VRS650 - Amber Hurdle – Keeping the Human in the Loop: Building a Strategic AI-Driven Brand

Amber Hurdle is back for her fourth appearance on the podcast - and once again, she’s lighting up the conversation with her bold, insightful take on branding, leadership, and the evolving role of AI in business.
A year after her last visit (when ChatGPT was just becoming mainstream), Heather reconnects with Amber to explore how the AI landscape has shifted - and how short-term rental pros can ride the wave without losing their voice. From crafting a strategic AI approach to retrofitting your team structure and refining your brand voice, Amber offers practical, no-nonsense advice with her signature energy and clarity.
This episode is packed with fresh thinking on how to infuse your humanity into AI-generated content, maintain consistency across platforms, and future-proof your brand with the right systems. Whether you’re a one-person team or running a 100+ property operation, you’ll take away actionable ideas you can implement today.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why branding is more than marketing - and how operations are the brand
- Amber’s “AIM” framework: Assist, Infuse, Monitor - and how to use it with AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini
- How to train AI with your brand voice and personality (and keep it from sounding robotic)
- Why hiring “AI-first” team members is a game changer
- What’s in Amber’s strategic “Brand Tumbler” (hint: it includes astrology, calendars, and customer reviews)
- The risks of generic AI content and how to build trust through authentic messaging
- Where AI tools are falling short - and why your creativity still matters more than ever
Links & Resources:
- Amber Hurdle Consulting: https://amberhurdle.com
- Connect with Amber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberhurdle/
- Heather’s AI Ambassador Program: https://vacationrentalformula.com/ai
- Fascinate with Sally Hogshead
- Previous Episodes with Amber:
Mentioned Tools & Platforms:
- ChatGPT (OpenAI)
- Gemini (Google)
- Upwork (for hiring AI-first talent)
- Knowledge Bases for Brand Training
Subscribe & Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more STR professionals around the world!
Follow Vacation Rental Formula:
- Website: https://vacationrentalformula.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/vacationrentalformula
- Instagram: @vacationrentalformula
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vacationrentalformula
- YouTube: youtube.com/vacationrentalformula
______________________________________________________________________________
📣 Midroll Sponsor: STRAIT Chat & the AI Ambassador Program
This episode is brought to you in part by the STRAIT Chat Community - an exclusive space for short-term rental pros who want deeper conversations, smarter systems, and more collaborative learning.
And if you're curious about using AI in your business - whether it's for guest communication, operations, or even marketing - check out our AI Ambassador Program. It's designed to help you learn, lead, and get hands-on with the tools shaping the future of hospitality.
🌐 Learn more and join us at VacationRentalFormula.com/AI

