Jonathan Greene sits down with Steph Weber, CEO of The Weber Co., to break down why short-term rental owners can't rely solely on Airbnb if they want long-term control and growth. Steph explains how direct branding protects your business from platform changes, helps guests connect emotionally to what you offer, and creates a clearer path to repeat stays and referrals.

They also dig into what it actually takes to build a brand guests remember, beyond pretty photos and a few amenities. Steph shares how to define a real target audience (often starting with yourself or a past/future version of yourself), how to turn amenities into guided experiences, and why collecting guest emails is one of the simplest, most overlooked moves STR operators can make.

The biggest takeaway: today's STR world isn't a side hobby—it's a hospitality business. And the operators who win are the ones who design intentionally, market consistently, and build a brand they own.

• Why direct branding matters when you don't control the platform that drives bookings

• How Airbnb changes can impact hosts—and why brand autonomy is the hedge

• What it means to create a "branded guest experience" (not just a place to sleep)

• How to define your avatar and design for a specific audience (not the masses)

• Why email lists are "low-hanging fruit" and how they power direct bookings

• Turning amenities into intentional rituals and guided experiences guests remember

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Connect with Steph:

Website: http://theweberco.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/theweberco

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

Connect with Jonathan:

Website - www.streamlined.properties

YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/JonathanGreeneRE/videos

Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene

Instagram - www.instagram.com/streamlinedproperties

Zillow - www.zillow.com/profile/streamlinen​j

Bigger Pockets - www.biggerpockets.com/users/jonathangreene

Facebook - www.facebook.com/streamlinedproperties

Email - info@streamlined.properties

This episode was produced by Outlier Audio.