Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Speaker A: Hey all. Welcome to another episode of the short term show. I'm your host, Avery Carle. We've got a really cool guest today. We have not had a guest on in this exact.
Hang on, let me start that over because now I can't. I couldn't think of my words.
Hey, y'all. Welcome back to the Short term Show. I'm your host, Avery Carl. We've got a super cool guest today. Today. But first, got a few housekeeping items. We are hiring at the short term shop in Orlando, in Myrtle beach, in a few markets in North Carolina, and actually really in any market. If you're an agent in a vacation market and you feel like your market might be a good fit for the short term shop, email us at careers, the shorttermshop.com Also, please, if you have not picked up my new book, Smarter Short Term Rentals, I'd really appreciate it if you did. And if you did pick it up and you loved it, please, please leave us a five star review on Amazon. And if you didn't, just email me directly and tell me that you hated it. But thank you guys so much for, for reading my books. I really appreciate it. And without further ado, back to our guest. Super cool guest. We have not had someone in this exact area of the short term rental business yet, but I'm really excited to interview him. His name is David Blanche or Dave Blanche, and he is. He has a company called Blessed Design and he is a muralist. So I know a lot of you are have. Are in our Facebook groups and messaging me on Instagram asking, hey, I need a muralist. Do you know one in such and such market? And the thing about artists is they're really hard to find usually because they're busy doing their art and not posting on the Internet. So anyway, I want to introduce Dave and hear all about his story. How's it going, Dave?
[00:01:50] Speaker B: Very good, Avery. Thank you so much for having me on.
[00:01:53] Speaker A: Yeah, thank you for coming on. I really appreciate it. I'm very.
Absolutely, yeah, I'm super excited to, to interview you. So first of all, just tell us a little bit about yourself, how you got into being a muralist. Because it's a very specific, I think, very specific type genre of art and I would love to hear how one gets into doing such things.
[00:02:15] Speaker B: So, I mean, I've been in artist all my life. I mean, I started when I was like, you know, 12, 13 years old with spray paint cans, you know, doing graffiti and stuff like that. And that was always drawing and stuff like that and then my.
I remember my parents got me an airbrush kit when I was younger and ended up covering my whole bedroom, all my walls and everything. So I was even like, you know, just creating when I was that young, like probably like 12, 13, 14.
And then I always kind of like kept up with like just drawing and creating, no matter what it was.
I come from like a construction background. I was always working with my hands.
And then I would say around like 19, 20, I really dove into painting, like, you know, doing a lot of canvas work and I started selling them. So, you know, it just. I had this outlet. I was very good at it and love doing it, you know. So once I started, you know, selling paintings, I was like, okay, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. You know, it's my calling or purpose, you know. And I would say about 10 to, you know, 12 years ago I started my first huge one was.
I mean, I did a few small ones in Philadelphia before coming to Florida. I moved to Florida about a little over 10 years ago, but I did like an entire hotel, pretty much like, pretty much every square foot of this hotel. I ended up like living there while I was doing it.
And that was down in South Florida, kind of near Boca Raton.
And that's what really got me just like hooked, you know what I mean? Like, I just loved taking my art from, you know, just a small canvas to like, you know, large scale, you know, getting it out there in people's faces. And then just over the past 10 years, I just never stopped, you know, promoting doing large scale work. I mean, I still do a lot of canvas work, which you can find on the website or any of my socials.
But you know, I just, I love doing murals.
It, you know, brings just so much joy to the customers. Like I've done them at schools and stuff like that. Like I did an entire preschool, like every room in there and like other schools and stuff like that. Seeing the kids faces or I've done a ton of kids rooms and just seeing their faces just, you know, it's such a payoff, like, you know, more than just getting paid for it. So.
But yeah, like I would say over the past six, seven years, I started doing a ton of Airbnbs and it seemed to kind of catch fire a little bit. So.
[00:05:33] Speaker A: Well, I have, I have a lot of questions on, on getting into this type of art first before we get into the Airbnb part of it. So I. There's a lot of art galleries where I live And I'm always like, you know, know we're building a house or I've got, you know, some condos that I want to put some local art in. And I, I get real into, I'm going to put some local art and support some local artists. And I never can get further than just making that statement. And I'm like, okay, how do I find it? Do I just have to google like art galleries in my area or how do I find local artists so that I can support them? Because you guys kind of, you're hard to find. Like I, I want to buy it, I want to help, but like I can't find them. So what would you do? A consumer say, how do I find somebody like you on the painting side? Then we'll get into the mural side.
[00:06:26] Speaker B: So for a long time getting my name out there and getting exposure, I would do, you know, those markets, the flea markets and the pop up markets and stuff like that where we just have vendors. And over time it did become a little bit of a hassle because, you know, I'd be trucking all these like huge paintings which are, you know, quite expensive. So you know, a lot of people, you know, they were more interested if I had like prints for 20, $30 than, you know, an $800,000 painting or something like that. So. But it was also good for, you know, getting commissions, getting my business cards out there, you know what I mean, getting my name out there, meeting people, networking, stuff like that.
I mean these days social media really is everything, you know what I mean? So I have a pretty huge following on Instagram and Facebook and stuff like that and TikTok. So I've, I haven't had that hard of a time, you know, selling my work or anything like that or you know, getting exposure because of those, you know, social media outlets. But they're, I haven't, I haven't done any, you know, pop up markets or flea markets recently just because sometimes they're either charging your artists too much and you're not guaranteed to make that back. And you know, when you're traveling with all this artwork and setting it up and it's a lot of, you know, you got to put a lot in, into it, you know, but if, if one, you know, if one does come up that, you know, a lot of people are going to be attending, I'll usually live paint when I, when I do them. But that's definitely a good way to find, you know, local artists.
Yeah, other than that, I mean, word of mouth is everything. I believe I mean, like, I, you know, there's a. There's a Facebook group called Sarasota Word of Mouth where I live in Sarasota. And, you know, somebody puts in looking for a mural or just, you know, there's hundred people that, you know, say my name and get me out there. So.
[00:08:53] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, I gotta ask, is it, is it incredibly nerve wrack racking the first time you do a mural? Because, like, if you, if you mess up on a canvas, you could throw it away and start over, but if you're on like somebody's wall or a public place, does that make you nervous? Or is. Is it just kind of second nature for you at this point? Well, let's talk about the first second.
[00:09:19] Speaker B: Nature for me at this point right now. Like, I know exactly what I'm doing.
But yeah, I mean, like, I guess it was a little nerve wracking at that point. But I believe that there's no mistakes in art and I believe that you can always fix something. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, I have, I have had it, you know, rain come out of nowhere while I was painting, you know what I mean? And mess up while I was working, you know, and. But you can always go over it. You can always fix it, you know, so that's the beauty of it.
[00:09:51] Speaker A: Okay, so not. Not super high stress on that. That's good. It's a good way to be.
All right, so. So let's talk about. I want to hear about your first gig as a muralist on an Airbnb property. What was it? How did they find you? Were you, like, are you sure you want me to do this, like, on your wall or were you knew, like, knew it was just going to make the space so much better.
[00:10:16] Speaker B: I mean, I know that any mural or any artwork I do in someone's place is going to make it better. I mean, regardless, it's going to brighten up the space, it's going to bring beauty, it's going to bring, you know, love and warmth and just make the vibe so much better of any space. I think.
I think. I mean, it was pro. Like, I do a lot of, like, sunsets and beach scenery and stuff like that because, you know, where I live and, you know, a lot of these Airbnbs and, you know, that I do are in Florida. So, you know, having, you know, a really beautiful sunset or, you know, a beachy scene or something like that as a background, whether it be like a pool or a lanai or, you know, whatever, or like underwater tropical scenes, stuff like that, you know, I think they're, you know, all stuff that make you feel good, make you want to hang out in that space more, you know what I mean? And yeah, I mean, once, like, I. I have a couple.
I. I probably have a handful of clients that, you know, once I did the first one for them, you know, they had me either do another one in that house or another one in their second or third Airbnb, you know what I mean? So. And then they would push my name to anybody else they knew in the short term Airbnb game, you know what I mean? So it was just like, it was. It was definitely a word of mouth at that point where, you know, they just were like, this is your guy, you know?
[00:12:01] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So how long have you been doing murals? And specifically in short term rental properties.
[00:12:08] Speaker B: I would say about six, seven years, something like that.
[00:12:11] Speaker A: Oh, wow, okay. So a bit of an early adopter then, or your clients were early adopters on the mural thing? Because I know it hasn't, like, exploded in the influencer space until, like, the last two or three years where everybody's like, oh, you got to get murals, you got to get murals. So, yeah, I mean, it was weird.
[00:12:26] Speaker B: Like, I even got a phone call just yesterday or no, somebody posted saying, looking for a mural artist for short term rentals.
And then the guy called me and we started talking and I gave him my exact, like, how I do things, my pricing, and da, da, da, da. And he's like, well, you know, we have, like, he kind of like, tried to promise me, like, 32 more properties that all need murals. And they were, I guess, like a big company that, you know, bought flipped houses and then used them as short term rentals. But they weren't. They wanted to, like, they didn't want.
[00:13:05] Speaker A: To pay you much on the first one. Let me guess. And said, oh, well, let me dangle this carrot of 32 other properties.
Exactly.
[00:13:12] Speaker B: And I was like. I was like, I'm sorry. I was like, I do not devalue my work. I was like, I'm not gonna go in. You know, I was like, I'll come down a little bit if you put it in writing that, you know, we are gonna do all these other murals that are promised. But it's like, I know my work. I don't like my, My. All my outdoor murals. Like, they all look brand new, even after all the hurricanes because of how well I take care of them. And, you know, I. I've found the best clear coat in the world to. To, you Know, use to preserve them forever. You know what I mean? So it's like, I put my all into it, and, like, only my best work leads to my next job. So it's like, you know, I don't ever. And that's why my name is, you know, put out there so much, is because, you know, I really put my all into every job that I take on, you know.
[00:14:11] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think everybody should be like that. And I love that you told them, like, no, I'm not going to. So did. Did they end up paying you your rate or did they go find somebody cheaper?
[00:14:20] Speaker B: No, they said that they were like, oh, okay. Well, we. We have somebody else that, you know. I was like, I know every artist in Florida. I was like, if you're, you know, gonna try and find somebody else, I'm like, cheap work isn't good, and good work isn't cheap. You know what I mean?
[00:14:38] Speaker A: 100% agree with that. 100% agree with that.
[00:14:42] Speaker B: So there might be a ton of airbnbs coming up that are going to have, you know, some students work on there that's not going to, you know, look that well. So I don't know.
[00:14:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I would so much rather pay one time for great work than. Than pay less.
Pay one good time. Excuse me, pay more for one good time of good work than pay less to get something that I'm not happy with. And then. Then you're stuck with it. You, unless you want to, you have to go find somebody else at that point.
[00:15:10] Speaker B: And they had like a. You know, he was sending me pictures of the. The areas that he wanted, two murals. And, you know, there was the.
I know a lot of. A lot of them are putting the pop golf and the pickleball back there and stuff. I guess that's a new thing that they're. A lot of them are doing. And I'm like, I know how much that costs, you know, because I talk with, like, I'm friends with all these clients of mine. You're going to put that much money into this backyard, but then you're going to try and shortchange the artist that's going to like, I think a beautiful mural where a family or whatever can take a beautiful picture of. In front of, you know, that's going to be a memory for them, is way more important than the pickleball court. They're not going to take a picture, you know, of their vacation in front of the pickleball court. You know, so it's like, I don't know, didn't make sense?
[00:16:11] Speaker A: Well, let me, let me talk to you from like the resale value. So I, I've seen this happen on the resale side where my company was listing a property that, you know, they'd done all of this hyper theming and hyper amenitization and they had murals, like one continuous mural in the whole property on, on all the floors. But it was not great. You could tell, you know, maybe they went with the cheaper guy. And what happened when we went to list, it was a lot of people. And this is in a market where everything is short term rentals. So you're probably. None of the people that were coming in to buy it were like looking to live there and like, oh, I don't want murals everywhere. You know, they were really just looking for investment properties or vacation home. And, and a lot of the feedback that we got was like, man, all these, it looks like a kid did sponge paint on the walls with these murals. And at this price point, like, we're not gonna pay to have to repaint this whole house so it can affect you on the resale side too. And a lot of people don't think about that. They're like, oh, let me just get, you know, something cute slapped up and the guests are only gonna be there for a few days and whatever. But if you don't get it done right the first time, you. You might have to paint over the entire thing, which you know, is a lot of money down the drain. So anyway, get it done right the first time because it affects a lot more than just bookings.
[00:17:30] Speaker B: That's right, that's right.
[00:17:32] Speaker A: Yeah. So how many.
Oh, go ahead, go ahead.
[00:17:36] Speaker B: Like, I also do a lot of faux work too. And foe is kind of like a dying. It's like a very old school thing, but maybe it's coming back a little bit. Like, I recently, you know, my girl, my. My wife's hair studio, I did like a faux wall in there. And then my sister's hair studio, I did one in there. And I've done, you know, quite a few homes. They weren't short term rentals, but kind of like that lime wash look or like that real distressed, like, you know, old concrete look. And that, that's also something that I really love doing. So I just wanted to plug that in there.
[00:18:20] Speaker A: Yeah, I like the look of that too. And you. I've seen a lot of people like on Pinterest try to do that lime wash thing on their own and it looks like absolute garbage. If you don't know what you're doing. And it really. Yeah, it does look really nice and like, good in distressed without being farmhousey. It does look like old concrete. But yeah, I would definitely recommend hiring a professional to do that. And that's good to know. Good to know that you do that because I see some people really screw that up.
[00:18:47] Speaker B: Oh, God. And I mean, it's like, it's awesome for accent walls and everything, but just from doing it, it's not easy, you know what I mean? Like, you really have to know what you're doing, so.
[00:18:59] Speaker A: Totally agree with that. So how many murals would you say you've done at this point specifically? Well, A, I want to hear how many murals you've done total, but then B, for our listeners, how many in Airbnbs have you done.
[00:19:16] Speaker B: Total? Maybe 500.
[00:19:22] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
[00:19:22] Speaker B: Maybe.
[00:19:23] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:19:26] Speaker B: Airbnbs.
I don't know. Maybe. Maybe 100 or so.
[00:19:31] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:19:33] Speaker B: I'm just ballparking because I've done so much artwork. Like, I mean, that's all I do non stop. So it's like just caught a ballparking.
[00:19:40] Speaker A: Well, even in that ballpark, I don't think that it would be a wild jump to make that you might be the most experienced Airbnb specific muralist out there.
[00:19:51] Speaker B: Yeah, I, I've definitely done a lot. I. So, like, I, I mean, I'll travel anywhere too. Like, I, I have, I have traveled to like, New Hope. Like, I mean, I'm from Pennsylvania, so obviously I've done quite a few up there, but I'm willing to travel anywhere as well, you know, because that's the beauty of it. Like, my last clients who actually connected me with you, I did a mural for them. They absolutely loved me. They loved the work. And they have a few beautiful ones in Gatlinburg, Tennessee that I think I'm gonna possibly go stay at and do one of their, one of their other properties. There's.
But I mean, that's the beauty of it, though. You could probably, you know, book out a couple days for me to stay there while doing the mural. And, you know, it's just like a win win for everybody. You know what I mean? Because then I can take out, you know, that expense of me having to find somewhere to stay while doing it, you know.
[00:20:57] Speaker A: Well, that leads me to another question. So. So is there a particular, like, wall texture that doesn't work? So when you said Gatlinburg, you know, a lot of things there are tongue and groove. Are you able to do murals on like, tongue and groove wood? You are? Okay, what about, like, I know. So my place upstairs here in 38, it's.
It's kind of like a textured wall. Not, not like 90s textured, but like it is texture. And it might look like an orange peel.
Yeah, like that. But it might look like if you get the wrong thing, like, might look a little wavy. Like. So do you help people choose the right mural for the texture so that it looks right, or do you just. How does that process work without it?
[00:21:44] Speaker B: Without a doubt. Like, I'm on the 14th, I'm starting like a 20 foot mural for an Airbnb, and it's a, like a wood picket fence. And it's like. And it's not straight across. Like, it's literally like fence panel on top of fence panel. So it's like staggered. So I mean, that's a whole challenge in itself to make it look beautiful over top of there. I mean, that's the beauty of spray paint.
Like, you can, you know, you're not in there with a little brush trying to, you know, get things to look smooth, you know, on an uneven surface. But I've faced, you know, challenges with all types of stucco or brick or, you know, you name it. Like, I've figured out ways to, you know, jump those adversities of like the different types of. I mean, of course a smooth, beautiful, drywalled wall is, you know, gonna be my go to and, you know, easier on me. But that's why I kind of like have a sliding scale with my pricing.
You know, like I'll. I have like a, like, like 30 to $40 square foot. And then I just kind of base it on what materials that I need to get the job done. And then we know, whether I have to travel, sometimes I need to get a lift if it's high up, you know, if it does need, you know, the clear coat, you know, which costs a little bit extra, but like I said, you know, will last for years and years and years to come.
But you know, and then the surface, you know what I mean? Like, how. So I try to stay on the lower side always, you know what I mean? Because I always want to, you know, give people the best price that I possibly can. I'm always willing to work with people, you know, whether it be payment plans or whatever. You know, I take credit card or, you know, whatever. Like, I, I always find a way to, to, to work with the customer so that they're happy, you know, and I'm happy and I can provide for my family. But also doing what I love and making these People happy, making their guests happy, you know, but like my whole, like, how I go about it usually, which I can do over the phone or in person, you know what I mean? So if they are, you know, within, you know, an hour from me, you know, even I can go to the property, I can take a look at the wall or walls, take a picture.
Then what I do is once I take that picture of the wall, then after they send the deposit, I bring it into my iPad and then I design a mock up of what it's going to look like before I get started. Then I shoot that to them, and then they can be like, dave, I love it, let's go. Or Dave, let's change this. You know, if they're completely unsure, you know, if they don't have any ideas at all what they want, then maybe I'll, you know, do. After they send a deposit, I'll maybe do 2, 3, 4, you know, mock ups just to kind of get their brain going on, you know, what direction they want to go. But a lot of people usually kind of have an idea, you know, and then I. And then I can design based on, you know, what they want to see. And then, you know, I'm always adaptable to change, you know, or add or subtract or whatever until they're happy with what it's going to look like. And then once I approve the design, then I go for it.
[00:25:43] Speaker A: Love that. Love that. So are you using spray paint always or sometimes you using something different, like, you know, regular? I'm not an artist, so I'm going to use, like, terms that are probably offensive. Offensive. Regular paint.
[00:25:58] Speaker B: I mean, like, I mean, I.
All, all murals, I would say, like, if it's outside and I can either plastic things off and tarp things off to where I can use spray paint, it's not going to affect anything. Absolutely.
If I definitely can't, then I just can't. You know, I mean, spray paint just sometimes gives you that perfect effect that you want, you know, makes the job a little bit faster.
You know, sometimes in a house, I. I have, you know, used it, but, you know, maybe just a little bit here and there just for effect wise. But, you know, I. I do a good job on, you know, plasticing things off and tarping and all that stuff. So, I mean, but if I can't use it, then I can. I'm just using, you know, house paint, acrylic paint. You know, if I'm doing an outside mural, I'm using usually, like, I'll use outdoor paint. You know what I mean? And then, and then clear coat to finish.
[00:27:11] Speaker A: Okay, so moving on to your clients. So is there anything in particular that feedback wise you've ever gotten from a client? Like, oh, my gosh, this particular thing has worked so well. We've gotten so many Instagram tags, or we've gotten so many bookings where people mention this one mural. Is there anything specific that you've done that you feel like your client's feedback has been that it's really, really improved their bookings?
[00:27:40] Speaker B: Yeah, like, quite a few of them, my friend Christine and her husband. Like, the, like, I've heard from quite a few people that, you know, because a lot of them will have professional photographers come in and take pictures after the fact, you know, you know, way more website clicks, you know, way more bookings.
I mean, it really shows that the owner, you know, cares about the property. Like, I know myself when I'm looking for an Airbnb, like, if it's got certain characteristics like that and a little bit of, like, extras and you can tell that the owner, like, you know, put some love into it. Not just, you know, just basic, you know what I mean? Like, we're gonna obviously pick the one that has, you know, a little more character and a little more, you know, love and good vibes to it. You know what I mean? So I think that's what it's all about. Really?
[00:28:40] Speaker A: Yeah, Yeah, I, I totally.
[00:28:42] Speaker B: The more, it's almost like with anything, the more you put in, the more you get out, I think. You know, and I think with this whole Airbnb thing exploding, I mean, I, I really, you know, I, I think doing murals and stuff like that is so important.
[00:29:01] Speaker A: So for people who are listening, who are like, you know what? I think I want to try a mural in my place. What are some things that they should look for? Maybe some green flags and also maybe some red flags in a muralist when they're hiring them.
[00:29:17] Speaker B: I mean, I can't speak for any other muralist because I, you know, I'm kind of a one man band. I don't work with anybody else, so I don't, I don't know, like red, red flags from other artists. Like, I'm. I'm not too sure, you know what I mean? Like, I don't, I don't even really. I mean, I chitchat here and there, you know, on social media or whatever, with other artists, you know, but it's, I never ask, you know, how they do their bidding or how they do their, you know, anything really, you know, I kind of just stick to my own formula. I know it works out great for me and my clients, so I just like stay in my lane kind of, you know.
[00:30:02] Speaker A: I love that. I love that. I wish the real estate world function more like that because I think that's such a, like mentally healthy way to be, is to like, not worry about what other people are doing and just worry about yourself and your clients.
Love that.
[00:30:17] Speaker B: I, I focus a lot on keeping a very healthy mind, body and spirit kind of life, you know what I mean?
[00:30:24] Speaker A: So, yep, I, I definitely agree with that. So, Dave, we're coming to the end of the show. Is there anything that we haven't covered that you feel like our audience would benefit from hearing about your story and, and having murals in your Airbnbs and hiring muralists and art and all that, all the fun stuff.
[00:30:49] Speaker B: I mean, I just want to stress how important I really think it is, you know.
Yes, the putt putt is cool, you know, yes, the, you know, pickleball core is cool, you know, but you know, like, I don't know if I'm, if I'm, if I'm thinking about, you know, going on a vacation with my family and you know, life's about making memories, you know, and you like setting up a camera on a tripod or whatever and taking a picture in front of that mural, you're going to remember that vacation, you know, you're going to print that or you're going to post that on your, you know. So like, it's giving exposure to the, the people that own the property. It's, you know, obviously giving exposure to me whether they tag me or not. But I mean, I have had that and it's beautiful to see, you know what I mean? Like that family, you know, just bringing, bringing happiness to others and doing what I love to do, you know, with the gift that God gave me is just like, I don't know, it's everything to me, you know what I mean? So I just, I stress the importance of it, you know, I love that.
[00:32:14] Speaker A: I love that. And at the end of the day, that's what we're here to do as short term rental investors. Like, yes, spreadsheets and cash flow and blah, blah. But what you're doing with your product that you're selling is you're giving people the backdrop for, for what is really the best times of their lives, you know, their vacation with their family. And that's, that's what, whether you look at it that way or not, that's what your product is. And I think that that's very important to not lose sight of that.
[00:32:42] Speaker B: Exactly, exactly. I think it's most important. And if you keep those values, you know, important enough, then you're gonna succeed. Like, you're gonna do well. Like, you know what I mean? Like, put the dollar signs aside, you know what I mean? Like, you know, just think more with your heart instead of, you know, your bank account, I guess.
[00:33:07] Speaker A: Well, last Dave, where can our listeners find you or follow you or hire you if. If you've sold them, if you sold me. So if other people feel the same way, where can they find you? Maybe hire you?
[00:33:20] Speaker B: I mean, I don't even mind giving out my cell, which is 610-573-1519.
My Instagram down here below is at Blessed Design Bl Est Design.
My website is ww.bless design company.
And then Facebook is either Blessed Design or Dave Blanche. And you can find me on all of those. Tick tock. Bless Design as well. So I actually just got. Got it in the mail. Took me a couple years, but now I actually own the name Blessed, Trademarked and copyrighted and everything like that, so.
[00:34:05] Speaker A: Oh, perfect. Awesome. Love that.
[00:34:07] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:34:08] Speaker A: Well, cool. Dave, thank you so much for coming on. It definitely was a nice change of pace for me to not talk about numbers and analysis and let's talk about some art. So I love.
Thanks for coming on.
[00:34:21] Speaker B: Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me.
