Behind the  Stays

meet

Zach Busekrus

Zach Busekrus is the Head of the Alliance at Journey, a new kind of loyalty program designed for the modern traveler. In his role, he oversees the product, marketing and growth strategy for the company, building a best in class, first of its kind product that will allow guests to earn and redeem loyalty points on independent hotels, short-term rentals, unique stays and more.

Prior to joining Journey, Zach founded StayWatch, the internet's best place to find deals on stays across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com. A talented growth marketer turned entrepreneur, Zach also launched Behind the Stays, a podcast and YouTube channel that he hosts personally, which features the stories of hospitality visionaries shaping the future of travel. Both companies were acquired by Journey in 2024.

Before StayWatch, Zach founded Enrollify, a niche media company serving higher education marketing, which was acquired by Element451 in 2023. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly a decade at Direct Development, a marketing agency specializing in nonprofit and higher education clients, where he honed his expertise in growth marketing and scaling businesses.

With a passion for the attention economy, Zach thrives at the intersection of storytelling, entrepreneurship, and innovation, building businesses that captivate audiences and redefine industries. He currently lives in Washington D.C. with his wife and two children. Connect with Zach on LinkedIn or stream his weekly podcast (Behind the Stays) on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.