Advertise on podcast: Unlocked by Matt Landau

What if the next level of your business begins with a simple question: What do I actually want? Matt Landau sits down with Clair Stoddard, co-owner of Cascade Vacation Rentals, to reflect on an unconventional leadership retreat along Minnesota's North Shore. Through hiking, sailing, and honest conversation, they explore how stepping outside the usual business setting can unlock creativity, vulnerability, and deeper connections. Clair shares how nature shapes her leadership, why not everything meaningful can be measured by ROI, and what it means to become more visionary in an increasingly AI-driven world.

What happens when the thing you built no longer feels aligned with where you're meant to go? In this episode, Matt sits down with Rena Pacheco-Theard, CEO & Co-Founder of Boutiq, for an honest conversation about transformation, calculated risk, and the difficult decisions that come with growth. After years balancing technology, property management, and relentless entrepreneurship, Rena found herself asking a deceptively simple question: Is the juice worth the squeeze? Together, they explore what it means to let go of a successful chapter in order to create space for the next one. Navigating uncertainty, trusting intuition over external validation, and redefining leadership in a world increasingly shaped by AI, rapid change, and human complexity. From career pivots and ethical business building to community, motherhood, mentorship, and the search for meaningful impact, this conversation dives into what success really looks like when you stop measuring it by growth alone. Because sometimes the next level isn't doing more. It's getting honest about what's actually worth building.

In this episode, Chris Hynes, Co-Founder and CTO of OwnerRez, joins Matt Landau for a wide-ranging conversation on public speaking, self-discovery, leadership, and the human side of AI. From Toastmasters lessons and storytelling breakthroughs to leading engineering teams through uncertainty, Chris shares how creativity, emotional awareness, and repetition shape both personal growth and company culture. Together, they explore how AI is accelerating innovation in the vacation rental industry while also pushing leaders to reconnect with their voice, values, and sense of purpose.

A thoughtful conversation between Ryan Casey, CTO & Principal of Lighthouse Vacations, and Matt Landau on navigating the tension between fear and opportunity in the age of AI, through the lens of hospitality, leadership, and purpose. From unpacking public skepticism around AI to practical, real-world applications inside a vacation rental business, Ryan shares a grounded perspective: don't chase hype.. start with your mission. The discussion explores how technology should enhance, not replace, what makes hospitality meaningful, highlighting concepts like "front porch hospitality," small vs. big AI bets, and why authenticity is the real competitive advantage. The episode takes a powerful turn into purpose-driven business, as Ryan shares the story behind Lighthouse Vacations and their deeper mission supporting foster families. Reminding us that the most important innovations aren't just technical, but human. This is not a conversation about AI tools. It's about using technology to become more human, not less. Learn more about their impact initiative: Lighthouse Cares | Lighthouse Vacations

A conversation between Matt Landau and Clair Stoddard, co-owner of Cascade Vacation Rentals, on the power of stepping into the unknown—where growth, leadership, and authenticity truly begin. From career-defining leaps of faith to redefining "failure" as a pathway to opportunity, Clair shares how embracing uncertainty shaped her journey from hospitality operator to co-owner. Together, they explore how nature, human connection, and curiosity can ground us in an increasingly automated world—and why the most powerful leadership skill today may be the willingness to not have all the answers. This episode dives into building businesses that scale without losing their soul, the importance of real human relationships in the age of AI, and how small, courageous decisions can unlock entirely new paths.

A conversation between Jack Zoppa, CEO of Haven Vacation Rentals, and Matt Landau on turning AI experiments into real business advantage—where agents, automation, and clear vision unlock scale, while human connection remains the true differentiator. Reach out to Matt directly: [email protected]

A conversation between Alex Zemianek, a full-time dad, husband, and owner of JZ Properties and JZ Vacation Rentals, and Matt Landau on navigating the uncertainty of AI while staying grounded in what matters most: family, purpose, and authentic leadership in business. From raising kids in a rapidly changing world to building a values-driven vacation rental company, Alex shares a refreshing perspective on using technology not out of fear—but as a tool to enhance human connection, hospitality, and meaningful impact. Reach out to Matt directly: [email protected]

A conversation between Ryan Rabideau and Matt Landau on standing at the edge of a new paradigm: where AI reshapes how we work, create, and lead, and invites us to rediscover what it means to be human in business. Reach out to Matt directly: [email protected] How Haven Vacation Rentals Hit 90 Percent Automation and Got Airbnb Knocking on Their Door (2026 Update). Read it here.

We're in between seasons of Unlocked, which means something new must be brewing! In this episode, Matt shares details about his new business creative community Here Goes Nothin. You can sign up at www.heregoesnothin.com and learn more about the upcoming retreat at www.heregoesnothin.com/costarica.

This episode features Pamela Quinn, the Chief Experience Officer at LakeDays.Rentals. Pamela and Matt talk about purpose and vision, and how to align your team with them. They talk about how to get things done and the role of creativity in the process. This episode is brought to you in partnership with OwnerRez, www.ownerrez.com, a property management software that covers small homeowners and large PMs alike. If you would like to join Matt, and over 1200 of the most creative Vacation Rental operators in the world, head over to community.vrmb.com.

This episode features Dixie Taylor, Director of Operations at Current Tides Vacation Rentals in Alabama. This episode discusses the significant leap Dixie took when she left her old "gig". The episode emphasizes recognizing when to step into the unknown, into something new ... This episode is brought to you in partnership with OwnerRez, www.ownerrez.com, a property management software that covers small homeowners and large PMs alike. If you would like to join Matt, and over 1200 of the most creative Vacation Rental operators in the world, head over to community.vrmb.com.

This episode features Paul Waldschmidt, the co-founder and CEO of OwnerRez, a property management software that serves both small homeowners and large property managers. OwnerRez is also the sponsor of this season of Unlocked. Paul and his team were part of the reason Matt decided to create this 12th season of Unlocked. In this episode, Paul and Matt talk about the OwnerRez retreat in the Dominican Republic back in 2023, where they, along with the OwnerRez team, started working on completing the employee manual. However, the retreat became much more than just completing it. If you are interested in learning more about OwnerRez, visit www.ownerrez.com. If you would like to join Matt and over 1200 of the most creative vacation rental operators in the world, head over to community.vrmb.com.

This episode features Sean Breuner, the founder and CEO of AvantStay. Today's interview focuses on innovation and includes discussions about intuition and risk-taking. Necessities that are needed to create and differentiate in the Vacation Rental Industry as we know it.  This episode is brought to you in partnership with OwnerRez, www.ownerrez.com, a property management software that covers small homeowners and large PMs alike.  If you would like to join Matt, and over 1200 of the most creative Vacation Rental operators in the world, head over to community.vrmb.com.

This episode features Julie Marks, who is the co-owner of Homestead Hospitality and the Founder & Executive Director of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance. This episode is marked as one of Matt's favorite interviews to date. Matt and Julie talk about advocacy, helping, and connecting with people, which comes with a challenge: drawing boundaries. This interview is all about re-evaluating priorities in your life and business... This episode is brought to you in partnership with OwnerRez, www.ownerrez.com, a property management software that covers small homeowners and large PMs alike.  If you would like to join Matt, and over 1200 of the most creative Vacation Rental operators in the world, head over to community.vrmb.com.

Today's episode features Henrik Kjellberg, CEO of Awaze. In this conversation, Henrik and Matt dive into "the new world". A world that requires adapting to change in more than just the Vacation Rental Industry, which is interesting but can be scary... Henrik shares his take on innovation and creativity and how discipline, consistency, and leadership contribute towards growth in a constantly changing industry. This episode is brought to you in partnership with OwnerRez, www.ownerrez.com, a property management software that covers small homeowners and large PMs alike.  If you would like to join Matt, and over 1200 of the most creative Vacation Rental operators in the world, head over to community.vrmb.com.