How to Become a Co-Host: Best Practices for Scaling Your Business
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Recently, Jeremy Rosen of FiveStar Vacation Home Rentals and Megan Blount, founder of Hosted Havens, hosted a webinar featuring a practical, experience-driven conversation about co-hosting short-term rentals.
Between them, they manage nearly 100 short-term and midterm rental properties in the San Antonio market and shared what it actually takes to move from hosting a few listings to operating a professional co-hosting business.
Defining the Professional Co-Host
Both Megan and Jeremy emphasize that co-hosting exists on a wide spectrum. At one end, a co-host may handle a single task such as guest messaging or coordinating cleanings. At the professional level, co-hosts provide full-service management, handling every aspect of the operation from guest communication and pricing to maintenance emergencies and owner reporting.
In a true professional model, property owners are largely hands-off. Their role is limited to periodic financial updates or major decisions, while the co-host manages the day-to-day responsibility of running a hospitality business.
They also note that management structures can differ. Some firms prefer to own the listing itself for operational control, while others allow owners to retain listing ownership so reviews and data stay with the property if the relationship ends.
The Shift from Day-to-Day Host to Business Operator
A major distinction between standard hosts and professional co-hosts is how they manage time, stress, and decision-making. New operators often become the bottleneck for every question and task, which leads to burnout once a portfolio grows beyond a handful of properties.
Professional co-hosts deliberately move into a manager or CEO role. They focus on building systems, documenting processes, and delegating execution to a trained team. This shift allows the business to scale without sacrificing service quality or personal sanity.
Calm, consistent decision-making is critical at scale. Professionalism is not about avoiding problems, but about responding to multiple issues at once without creating chaos for guests or owners.
Critical Skills and Mindsets
Megan and Jeremy stress that professional co-hosting requires far more than knowing how to use an app. Key skills and mindsets include:
Hospitality first: Treating co-hosting as a service business, not a side hustle
A+ effort with calm execution: Remaining steady under pressure when multiple issues arise at once
Who not how thinking: Scaling by delegating to the right people rather than trying to do everything personally
Avoiding shiny object syndrome: Resisting unnecessary software, fancy websites, or tools that distract from core service delivery
Core Systems That Enable Scale
Both speakers agree that growth without systems quickly becomes unmanageable. Several tools and structures are essential once a portfolio expands beyond one or two properties.
Property management software (PMS) is the foundation. Tools such as Hospitable are often sufficient for early scaling, while more robust platforms like OwnerRez are better suited for large, high-volume portfolios managing listings across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com.
Pricing and data tools support revenue performance:
Price Labs for dynamic pricing
AirDNA for market data and performance benchmarking
Operational and maintenance systems prevent bottlenecks:
Breezeway for scheduling housekeeping, inspections, and maintenance
A reliable, fast, and trustworthy local maintenance team to handle ongoing issues
Documentation and SOPs are essential for delegation and growth. Any task performed more than once should be written down and stored in a shared digital system such as Google Drive or Notion. This allows work to be handed off cleanly to virtual assistants or on-site team members and prevents the owner from becoming the default problem-solver.
Growth Through Focus and Clear Boundaries
Rather than taking on every possible property, professional co-hosts are intentional about who they serve. Clear niches make it easier to deliver consistent results at scale.
FiveStar Vacation Home Rentals focuses on larger, high-amenity homes designed as destination properties, while Hosted Havens specializes in modest, well-maintained homes serving midterm corporate and insurance guests. Each model works because it aligns systems, pricing, and service expectations around a clearly defined guest and owner profile.
Megan and Jeremy emphasize that professional co-hosting is not about saving owners time. It is about reducing stress and risk through informed decision-making, reliable systems, and consistent service delivery.
Advice for Aspiring Co-Hosts
For hosts considering their first co-hosting opportunity, the speakers recommend investing in education before making a pitch. Learning from experienced operators, industry podcasts (including Short-Term Rental Secrets), books by Avery Carl or Daniel Rustin, and local associations helps new co-hosts avoid costly mistakes and build a repeatable blueprint for success.
Engaging with professional communities such as the Short-Term Rental Association of San Antonio gives aspiring co-hosts access to real-world insights and proven frameworks, allowing them to grow based on shared experience rather than trial and error.
Watch the full webinar here.
Contact Megan at megan@hostedhavens.co; website www.hostedhavens.co
Contact Jeremy at jeremy@fivestarvacationhomerentals.com; websites https://www.fivestarvacationhomerentals.com
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