In this episode, Taylor sits down with Zach Busekrus, growth marketer and co-founder of Journey, a game-changing loyalty platform designed for STR operators and independent boutique hotels. Zach shares how his winding path from higher ed marketing and podcasting to nomadic Airbnb living during COVID ultimately led to Journey: a mission-driven platform curating “stays with soul” and giving operators a powerful new way to increase repeat bookings, monetize guest loyalty, and gather data, all without giving 15–30% to the OTAs.
You’ll learn:
- How Zach turned a side project newsletter into a startup acquisition
- The behind-the-scenes story of Journey’s creation and its big-name backers
- Why loyalty programs work and why most independent hosts haven’t had access to them
- How Journey helps guests earn and redeem points across a curated network of high-quality stays
- Why operators benefit from better guest insights, brand credibility, and additional revenue streams
- What it really takes to get early adopter traction in the hospitality space
- Journey’s vision for becoming the “soulful” alternative to chain hotel loyalty systems
Whether you're managing four vacation rentals in Joshua Tree or scaling a boutique hospitality brand, this episode is packed with strategic insights on how to turn direct bookings and guest loyalty into real growth, without relying solely on Instagram or the OTAs.
Apply to the Journey Alliance: alliance.journey.com
Download the app or learn more at: journey.com
Contact Zach: zach@journey.com
Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search
STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 255 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com
