·E287

5 Years. 180 Properties. 36 People. Aidan Groll on Building a Real STR Management Company

March 30

49 mins

Episode Description

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Most STR companies obsess over guest reviews.

Blue Gems obsesses over owner profitability.

And they grew to 180 properties under management doing it.

In this episode, recorded live at the Freedom Factory in Beverly, MA, E and Chris sits down with Aidan Groll — co-founder of Blue Gems Management, one of Florida's fastest-growing STR companies. Aidan and his partner JB manage 180+ properties across Orlando and Clearwater Beach with a 36-person team — and grew almost entirely through organic relationships, not paid ads.

In this episode Aidan breaks down:

- How he went from a corporate accounting job to buying his first duplex in March 2020

- How a 400 sq ft backyard ADU made $50K in its first year and convinced him to go all in on STRs

- Why Blue Gems puts owners 70% over guests — and how they pitch that to new clients

- Their full org chart at 180 units: 14 in maintenance, 7 in guest experience, 3 in sales and more

- Why they do ALL maintenance in-house — and why speed was the deciding factor

- How they automated 70% of guest communication with AI in the last year

- Their 7-day contract-to-live-listing goal and how they hit it consistently

- How they choose markets based on regulatory stability — not just cash flow

- Why they shut down their podcast and social media for 2+ years to focus on growth

- Their plan to reach 350-400 units through acquisitions of smaller operators

- The Valley of Disappointment — and why most people quit right before it gets good

- Aidan's #1 secret to STR success: patience

This is a masterclass in building a real, scalable STR management business.

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About Aidan Groll:

Aidan Groll is the co-founder of Blue Gems Management, an Orlando-based vacation rental management company that has grown to oversee 180+ properties across Florida. Originally a real estate investor with a background in corporate accounting, Aidan and his business partner JB pivoted to short-term rentals in late 2021 — building their own management infrastructure before opening to third-party clients in early 2023. Since then, Blue Gems has scaled to a 36-person team with full in-house maintenance operations, serving property owners across Orlando and Clearwater Beach.

Time Stamps:

0:00 - intro

0:54 - Introducing Aidan Groll and Blue Gems Management

1:28 - What Blue Gems Does Differently (Owner-First Philosophy)

4:14 - The Real Cost of Building This Business

5:08 - Aidan's Origin Story: From Accounting Job to House Hacking in 2020

7:54 - The $50K ADU That Changed Everything

9:10 - Scaling to 180 Properties: How Blue Gems Grew Without Paid Ads

10:46 - The Contrarian Take: Why They Don't Chase 5-Star Reviews

13:46 - How to Pitch the Owner-First Model to New Clients

18:26 - Inside the Org Chart: 36 People, 180 Properties

20:08 - Why They Do All Maintenance In-House