Description

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with George Salas, Founder of Empress Capital, to discuss what it really takes to build a scalable short-term rental business.

George shares his incredible journey from immigrating to the United States with almost nothing, to starting with rental arbitrage, surviving the challenges of COVID, and building a vertically integrated hospitality company focused on experiential short-term rentals, boutique hotels, and institutional-quality operations.

You'll learn:

• How to think beyond buying individual Airbnbs
• Why unit-level economics are critical for long-term success
• The systems and financial tracking every STR investor should have
• How George evaluates deals, manages seasonality, and scales operations
• Why execution—not just acquisitions—is the key to building enterprise value
• The mindset shifts that helped him grow from operator to CEO

Whether you're buying your first STR or building a large portfolio, this conversation is packed with practical insights on scaling smarter, operating more efficiently, and creating a business built to last.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another STR investor looking to take their business to the next level.