In the green room at Phocuswright with... Amiad Soto

Amiad Soto, Co-founder and CEO

Amiad Soto co-founded Guesty with his twin brother in 2013. The company has raised more than $60 million in funding since then and provides its platform to property managers in 70 countries.

In a series of interviews with executives participating at the event in Florida in November, PhocusWire finds out what makes them tick. Welcome to Amiad Soto of Guesty.

When was the last time you spoke to one of your customers, and why?

This morning I actually spoke to one of them on Whatsapp. In general, I speak to our customers all the time as this industry is about people and I care about our personal relationships with Guesty users. This means being available to them.

We also host Guestyval, our annual festival for vacation rental professionals, with the goal of having more face-to-face time with our valued customers in a setting that promotes networking and the sharing of industry insights.

What assumption about travelers have you found not to be true?

Travellers are not strictly “hotel people” or “short-term rental people.” They choose based on the type of trip. It’s not ‘either or, it’s ‘which fits me this time?’

What travel trend are you watching closely right now and why?

How property management companies, like Domio and Altido, are focused on building super brands and how social media channels (like Instagram) is driving direct bookings and essentially becoming an OTA of its own.

If you weren't in travel, what company would you like to be part of and why?

SpaceX because I am super interested in flying and space as I’m also a trained pilot. The company’s futuristic plan of colonizing planets, coupled with making intercontinental flights 30 minutes, will make the world a bit smaller and connect more and more people.

If you could teach everyone in your company one concept, what would have the biggest positive impact?

Don’t try to solve the pain points of our customers by looking at our competitors, many of which are not utilizing the newest technologies available. Instead, constantly speak to our users, take their feedback and utilize it to innovate and create the best user experience possible.

How do you stay inspired? 

I have hired incredible talent. Seeing them work and excel in their roles is what inspires me and motivates me to grow this company and take Guesty even further.

What travel industry development or brand do you wish you'd thought of first?

Airbnb as its biggest innovation was bringing vacation rentals into city centers.

Tell us something you dislike about your role in the company.

Not having enough time to interview all potential new hires - it was one of my favorite traditions that I kept up until we were about 200 individuals. It is no longer possible as we grow to be about 300 employees with 11 offices worldwide.

Who uses your product in ways that you never expected?

The first user that put a hotel on our platform surprised me. Nowadays, we do focus on adjacent markets as an aspect of our growth strategy.