Taylor King is an STR owner, manager, and designer in Nashville. While earning her Masters in Education, she was hired as the house mother for a sorority, which perfectly set the stage for her pivot into the AirBnB market in 2020. After designing an STR townhome for her parents, she was hooked, and purchased her own townhouse, building and designing it from the ground up. Today, she manages four AirBnB properties in Nashville, and consults with other developers about their STRs. Stay tuned to hear Barb and Taylor chat about all things Memphis, creating personalized experiences for your guests, and banana scented wallpaper.

Taylor's Properties

Follow Taylor on Instagram

Jessi Watts bought a house for $1 at eight years old, kicking off her real estate journey. Jessi is the owner of WATTSi (a real estate photography company) and WATTSi Vacation Rentals (an STR management business). Jessi also works as the Manager of Member Experience at a tech company, building upon her experience in prior roles- Safety Specialist for Lyft HQ and Area Director for Auburn University Housing. Jessi has found her niche in the AirBnB world by focusing on scaleability- building effective systems, optimizing tech solutions, and thoughtfully architecting her guest's experience. As a recent Airbnb guest shared, "From start to finish, everything exceeded our expectations...We cannot recommend Jessi and her property highly enough." In this episode, Jessi and Barb discuss the importance of making small measurable steps towards goals, shaping your mindset, and the power of "yet."

Website:

• wattsivacationrentals.com
• wattsi.com

Socials:

• https://www.instagram.com/jessiwattsi/
• https://www.instagram.com/wattsivacationrentals/
• https://www.instagram.com/wattsi.co/

Catlin Hale is an entrepreneur who specializes in team building and new venture opportunities. In addition to running businesses, she has professional skills in photography, radio, marketing, songwriting and voice-over talent. Catlin started her AirBnB journey five years ago. She saw an opportunity to not only rent out her own homes, but also to help other multi-home owners start their short term rental businesses. Additionally, Catlin offers Personal Concierge Services which involve Meet & Greets for every guest that arrives at her properties. In this episode, Barb and Catlin chat about getting started in STRs, the history of women helping women, and the importance of personalized guest experiences.

LinkedIn.com/in/catlinhale

CatlinHale.com

Bethany Bordeaux began her short-term hosting journey in 2016 when she and her husband Keith built an adorable guest house in their backyard in the 12 South neighborhood of Nashville. Bethany quickly discovered this "side-hustle" allowed her a practical application for her love of people and hospitality, and she poured heart and soul into discovering how to host at the absolute highest level possible. In 2022, they expanded to a second location by purchasing a cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. AirBnB has twice recognized Bethany; in 2021, she was named "Most Hospitable Host” (for Tennessee), and in 2024, The 12 South Carriage House was included on a list of "10 properties in the top 1%" (of the approximately 7.7 million active Airbnb listings worldwide). When she’s not hosting, Bethany is a professional violinist and a mom, and enjoys spending her time traveling, reading, and getting involved in any sort of a good project.

www.BethanyBordeaux.com

www.12SouthCarriageHouse.com

www.SweetRetreatAtPigeonForge.com

Davina Kraeger dipped her toe into hospitality for the first time when she became a hotel desk clerk in college. The experience was integral in allowing her to dive head first into hosting several years later. As a solo mother of two, owning and operating short term rentals has allowed her the flexibility and stability to best care for her children. In this episode, Barb and Davina chat about her journey, President James K. Polk, and their love of handyman Earl. Plus, stay tuned to hear about Davina's hobbies, which include stand up comedy, karaoke, and hiking. If you're local to Nashville, you can hear Davina's stand up live in-person on November 7th at 7pm at The Bunganut Pig in Franklin, TN!

Davina's Listings: https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/44039875

Deidre Duker is a property investor, realtor, and short term rental owner/operator in Nashville. Diedre began her career in the film and television industry and chose to pivot to a second career in AirBnB rentals so she could better invest her time into a life that felt meaningful and purposeful. Today, she owns 10 properties in the Middle Tennessee area, five of which are short term rentals. In this episode, Barb and Deidre chat about her journey, being flexible, and the importance of staying at AirBnBs as a guest. Plus, stay tuned to hear how frozen octopus and peanut butter whiskey make their way into the conversation.

https://benchmarkrealtytn.com/realestate/agent/deidre-duker/

https://www.nashvillegoodhouse.com

Evane Stoner is an AirBnB host and owner, short term rental interior designer, and chocolatier living in Nashville, Tennessee. Her STR journey began concurrently with the development of her chocolate business, Poppy & Peep. While looking for a space for her chocolate shop, an apartment property became available next door, which Evane decided to purchase and rent out as AirBnB Arbitrage on the weekends. She acquired more properties, and began a themed collection of rentals entitled Cocoa Casa (chocolate-themed Air BnBs). Her unique style and decor caught the eye of New York investors, thus launching a new chapter for Evane- interior design for short term rentals. In this episode, Evane and Barb chat more about her story, discuss the specifics of chocolate school, and describe how AirBnB becomes a door to greater opportunities for women.

https://www.evanestonerinteriors.com

https://poppyandpeep.com

Cocoa Casa

Allie Williamson is an Air BnB host, and the CEO and owner of Southern Domestic Diva, a cleaning company specializing in short term rental services. Allie started her Air BnB journey after purchasing her first home. To make ends meet, she began short term renting her basement suite, while simultaneously running her new business out of the garage. Ten years later, she now owns and manages three STR properties, and her business has grown into a multi-million dollar operation, servicing over 800 clients in both Tennessee and Mississippi. In this episode, Barb and Allie chat about the twists and turns that have shaped her journey. Plus, stay tuned to hear how Pine-Sol holds a special place in their hearts.

https://southerndomesticdiva.com

Allie's AirBnBs