I am Brandon Howell, the voice behind LiveOCNJ.com and owner of ScaleUp Marketing Co. Each year I manage roughly seven hundred weekly vacation rentals that generate about three million dollars in revenue and guide more than ten million dollars in home sales for clients in Ocean City, New Jersey. My aim is simple: give every client a first-class experience while running the back end with the efficiency of a modern tech company.
Lessons from an earlier venture
Before real estate I ran an auto-detailing shop. I answered every call on my personal phone, booked jobs while polishing fenders, and wore far too many hats at once. That season of chaos taught me how quickly things unravel without strong systems and gave me a deep understanding of both brick-and-mortar challenges and the demands of operating online.
The scope of today’s rental operation
Running a large seasonal portfolio involves far more than posting listings. A typical day includes:
- Crafting targeted marketing that reaches guests on social media, brand websites, and partner channels
- Handling inquiries, screening tenants, and securing bookings with clear agreements and payment plans
- Resolving tenant issues—everything from last-minute maintenance to special requests—so guests stay happy
- Automating confirmation emails, pre-arrival instructions, and support messages so guests feel cared for
- Marketing owners’ properties across Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to maximize exposure and bookings
- Tracking pricing and occupancy rates in real time for accurate reporting
Turning curiosity into leverage
In 2022 I began exploring AI to remove repetitive tasks. The impact was immediate. Today:
- Chatbots respond to tenant questions at any hour and guide prospects to the right property
- Integrations keep my CRM, email campaigns, and social channels synchronized without manual entry
- Dashboards transform raw market data into clear insights for owners and buyers within seconds
Technology carries the busywork so I can invest my time in relationships, negotiation, and creative strategy.
Why I launched ScaleUp Marketing Co
Colleagues often ask how to install the same workflows, so I created ScaleUp Marketing Co to share practical automation with businesses that need to move quickly without enterprise-level budgets. The same mindset powers my newest platform, LiveOCNJVacationRentals.com, which lets guests book direct and owners showcase their homes with zero extra fees.
Beyond the numbers
I am a lifelong Ocean City local who knows every street from the Gardens to the South End. At home I am dog dad to goldendoodles Zedd and Lola and a soon-to-be husband. I believe smart tech should amplify human connection, never replace it.
Ready to scale what matters? I would love to hear your goals and build the systems that help you reach them.
