KISSIMMEE and DAVENPORT, Fla., March 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LevelUp Stays, a rapidly growing short-term rental property management company co-founded by Derek and Lauren Gisriel, has reached a major milestone as the company continues scaling operations across key vacation rental markets in the United States. Built on a foundation of disciplined execution, hospitality excellence, and advanced revenue management strategies, LevelUp Stays is quickly emerging as one of the fastest-growing management companies in the short-term rental industry.
In just a few years, LevelUp Stays has grown to manage more than 70 properties while delivering exceptional guest experiences to more than 10,000 guests in the past year alone. The company has also achieved an impressive 99.6 percent five-star review rate across its portfolio, reflecting its strong focus on operational systems, hospitality standards, and consistent guest satisfaction.
The founders credit much of the company’s success to their focus on maximizing both property performance and guest experience. By implementing advanced revenue management strategies, dynamic pricing, and professional listing optimization, LevelUp Stays helps property owners significantly outperform market averages.
“Most vacation rental homes are dramatically underperforming,” said Derek Gisriel, founder of LevelUp Stays. “When you combine the right pricing strategy, marketing exposure, and guest experience systems, these properties can often generate two to four times the revenue of comparable homes in the same market.”
LevelUp Stays Expands Presence in High-Demand Vacation Markets
LevelUp Stays currently operates in several high-demand vacation destinations, including the Orlando and Kissimmee areas near Walt Disney World, as well as coastal markets across Texas such as Galveston, Port Aransas, and Crystal Beach. The company primarily works with owners of three-bedroom or larger vacation homes that feature family-friendly amenities such as pools, hot tubs, and game rooms.
Many of these properties have strong earning potential but remain underperforming due to ineffective management, poor marketing exposure, or outdated pricing strategies. Through its full-service, hands-off management model, LevelUp Stays works to transform these homes into top-performing short-term rental assets.
Using a data-driven approach, the company distributes listings across major booking platforms, including Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Google Vacation Rentals, and direct bookings through StayLevelUp.com. This broad exposure, combined with strategic revenue management, allows many homeowners working with LevelUp Stays to see revenue increases of two to four times compared to similar homes in their market.
From Early Entrepreneurial Roots to Building LevelUp Stays
The entrepreneurial foundation behind LevelUp Stays began long before the company itself. At just 12 years old, Derek launched his first business after watching a late-night infomercial about starting a door-to-door catalog sales company.
Using a simple system of dropping off catalogs and returning days later to collect orders, he achieved a closing rate of nearly 80 percent. By age 15, he had already expanded into eBay drop-shipping, running three profitable online stores selling products ranging from digital goods to surplus military equipment.
After graduating from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi with a degree in Finance and Business, Derek built his corporate career with Enterprise Holdings before transitioning into residential solar sales, where he generated $1 million in revenue within his first six months. He later became a key shareholder at Sunpro Solar and helped scale the company to more than 10,000 employees prior to its $825 million acquisition by ADT Security.
Following the acquisition, Derek and his wife, Lauren shifted their focus toward real estate and hospitality, ultimately launching LevelUp Stays to help vacation rental owners maximize both revenue and guest experience.
LevelUp Stays Sets Goal of 1,000 Homes Under Management
Looking ahead, LevelUp Stays has announced its long-term objective of scaling to 1,000 homes under management within the next five years. The company believes that sustained growth must be paired with operational excellence to ensure both property owners and guests benefit from the platform.
The founders emphasize that guest experience remains the core driver of performance in the short-term rental industry. High-quality guest experiences lead to stronger reviews, which increase search visibility and revenue per available rental.
“Five-star guest experiences create a snowball effect,” Gisriel added. “Better reviews lead to higher rankings on booking platforms, which increases visibility, occupancy, and ultimately revenue for property owners.”
The company’s guiding philosophy centers around integrity and accountability. As the founders often state, success in business begins with a simple principle: do what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it, and always do what is right.
Through a combination of disciplined leadership, data-driven strategy, and hospitality-focused systems, LevelUp Stays continues to position itself as a rising force in the short-term rental management industry.
Property owners interested in learning more about the company’s management services can visit StayLevelUp.com or follow @DerekGisriel on Instagram.
About LevelUp Stays
LevelUp Stays is a short-term rental property management company specializing in revenue optimization and five-star guest experiences for vacation rental owners. Founded by Derek and Lauren Gisriel, the company manages vacation properties across high-demand markets in Florida and Texas. Through advanced pricing strategies, professional listing optimization, and hospitality-focused operational systems, LevelUp Stays helps homeowners generate significantly higher income while maintaining exceptional guest satisfaction.
Media Contact
Derek Gisriel
Founder, LevelUp Stays
Website: https://staylevelup.com
Email: derek@dlrjholdings.com
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2938244/LevelUp_Stays_Gisriel.jpg
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