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Establish Yourself As An Expert with Julie George
In this episode of the Short Term Show, host Avery welcomes Julie George, the author of Million Dollar Host. Julie shares her journey from starting with one Airbnb rental to building a successful property management business in Australia, which she eventually sold for a significant profit just before the pandemic hit.
Avery: Hey guys, welcome back to the Short Term Show. I have a very exciting guest today! I’m actually kind of embarrassed that I have not had her on sooner because she should have been on like, one of the first few episodes. So, she really needs no introduction, but she has a really awesome book out called Million Dollar Host. She’s also part of the Hospitable Hosts Book Network. Julie has done a lot of cool stuff and she has a really cool accent, so I will stop talking and let her introduce herself.
Julie: Hello, Avery! How’s it going? Finally, we meet up! Yeah, let me in, Short Term Shop. It’s very exciting to finally be on your podcast. Hello to all the audience listening out there. I am coming to you from Australia. A day ahead, so I’m joking with Avery that I can see into the future!
Avery: Oh, the future is bright for short-term rentals! We’re on the cusp of something massive, and for those listening in, I’m hoping to bring you some value from Down Under.
Julie: Are my kids behaving in the future?
Avery: Well, good luck with that! Alright Julie, I think a lot of people have read your book and know exactly who you are, but for those who may not, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Julie: Absolutely. My claim to fame is that I’m one of the short-term rental operators in the world that has scaled a business and then sold the business. Let’s go back to the basics. Six years ago, back in 2016, I had a one-bedroom apartment that was long-term leased. My tenant moved out, so I looked into this Airbnb phenomenon. I furnished the place, put in Wi-Fi, and within hours, I had my first booking.
Avery: Wow, that’s incredible.
Julie: Yeah! Within days, I had my first guest. I loved the fact that I could suddenly use my own investment property for the first time. My mother-in-law was going to stay, but I’m no longer married, so that wasn’t an issue! I was able to use the property myself, and suddenly the returns were incredible. The lightbulb went off, and I thought, “If this can work for me, maybe it can work for others.”
Avery: That’s smart!
Julie: So I created a property management co-hosting business in Australia called Host My Home. I was able to build a unique business structure, build up a team, and eventually scale it to 130 properties within two and a half years. Just before COVID, I had built an eight-million-dollar turnover, which absolutely blew my mind.
Avery: Wow, that’s amazing!
Julie: Just before COVID hit, I had an amazing knock on the door. Someone wanted to buy my business. Little did we know, COVID was right around the corner, so the timing was spot on. I sold my business, and here we are!
