411. How To Build, Finance, & Market A Unique Stay STR

Episode • Nov 14, 2024 • 54m

This is a unique episode all about unique stays! We’re excited to welcome Whitney Hansen, a financial coach, host of The Money Nerds Podcast, and a unique property builder. She operates the Cascade Dome, a geo-dome in the mountains, and The Flower Pot, a giant flower pot you can actually sleep in. The Flower Pot was one of 100 global winners of the Airbnb OMG Fund.

Whitney joins us to talk about how she grew The Flower Pot into a flourishing business, why she’s attracted to unique stays, and the benefits and challenges of experiential STRs. Whitney gets really honest about the financials of her properties, how she sets guest expectations, and her advice for managing social media and influencer outreach.

This episode gave us a lot to think about for our next property, and we know you’ll find it valuable, too.

(00:00:00) Introductions

(00:01:28) #STRShareSunday: @idahoflowerpot

(00:04:52) How Whitney Won The OMG Fund

(00:07:48) Her Journey In The STR Space

(00:11:50) The Dollars & Cents Behind The Flower Pot

(00:19:35) The Power Of Unique Stays

(00:24:43) The Challenges of Unique Stays

(00:26:50) The Cascade Dome’s Financials

(00:30:35) Social Media Dos and Don'ts

(00:40:42) The Benefits Of Direct Booking

(00:46:56) Rapid-Fire Questions