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Tired of spending hours every month closing your books, only to realize you’re losing money you should’ve billed back to owners?
In this episode of Get Paid For Your Pad, host Jasper Ribbers talks with Jonathan Sukhia, CEO and co-founder of Topkey, the all-in-one financial operations platform built specifically for short-term rental (STR) companies.
Jonathan shares how Topkey helps property managers streamline expense tracking, automate owner statements, and finally get full visibility into cash flow across every unit they manage. From closing books faster to recovering missed charges, this conversation uncovers how smarter STR finances can completely transform the way hosts scale.
💡 In this episode you’ll learn:
- Why most STR hosts lose money through poor expense tracking
- How automation cuts bookkeeping time from weeks to days
- The difference between outsourcing vs. systemizing your finances
- How to simplify trust accounting across dozens of properties
- The tech stack every growth-focused host should be using
🧠 We also talk about:
- The real cost of relying too much on one bookkeeper
- How Topkey integrates PMS, QuickBooks, and card payments seamlessly
- When small operators should start investing in financial structure
- The rise of AI in STR financial management
- Jonathan’s predictions for automation and the future of hosting
🎯 Mentioned in the Episode:
Topkey.io
QuickBooks Online
Breezeway
Mercury Bank
🔥 Favorite Takeaway:
“Every time you touch a transaction manually, you’re losing time and clarity.”
📍 Ready to clean up your STR finances?
Connect with Jasper on LinkedIn or explore the Revenue & Pricing Management services at FreewyldFoundry.com.
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Jasper Ribbers:
Welcome back to Get Paid For Your Pad. Today I’m joined by Jonathan Sukhia, CEO and co-founder of Topkey, a financial operations platform built for short-term rental managers. Jonathan, great to have you here.
Jonathan Sukhia:
Thanks, Jasper. I’m excited to be here and to talk about how hosts can get better control and visibility over their finances.
Jasper:
Let’s start with the basics. Why do so many STR operators struggle with financial management?
Jonathan:
Most people get into short-term rentals because they love hospitality, not accounting. Once you have multiple properties, different owners, and lots of transactions, things get messy fast. At Topkey, we built a system that helps property managers see their entire financial picture in one place.
Jasper:
What does that look like in practice? How does Topkey make it easier?
Jonathan:
We connect directly to your PMS, QuickBooks, and bank accounts. That allows operators to automate expense tracking, create owner statements, and reconcile accounts without spending hours on spreadsheets. Each transaction is categorized automatically so you can see your real profit per property instantly.
Jasper:
That’s huge. A lot of people don’t even know how much they’re actually making per unit.
Jonathan:
Exactly. Without financial clarity, it’s impossible to make smart business decisions. Many operators think they’re profitable until they see the true numbers. Once they include cleaning, maintenance, and fees, some realize they’re barely breaking even. Automation changes that because it gives you real-time insight.
Jasper:
What are some of the biggest blind spots you’ve seen?
Jonathan:
A big one is missed owner reimbursements. Small expenses add up and often never get billed back. Another is manual bookkeeping. People spend days reconciling transactions at the end of each month. Automation eliminates that time drain and helps prevent costly errors.
Jasper:
And Topkey supports trust accounting too, right?
Jonathan:
Yes, and that’s really important. Managing client funds separately can get complicated. We make it simple and compliant so operators can maintain transparency with their owners and investors.
Jasper:
How does financial management change when someone scales from 10 to 100 units?
Jonathan:
At that point, finances become a strategic advantage. Operators who understand their numbers can make faster, smarter decisions about reinvestment, staffing, and portfolio growth. Without systems, scaling leads to chaos. With the right systems, it becomes sustainable.
Jasper:
That’s such a good point. What’s next for Topkey?
Jonathan:
We’re continuing to expand our automation and integrations. Our goal is to give operators a single financial dashboard for everything they do. From expense tracking to forecasting, we want to make financial clarity effortless for hosts of any size.
Jasper:
I love that. Where can people learn more or get started?
Jonathan:
You can visit Topkey.io to request a demo or connect with our team. We’ll show you exactly how to streamline your financial operations and recover missed expenses.
Jasper:
Awesome. Jonathan, thanks for joining me today and sharing your insights.
Jonathan:
Thanks, Jasper. It’s been great talking with you.
Jasper:
And thank you all for listening to Get Paid For Your Pad. We’ll see you next time.
