Hey @Robert Rixer, there are a few in FtL @George Munoz and @Scott Kidd are hosts of a couple meet ups.

Hi, I'm considering buying a property and would like to connect with fellow hosts in the area.

Hey hosts! 

Making a decent profit has everything to do with the right market...each and every one is different in guest avatar, ADR, and yearly revenue...the property itself, and the host and how knowledgeable they are on the STR industry right now because that is also an ever-changing landscape!  

I own a property in the Disney market and co-host/manage another 25 in the area.Disney I think is a good market if your goals are more aligned with traditional long term real estate goals, and a bad market if your goals are more immediate gratification and short term cash flow.The major benefit of the Disney market is that it's about the safest market you can find from a long-term perspective. 

You could also try seasonal decorations, like for Halloween or Christmas, to make your property stand out.For help managing the STR, look into property managers who specialize in short-term rentals or join local real estate groups to connect with experienced hosts.

Lastly many people have found certain linens off amazon to work great, but I think just about every host uses a different brand. 

I did the second cohort Open Spaces hosted and I can share my honest and very personal opinion about it.

I just checked, and while it does not appear that there are any upcoming events in central Illinois hosted by BP Members (https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-real-estate-events-...), it does look like there are some big ones in other parts of the state. 

A couple of months ago, I ran across one of Dave Meyer's videos, and that led me to the podcast, and that led me to the Real Estate Rookies podcast, and a host of others who I won't mention, but were nevertheless valuable.