This week Silvia and Ray open with a myth worth killing: that hosting and property management run on autopilot, and that anyone in the business is really just a rent collector. Ray goes back to collecting cash rent from a roofer at twenty one, Silvia makes the case that it is a job that takes real experience, and Carlos adds the line that frames the rest of the episode. Automation does not remove the work, it just moves it. The judgment layer is the real job.

From there we turn to Carlos Castillo, co-founder of DirectBookMe, a subscription based direct booking platform he and his wife launched in October 2024 with no tech background, no real estate background and no outside funding. Around 150 hosts are on the site today.

Carlos is candid about the parts most founders leave out: the valley you walk into after the idea high, hiring web development agencies when you cannot write the code yourself, and the fact that growth has been slower than he expected. He is equally clear that he is not asking anyone to leave Airbnb. Run direct alongside it, move fifteen to twenty percent of your bookings across, and own the guest relationship that the big platforms keep for themselves.

What we cover

• The myth that hosting runs on autopilot, and why the labour never disappears
• Ray on collecting cash rent at twenty one, and why doing the job yourself makes you a better client later
• Whether AI can take over hosting, and where the human part starts
• The moment Carlos realised he was building on rented land
• How DirectBookMe works, with no commission on either side
• The two pricing tiers, and why subscription rather than per booking
• How payments work, with Stripe for subscriptions and the booking left to the host
• What stays on the host: rental agreements, deposits, insurance, damage coverage
• Why the platform is deliberately not algorithm driven
• Owning your guest data, and capturing repeat guests
• Trust and safety, and the gap where AirCover sits
• Running direct alongside the OTAs, iCal sync and PMS integration
• Building a platform with no technical background
• What is next: ID verification, easier onboarding, and a vetted partner resources page

Find Carlos
DirectBookMe: https://www.directbookme.co
Instagram: @directbookme

Sponsor
This episode is recorded with Riverside. Use code RAY15 for 15% off.

Stay with us
Ray's place, Scandinavian Suite in South Yarra: https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb
Silvia's Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

Follow the hosts
Ray on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayzworld