In this episode, Sam chats with a 21-year-old real estate developer making waves in Bali’s booming property scene. From selling his first land deal at 19 to managing turnkey villa and commercial developments across the Bukit Peninsula and Lombok, he shares the ins and outs of navigating Bali’s complex land laws, building trust with local communities, and growing a full-service consultancy Island Properties Realty

Key Topics:

• The surprising story of how a surf-loving Aussie became a Bali property developer
• Navigating leasehold vs. freehold in Indonesia
• How to build trust and do ethical land deals in Bali
• The power of community, respect, and relationships in real estate
• Why commercial properties may now be smarter investments than villas
• Scaling a boutique, referral-driven business into a full consultancy

Resources Mentioned:

• Island Properties Realty – Instagram
• Jellyfish Villas — The villa property developed by his parents, now a full-fledged hospitality venture

Timestamped Highlights:

[00:00] — Recording from Jellyfish Villas: where the story began
[01:15] — How his parents left Australia to build a new life in Bali
[03:00] — From selling surfboards to selling land
[04:40] — His first land deal and flipping his own block at 19
[06:20] — Explaining the difference between leasehold vs. freehold in Bali
[09:00] — How local friendships helped him gain unique access to land
[11:00] — Transforming a Balinese family’s life with a land deal
[13:20] — Understanding the communal ownership structure in Bali
[14:40] — Starting a full-scale consultancy with engineers and site managers
[17:00] — Balancing surf life and entrepreneurial hustle
[18:30] — Why developers hire him after their original projects fall apart
[21:00] — Commercial vs. villa investments: what's smarter in 2025
[23:00] — A sneak peek into a new Uluwatu shop/apartment build
[25:30] — Bali’s booming tourism vs. villa market saturation
[26:30] — From Canggu to Uluwatu: the migration of expats
[27:00] — Expansion into Lombok and upcoming developments
[29:00] — Why he's launching Island Properties publicly and scaling the team

Connect with Island Properties:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/islandpropertiesrealty

In this episode, I chat with Ryan Hearnden, founder of a thriving Airbnb management company based on the Gold Coast. From working as a roofer to managing over 35 listings and enjoying (almost) work-from-anywhere freedom, Ryan shares his unfiltered journey into short-term rental success. We explore what it takes to start an Airbnb management business, the growing pains, unexpected lessons, and the systems that helped him scale.

Key Topics:

• How to launch and scale an Airbnb management company from scratch
• The biggest hurdles and how to overcome them
• What separates good listings from bad ones
• Guest experience upgrades that boost reviews and profits
• The power of pricing strategy and owner education

Timestamped Highlights:

[00:00] — Introduction to Ryan’s journey: from plumbing to property management

[01:30] — The "aha" moment: managing his own rental better than professionals

[03:10] — Landing the first client and learning the power of being authentic

[05:00] — From one to 35 listings: rapid scaling with consistent service

[07:00] — What's next: rental arbitrage, and how to pitch it

[08:30] — How to stop owners from just doing it themselves

[09:45] — Defining good vs bad listings (hint: plumbing matters)

[11:00] — The value of learning through trial and error

[13:00] — Building a business that runs without you

[14:30] — Ideas for improving guest experience & reviews

[16:00] — Increasing per-booking revenue with upsells

[17:45] — The art of charging for early/late check-ins

[18:45] — Reaping the rewards: Sushi, Bali, and new listings

[21:20] — Is the Gold Coast oversaturated with short-term rentals?

[23:00] — Attention to detail: the queen sheet on a king bed story

[24:45] — Pricing strategy and dealing with owner expectations

[27:00] — Appraisals: truth vs selling the dream

[28:30] — The power of reviews: how one 5-star writeup changed everything

[29:45] — Educating guests to leave better reviews

Connect with Ryan:

Instagram: @goldcoastaccom

Website: www.airbnbmanagementgoldcoast.com.au

Welcome to Sam Barnes Questions Everything Podcast

Whether you're a business owner, future founder, or just a curious mind who loves hearing how other people figure it out—you’ll find inspiration, strategy, and the occasional chaos right here.