This week, we are excited to feature Justus Smith, an OwnerRez user for over five years and the person behind Ozark Stays. With strong systems in place, Justus has built a portfolio of 15 listings in the Ozarks, driven by his passion for bringing tourism to a beautiful, lesser-known part of the region.

Can you tell us a little bit about your history?

Ozark Stays was born from just a couple of hosts who operated in the same area, brainstorming about how we could bring additional tourism to our area. The Spring River region of the Ozarks posed good investment potential for people starting out in the STR industry, with lower-cost vacation homes and great proximity to a popular spot for rainbow trout fishing and rafting.

What is your background?

I am a data engineer and software integration specialist by trade. This aligned nicely with my ability to self-teach OwnerRez.

Were you always in vacation rentals or property management? If not, what did you do before?

I have several pursuits, including VR management. One of my pursuits actually involves OwnerRez, as I am one of the OwnerRez Certified Advisors and consult with new OwnerRez users to help them get integrated and connected to useful 3rd-party applications. So it is a happy marriage between my career as a data engineer and hospitality.

Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located, or did you move there later?

My business partner is a born-and-bred local, whereas I am a regional neighbor. But we both have a love and passion for bringing tourism to our corner of the Ozarks.

If later, is there something that drew you to that area?

I was drawn to the area by its wonderful natural beauty and outdoor pursuits such as fishing and whitewater kayaking.

What do you love most about the vacation rental business?

I love getting to be a part of people's family trips and their memories. Guests so often share great, heartwarming stories about why they're visiting and how much fun they had. And that is so rewarding to me: getting to help shape positive, memorable experiences.

What do you dislike the most about it?

Sometimes there can be difficult customers that cause a good bit of stress, but that's with any industry. You just have to dust yourself off and move on.

How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?

I use OwnerRez to automate my logistical processes as much as possible. This frees up my time for higher-level business pursuits and prevents having to hire an admin assistant at a lower scale. I also utilize the PM module to keep track of earnings for Owners and to send them polished Owner Statements.

What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?

I'd say above all, it is the Channel Management. Being able to have a central calendar that you can tie other technology into and broadcast across nearly unlimited channels is an absolute game-changer.

Justus has built a strong, efficient business in the Ozarks by combining his technical background with a passion for hospitality. We look forward to seeing Ozark Stays continue to grow.