Vintory Launches Comparent, One-of-a-Kind Directory of Trusted Vacation Rental Managers 

Key Takeaways for Vacation Rental Managers:

• Vintory, a platform designed to help Vacation Rental Managers recruit new homeowners and add more properties, has launched Comparent, a directory of professional vacation rental managers across the US.
• Comparent allows homeowners to compare and find trustworthy vacation rental managers for their properties.
• Vacation rental managers can receive homeowner leads through Comparent to grow their inventory.
• Comparent currently features over 5,000 VRMs, making it the largest and most comprehensive assembly of VRMs on one site.
• Vacation rental managers can currently register their listing for free on Comparent.

About Vintory:

• Vintory is a company dedicated to helping vacation rental managers expand their inventory, focused on accelerating business growth by adding more properties, rather than solely concentrating on revenue management.
• Vintory utilizes data from multiple sources to generate lists of qualified leads for property managers. Through a range of marketing channels and services, including direct mail and social media retargeting, they enable managers to reach out to these leads to establish connections and opportunities.
• The company also has a CRM and sales & marketing automation platform. This productized service enables property managers to manage leads, automate sales processes, and enhance their marketing efforts.

Uvika’s View:

• Comparent might well be the first of its kind, providing homeowners with a convenient marketplace to seek out reliable property managers for their valuable investments.
• It allows homeowners to compare a diverse array of property managers, providing the information needed to make informed choices. 
• This newfound transparency not only facilitates better decision-making but also introduces a healthy dose of competition among property managers. The result is a win-win situation – homeowners are better served, and property managers are encouraged to continually improve their services.
• Vintory’s holistic and highly effective marketing engine places it in a unique position to expand the reach of Comparent. By leveraging its expertise in lead generation and marketing, Vintory can encourage more property managers to list their services on Comparent. The success of a directory like Comparent hinges on the number of choices it can offer homeowners.

Risk Management Solutions Innovator Superhog Raises £5.5m 

Key Takeaways for Vacation Rental Managers:

• Superhog, a risk management solution for the vacation rental industry, has raised £5.5m in a Series A fundraise.
• Superhog’s solutions provide risk management for hosts, property managers, and OTAs enabling them to verify the identity of their guests, protect against potential damages, and ensure a secure and hassle-free rental experience.
• The funding round was led by 6 Degrees Capital, Hambro Perks, and Solano Partners.
• This investment will enable Superhog to grow their product and engineering teams, hire senior operations staff, and establish international hubs in the US and Australia.
• Superhog plans to invest in technology advancements, expand its market presence globally, and grow its team.
• The funding round signifies confidence in Superhog’s mission to enhance safety and security in the short-term rental industry.

About SUPERHOG:

• Superhog was founded in 2016 by two hosts to leverage technology in order to provide comprehensive solutions that effectively minimize risk for OTAs, Property Managers, Hosts, and Guests.
• Their flagship product is Know Your Guest, an all-in-one risk management platform for short-term rentals, that offers a range of features including Guest Screening, ID Capture, Damage Waiver, Damage Deposit, and Damage Protection Plan.
• The company has over 800 Property Management Companies worldwide as clients and has achieved over £5m in ARR.

Uvika’s View: 

• Superhog’s emergence and ongoing growth represent a significant and necessary response to the very real trust and safety issues plaguing the short-term rental industry. In this domain, there are three major risks at play: the risk of a bad guest, the risk of a bad host, and the risk of a bad property.
• While large booking platforms have made efforts to enhance security measures, there is still a significant amount of work to be done in ensuring the utmost safety for all stakeholders involved. Airbnb, for instance, has doubled down on improving its security practices to mitigate issues related to fraudulent listings and problematic guests. 
• This issue becomes even more acute for short-term rental operators who rely on attracting direct bookings, as these risks are magnified without the protective shield of a major platform. This is where Superhog steps in.
• Recently, the company partnered with Dtravel Direct, a direct booking website builder, allowing its users to integrate their flagship product, Know Your Guest, into their booking processes.
• The recent funding round will play a pivotal role in further strengthening the Superhog ecosystem.

Boostly Announces the Appointment of Laura Powner as its New Managing Director

Key Takeaways for Vacation Rental Managers:

• Book Direct advocate and solutions provider Boostly has announced the appointment of Laura Powner as its new Managing Director. Powner, a Chartered Accountant and Fractional CFO, will lead the company’s next phase of growth.
• This news comes as Boostly prepares for its next phase of growth and sets its sights on doubling its revenue.
• Since joining Boostly last year as Finance Director, Powner has helped increase revenues five-fold.
• As Managing Director, Powner will focus on re-organizing the team, improving customer service, communications, and solutions for short-term rental property managers and hospitality businesses.

About Boostly:

• Boostly provides direct booking website design, online training, content creation, and marketing services to property owners and managers worldwide.
• The company aims to deliver the best training, tactics, and tools in the industry to help property managers reduce reliance on OTAs.

Uvika’s View: 

• Powner’s background as a Chartered Accountant and Fractional CFO brings a strong financial and strategic perspective to her role. This financial acumen can be crucial in managing Boostly’s growth and profitability.
• Under Powner’s leadership as Finance Director, Boostly experienced a five-fold increase in revenues. Her appointment as Managing Director signals the company’s commitment to sustaining and accelerating this remarkable growth trajectory.