up without a plan, and what to think through before you book your ticket How getting on stage or joining a panel changes the entire conference experience, saves you money on the ticket, and gives you automatic credibility before you say a word Why most operators underestimate how much value they have to share, and why you should apply for a speaking slot even if you are not sure you will get it How to use the conference app to book meetings before you arrive, and why protecting your open time from aggressive vendors is just as important as who you schedule What Freewyld Foundry is doing at VRMA Nashville: a workshop on building an AI revenue management agent (Tuesday 11:30 AM), a surprise in-person event Monday night, and a booth with free revenue audits We also talk about: The real value of going to a conference is not the sessions, it is the personal connections, and most people are too passive to make them How VRMA compares to IMN and regional conferences, and which type fits your goals Why traveling with a baby has kept Jasper to two conferences in 2026, and what the European conference calendar looks like for 2027 The energy and motivation from being around other operators is underrated, and why getting out of your day-to-day once or twice a year is worth it on its own Mentioned in the Episode: Freewyld Foundry Free Revenue Report: freewyldfoundry.com/get-started VRMA Nashville: October 4-6, stop by the Freewyld Foundry booth Email Jasper: [email protected] Subscribe for new episodes every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.