Unlocked by Matt Landau
Unlocked is a podcast series that invites you to be a fly-on-the-wall as VRMB founder Matt Landau interviews some of the world's most innovative vacation rental professionals. The goal of this podcast series is to share best practices and to remind vacation rental professionals that we have everything we need inside of us to succeed.
Episodes
What happens when the thing you built no longer feels aligned with where you're meant to go?
In this episode, Matt sits down with Rena Pacheco-Theard, CEO & Co-Founder of Boutiq, for an honest conversation about transformation, calculated risk, and the difficult decisions that come with growth.
In this episode, Chris Hynes, Co-Founder and CTO of OwnerRez, joins Matt Landau for a wide-ranging conversation on public speaking, self-discovery, leadership, and the human side of AI. From Toastmasters lessons and storytelling breakthroughs to leading engineering teams through uncertainty, Chris shares how creativity, emotional awareness, and repetition shape both personal growth and company culture. Together, they explore how AI...
A thoughtful conversation between Ryan Casey, CTO & Principal of Lighthouse Vacations, and Matt Landau on navigating the tension between fear and opportunity in the age of AI, through the lens of hospitality, leadership, and purpose.
From unpacking public skepticism around AI to practical, real-world applications inside a vacation rental business, Ryan shares a grounded perspective: don't chase hype.. start with your mission. The d...
A conversation between Matt Landau and Clair Stoddard, co-owner of Cascade Vacation Rentals, on the power of stepping into the unknown—where growth, leadership, and authenticity truly begin.
From career-defining leaps of faith to redefining "failure" as a pathway to opportunity, Clair shares how embracing uncertainty shaped her journey from hospitality operator to co-owner. Together, they explore how nature, human connection, and c...
A conversation between Jack Zoppa, CEO of Haven Vacation Rentals, and Matt Landau on turning AI experiments into real business advantage—where agents, automation, and clear vision unlock scale, while human connection remains the true differentiator. Reach out to Matt directly: matt@vrmb.com
A conversation between Alex Zemianek, a full-time dad, husband, and owner of JZ Properties and JZ Vacation Rentals, and Matt Landau on navigating the uncertainty of AI while staying grounded in what matters most: family, purpose, and authentic leadership in business. From raising kids in a rapidly changing world to building a values-driven vacation rental company, Alex shares a refreshing perspective on using technology not out of ...
A conversation between Ryan Rabideau and Matt Landau on standing at the edge of a new paradigm: where AI reshapes how we work, create, and lead, and invites us to rediscover what it means to be human in business.
Reach out to Matt directly: matt@vrmb.com
How Haven Vacation Rentals Hit 90 Percent Automation and Got Airbnb Knocking on Their Door (2026 Update). Read it here.
We're in between seasons of Unlocked, which means something new must be brewing!
In this episode, Matt shares details about his new business creative community Here Goes Nothin.
You can sign up at www.heregoesnothin.com and learn more about the upcoming retreat at www.heregoesnothin.com/costarica.
This episode features Pamela Quinn, the Chief Experience Officer at LakeDays.Rentals. Pamela and Matt talk about purpose and vision, and how to align your team with them. They talk about how to get things done and the role of creativity in the process.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with OwnerRez, www.ownerrez.com, a property management software that covers small homeowners and large PM...
This episode features Dixie Taylor, Director of Operations at Current Tides Vacation Rentals in Alabama. This episode discusses the significant leap Dixie took when she left her old "gig". The episode emphasizes recognizing when to step into the unknown, into something new ...
This episode is brought to you in partnership with OwnerRez, www.ownerrez.com, a property manag...
This episode features Paul Waldschmidt, the co-founder and CEO of OwnerRez, a property management software that serves both small homeowners and large property managers. OwnerRez is also the sponsor of this season of Unlocked.
Paul and his team were part of the reason Matt decided to create this 12th season of Unlocked. In this episode, Paul and Matt talk about the OwnerRez retreat in the Dominican Republic back in 2023, where they...
This episode features Julie Marks, who is the co-owner of Homestead Hospitality and the Founder & Executive Director of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance.
This episode is marked as one of Matt's favorite interviews to date. Matt and Julie talk about advocacy, helping, and connecting with people, which comes with a challenge: drawing boundaries. This interview is all about re-evaluating priorities in your life and business...
Today's episode features Henrik Kjellberg, CEO of Awaze. In this conversation, Henrik and Matt dive into "the new world". A world that requires adapting to change in more than just the Vacation Rental Industry, which is interesting but can be scary...
Henrik shares his take on innovation and creativity and how discipline, consistency, and leadership contribute towards growth in a constantly changing industry.
Today's episode features Ruth Manfredi, owner of Cinque Terre Vacation Rentals in Italy. In this episode, Ruth and Matt talk about a shift toward creativity, authenticity, and originality within the VR industry. You will hear Ruth her passion and excitement while she shares her stories and experiences which involves more than just the VR industry.
Today's episode features Maria Schuh, owner of Mistiso's Place in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. In this episode, Maria talks about ways that effectively allow her to navigate the threats that seem to hold a lot of VR owners back and how dancing influences the way she goes about life.
Today's episode features Steve Hafner, the co-founder and CEO of Kayak. Kayak is a search engine for travel services, including airline flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.
In this episode, Steve and Matt talk about what it means to be a visionary, and how to be creative and bring ideas. Steve and Matt dive into the importance of storytelling, and Steve talks about how clarity helps to become more authentic.
Today's episode features Antonio Bortolotti, who runs the vacation Rental World Summit with his wife, Christina. It's become the preeminent event in Europe and the Middle East for vacation rental professionals.
In this episode, Antonio and I recount this most extraordinary moment on stage at the end of the Vacation Rental World Summit in Barcelona just a couple weeks ago. We go through some of the sequences that neither of us coul...
This episode features a conversation between Justin Ford and Matt Landau. Justin is a longtime industry advocate, having introduced professional safety protocols to the emerging industry of vacation rentals. In this episode, Matt and Justin talk about leadership and fear, and how certain experiences impact the way we think about, and handle, risk. The episode concludes with a conversation about safety in the vacation rental industr...
I GOT STUCK is my story but it could also likely be yours. As burnout started to rear its ugly head my relationships and projects started to wobble. I was forced to accept that I was lacking a clear vision for my future: I was without a firm foundation to create from. How does one become visionary? What does it feel like to grow in new ways? How do we adapt and unstuck ourselves as we enter an era of unprecedented change?
I'm part...
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