Cold open

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Live Let Thrive, a podcast about the Airbnb life, the share economy, and everything in between. Here are your hosts, Micah and Steve.

SPEAKER_05 0:12

Hello, hello, hello. And welcome back to another exciting episode of Live Let Thrive.

SPEAKER_04 0:23

What is up, Micah? Man.

SPEAKER_05 0:26

Beautiful on this. I'm great on this beautiful Friday. On this beautiful Friday after hiding out under my stairs last night from that uh tornado. But I'm good. How about yourself?

SPEAKER_04 0:38

That's a good metaphor, right? After the storm is the beautiful weather, the calm after the storm.

SPEAKER_05 0:43

Yeah, man. Went from tornadoes last night to 70s today. I don't know what's going on.

SPEAKER_04 0:48

That's life, man.

SPEAKER_05 0:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 0:50

The highs because the lows are always coming, but then you know, enjoy both. Um, that doesn't make sense. So, welcome to Live Let Thrive, your favorite Airbnb, VRBO, long-term, mid-term, short-term rental podcast in the

Erica Dike's journey from co-hosting to STR design

SPEAKER_04 1:05

world coming at you from Fort Worth in Arlington, Texas, Micah.

SPEAKER_05 1:10

Yes, sir. Let's go.

SPEAKER_04 1:12

And we have a special guest.

SPEAKER_05 1:13

Who we got today?

SPEAKER_04 1:15

Uh, Miss Erica DK. Hi, Erica.

SPEAKER_02 1:20

Hi.

SPEAKER_04 1:21

I got I got your bio right here. Let me see if I can read this without messing up. And I'm already joking. Miss Erica, meet Erica DK, principal designer of Erica. Ooh, designs OOH, right? Ooh la. Uh, who brings a unique perspective to the design industry with a background in business analysis. Erica brings a data-driven approach to designing top-performing short-term rentals. With over seven years in the STR industry, she has developed a and a design formula called Designing for Dollars that helps hosts increase their return on investment, boost occupancy rates, and receive better reviews. Erica is passionate about using systems to process and processes to create beautiful and functional spaces that not only look great but also perform well. Today she'll share her insights and techniques for using data to drive design decisions and create profitable short-term rentals. Welcome, Erica.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Thank you. Thank you guys for having me. I'm excited to share some design tips and stuff with you guys. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:34

Design tips and business tips.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

Oh, for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_04 2:39

Because it is a business.

SPEAKER_05 2:40

Yeah. So this is actually Erica's what, second time on the podcast?

SPEAKER_02 2:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 2:45

Yeah. So I don't know how many years it's been since you've been on. So what quick, give us a quick rundown. What have you guys done? What have you done since then?

SPEAKER_01 2:54

So when we it was me and my husband at the time when we were on the podcast, we were co-hosting on Airbnb. So from then to now, we no longer co-host or do any of that type of stuff. But what I do now is design the listings. Um, so during the time I was co-hosting, I found that a lot of the reasons we were able to like take those properties and make them, you know, perform and get those bookings, it was really the design, right? Um when we would come in, it's just a regular property, regular home. Sometimes it's a spare home and they have um extra pieces of furniture lying around. And what I would do is create a concept based on what they have and what I think we could bring in. And when we did that, you know, they got those listings that they never had before because there was just extra property. So I started from that time through now. I just started, you know, pinpointing what things I was doing when I am designing a space, what things I'm taking into consideration. And that's what I call my designing for dollars formula. It's just um three steps that I like to dive into whenever I am designing a space for short-term rental, Airbnb, or pretty much anything, peer space, whatever it is that you're putting up for people to book, there is a process so that

Designing for Peerspace: the avatar-first approach

SPEAKER_01 4:16

you can attract those bookings for sure.

SPEAKER_04 4:19

Okay, we're gonna jump around today, but how a big question a lot of us has is how do we design to get those beautiful, beautiful peer space dollars?

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Um it's it's a loaded question. Design is like creativity, but there's also strategy to it, especially when you are trying to rent something out. So you're not only thinking about yourself and what you like and what you would put in your space, but you have to be proactive in your design. So you have to create like an avatar for your market, like who is going to book your property, why would they be booking it? And then you design that listing or that property to accommodate those needs. And in doing so, when you have that audience looking online at the different listings, your property is going to jump out at them because it is reflecting their needs. So to them, it is mirroring as the perfect property. You may not have done everything correct as far as like it may not be um architectural digest worthy, but if you are designing it to meet their functional needs, they're going to book it automatically. Um, of course, you want it to look good. That I have to be honest, like if you don't have the eye, sometimes you just don't have the eye. And so even if you try to make it look really good, it may not end up looking, you know, the way you want it to. But there are some like basic things you could do. You can go on Pinterest and kind of not copy, but try to look at the concept, like the colors that are in a space or the textures, how they're layered. Um, there's also an app called House H-O-U-Z-Z. I like to tell people who just like let's say you have no idea what to do with design. If you go on house.com, you can select a room that kind of looks like yours. So you can choose the type of room, you can choose the flooring color, the flooring type. So let's say you have a kitchen with tile floors and you want to see how I can make my kitchen look better. Just go on house, pick the wall color that's in your kitchen, the floor color, the backsplash color, the countertop color, and you're going to see a bunch of um kitchens that have been designed by designers. So now you're kind of looking at a space that looks like yours, so you can easily copy, you know, what you see there. So that's like a tip. If you just don't have any design skills whatsoever, just copy a designer who's designed a space like yours.

SPEAKER_04 6:56

It's like the old expression, uh, good artists borrow, great artists steal.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So you can be a great artist, just go on there and steal, and now your listing is pure space ready.

Why grandma's furniture doesn't work anymore

SPEAKER_04 7:08

And I've told Micah, and we brought it up on the show many times, right? And um, how important design is. And you know, back in the day, just throw grandma's furniture on an Airbnb and start making money right away, whatever. And that's you can't do that no more. And so what what what I've noticed, because we had uh we've had um Sarah uh Glidewell, you know her, Sarah Glidewell. Uh I think I heard the Carwells, the Carwells.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Yes, yes. I worked with a company that also works with them. Yes. Oh, cool, cool.

SPEAKER_04 7:38

What company was that?

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Um, I think Superhole Slabs. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You used to work for them, or um, I still do, yeah. Oh, okay, cool, cool.

SPEAKER_04 7:47

Yeah, so um, so Sarah designed a few units for me early on, right? Before I couldn't afford them no more.

SPEAKER_02 7:54

I love their work.

SPEAKER_04 7:56

They're amazing. So they did like they were just starting out, so they did some really good amazing work for super cheap. And so, and those units, even today, you know, it's been a couple years now, they still, I mean, if if given a choice, I send some links to like a prospective client or travel nurse, they always pick those two units, even if there's other units that are bigger, that are better location, it don't matter. They want those two uh beautifully designed units over anything like that. I was like, damn. So, so I know the importance of design, and they were able to do it back in the day for uh off of Wayfair, you know, for a pretty affordable price. Can is that still possible, or people having to go to higher end stuff now?

SPEAKER_01 8:33

Um, it really again, it depends on your custom designing for dollars formula. So let's say you are designing a luxury um listing, you're going to want to pick higher-end pieces because the people who are booking for your nightly rate, think about where they're coming from. They have certain things in their homes. So they're not going to pay money to stay somewhere where like now it's lower than what they're used to. So you kind of need to know who your market is, what that um average daily rate is going to be, and you want to design it so that that value is equal. So if you're doing something luxury, I wouldn't say um use Wayfair, although Wayfair is more like a tech company than a furniture company. So they have so many different suppliers on there. Um, I have trade accounts that I work with as well, but I know that like something like four hands, you can get a four hand sofa on Wayfair, you can get a Moe's furniture um sofa on Wayfair. So it just depends on you know what you're looking for. But I still strongly use Wayfair in a lot of my designs just because of the time. So when I'm designing a space, it takes about four weeks for full service and two weeks for e-design. So when with that process, I have to get things that are going to come within a certain time frame. So I almost exclusively um use Wayfair unless we're designing something pretty unique. And I think like, oh, this unique sofa is going to set it off. Let's go there. I mostly use Wayfair. And it also helps for budgets because for short-term rental budgets, they're different. It's not like residential.

The travel nurse unit: spa colors and memory foam

SPEAKER_01 10:18

You can have like a three, four bedroom for 30K, but if you are doing like your own home, 30K is probably just the first floor, you know, of the home. So um I say wayfair is fine. Just make sure you're looking at that weight, make sure it's like at least 330. Sometimes it goes up to 800 pounds. I don't think there's a problem with using weightfair.

SPEAKER_05 10:41

Now, you said something earlier. You said you design for dollars, but you start with your target avatar. So let's say you're designing a space for a travel nurse. How would that how would that look? Or what would your vision be to make that the most profitable to host travel nurses?

SPEAKER_01 10:57

Well, first you're gonna think about why they're there. They're going to be working for long periods of time. So you want to refrain from like using bright colors, bold colors, because they're going to be at work most of the time. And when they come home, they want something really serene. So you, if that's what you're thinking, don't do like a themed listing or something with really crazy colors. You want to think of like spa, tranquil. Like again, their need is I just need someone comfortable, nice, and safe to stay when I'm not at work. So that's their need. So if you design it to reflect that need, they're almost always, like you said, Steve, when they look at all the other listings, they're gonna pick the best one. Like a well-designed listing wins at every price point. So even if you are in the basic um, you know, average, whatever with other listings, as long as comparable, you're the best, they're gonna book you. So I think people sometimes get scared of spending money on good design or just taking that time because they're in a rush to put it up. But if you take the time to design that space and plan out the space, whenever you put it up, you're automatically going to win. So the time that you thought you were losing by, you know, taking the time to plan it out, you're going to make way more than what you're anticipating. So just design it. If you're designing for a nurse, think about what they need, how they want it to feel. Just everything for that should be cozy. Um, if you're gonna do a couch, don't put do a futon because after work, they want to keep their feet up. So you want to do a sectional, or if you're going to do a sofa, make sure you get like a reclining chair or something. You want to, or even like an ottoman. You know, if you do a sofa, get a comfy ottoman that they can still crop their feet up because that's what they're gonna need after being on their feet all day. Um, with the bed, you want to do like a memory foam because they've been standing up all day, so their back's gonna hurt. You want to get two styles of pillows, you don't want to do um all the same type of pillows. I always like to do something firm and then something soft so that they have that option and they can move it around depending on how they sleep. Um, kitchen, you want to provide enough things for them to cook because they may be taking their lunch to work often, or they may get tired of eating lunch at work and they want to cook some every so often. Um, they can have a family member fly down to need them and they just want to have a dinner at home. Um yeah, like I could go on and on. There's just so much things to keep in mind, and it depends on the actual property, but just comfort. That would be what your ideal theme is for the nurses.

SPEAKER_05 13:53

I love how you broke that down to the T because that is what most people miss. I ain't gonna lie, because when I'm looking at travel nurses, I just throw some room darkening shades in there and they're good to go.

SPEAKER_01 14:02

You broke that's a good one. That's a good one. Room darkening shades. They really appreciate that. So that's a good one.

SPEAKER_05 14:08

Now, you said something. I just have one more question. You said go with spa and tranquil colors. What would be a spa or a tranquil color?

SPEAKER_01 14:17

Um, like a light blue, uh light green, sage, mint. I would stay away from gray. I know a while ago gray became the super modern color, but if you don't know how to layer texture and make that room come alive, it's going to fall flat if you do gray. So I would stay away from gray on the walls and just keep it simple, beige white. Um maybe you could do a super light gray that's almost kind of milky white, but I would really stay away from the. Do you know the type of gray I'm talking about? It's a little darker. And whenever you have the new remodeled homes, they kind of just throw that on the walls. Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 14:58

Yeah, I'm I'm guilty of doing that. I know exactly what gray you're talking about.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

Guilty. I'm here to like save y'all.

SPEAKER_04 15:06

So so I'm kind of discouraged now, Erica, because I had this vision. I had this vision of a of a nurse-themed unit, you know, like put like a hospital bed for them, right? And then put like um, and then they have instead of plates, we'll have those weird plastic things they serve food in.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

You know, I had a whole vision going on, but then you just put on peer space.

SPEAKER_04 15:28

I was trying to make a joke, but you think you're right. I think you're right.

SPEAKER_01 15:32

I just didn't want to hurt your feelings because that's an ugly room. But if it's on peer space, then it's a content room.

SPEAKER_04 15:38

Yeah, they're gonna feel like they're at work at home. That's that's not what they want.

Content studios make weekend revenue in a day

SPEAKER_04 15:42

That's not what they want. But peer space, you're right. They could like for uh film some um um adult um entertainment. The nursing, whatever. Never mind. I'm off the rails. Sorry, Erica. Bring us back, Erica.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

It's Friday. Okay, I'm gonna move back in.

SPEAKER_05 15:59

Hold on, you said a content room. Like how how how are those? Like, do you know how much those things produce? Because I we hear we haven't had, I don't think we've had a like a hundred percent fear space person on as of yet. I would love to get one on, but like, do you know how those things produce? Like a content.

SPEAKER_01 16:15

You know someone, I will send them to you. Um, they have so before I noticed this person, I never really paid attention to content rooms because you always have those content studios, and there's like a basic look that they have. But there is this guy, he has like studio Noor, Studio Aqua, Studio Um, like a Dubai desert theme. So each studio looks, I don't even know how to explain it, but um, they have like there's a room with sand all over the floor, and there's like sand on the wall. So it looks like you're in like Morocco. And there's another studio where it has like a little pool or reflection, so it looks like you're like poolside in Miami. Um, they have one that looks like it's a mechanics store. But if you go all out, like content rooms can really make money, especially now that people are big on like Instagram and creating content, you know. So if you put something, push something out that's unique that no one has done before, you can make a lot of bank. Like people will literally fly in and um book. I know when I had my listing and I put it up on Peer Space, I had two bookings that made me the same amount I made in a weekend in a day. The first one was a Netflix interview, and then another one was a commercial. So, like it's just random. All the commercials you see on TV, those are not done in the people's homes. So even if you have a regular um rental that you designed really homey and cozy, if you put it on Peer Space, you'll get a lot of like commercials and interviews and Netflix specials coming to book with you. So I think it makes a lot of money if you are intentional about designing for that.

SPEAKER_04 18:07

That's really cool.

SPEAKER_05 18:10

Oh, go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 18:11

Uh, just on uh just on that note, real quick. I actually like yesterday I was semi-joking with when my partner, uh Federico, the partner in the business, um, that we should do a Squid Games uh the next unit should be a Squid Games unit. I think that'd be cool, man. I don't know that yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:27

So good things really took over when it came out. So I think, yeah, that would be cool if done right.

SPEAKER_04 18:34

Yeah, season two's coming up, so yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna hit again, I think. So I don't know. I just thought it'd be a cool idea.

SPEAKER_05 18:39

Uh I I think those are really good ideas, especially like right when they come out. Like if you were to release that right when it came out, like it's heavy in people's mind, that would hit. I love that idea. Like, because this content studio that has me really, really interested because I know a lot of these times when you see like these what are they, the influencers on social media, like you know, you see them somewhere, but I'm like, are they really there seven days a week? You know, and maybe they are these content studios, so that's something I'm very interested in doing. Um, do you know how much you can charge per hour for something like that?

SPEAKER_01 19:11

A content studio, honestly, you can charge whatever because essentially it's a venue. So think about like when you are, I don't know, planning an event. Um, the rate you're paying in thousands. So as long as like that daily rate is less than, let's say, a thousand dollars, you will essentially get a booking because people have to pay for not one hour, they usually pay like four to six hours at minimum because you have to set up, you have to do what you're doing there, and then you have to clean up. So it you can charge whatever you want. But um, I've seen some that are up to like a hundred dollars, 175. If we start if it becomes like um a wedding venue, they go pretty high up per hour because when you book it, you're booking like a day. So you'll book like eight to 12 hours for a wedding venue. So it it the there's so much on there on Peer Space. I actually go on there a lot when I'm looking for like a spot because that's where they are. I know back in the day we used to look on Airbnb, and then we throw a party and then you get kicked out, but now you can go on peer space, and these are people who are telling you, like, hey, have an event here, I'm gonna charge you this to have it, and you get to use this space that I've designed for you.

SPEAKER_05 20:31

One last question on Peer Space. Does it work? Oh, okay.

Commercial versus residential Peerspace strategy

SPEAKER_05 20:36

Does it work?

SPEAKER_04 20:36

Peer Space Heavy show. We can do this.

SPEAKER_05 20:38

Yeah, I guess we can go Peer Space Heavy, but do they work better as like on a commercial place or as residential? Because I know I see a lot of commercial places on there that design commercially. Like, what have you seen has been the better overall commercial or the residential?

SPEAKER_01 20:54

Both both will work because there's a market for both. So for the commercial spaces, those are for people who are having really not large events, but they are labeling as this is an event, like a baby shower, we're gonna decorate, a birthday party, we're gonna decorate. But then you have the homes with like the nice backyard and the pool area. And then you have people that want a more laid-back event where it's like it's kind of like we're in my house, but we're just in a nice house, we can mingle, we don't have to, you know, sit around a table like you would in the commercial space. So there's a market for both sides. It would just depend on which one you'd want to cater to because with the commercial space, you kind of have to offer some packages to make more money. Like you had to offer rentals for props, rentals for linen, maybe rentals for your table and chairs. You just have to layer things. But with the residential space, you can just do the space because you've already designed it one time. Like you put the furniture in and it looks good forever. Okay. So Two things to consider.

SPEAKER_03 22:01

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_04 22:03

Nice. So so my my um selfish question, because something came up this week. Um uh a client, well, not a client, a place we're doing arbitrage at. Anyways, he told he he likes us. We've been there for a couple years now, and um he's a great landlord. But he he had he said, Hey guys, I got I know y'all do short term rentals, I know you gotta do midterm,

Turning a three-acre property into a wedding venue

SPEAKER_04 22:21

whatever. Uh, I have a place over here in this part of town. Could y'all come check it out? And it's uh it's over here in this uh particular part of town, and it's like uh it's an older house, but it sits on three acres, and and he's yeah, and so it's really, really nice, you know. It's like almost like it's back in this in this old older area of the city where they haven't like built a million houses on top yet, you know. It's just like kind of like the the last holdouts of the farmland, and so um it's really beautiful too. And he said he's uh he said um people have asked, you know, had a few events there already. He just rinse it up pretty much in the weekends and um for like 300 bucks a night, which is crazy because he fit like 20 people in this place in his house, and then they're doing they did a wedding there, and they're doing other parties and stuff events, and he's like 300 bucks is nothing. And so um, and we were telling him, do you know about peer space? You know, if we're if we're gonna take this over to manage for you, but we'd really want to, you know, push it on peer space. He didn't know what it was, and we explained it to him. I said, Yeah, man, weddings, you know, you're giving it away for free. Not doing letting people do weddings here. Let's let's uh let's make some money.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

And um area. I'm sorry, what area is it? Like in DFW?

SPEAKER_04 23:30

It's over yeah, it's a DFW area. Yeah, yeah. Uh anyways, so um he what what I'm what I want to ask you is, and you mentioned it earlier that you know, renting out, you know, not not just doing the event, but renting out all the stuff they need, tables and chairs and all that. But but the backyard is just pretty much just open land, you know, it got some pretty big trees on the couple pretty big trees, but it's just land, you know, it's a real pretty backdrop for someone's wedding. What would you put like to start taking pictures? Uh and what would you design out there a little bit so it could like paint a picture for somebody that that, oh, maybe I could do a wedding there or something like that?

SPEAKER_01 24:06

Well, um, I would start off with if he has pictures of previous events that already happened, that's like an easy, like, okay, we can use that. But to better showcase the property, I would reach out to event planners. So, event planners typically have something that they call the styled shoot. So, a styled shoot, it's an event planner who reaches, they'll reach out to like different vendors, uh florist, um event rental, uh, photographer, makeup artist, models, just everything that you would have for an event. They reach out to those people and say, Hey, I found this venue. We're planning a shoot for this date. So they'll work together to create a concept. And essentially that day they would set everything up and get photos, but it's for everybody's portfolio. So that's the only way it's able to work without anyone spending money because you know, like you get to use this pictures on your website for your floral business, you get to use it for your floor wrapping business, you get to use it for your outdoor tents business. Uh, that's what I would do. That would be the easy way for you to do as little work as possible and just let the pros do what they do. Because if you're wanting to set up something yourself, it will just look like an event that you set up, and that's not what you're marketing to your guests. You want them to see like you can hire professionals and it will look like this on this property. And you can even take it up a notch and offer these vendors a like preferred spot. Maybe if you your guests have to book with them to use your rental, or maybe you just start creating a list of preferred vendors, and now you're getting free pictures because you're getting so many um planners coming in and doing styled shoots so that you're growing your preferred vendors list for your guests, and then you're getting your pictures for your websites, and they're getting their pictures for their portfolio. So it's a win-win-win all around. That's what I would do.

SPEAKER_05 26:07

I freaking love that idea. I tried to do it. Uh so my biggest rental that I have, it has this huge gazebo in the backyard, but we couldn't do it because you know, we had some nosy neighbors and they watching, you know, the mole people peeking out the window. But uh that's what I was trying to pop off, but that is a really good idea. I've always thought I wanted to do that instead of being just provide the space, like a uniquely designed

The styled shoot: free professional photos from event planners

SPEAKER_05 26:30

space or whatever, and then let a wedding planner come in because they make money when you make money. So it's like a win-win situation. I love that idea. If you have you can do that, I would definitely recommend people doing that. That is a really good idea.

SPEAKER_01 26:43

Just put all their space. I just recently finished a design in Waco. Um, it's an e-design, so they're still putting it all together themselves right now. But I think it should be done around the end of this month. It's an ice cream-themed rental, and it is one property, but it's on acres of land. So their plan is to, I guess right now, list it on Peerspace as a content space, list it on Airbnb as a rental that you can sleep overnight, and list it to have outdoor events because there's lots of space in the back. And then over time, they're gonna use the revenue from that to build other themed uh little tiny homes on the land. So if you have a lot of land and maybe you don't want to do events for a long time, that's just something you can do, you know, rent out that free space and then use that money to build on that land.

SPEAKER_04 27:36

That's so that's so cool. I mean, I'm I'm glad I asked. So, so because I mean, see, I've I've never been real big on peer space, you know. We we've dabbled every now and then someone will just you know book one of our spots, you know, say, okay, you know, it's probably a Sarah spot or something like that, and and do a peer space thing in there. Yeah, yeah, every now and then, just dumb luck. And and but but to actually seek, you know, seek out the the peer space client. And and I was um and even over there looking at that line, I was like, we got something here. He's gonna let us use all this and and try to rent out his place. I mean, they can do you know weddings events or whatever, it's got a lot of room to sleep people. Um and he'd even um he even said we could we can rent out because he said people ask, you know, do y'all do y'all rent out tables and chairs? And he said, No, y'all gotta bring y'all's own stuff, blah blah blah. I'm like, man, he's leaving so much money on the table. But but I wasn't even I was even thinking, like, what how do how are we gonna set this up to show that you can do weddings here? And two dudes looking online on uh Facebook marketplace. Oh, look at this thing, it looks like an arch, looks like you can put that and some flowers on it.

SPEAKER_01 28:41

That's a great undertaking.

SPEAKER_04 28:44

I know, I know, but then you just you just you just made me feel a lot better because like, oh, just get the pros to do it and they'll do it for free. Oh my god. I was like, what's that pay somebody?

SPEAKER_01 28:54

Um have an open house essentially, like just get on Facebook and find a bunch of uh planners and vendors and invite them to the venue, just have a venue open house so that they can see and fall in love with the venue themselves, and then you can just pitch it there to everybody. Like anyone's welcome to do style shoots and be on the so you don't have to like go and send emails one by one, but they can see it themselves. Because I'll tell you one thing about event planners, designers, they have the eyes. So you may be thinking, like, oh, I have to change it to make them understand, like they can see it, like you think you can see it, but they can walk into an ugly room and be like, okay, this is what's gonna, that's their job. So like, don't fret about trying to make it look good. Just get them there and they'll do, they'll do the rest.

SPEAKER_04 29:45

One more thing. Oh, sorry, Micah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_05 29:46

Oh no, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 29:48

So this literally half a block away, there's this big old church that that's there. I'm like, they can walk, they can go do a wedding there and walk across the street and go and go do the or do the service, you know, church service.

SPEAKER_02 30:01

And then have a reception. Yeah, so it's like right there. It's all right there.

SPEAKER_01 30:06

If you reach out to the church, you probably have people who are asking, like, do you know where I could do um, you know, a reception? When I got married, the venue that I had my reception, there was a church like eight minutes away, and that was the church that they referred to everybody that came to look at their um reception venue. They were always like, Oh, St. Bart's is down the street if you want to get married there. So something that you could do.

SPEAKER_05 30:30

Another good thing, man, if you find them Seventh-day Adventist churches, man, they go to church on Saturdays, man. They have a cookout every single Saturday. Mahogany's aunt invited to one of those, man. They have a flat out cookout. I'm talking, they have uh people from Nigeria, people from Liberia, all over the country, people from China over there cooking up their own little recipes, man. I'm telling you, you rent your house out to them, man. They're gonna give you some leftover food too. So you can check that out. The friend. Straight up. But the thing was I'm on this house.com thing you said. This is fire.

SPEAKER_01 31:08

I'm this is what you need in your life.

SPEAKER_05 31:10

Yeah, this is what I needed for my rehabs right here. I'm happy to show me this, but yeah, go ahead, Steve. Yeah, this is fire.

SPEAKER_04 31:16

So no, I love how you think, and and and then you're just to just to get these things done like without coming out of pocket, you know. That's pretty cool. And even um even renting out the tables and chairs, but if you have a preferred list of people, uh let them do it and you just get paid off of what they're doing.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

Yeah, what they're doing. Just do like a markup, you know, tell them this is how much it costs, but you're the one placing your order with your vendors and get your commission, and they'll come in, set it up, they'll come in, break it down, and you're at home.

SPEAKER_04 31:46

And and don't let them bring that now. Y'all can't bring your own stuff here. No, sorry, you gotta you gotta go through our vendors. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

Uh also because you want to monitor, you know, the quality of your property. Like if you have different vendors, you don't know how they operate, you don't know how they care about like their delivery. Some people offer white gloves, some people just dump in in the corner and say your chairs are over there. So I think it's good if you have your own venue or you're kind of having a venue to monitor who is a vendor, like who you refer and who you prefer, who you refer and prefer.

SPEAKER_04 32:19

I like that. Very good. Um, yeah, that's that's uh it's all networking. It's all I love

The one splurge piece that creates your money shot

SPEAKER_04 32:26

this. Um so going a little bit a little bit back, what you said, you said something that was very interesting because um you you say you still use the wafer, you know, to set up a lot of places, stuff like that, unless you find this like sofa or this one piece of furniture that's gonna like tie it all together. I'm like, that's not a bad idea. You know, you you spend a lot, decent amount of money on one thing that's gonna look great, and then you can put some wafer around it and it's still it'll still work.

SPEAKER_01 32:51

Yeah. I I like to do that in any so in every listing that I design, there's always one splurging or splurgeable item. Because I think of what is called the money shot. So even before a listing is designed and completed, I already know the angle of what that cover photo is going to be. And it's usually the most unique part of the home. So if you have like a living room with super tall ceilings and windows all across one wall facing outside, that's most likely your money shot. So I'm thinking about what focal piece needs to be in that space to get that photo that's gonna pop amongst the other listings. And I'll usually splurge on that one thing. But I don't just say, oh, let's get this. And let's everything has a reason as far as like bringing in money, attracting a booking. Every single piece has a reason. So wayfair, not wayfair, it doesn't matter. Facebook marketplace, you can design anywhere as long as it's intentional and you're you know why you're picking what you're picking.

SPEAKER_04 34:00

I like that. So the center piece, you know, you know what also crosses my mind, and and y'all mentioned it, you know, um, the the the design, what your eyes see, and uh it gets people to book, gets the clicks, first of all, gets them to click oh, what's going on here? And I and there's people doing interesting things. Uh Federico, uh I brought you bringing my partner up again. He he said that um, oh dude, we need to put neon lights in all the places because people are getting a lot of clicks because they're they got their places in neon lights everywhere. I'm like, I guess that makes sense, you know. Is that what do you think? What is your thoughts on neon lights?

SPEAKER_01 34:34

Um I like neon lights, but just like with Boxwood Wall, which is that green, like the greenery wall. Are you familiar with that?

SPEAKER_04 34:45

Yeah, we had one that liked that, yeah. Okay, well, I'm not trying it was hot for a minute. It was hot for a minute.

SPEAKER_01 34:50

Yeah, it was hot for a minute, and it still can be. But like when you see something that everyone is doing, that's when you know what you shouldn't do. Because if you do what everyone's doing, your listing is now average, you know. So just you see, yeah, they have the neon lights, they have this, they have that. If you want to copy what is working, do that, but make sure you also add to it. So the neon lights, maybe it's working in a regular room that just says good morning, whatever. You can replicate that, but do like a morning a reading nook in the breakfast area. So good morning with a comfortable chair and a nice little side table, maybe a book holder, um, a bookshelf where you have different books, a book library, you know, just take it up a notch. So I wouldn't do just because you see, like, oh, this listing is getting booked and it has this. If you want to copy it, copy it, but also make it better. Don't just copy it because you're not gonna get their bookings. They have more reviews, they've been up longer. Just try to one up them, one of them. Yeah, one up them. Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 36:02

Yeah, um uh one other thing. So you can basically hire these designers right off this website.

SPEAKER_01 36:08

Yeah, you can.

SPEAKER_05 36:09

Wow, this is awesome. I'm loving this.

SPEAKER_01 36:13

Yeah, I will say though, in the interior design world, there is like short-term rental design. So, what you see when you are doing short-term rental design is like they actually don't like us. They don't like how we're how you design, they don't like the quick turnaround, they don't like any of that. So, going into like real residential, regular interior design, be prepared for like higher rates, um, longer lead times, because most things are like custom made. They're getting it shipped from overseas. You're doing like a custom fabric on a regular sofa build. Um, it's not just like retail where it's like it's already made, we're ordering it, it's coming. So you can reach out to those designers. They do do consultations where they'll come for a couple hours, sometimes an hour and a half. And that's usually good for someone who just wants an idea. You know, working with any type of designer, you could do a consultation. But if you want them to do the actual project or to design it for real, like beginning to end, I would look for specifically a short-term rental designer because they're used to the market, they understand the time frame and the deadlines and all of that, it would just make more sense.

SPEAKER_05 37:28

I fully agree with you. And the thing is, the people listening, that is why I love the short-term rental space because there is still so much opportunity in it just because of that type of thinking. Like, if I'm a designer and I know they want to turn places around, there's probably 10 more of people like them that I can design for. You know what I mean? So I love that thinking. I love that thinking.

SPEAKER_01 37:51

I um I do like a lot of my clients when they come to me. Sometimes they've already worked with the designer. And what they tell me is like it's different. Like I come from like a business background.

Design boards for investors: layouts, costs, and systems

SPEAKER_01 38:02

In interior design school, you get taught the creativity side. So the business part is not really always there. But with my clients, we have like systems and processes, so it works with them because they're real estate business minded. They're coming to me with just numbers, like all they're saying is like, I need it by this date because I want to charge this much so I can make this much. They just see numbers. So then I come in with my design, but it's in numbers, you know, like your design board. I think. Can I share my screen?

SPEAKER_05 38:32

Oh, yeah, for sure. I love that idea. I love that. Yeah, talking numbers. That's what I love.

SPEAKER_01 38:38

I think I need permission.

SPEAKER_05 38:40

I just set it up. You can now. So by the way, if you're watching on YouTube, I mean, if you're not watching on YouTube, then you're gonna miss out on Erica Ooh's awesome design.

SPEAKER_01 38:50

Yeah, check this out because I'm about to show you what okay, share screen. Got it here. So this is what my investors see. Let me make this bigger. Okay, so before any money is spent on the actual items, they always get a board. So think of an investor who has like four, five, six properties that they're trying to design at a time. They have the team, they have the contractors, but they just need that design. So I provide them. This is the beginning of all projects, even if it's full service, e-design, you get a board for each room and you see the items in each room as well as the cost. It doesn't show right here because this project has already been purchased and everything. But before we purchase, you already know how much you're going to spend on, you know, each space. So there's a floor plan, you know where everything is going to go, you know how it's going to fit, you know how the room's going to flow. And for investors, they like seeing this because this is how their brain thinks. You know, I'm not coming to them like, oh, do you like this velvet chair? Do you like this pinch chair? You know, like there's no fluff. Everything's kind of been trimmed out. Like this is design I think will work best for your space. This is how much it's going to cost based on the budget that you provided. This is how many people it's going to sleep. And then they look at it. Typically, they're not going to say they don't like something because they don't care. They know it looks good. They just want to make sure that number works and they know it's going to arrive in time. So that's what I mean by working with like a short-term rental designer. It's so different because you have to create a different process. You can't just let it be normally with interior design. You're just like, oh, I don't know when the bed's coming. It's going to be a couple of weeks. I've talked to the vendor, it's still loud overseas. Like, it's no definite time, but with short-term rental, you have rents, you have mortgages. Like there needs to be a go live date. We have to be shooting for a certain date. So it's this is just how I do it. I'm very system process oriented. I don't really like doing it any other type of way because it's so fast-paced. I want to be able to keep track of everything. Um, even when I order the stuff, I have a calendar where I'm able to see what items are going to be delivered, um, when they were ordered. It's just everything is organized. So whenever an investor has a question, I have an answer because we're on the same, we're on the same page as far as like numbers and metrics and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_05 41:36

You're the analytical designer.

SPEAKER_01 41:38

Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 41:39

I love that. Yeah, because I'm looking at these designs in here, and basically, this is almost like an Airbnb for designers, almost like you basically can just sign up, be a designer, get paid, and you're off and running.

SPEAKER_01 41:53

Um it's a little pricey for designers to be on there, so they kind of don't like signing up as a pro, but they do get just like they get clients, you know. People look on there, they don't know about the site, but when they do find that up at the site, they look on there and they book them. So I guess it works.

SPEAKER_05 42:11

We need to have something like this cater directly to short-term rentals.

SPEAKER_02 42:15

They should all should hop on that.

SPEAKER_05 42:20

We should.

SPEAKER_01 42:22

I was in a Facebook group and someone asked, is there a directory for short-term rental designers? And everyone was like, No, not really. This person has one. You can Google, you can look on Instagram, but there's no actual directory.

SPEAKER_05 42:36

Well, I guess we'll block this part out of the show.

SPEAKER_01 42:41

No, really, seriously, you should do that. You should do that.

SPEAKER_05 42:46

That would be, I think that's the next level because you have to, I think Steve's the biggest proponent of it. You got to sell the picks and shovels. That's a pick and shovel that ain't out there yet. And that that people want to get into. And I think the best part about that is with like the whole Airbnb bus thing, I made a reel about it the other day. The people with very low design places were the ones getting hit. So and I wonder how much that would change their algorithm. Now you have all these places uniquely designed. I wonder, you know, it makes it more competitive.

SPEAKER_01 43:17

Before it wasn't that many people on there, the or it was all mom and pop. This is just my old house. But now I bought this house just for this, and I furnished it just for this. So it's a different playground now. You really have to be intentional with your design.

SPEAKER_05 43:33

That is true. I I love this. I've I'm learning a lot today. Um what oh what what else is I was gonna ask you now, like

Family stays: 13 seats for 12 guests and curved coffee tables

SPEAKER_05 43:43

how would you design a space for family? Like, how would you look at family designs?

SPEAKER_01 43:47

That is my favorite. So, right now I've been doing a couple of coconuts listings, so it's all families and the poconos? Yeah, in the poconos.

SPEAKER_05 43:56

Okay, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 43:57

Yeah, so it's lots of families. What I like to do in these specific listings is I have a large family. I come from a large family, and we used to go on vacations a lot. So I kind of know how it is. Everyone is a large group, but when you have multi-generational groups, they like to break up into different spaces. So specifically in a family-oriented listing, I like to create smaller areas within a large area where like the teenagers can break off into this area and like just hang out. The grandparents can break out over here and relax. The aunties can be over here and gossip or whatever. You know, I like to create those areas. And that's a lot of the things that the guests say that they like about this space. They're always like, um, it was it was really spacious, but enough space, enough privacy for everyone. You know, that's that's something that like people don't always think of when they are designing the big properties. They think of the beds, but like the living area, they don't think about everybody's gonna be here, but you only have a futon, you know, like you want to put enough seating for everybody to sit. Um again, let me show you my screen. I'm gonna show you a listing that uh that's a family listing. Uh, let's see. So I can show you what I mean about the seating area.

SPEAKER_05 45:24

Uh yeah, that's one of my target avatars. So I'm gonna love this because that's what I always try to cater for. Because when the Airbnb bus thing was going on, the families were still moving and I didn't have any issues.

SPEAKER_01 45:35

Yeah. So okay. So this is a this is a layout for a living room for a family home. So this sofa here seats four people, so that's four, five, six, and then this bench is at two, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven. But this large ottoman and this large ottoman can be pulled out to use as extra seating. So essentially, this living space seats 13 people comfortably, and the house sleeps 12 guests. So everyone can be in this living space at one time. But if you see this area right here is broken off. So if someone's sitting here and they're talking, they have privacy to talk about whatever they want to talk about, but still be in the same room with everyone. So you don't have the why are you in the bedroom? Come out here and join us, you know, like everyone's together, but you have privacy. You can be on your phone, you know, and not have someone all up on you. So with homes, I like to start with the living room because that's the big space. Everyone's gonna be there, everyone's gonna watch TV. You want to think about the TV size, make sure it's somewhere that everyone can see. It's on this wall right here, which is right across from the entire living room, so everyone can see it. Um, I think about families. When we have families, I never, never, ever do rectangular coffee tables. You always want to do curved edges because you have little kids running around. It's a large, you know, everyone's in the room, so you can't make sure that there's enough space to carefully walk around. You may be running and there's an uncle walking backwards, and you're like, watch out, young man. You know, like you want everywhere to be safe. So I never do rectangular stuff for um for family homes, even the furniture. I try to keep the um, I try to keep things curved and soft because you do have kids. Sometimes you may have pregnant women or you may have older people. So you still want everything to be comfortable for everyone because they have different requirements, but they're all part of one family, all part of one group. So it's kind of hard, but you want to design something for everybody.

SPEAKER_05 47:55

I love this because the curved edge coffee table thing. I'm like, dang, I need that. So yeah, because I know why not do the rectangle ones. I'm like, dang, you're sure right. Because I'm trying to cater to families. That's a dooly good idea, really good one.

SPEAKER_01 48:08

Yeah, so that's something you can easily swap out.

SPEAKER_04 48:10

You're pointing out something that's that's like it's mind-blowing and its simplicity. Because here's what a lot of people amateur, I'm an amateur designer too, because I don't, you know, I don't know what I'm doing. We've thrown some Airbnbs together, we've thrown some you know, short-term rules together. Just hey, go buy a bunch of crap and throw it in there, whatever. Uh and so uh and and I don't we never think about that. People are on vacation, like with the family. That's probably one of the only times they're all gonna hang out in the same living room together. And I don't even think about that. And most I think most uh people, most you know, amateur Airbnb designers don't think about that, and they just get like a regular uh regular sofa that can sit like three people, maybe four people, right? And then they're like, Well, we got you know, we got the the bedroom, so yeah, we could we could accommodate 10 people, but only if they're all separated in different bedrooms and different, and maybe one in the kitchen and then one in the living room. What if they all want to hang out together? There's only seating for like three or four people. I never it's mind-blowing that that most people don't even think about that.

SPEAKER_01 49:08

And dining rooms too. Like, um, if you have a house that sleeps 12 guests, you cannot put a six-guest dining table in there. Like, because what about the other six people? Now they can't eat, they can't celebrate TV trays. Yeah, like you just have to be somewhere else. But the the family traveled for so and so's birthday, and now they can't even have a birthday meal together. So even though they loved your house, they booked your house, now you're wondering why didn't they leave a review or why did they only give me four stars? My house is nice. Like it was nice, but it wasn't memorable, it wasn't great. You want to design it so that they have this heightened um excitement the whole time they're there, and then they don't want to leave. And the kids are talking about it in the car, like, oh my gosh, remember that room? Oh, that was the funnest time. Like, you want everyone to be excited about something so that when the theme pops up, like, how is your stay? They're like, Oh yeah, it was great. You know, that excitement is in the moment, they're gonna leave that review. But when you have to ask your guests, hey, can you leave me a review? It's been days since they left. They don't really care, they'll put great space, comfortable, like you want an excited review because then you're gonna have another family read that review, and it's exactly what they're anticipating. Like, oh yeah, it's also his birthday. We want to have that same experience, we're gonna book it. They don't even read anything else, they just read that one review that reflects their same needs, their same reason for coming, their same avatar, like same amount of people, same different ages. Like, it's just there's so much. Like, I could keep going on and on about what you should think about and where you should put, but just be as intentional as possible. Like, just try to really think about who's coming to your space. I know it's hard to think about that when you're thinking about like numbers and money and time, but if you design it with that in mind, when you finally let it go live, you're going to really enjoy that ROI that's coming in.

SPEAKER_05 51:12

I have one more question in regards to design because you talked about everyone being in one space. How do you feel about TVs in every bedroom? Because I've heard two things. Some people say they don't want them in every bedroom because they like to control foot traffic, right? They want everyone in one room. Some people like to put TVs in every room so then kids can break off into their own room. What's your thought process on that?

SPEAKER_01 51:34

Um, I think it just depends on what you want to do. If you have, let's say, like a really large property and you have a primary bedroom suite here and another room that's kind of large with a chair, you may want to turn that into like a suite experience of its own. I don't necessarily think you have to put TVs in every room, but I think putting TVs in the right room can make the difference. So if you do have a larger space that you were trying to market as like, hey, there's two primary bedrooms, then you would put a TV in that other room. Or you're trying to create a kid-friendly room, you would just put a TV in their room. You know, it just depends on what you're doing, but don't feel like you have to put a TV in every room. Because I've seen um lots of listings that there's a TV in every room, but the TV doesn't make sense, the wall that it's on. Like it's you can't, it's how do I describe it? The bed is one way, and when you sit on the bed, the TV is to your left or to your right. Your guest is not able to sit on the TV and sit on the bed and watch the TV. So now it made no sense for you to have that TV in there because you just forced it on whatever wall you saw because you want to have a TV. So now you're saying there's TVs in every room, but in every room you can't watch the TV comfortably. So then you don't get bookings. So those are those like little details that you'll overlook, and it really affects how you're getting booked, how much money you're making. That's the whole formula or the whole importance of designing for dollars. You are designing to make money, not just to get

The TV placement mistake that kills bookings

SPEAKER_01 53:13

listed as quickly as possible. You're designing for that money coming in, coming in, those bookings, rolling in, rolling in.

SPEAKER_05 53:21

I love this. Well said. Yeah, it is. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 53:25

See, so I have a challenge for you. It crossed my mind while we were talking. So is it you're you're the design uh aficionado? Um, so so with this, I mean, you mentioned so many different types of uh of ways to do things, and and then um what was that word? Uh content room. You mentioned that. Would it be possible? And and and how would you go about doing this to make like an ultra minimalist space? Ultra minimalist space. I'm talking no TVs, no Wi-Fi, uh a bed on the floor, um, maybe like a rug where people can just sit down and uh you know, sit down on the on the floor and hang out, um, throw some pillows about, and just have this ultra minimalist space. Would somebody book that? And and how would you design something like that?

SPEAKER_01 54:12

Um, you could get someone to book that. First thing you're gonna want to do is just make it stand out. So the easiest way to go about that, do a monochromatic room, use the same colors, but you're going to layer different textures. So paint all the walls. Let's say we're doing a purple room. So you're gonna paint all the walls purple. Paint is not that expensive. You're going to get a patterned purple rug. So it doesn't matter what type of rug it is, it just you're looking for a certain size and a certain color. So because you're not trying to match something, it doesn't matter how the rug looks. It can be purple with polka dots, it can be purple with stripes, whatever. It's purple. So you get a purple rug. And now you mentioned a bed on the floor. You can do a bed with a fitted sheet, but the fitted bed sheet should be maybe a light purple. So already now we have three different variations of purple, and that's creating an interesting, um, like an interesting space because we're seeing one color but in different ways. And you just keep going crazy layering that purple on in different textures. So you can do um, maybe you want to add a sofa, you could do a velvet purple sofa. Then you can do um fur velvet throw pillows. No, fur throw pillows on the velvet sofa. So now we have velvet fur, the striped rug, the solid color walls. Um, where are we now? We have the fitted sheet that's lavender, which is also sell solid colors. So you can that's a minimal way to design a space, just using one color, but doing it intentionally. So no one's going to care about the scarcity of things in the space because they think that you intentionally pick these specific items.

SPEAKER_05 56:02

Now you you brought up something very important. You said a purple fitted sheet or a light purple fitted sheet. So do guests really care about like having white sheets and all that, or is that just in our heads?

SPEAKER_01 56:16

Um, I as a guest, me specifically, I care because I can tell that the sheet is clean. I always say to people, if you want to interject color, do it with like the duvet or the throw pillows.

White sheets versus colored linens

SPEAKER_01 56:29

Keep the linens, the basic linens, white so that it's easier for you to clean. It's easier for your cleaner to see a stain if a guest, you know, messed it up. They can know immediately, like, hey, you need to charge them because we need to replace this. I would keep everything white, but just throw in color. So I know some people like to use quilts and they like to use, you know, colored blankets. I'm not gonna fight them on that. They shouldn't, but if you want to go ahead and do that, but just layer it on the white sheet so it looks a little cleaner and it doesn't look like someone's house.

SPEAKER_05 57:00

Okay, that's a good question. Because that was my next question. Like, because ain't that a pain for cleaning? Because I did that one time, and man, my cleaners hated that. They were like, gotta wash like four loads of clothes.

SPEAKER_02 57:12

Different colors, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 57:13

So I was like, ah, dang. So I had to swap it all out. Okay, that's where I was going with that.

SPEAKER_04 57:18

Cool, cool. Yeah, that's that's just my thing. I just got this this in my head, this minimalist space where people can go without, you know, no TVs, no distractions, no Wi-Fi, nothing, just like chillax, uh, maybe put a desk there, they can draw or write or whatever they want to do. I don't know. I just had this this place.

SPEAKER_01 57:35

Maybe we do it somewhere where there's an outdoor space so that you're not stuck indoors because it can get kind of crazy if you're just in a room, you know. But if you have like an outdoor space that they can come out to just to take a break, and that's just like two patio chairs and a nice table.

The introvert's edge: minimalist no-Wi-Fi artist retreat

SPEAKER_01 57:53

Um, that it would make it better, it would balance it out more if you want to do like a minimal space. Make sure you have an outdoor area.

SPEAKER_05 58:01

You could call the listing the introvert's edge. No TV.

SPEAKER_01 58:05

That's nice. And you can literally just be on the edge.

SPEAKER_05 58:09

The edge you could like have like how you said people can draw, they can read books.

SPEAKER_01 58:14

It's like they don't do anymore because we have internet and social media.

SPEAKER_05 58:19

Mm-hmm. Well, like, yeah, like call it like the uh, I don't know, like uh I like what you said.

SPEAKER_01 58:26

That was a great name.

SPEAKER_05 58:27

Yeah, it's actually the name of a book. I hope that the author doesn't get mad at us for stupid. But what I was gonna say was it reminds Peter Behooth. He doesn't offer any of that stuff. Matter of fact, he doesn't even allow it.

SPEAKER_01 58:41

Wow, his listings?

SPEAKER_05 58:43

Yeah, he had the number one listing on Airbnb for like years and years. It's the treehouse guy. But he has but it's outdoorsy, like you said.

SPEAKER_01 58:53

You need to have that balance where it's just like, oh, they didn't have this and they don't have that. But if you were like, go outside.

SPEAKER_05 58:59

Yeah, he was offering Airbnb experiences before Airbnb experiences even existed. I think that's what you would end up doing, like an experience. I love that idea.

SPEAKER_01 59:07

Yeah, that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_04 59:10

I'm gonna do it. And you know, not only does it look intentional, like hey, I meant to do this, but it's also cheap as fuck.

SPEAKER_01 59:17

Yeah. A lot of themes, as long as you are intentionally picking your five, six pieces, like it it works. You can design is just how you are re-imagining the space. So as long as that your imagination that you're executing, you are able to like I don't know, get people to believe it. Like, oh, I like it too. It does look good, you know. Then it looks good. That's what makes something look good, right? If everyone says it looks good, then it looks good. It's just beauty's in the eye of the beholder.

SPEAKER_04 59:49

The artist's space.

SPEAKER_01 59:51

Oh, that's good.

SPEAKER_04 59:52

Now, now if you're if Micah's always saying, always target your avatar, right? Yeah, but I got a place in the city that I know it's not gonna be good for families, I'll design it like that because ain't no one gonna bring their kids to a place that don't have Wi-Fi. Everybody just wants to hand them a uh, me included, we want to hand them a tablet and leave me alone uh for a little bit, for a little bit. And so they're not gonna bring kids to a place like that that don't have no Wi-Fi. It's just not gonna happen. I don't think. But an artist will but an artist, but if you want to target couples, you know, a couple retreat away from the distractions, or just you know, single individual people to go enjoy a place that's in the maybe not the best part of town.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:28

But I would say if you're trying to make it minimalist, it may be cooler or better to target artists because artists will they intentionally font look for places where they can lock themselves away from distraction to like get their book done or get this piece done or get this commission done. They have deadlines that they get themselves, so they don't care about like the space or you know, it's minimalist. Good, it's just what they need because they're just here to work. So I always target artists versus instead of couples because couples they kind of need more, like nightstands, and now we need lamps, and now you need this.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:02

I I you know what though, I really, really like where you're going because how you said writers. I I've I you know, I'm a book reader, but I noticed about everyone who writes books, they either go on vacation to finish, they always go on vacation to finish. Like Tony Robbins. Uh, they always go on vacation. He'll say he'll go to Hawaii just to sit on the beach where it's quiet, relaxing. If you had something like that in the city, that could probably work.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:28

There are people writing books all the time.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:30

Yeah, but I think it would need to be in a good neighborhood because you got to have that outdoor feel too. You know that neighborhood bullets flying by when you're trying to write your book.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:38

And depend on what type of book they're trying to write. That maybe that's what they need.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:42

Oh, yeah, never mind. You know, you might write one of those old school James Earl Jones books. That might be what you need. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:50

Yeah, I did I've heard that before about writers. It said my uh I think my Angelou, she would go off and rent a hotel room somewhere just to be away from all writers, all writers.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:59

They because they need to block out the noise so they can hear the words in their head, so it's all right.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:05

No Wi-Fi, no, no TVs for distraction. You get tempted to turn on Netflix and chill, you know. So you just it won't be there.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:11

I mean, and then you because they don't want to accidentally start writing something they watch and they think it's their own idea, so they really like blocking things out because you know how you hear something like a song and then you start singing it later, but it was because you heard it earlier. It happens with art too. You can see something and then subconsciously you copy it. So a lot of them, I think almost everybody tries to go somewhere where they can block all of that out.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:40

You're right. Even it's funny, like me and my wife, we went to work at a coffee shop yesterday, but we did it to get away from all the distractions in the house. So yeah, you you it does, yeah. Even to just get stuff done. Yeah, everyone kind of has a little bit of that in them just to get away from the house. I I think that's a really good one. Uh yeah, man. The introvert's edge by Steve is coming soon.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:03

And coffee shops sound like a good place to work, but for me, I'm looking at people watching noises, yeah. All these crazy people coming in ordering like uh mocha choca lattes and all kinds of craziness.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:15

Oh, you gotta go to one in the extreme suburbs.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:18

The extreme suburbs. That's another listing we're gonna make pretty soon. Extreme suburbs. Three TVs in every room. Extreme, baby.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:27

Yeah, yeah. I'm talking like I go down to the one in Mansfield, man.

Erica's design process and how to work with her

SPEAKER_05 1:03:31

Ain't nothing going on down there, it's just quiet. People with headphones on and and laptops, man. Yeah, you gotta find that one.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:38

Yeah, I think I go to the ones that are too popular with really nice design on the inside.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:44

So maybe that is true. When they have really nice design on the inside, everyone wants to.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:48

Everyone's there.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:50

Um, what but Erica, like, where can people find you and like how does your design process work?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:56

So I am on Instagram, um, Erica O Designs, Erica O O H designs. Um, working with me for edesign, it is on a rolling basis. So whenever you said submit your e-design, it's always ready within a week. And then you're able to revise it within three days. You have two revisions, and then by the second week, you have your design, it's ready, you have your purchase list, you can go ahead and start buying everything. It comes with the layout. So that's with the eDesign two weeks. Full service is four to six weeks. We do do the same thing. You get your design within that week. We do the revisions within the second week, but we take care of ordering, we take care of receiving the items, we take care of assembling the items, installing it. It's completely turnkey. And by the time you come, you either get your photographer to take the pictures or you get the pictures sent to you because you you want to work with our photographer. So you just kind of do nothing. So even for my investors that do edesign, usually they just have a team of contractors. So they still do nothing. They just give them the pieces to assemble and follow my layout and put it together. So it's pretty easy to work with me. If you're very busy, just send me an email or go on my website, hit the contact form, and we'll get on a call, chat it up, see what you're trying to do. No matter how crazy your ideas, like I said, I just finished the ice cream themed listing. So it doesn't matter what you're imagining. You may feel like, oh, I don't know if I can do this. Trust me, we're gonna create a plan so that your great ideas will be doable. You're gonna know what to do, what to get, where to get it, and we'll get your listing up and running. So I'm pretty easy to work with, pretty easy to find.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:45

Awesome. Thanks for dropping some jewels on us today.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:48

I do want to mention one thing. So my services are a flat rate. We don't do hourly because it's too fast and my investors are too busy. So going in, you know how much you're Spending on the design and how much you're spending on your furnishing.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:05

Let's go. She got it all planned out for you. And she knows the game. She's been in the co-host of the world, so she knows the game. I love it.

unknown 1:06:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:12

So you know the DFW area pretty good.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:14

Yeah, yeah. I think I I did quite a few in Arlington, some in Fort Worth, some in Plano. So yeah, I guess so. Nice, nice. And where are you at again? I'm in Houston. Oh, cool, cool. Or I do travel anywhere within the US, so it doesn't have to be in Texas.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:32

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:36

Yeah, has design will travel.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:39

Well, thank you so much for hopping on again, Erica. It's always great to have you on. Yeah, and we yeah, hopefully, yeah, we'll get some we'll get some designs going with you pretty soon. For sure.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:50

So we can get you know your listings back up there and get everyone booking and loving it, especially with direct bookings. I know that that's something y'all are like getting into now. Directly.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:59

Yeah, that's me. I'm all over it.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:00

Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. So you want people to want to book you just to book you, not nothing else. Like, oh, I'm dying to stay there.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:08

You know what? That is something we didn't talk about, but I was happy you brought that up. Direct bookings with design. That is very huge. That they will definitely know you as that design person. Good one. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:20

Because a lot of clients too are, you know, on Instagram, they're branding their properties. So, like that kind of ties in with that direct booking. Because if you don't brand it, then people can't really know to book you with you.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:32

Yeah, I gotta, I gotta definitely get one of those signs. I'm gonna get one of them signs with my business logo on there. Yeah, the next person that does. Yeah, when I call you to do my design, I need one of them walls.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:44

That's your neon light sign.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:46

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:48

Well, thank you so much for having me, guys. It was fun talking to y'all.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:52

Definitely. Until AJ we said what's up, and yeah, thank you for coming on again.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:55

No problem. Take care, enjoy your weekend.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:58

You too.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:59

Bye.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:59

Bye.

Meetup rescheduled to March 23rd in Addison

SPEAKER_05 1:08:00

Another great episode about design. And that was actually a really good episode. I learned a lot. That thing about the kid coffee tables. I was like, dang, that's I gotta get. I actually I have a unit that's down right now, and I'm thinking about redesigning it while it's down.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:13

So I've seen a long time ago, I've seen a kid run right into like a coffee table with split their eye wide open, right? Right over their eye. Not that it got in their eye, but it was close and a big old gush. So yeah, it's um you don't want that. So start putting some rounded stuff around there.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:29

I'm happy we brought that up. Uh, about the you know, being able to do direct bookings with it as well and branding your unit with your design. That is huge. I love that. Um, but yeah, man. Um, Stevie Stacks, man, we are oh, by the way, it's a great time to promote. We uh canceled our we had to reschedule our uh meetup. So everyone in Dallas, our meetups move to what day? The 23rd.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:54

26th, 33rd, 23rd, 23rd. 23rd, 23rd.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:58

Yeah, come out to VentureX on the 23rd in Addison. Um, yeah, let me check my calendar too. It's the 23rd. It's 23rd. Uh so I just checked it on the 23rd, come out to Addison, uh, hang out with us. We're gonna be talking about um not only if things do get banned. Steve got a good message of positivity that things won't get banned, but if they do, we gotta have backup plans in place. So we're gonna be talking about, you know, uh how to still survive if things do come to you know fruition where they get banned. You know, the people in Plano do be looking out. We're gonna touch a little bit about Plano, but mainly how to survive, how to start going after midterm, changing your business strategy. Um, and then we can just hear from the locals, see how everyone's doing and holding up. And um, yeah, we'll also talk about the Airbnb bus thing, the no cleaning fee thing. Um it'll be fun to meet you guys and the people that follow us and have came before. Good to see you guys again because it's been a while since we did a meetup, right?

SPEAKER_04 1:09:54

It's been a minute, man. So the 23rd is Thursday. Yes, it is the 23rd.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:58

Yeah, March 23rd.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:59

March 23rd, baby.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:00

Yeah, we'll hope to see y'all there. And uh, Steve, where can they find us? Uh online. Yeah, that's the simple answer. You can find us online or find us at Livelet Thrive on Instagram, TikTok. Send us the email, livelethrive at gmail.com. Make sure to click the subscribe button below if you're listening on YouTube, if you listen on the podcast, definitely hit the uh subscribe button and make sure you leave us a good positive review. Uh, you know, we l Steve says we keep it real, so uh, you know, go ahead, Steve.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:32

We keep it real, real, man. Uh Argus Rentals, A-R-G-E-S-D-Rentals.com. Um, Micah ShareBnb.com, right? Share BNB. Yes, sir. Yeah, find us, find us out there, say hi. Uh, just get a chit chat, you know, get some get some free info and then we'll charge you. Uh you know, we're all family here. We appreciate y'all following us for all these years, man. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:54

Yeah, for real, for real, man. Been six years. Let's keep it going, man. Thank y'all for continuing to follow us. And LLT is out.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:02

Peace.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:03

Later.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:04

Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of Live Let Thrive. Be sure to tune in next week for all the latest in the world of Airbnb and all that entails. Bye-bye.