THE FREE
ACADEMY FOR
INDEPENDENT HOSTS

Learn, grow and connect through education, community,
and real-world insights – by hosts, for hosts.

Learn at your own pace

Three steps. One certificate.

Image

Log in to the Academy

Create your free account or sign in. Free to join, built for independent hosts.

Image

Enroll in your courses

Choose from expert-led courses on hosting strategy, Lodgify, and growing your business.

Image

Earn your certificate

Complete a course and receive a certificate that proves your expertise as a host.

THE INDEPENDENT HOST ACADEMY

Learn How to Build and Grow a Real Hosting Business

Free, expert-led courses designed to help you build your first short-term rental and grow through direct bookings – plus practical lessons on pricing, guest experience, automation, and more.
  Expert-Led Lessons
  Self-Paced Learning
  Industry Resources
Lesson series

Enroll into our First Course With Hospitality Expert Katie Cline

Discover how to elevate your short-term rental into a hospitality-driven brand. Learn to host with intention, design unforgettable guest journeys, and build an STR business that feels both meaningful and scalable.
Write your awesome label here.

Courses 

Lesson series

Learn from the
Boldest Hosts and Master Your Vacation Rental Business

Free, inspiring, and expert-led sessions from last year's Independent Host Summit designed to help hosts start and scale their vacation rental businesses – plus bold stories, practical strategies, smart tools, and actionable tips to take control of your hosting journey.
Write your awesome label here.

MASTERING LODGIFY

Master Your Lodgify Setup and Maximize Direct Bookings

Step-by-step courses that help you unlock the full potential of Lodgify.
 Step-by-Step Tutorials
 Lodgify Video Walkthrough
  Platform Best Practices

OUR EXPERTS

Hospitality expert | podcast host | str host

Katie Cline

Katie Cline owns three vacation rentals in upstate New York: Trout Landing, Gallant Fox, and The Lazy Oar; and hosts two podcasts: Skift's Suite Success and Second Home First.

An award-winning publicist, she has led communications for The Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, and St. Regis.

Katie is also a sought-after speaker and contributor for Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Yahoo!, MSN, and The Everymom.
Empty space, drag to resize

OUR EXPERTS

FOUNDER OF MBX HOMES

MERCEDES SÁNCHEZ

Mercedes Sánchez is the founder of MBX Homes, a hospitality-driven short- and mid-term rental management company in Los Angeles.

With a background in luxury hospitality and real estate, she has grown MBX Homes into a premier firm managing over 80 properties and a boutique motel.

The company delivers strong returns for owners while leveraging its portfolio for large-scale productions.
Empty space, drag to resize

OUR EXPERTS

HOLIDAY COTTAGE MARKETING EXPERT | STR HOST

KATIE BESSANT

Katie Bessant is a holiday rental marketing expert who offers coaching and online training programmes to help hosts and tourism businesses improve their digital presence and increase bookings.

With extensive experience in the industry, she has worked with one of the UK’s largest holiday cottage agencies and specialises in helping clients grow their online visibility.

Having grown up in a tourism-driven town in South Devon, and as a Superhost herself, Katie combines hands-on experience with a passion for helping others succeed.
Empty space, drag to resize

OUR EXPERTS

Co-Founders Erin and heather

PINK WALL DESIGNS

Meet Erin and Heather, the co-founders of Pink Wall Designs, a hospitality interior design studio working with clients across North America. Before joining forces, they built their own investment portfolios, taking on everything from renovations to launching high-performing short-term rentals.

Their shared passion for design, combined with hands-on experience as investors, led them to create a business focused on helping hosts bring standout, revenue-generating spaces to life.

Today, Pink Wall Designs specializes in experiential Airbnbs and hospitality spaces, blending creative vision with strategy to design memorable properties that drive bookings and maximize returns.
Empty space, drag to resize

OUR EXPERTS

STR owner | str Operator 

NICOLA CHEAH

Meet Nicola Cheah, a real estate investor and hospitality entrepreneur based in Vancouver. Before building her business, she spent nearly a decade growing her own portfolio from scratch, using creative financing, house hacking, and short-term rentals to acquire properties and create financial freedom.

Her hands-on experience as both an investor and operator, combined with a passion for hospitality, led her to focus on helping others navigate and succeed in an evolving industry.

Today, Nicola specializes in creating profitable, guest-focused hospitality experiences, blending investment strategy, operational expertise, and thoughtful design to help property owners build memorable spaces that maximize performance and long-term returns.
Empty space, drag to resize