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You Don’t Need a Big Team to Scale Big

The 80/20 rule in the STR industry

The 80/20 rule applies perfectly to short-term rental operations. In tech and process development, 80% of value often comes from 20% of the work. Here’s how STR operators can use this principle to scale smarter, avoid overbuilding, and move fast without sacrificing quality.


Why the 20% Matters Most

Speed to Value

Launching a lightweight version of your dashboard, automation, or guest experience flow gets you feedback and ROI faster.

  • A simple KPI dashboard can guide decisions.

  • Automating 3 core guest messages can save hours per week.


Resource Efficiency

Small STR teams can’t afford perfection. Overbuilding ties up time, tech costs, and mental focus that could be driving revenue.


Momentum & Learning

Launching quickly lets you learn what actually matters. User feedback and usage data guide what’s worth building next.


Applying the 80/20 Rule in STR Tech Projects

1. Identify High-Leverage Features

  • Brain dump all potential features.

  • Prioritize by impact and usage.

  • Start with top 20%, the ones that will move metrics.

2. Launch V1 Fast

  • Solve for the 80% of cases. Leave edge cases for later.

  • Example: Start automating only check-in, checkout, and FAQs.

3. Iterate With Data

  • Measure ROI: time saved, revenue influenced, guest satisfaction.

  • Expand only when the numbers prove value.

4. Delay the 'Nice to Haves'

  • Skip the rare-use features and polish until your system proves traction.

  • Build momentum with real-world usage.


Example: STR Dashboard Development

Typical wish list:

  • ADR

  • Occupancy trends

  • Channel performance

  • Revenue per unit

  • Review scores

  • Cleaner task tracking

  • Maintenance flags


But to start, just build:

  • Occupancy rate

  • ADR

  • Revenue per unit


That’s 80% of the decisions made in one view.


Key Takeaway

Perfection is the enemy of momentum in STR. Operators that embrace the 80/20 rule can ship faster, adapt smarter, and scale cleaner.


Build less. Launch sooner. Learn faster.


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Want help identifying your 20%? We help operators launch smarter and scale faster with lean, proven tech setups.

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