STR Leaders Unite Behind New Operator Education as the Industry Professionalizes

10/6/2026

The STR Academy has launched to address a growing education gap as the short-term rental industry becomes more professionalized. Created by industry veteran Simon Lehmann, the online program offers nine modules and more than 10 hours of training designed to help property managers overseeing 30–200 units transition from managing properties to running scalable businesses. The Academy is supported by industry partners Beyond, Guesty, Pikl, and Breezeway, which will contribute educational content for their customer bases. Seven industry leaders, including HomeAway cofounder Carl Shepherd, are founding ambassadors. The self-paced program includes practical tools and launched during VRMA 26 in Nashville.

VRM intel (10/05/26)