Most investors think they're building a business, but they're actually building themselves a job. The truth? If you died tomorrow, your "business" would die with you.

A real estate investor who scaled from 80-hour weeks to just 4 hours per month reveals the exact automation framework that freed him—and how to apply it to any real estate asset, including hotels.

Mark Podolsky built a multi-million dollar land flipping operation, lost 50% of it in 2008, then rebuilt it into a passive income machine that runs without him. His approach isn't about working harder—it's about systematizing smarter.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The 3-step system to automate ANY real estate process: Do it, Document it, Delegate it
• How to systemize direct-to-owner outreach for boutique hotels (instead of competing on broker listings)
• How to lock up deals with minimal capital and flip them to other investors (the arbitrage model)
• How to use inexpensive virtual assistants to handle repetitive acquisition tasks
• Why the biggest mistake new investors make isn't about the property—it's about their calendar
• The "brick your phone" strategy that helped Mark reclaim focus and family time

The real question isn't whether you can find deals. It's whether you can build a business that doesn't require you to do everything yourself. This episode shows you the framework to buy back your time while building real wealth.

About Mark Podolsky

Mark Podolsky, widely known as "The Land Geek," is a former investment banker turned land investor who has completed over 6,000 unique raw land transactions since 2001. As the author of Dirt Rich and host of The Art of Passive Income podcast, he teaches investors how to acquire distressed land for pennies on the dollar to generate passive income without the headaches of "tenants, toilets, and termites". Through his coaching platforms and automation software like GeekPay.io, Mark empowers entrepreneurs to build scalable, recession-resilient businesses that break the cycle of solo economic dependency.

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Most hotel owners think the only way to reduce OTA dependency is to throw more money at Facebook ads or hire expensive marketing agencies. But the real solution isn't more budget, it's leveraging what you already have: authentic stories and staff who actually care about the guest experience.

A hospitality marketing veteran who's advised VCs and built a 1.6 million social following reveals the direct booking playbook that independent hotels are using to reclaim revenue from OTAs. Scott Eddy has spoken at hundreds of conferences worldwide, doing the unexpected: giving away strategies that agencies charge thousands for.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why rolling out the red carpet for OTA guests (instead of alienating them) converts 30%+ into direct bookers
• The exact content categories that drive bookings and why shaky iPhone footage outperforms polished videos
• How to make your front desk staff into content superstars without hiring an expensive agency
• The one Instagram metric (hint: it's not followers) that actually predicts revenue
• Why "saves" and "comments" matter 10x more than likes for direct bookings
• The AI-discoverable scripting framework that's replacing traditional SEO for hotel discovery
• How long-form storytelling videos outperform short-form for brand discoverability (despite what Instagram tells you)
• The fatal mistake 80% of hotels make: posting beautiful property photos with promo text overlays that actively repel guests

If you're serious about reducing OTA dependency and building a direct booking engine without a massive marketing budget, this episode will provide the roadmap. Don't make the expensive mistake of outsourcing what your in-house team can do better.

About Scott Eddy

Scott Eddy is a globally recognized hospitality brand strategist and digital pioneer who transitioned from a decade in investment banking to founding the first and largest digital agency in Southeast Asia. With a combined following of over 1.2 million, Scott has hosted the travel series Video Globetrotter on Lifetime Television and is consistently ranked among the top 15 hospitality influencers in the world. He now travels full-time as a consultant and keynote speaker, helping hotel brands convert authentic storytelling into measurable ROI while championing the "independent advantage" through raw, human-centered digital engagement. A genuine citizen of the world, Scott lives entirely out of hotels and cruise ships, leveraging his experiences in 85+ countries and 120+ cruises to provide a unique "perpetual guest" perspective on the evolving travel landscape.

Connect with Scott Eddy

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Follow Scott on Instagram or visit his Website.

Learn how to use AI to underwrite faster, streamline operations, automate the busy work, and make better decisions. Start your 7-day free trial of the AI for CRE Collective here.

Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram

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Most first-time motel buyers don't lose money on the purchase price. They lose it by underestimating CapEx, guessing on underwriting, and assuming they can "market" their way to higher occupancy. That's how people get smoked.

In this episode, you'll learn a simple, real-world way to sanity-check a value-add motel deal, including what "light reno" actually costs per key and which levers really move ADR.

My guest is Jordan Malara, an ex-Space Force engineer who went from managing short-term rentals to building a 60+ key hotel portfolio in just a few years. He's breaking down his first deal: a 27-key motel he bought for $2.45M with $500K in renovations, using SBA 7(a) and seller financing.

What you'll learn:

• Why "$20K per key" is a better starting point than your optimistic spreadsheet number
• The hidden CapEx that blows budgets: sprinklers, fire systems, laundry equipment, and code compliance work
• Jordan's 60% expense ratio sanity check, and why occupancy lifts are way harder than you think
• How he structured SBA 7(a) + seller financing in second position (and what made the seller say yes)
• The upgrades that paid back fastest: amenities, lobby experience, and staff, not bathrooms
• How he outsources revenue management and bookkeeping globally without bloating payroll

If you got value from this episode, share it with one friend who wants to buy a hotel. And if you want to talk through a deal, email me at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com.

About Jordan

Jordan Malara is a former U.S. Space Force engineer turned hospitality entrepreneur who transitioned from managing satellite operations to building a high-performing portfolio of boutique hotels. Previously the Director of Operations for Renjoy, where he oversaw 180+ short-term rentals, Jordan co-founded Springs Hospitality to apply engineering-level systems to the revitalization of undervalued assets like the Adventure Inn Durango. He specializes in leveraging creative financing and narrative-driven branding to transform distressed properties into thriving community hubs, teaching investors how to scale from residential units to commercial hospitality with operational discipline.

Connect with Jordan

Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn.

Follow Jordan on Instagram or visit their Website.

Learn how to use AI to underwrite faster, streamline operations, automate the busy work, and make better decisions. Start your 7-day free trial of the AI for CRE Collective here.

Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram

Invest with Malama Capital

Submit a deal