Austin's out, the guests cancelled, and Matt is flying solo for Episode 101! But don't sleep on this one because he drops some real talk on one of the hottest topics buzzing around the STR community right now: the return of Airbnb's split fee model.

Should you switch back? Matt breaks down exactly why he thinks staying on the simplified fee structure is the smarter move, and walks through the math that most operators are overlooking when they get excited about the split fee option.

Here is what Matt covers:

Why the split fee actually ends up pricing your listings HIGHER for guests, how Airbnb can flip the script on you anytime they want (and why that risk is real), the competitive advantage you have right now by staying on simplified fees, and why he is not running the fees most people assume he is.

Matt also pulls back the curtain on a brand new project he has been building: his own AI guest messaging agent that you OWN instead of rent. No monthly subscription, hosted on your Google Drive, and running for about two bucks a month in API costs. He is looking for a few beta testers with Hospitable and a Google Drive account. If that is you, DM Matt on Facebook or email matt@cohostbros.com with the subject line "beta tester."

Short episode, big value. Be a bro and share the show!

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The Co-Host Bros Podcast

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Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

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Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/

Episode 100 is here, and we brought in a big one to celebrate. Matt and Austin sit down with Mike Michalowicz, bestselling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, Clockwork, and his newest book, The Money Habit. Simon Sinek called him the patron saint of entrepreneurs, and after this episode, you will understand why.

Mike breaks down the money mistakes that are quietly killing small businesses, including STR management companies, and gives you the tools to stop them. From the simple formula flip that unlocks real profitability, to why most of us sabotage our own financial success the moment we start making money, this episode is packed with insights that hit way too close to home.

Here is what you will learn:

Why the traditional accounting formula is backwards and what to do instead, how Parkinson's Law is silently draining your bank account, the Pumpkin Plan strategy and why pruning your client roster could be your biggest growth move, how to use your best clients to instantly identify what your business should double down on, and why you need to nail both your business and personal finances to actually build wealth.

Whether you have been reading Mike's books for years or this is your first time hearing his name, this episode will change the way you think about money and your business.

Check out Mike's books and resources at www.mikemotorbike.com and his podcast Becoming Self Made on Apple and Spotify.

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The Co-Host Bros Podcast Instagram: @cohostbros Facebook: @cohostbros YouTube: @cohostbros TikTok: @cohost.bros

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Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

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Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/

If you've ever thought about selling your STR business someday, this episode is a must-listen. Matt and Austin sit down with Dylan Burgess, VP of Mergers and Acquisitions at C2G Advisors, the leading M&A advisory firm in the short-term rental industry. With nearly 10 years in the space and 36 acquisitions under his belt, Dylan has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Vacasa and VTrips, and now helps vacation rental managers buy, sell, and maximize the value of their businesses.

Dylan breaks down exactly what buyers are looking for, how businesses are valued, why your homeowner contracts and fee structure matter more than you think, and the hidden revenue streams most operators are leaving on the table. Whether you have 5 units or 500, the decisions you make TODAY will determine what your business is worth TOMORROW.

In this episode, you will learn:

Why standardizing your contracts and operations early is critical for a future exit, what a healthy profit margin actually looks like in the STR space (Dylan gives you the real numbers), how cleaning, maintenance, and damage waivers are some of your biggest untapped revenue opportunities, what makes a business "sticky" and attractive to serious buyers, and when the right time is to reach out to an advisor even if you are not ready to sell yet.

This is one of those episodes that will change the way you think about your business. Do not sleep on it.

Connect with Dylan Burgess and C2G Advisors at www.c2gadvisors.com or find him on LinkedIn.

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The Co-Host Bros Podcast

Instagram: @cohostbros

Facebook: @cohostbros

YouTube: @cohostbros

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Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

TikTok: @creativecodds

Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/

In this bonus episode of The Co-Host Bros Podcast, Matt Codd and Austin Spitzenberger sit down with Tera Lorimer, a luxury vacation rental operator with nearly two decades of experience in the industry and the current President of VR Nation.

Tera’s journey started in 2001 as a custom home builder, constructing vacation homes near Mount Baker, Washington, one of the snowiest places in North America. Over time she transitioned into managing many of those homes herself, building a luxury STR management business focused on high-end properties in gated communities near the ski resort.

Through years of growth, mistakes, and hard lessons, Tera developed a strong brand built around quality standards, clear expectations, and learning when to say no to the wrong properties.

In addition to running her management company, she now serves as President of VR Nation, an organization focused on connecting professional operators, vendors, and leaders in the vacation rental industry.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Tera transitioned from builder to luxury STR operator • Managing vacation rentals in the Mount Baker ski market • Why saying no to the wrong properties is critical for long-term success • How the vacation rental industry has evolved over the last 20 years • The growing consolidation and professionalization of STR management • What VR Nation is doing to support operators and industry collaboration

If you're building a vacation rental business or looking to connect with leaders shaping the industry, this episode offers perspective from someone who has been in the space since long before STRs became mainstream.

🎟️ VR Nation Conference

If you want to connect with operators and vendors across the vacation rental industry, check out the VR Nation Conference in Denver.

🌐 https://www.vrnation.com/

Use code cohostbros to get $100 off your ticket. (All lowercase)

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Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

TikTok: @creativecodds

Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/

In this episode of The Co-Host Bros Podcast, Matt Codd and Austin Spitzenberger sit down with Cody Wood, founder of Ghost Hosts, a company that helps vacation rental operators build stronger systems, leadership structure, and scalable operations.

Cody’s journey into short-term rentals started with a simple house-hacking strategy in Houston while transitioning out of an engineering career. What began with renting spare bedrooms quickly turned into something much bigger when he partnered with an operator managing 75 vacation rentals.

But rapid growth exposed a massive problem: the business had no real systems, processes, or organizational structure.

Within eight months the portfolio exploded to 156 properties, creating chaos behind the scenes. That experience forced Cody to rethink what real growth in property management actually looks like.

Instead of chasing unit count, Cody helped restructure the company, cutting the portfolio down to around 60 properties while maintaining the same revenue, dramatically reducing operational complexity and stress.

That experience ultimately led him to launch Ghost Hosts, where he now helps vacation rental operators as a fractional COO and CRO, working alongside property management companies to build operational frameworks that support sustainable growth.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Cody’s transition from engineering into short-term rentals • Starting with house hacking and scaling quickly into property management • The operational chaos of growing from 75 to 156 properties • Why reducing the portfolio to 60 properties produced the same revenue • The biggest operational mistakes STR operators make when scaling • Why many property managers lack defined org charts and leadership structure • The importance of the Visionary vs Integrator roles in growing companies • Why systems and processes matter more than technology platforms • How Ghost Hosts helps operators build better businesses through fractional leadership

Cody shares practical insights from operating at scale and explains why many property managers unintentionally build businesses that are far more complicated than they need to be.

If you're a vacation rental operator, property manager, or entrepreneur trying to scale responsibly, this conversation offers a clear look at what it actually takes to build a sustainable hospitality business.

Learn More About Ghost Hosts

🌐 https://getghosthosts.com/

Ghost Hosts provides fractional COO and CRO services for vacation rental operators, helping property managers improve operations, revenue management, and leadership structure as they grow.

Follow the Hosts

Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

TikTok: @creativecodds

Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/

In this episode of The Co-Host Bros Podcast, Matt Codd and Austin Spitzenberger sit down with Phillip and Kate Munoz, a husband-and-wife team who turned a single beach house idea into a growing short-term rental portfolio and management company.

Their journey started in 2020, when Phillip — already investing in long-term rentals — started listening to STR podcasts and convinced Kate (while she was very pregnant) that they should jump into vacation rentals. The pitch? A beach house.

That one decision launched them into a business that has since grown to six personally owned STR properties and more than a dozen co-hosted homes, operating across Florida’s beach markets and the Smoky Mountains.

As their experience grew, Phillip noticed a recurring problem: most real estate agents simply don’t understand vacation rental investing. That realization led him to join the Savvy Realtor team, where he now helps investors identify and acquire properties that actually perform as STRs.

Together, Phillip and Kate now help investors not only buy better vacation rentals, but also operate them more profitably through hands-on management and real-world operational knowledge.

In this episode, they discuss:

• How their STR journey started with one beach house in 2020
• Growing from a few rentals to ~20 total properties
• Operating in both Florida beach markets and the Smoky Mountains
• The biggest mistakes new STR investors make
• Why many Realtors fail vacation rental investors
• How Phillip became a Savvy Realtor specializing in STR properties
• The revenue potential many vacation rental owners leave on the table
• What it’s really like running a hospitality business as a married couple

This episode is packed with honest insights about scaling a vacation rental business, buying the right properties, and turning STR investing into a full-time operation.

👥 Follow the Hosts

Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

TikTok: @creativecodds

Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/

In this episode of The Co-Host Bros Podcast, Matt Codd and Austin Spitzenberger sit down with Mike Kitko, a recovered Fortune 500 executive leader, former Marine, and founder of Inner Wealth.

Mike shares a raw story of everything collapsing: two high-level executive roles lost, a home that felt like a battlefield, his wife battling pharmaceutical addiction, his own drinking at toxic levels, and a moment where he seriously considered ending his life. From that rock-bottom point, he rebuilt through daily discipline and identity-level change, anchored by the principles in The Slight Edge.

This conversation is about the stuff underneath business: leadership, nervous system regulation, imposter syndrome, and why your “inner world” determines your results, relationships, and ability to scale.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why you “can’t fight a war on two fronts” (home and work)
• How sobriety, reading, meditation, coaching, and routines became the turning point
• The leadership shift of fixing yourself first instead of trying to fix everyone else
• The difference between chasing success and building capacity for success
• Mike’s take on imposter syndrome as nervous system dysregulation and old identity
• What it means to lead teams at a world-class level while keeping the wheels on at home

Mike also shares about his work through Inner Wealth Mastermind, and his books The Imposter in Charge and Inner World Outer World.

✅ Like, subscribe, share, rate, and follow the show on your favorite podcast platform.

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Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

TikTok: @creativecodds

Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/

In this episode of The Co-Host Bros Podcast, Matt Codd and Austin Spitzenberger sit down with Josh George, founder of Deja Vu Vacation Rentals in Southern California.

Josh shares his unconventional path into short-term rentals — from directing and working in Apple’s advertising department to managing nearly 60 vacation rentals full time.

The conversation dives deep into one major decision that tested his business philosophy: turning down a six-figure commission opportunity from a high-end client who wanted to pay below his standard rates.

Instead of chasing the money, Josh chose to protect his margins, brand positioning, and long-term growth strategy.

In this episode, we cover:

• Transitioning from film and advertising into STR management
• Scaling to 60 properties in competitive California markets
• Setting commission standards (25% model breakdown)
• The real cost of high-maintenance luxury owners
• Why saying “no” can be a growth strategy
• Avoiding dangerous pricing precedents
• Growth vs. profitability decisions in property management

If you manage properties, are building a portfolio, or are navigating commission negotiations, this episode is a practical case study in protecting your business long term.

👥 Follow the Hosts

Matt Codd

Instagram: @creativecodds

TikTok: @creativecodds

Facebook: @matt.codd.3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-codd-9a3761375/

Austin Spitzenberger

Instagram: @austin_spitzz

TikTok: @austin_spitzz

Facebook: @austin.spitzenberger

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spitzenberger-70481111b/