VRS645 - Duct Tape Doesn't Scale: Onboarding, Training, and Thriving in 2026

In this episode, Heather Bayer welcomes back her son and business partner, Mike Bayer, for a timely New Year's discussion on a topic that affects nearly every property manager: onboarding and training.

After a holiday season filled with family chaos (a trip to the emergency room, and a broken hot tub!), Heather and Mike shift gears to reflect on the challenges of integrating new team members into short-term rental businesses. Drawing from Mike's personal experience onboarding at a new job in the pickleball industry, they reveal how even fast-growing companies can feel "held together by duct tape" without strong onboarding systems.

This episode kicks off a multi-part series on training, development, and systems thinking in STR businesses - highlighting why formal training is often overlooked and how it can transform team performance, guest experience, and business efficiency.

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📣 Episode Sponsor: STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program

This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning.

And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality.

🌐 Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI

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Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here:
https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/podcast/VRS645