Keynotes by Casago

Speaker: Welcome to Keynotes, a
podcast just for Casago homeowners.

This is where we explore how to get
the most out of your relationship with

Casago, learn tips and tricks on how
to make more income with your property,

and learn a little bit about the short
term rental industry along the way.

I've been a vacation rental nerd since
my twenties, and the team has finally

let me have this podcast so I can
share everything I've learned with you.

I'm your host, Steve Schwab,
and this is Keynotes.

Thanks for watching.

Hey, welcome to Keynotes.

I'm your host, Steve Schwab.

Today, we're with Andrea and
Cassandra from South Padre.

Welcome to the show.

Speaker 2: Thank you so
much for having us, Steve.

Yes, thank you for having us, Steve.

Speaker: So, you guys started
in the vacation rental industry

well before you were with Casago.

You guys have been doing a lot of
interesting things to include accounting,

And tech, property tech in the industry.

Can you tell me a little bit about that?

Speaker 2: Sure.

So I started working for
Streamline Vacation Rental

Software about eight years ago.

And that's where I started in
the vacation rental industry.

Currently the development manager there.

So I oversee a lot of the
new features, projects, and

oversee that entire department.

Um, so that was kind of my
introduction, uh, into the industry

before I started managing properties.

Yeah.

And how about

Speaker 3: you, Cassandra?

Before managing properties, I've
always been in a manager position.

I managed a wellness
center for a few years.

And then I decided that I wanted to join
Andrea in onboarding within Streamline.

Yeah.

And that's how I got my start knowing the
system and learning how to set up systems

and just kind of give people a head start
in learning how to Streamline works.

And

Speaker: off you went.

Speaker 3: And off I went.

Speaker 2: And then shortly after
that she had her accounting company.

Yeah.

Versa Services, about

Speaker 3: four years now?

It's about four years now.

Yep.

Four years

Speaker 2: she's had that,
supporting streamlined clients

in the accounting front.

Speaker: Yeah.

I mean it's kind of great because not
only are you property managers here

with Casaco, but you're also so well
versed in so many different parts of the

industry, whether it be tech, and all the
different parts of tech you played, and.

Accounting, which is one of
the hardest things there is

for a lot of property managers.

So the internal talent set you guys
have at South Padre is really special.

Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it
definitely sets us apart from

probably most property managers.

Um, we definitely have a different
insight into property management

on many different levels.

On

Speaker 3: all fronts.

Speaker: So, tell me a little
bit about your background.

You guys are from New Mexico, like me.

Yes.

Andrew, we went to the same college.

Speaker 2: Mm

Speaker: hmm.

Sure did.

And, uh, you guys met there.

We did.

And you guys are partners not just
in business, but also in life.

Speaker 2: Yes, um, we have been
partners for about 23 years now.

We started in hospitality,
working in restaurants, and

actually, uh, many jobs together.

We worked in quite a few restaurants
together over the years, and, uh,

I think that's really where we, you
know, honed our skills and customer

service and taking care of people.

We did have a motorcycle gear and
apparel shop for a couple years.

We did that there, um, right
outside Las Cruces, New Mexico.

And then I got into property
management for 55 plus communities.

Speaker 3: Well, we moved to Phoenix.

Yes, that, that's

Speaker 2: That's when

Speaker 3: we made our move to Phoenix.

We actually moved because Andrea
got a job out there and that was our

first introduction to the vacation,
I guess the vacation rental.

Speaker 2: Yeah, there's a little
bit of short term there, but

it was some long term as well.

From there, when I went to Streamline,
Cassandra's Art Versus Services,

and we started managing our own
property in South Padre Island.

Back in 2020.

We moved out there and word of mouth.

We just started managing one property
after another Owners kept coming on

until I got a call from you Steve

Speaker: And off we went and
that's actually my next question.

So perfect segue.

How'd you guys end up
being part of the saga?

Speaker 2: So of course, as you know,
I was lucky enough to meet you in

2017 at my first streamlined summit.

So the streamlined annual
conference, uh, Carlos introduced us.

Um, so got to know you
through all those years.

And when you got wind, I
was managing properties.

You decided to, I guess, give
me a call and see if I wanted

to join the Casago family.

Speaker: Yeah.

And I'm really grateful you guys did.

What was one of the reasons that
you guys decided that maybe Kasaka

was a good choice for both you and
your homeowners as you came over?

Speaker 2: Sure, so I think when
Cassandra and I got off that call

with you, it took us about five
minutes to make the decision.

Because, you know, we're very familiar
with, you know You, your leadership,

your team, how knowledgeable they are.

And really, we didn't want to
try to figure it out on our own.

You know, we knew that take a lot longer.

I mean, it'd be a lot harder to
grow and we knew you already had the

processes in place and would already
be there to guide us and mentor us.

So it was, it was an easy decision.

Speaker: That makes me happy.

What are some of the philosophies you guys
employ around making sure you take care

of homeowners and guests to make sure that
they find really great satisfaction in

the property management that you offer?

Speaker 2: It's really
making them a priority.

I mean, for guests, We try
to treat them as if we were

hosting our friends and family.

Cassandra, she loves to host.

Like my mother says, the
hostess with the mostess.

You know, so, it was very easy I think for
that transition to do it professionally.

She's really great at that
and treating her guests.

You know, like they are friends or
family coming to visit and our owners,

it's also really treat them like family.

We're available after hours for them.

We have owners that when they
come down during the winter, we're

going to breakfast with them.

And it's really giving them that
extra attention and having those

close personal relationships.

Speaker: Yeah, yeah.

We have something inside of
CASAGO called Owner Centric.

And it's one of the principles that
we always talk about inside of CASAGO.

What does it mean to you guys?

Speaker 3: Going above and beyond for
your owners, making them feel like they're

the biggest priority, which they are.

And I guess one owner I could think
of, it was a new owner that we

acquired and she was recently widowed.

Speaker 2: Yes, and this, uh,
this owner was pretty lost.

Never done short term rentals before,
wanted to make some extra income.

And she didn't even know about
property insurance and property

taxes and even where to go.

So we really held her hand, gave
her guidance, gave her contacts, and

really did much more than what we just
did as a property manager for her.

And she is definitely
extremely grateful for that.

She'll text me in the evening
sometimes, or at night, and we text

back and forth, and, you know, like
Cassandra said, going above and beyond,

that really is being owner centric.

Speaker: Yeah.

You know, part of our Orange Credo
talks about building a relationship

that transcends business.

And I think you guys just demonstrated
that part of it specifically because

ensuring that we're there for our
homeowners, as you guys were in

ways that aren't monetized, but
because it's a relationship and it

builds these relationships where.

We get text messages that have
nothing to do with a property.

It's because we've built a
relationship with these homeowners.

Yeah.

And, uh, I think it's germane
to what we do at Pasago.

You guys, you know, really show that.

Speaker 2: And it's, uh, for, for us, I
know I think I can speak for both of us.

It's really fulfilling because
relationships, I think in general,

in our lives are very, very
important in those connections.

And so to have these connections with
their owners and to help them, especially

with their investments, you know, and,
and to help them make that money and have

that revenue and just kind of feel secure
and confident, it is very fulfilling.

Speaker: Yeah.

I'm going to go a little bit off
script here and ask you guys a

question about something that
I know is important to you all.

Environmental issues are dear
to your heart and we've had

conversations about that before.

Can you tell me a little bit about
that and maybe some of the practices

that you're doing to help the
environment and maybe why that's

important to homeowners as well?

Speaker 2: Sure, absolutely.

So there's, there's kind of two
parts here, people who actually care

about, you know, sustainability.

There's practices we put in place, like
we use bamboo toilet paper so that, you

know, it's less trees that are cut down
the same with our bamboo paper towels.

Our shampoo, conditioner, body
washes are post consumer recycled

material, and they're the larger
bottles that we keep refilling, so

we don't use single plastic at all.

We also try to promote Sea Turtle Inc.,
which is a non profit there in our area.

It's one of the largest sea
turtle rescues in the world.

So we promote them on our website.

We also give guests the option
to donate directly to them.

We push them to volunteer,
maybe for Sea Turtle Inc.

Now, Not only, of course, is this just
good for society and sustainability

for those purposes, but us being
more sustainable can actually attract

travelers where that's important to them.

So it can actually increase occupancy
and generate more revenue for our owners,

just by offering that and marketing that.

Speaker: Yeah.

I mean, it's an entire draw.

And I think there's even websites
that are specific just to, um,

Sustainable vacation homes.

Right.

Certainly our leaders in that.

It's really cool.

Yeah.

. When it comes to how you're owner
centric, how you've put them, you know,

at the center of your decisions that
really can show a homeowner like, hey,

when you think about signing up with
a property manager, think about Casago

because this is how we embody the types
of values, you know, business values that

you would want to be part of, you know,
a company that you want to be part of.

Speaker 2: You know, for some.

They have the money, you know, for
onboarding they have, but others don't.

So what we've decided to do
is do professional photos

at no cost to the owner.

And all we ask is that they
commit to us for at least 90 days.

Yeah.

Let it, let us get some
bookings in for them.

And we really try to lower
those onboarding costs for them.

Because for some, you know, this is an
investment for them, and I know they just,

they need that revenue coming in, and
they don't need a lot of upfront cost.

So that's something we try
to do for all of our owners.

There's sometimes minor
maintenance jobs, too.

We don't even pass on to them if it's
something my team can do quickly.

We're just gonna do it.

We're not gonna charge them for
every minute we're in there.

Speaker: Yeah.

You guys are so kind hearted and it
comes out both in your personal lives and

your professional lives and it's always
such a pleasure being around you guys.

If a homeowner wants to get
ahold of you to find out more

information, how would they do

Speaker 2: that?

So there's a couple ways.

Of course, they can email us
at info at destinationpadre.

com or they can just give us a
call directly at 956 410 2234.

That's perfect.

Speaker: All right guys.

Well, thank you so much for coming on.

Really appreciate y'all,
and we'll talk to you soon.

Speaker 2: Alright, thank you Steve.

Thanks Steve.