Mike Reilly built NC Stays, a boutique property management company operating across six markets in North Carolina, by treating time as a non-negotiable asset from day one. In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, Mike joins host Lynell Gordon to break down the systems, philosophy, and hard-won insights behind a 30-property business built on boutique vacation rental principles, smart property management automation, and a deep commitment to niche property management. Mike shares what it actually costs to invest in short-term rentals today, including why he tells friends they need at least $250,000 in cash before even starting. He walks through the Notion-powered freedom operating system at the heart of his quality control strategy, the time study framework he uses twice a year to eliminate low-value work, and the retargeting approach that has replaced direct booking ads for guest acquisition. Mike also discusses his role as VP of coaching and operations at Short Term Rental Secrets, where he helps property managers with 10 or more units grow intentionally without sacrificing their quality of life. This episode is sponsored by RevMax