How Jamie Inlow Built a Successful Airbnb Business
Jamie Inlow, the founder of Be Still Getaways, had always been fascinated by the idea of running an Airbnb. However, it wasn’t until she moved to Scottsville, Virginia, in 2019 that she had the opportunity to turn it into reality.
Her neighbor had a sheep farm with a barn that had an empty apartment above it. Inlow saw this as a golden opportunity and proposed a partnership to her neighbor. She asked him to provide $2,000 to furnish the apartment, and she would manage it and split the profits. He agreed, and they began transforming the apartment.
Inlow sourced all the furniture from Facebook Marketplace, driving for hours after her full-time job to find bargains. She also took care of the paperwork required for using an agricultural property as an Airbnb. After six months of hard work, the apartment was ready to receive its first guests.
While still working full time, Inlow launched a short-term rental management company. She offered services such as interior design and maintenance. She also hired an SEO company to help with marketing her properties through hashtags and social media influencer collaborations.
Inlow expanded her portfolio by managing other properties in downtown Staunton, Virginia. She posted about her brand on Facebook, which led an old school friend to reach out with two buildings that needed management. Inlow embraced the opportunity but found herself overwhelmed with the responsibilities of her job, cleaning the Airbnbs, and taking care of her son. However, in late 2020, things changed when a local real estate agent contacted her about clients looking for temporary housing. This partnership led to the launch of Carriage House, an umbrella company that manages short-term investment properties.
In January 2021, Inlow was managing four properties and had to hire an operations manager to help with the cleaning. The business continued to grow, but there was a setback when zoning regulations forced them to stop renting the barn. However, the estate agent partnership allowed them to focus on full-scale rehab projects and match potential investment properties with investors.
Eventually, Inlow left her consultancy job to focus on the Airbnb business full time. Her husband also joined the team to oversee lawn care. They now manage 133 individual listings and have a team of employees and contractors. Inlow emphasizes the importance of a great cover photo for attracting guests and recommends adding amenities like hot tubs to maximize bookings. She uses property management software to streamline her operations and is about to launch an AI concierge to help with guest inquiries.
To keep bookings up, Inlow introduced midterm stays of 31 days or longer. This has allowed her to diversify her portfolio and attract guests in different professions and situations.
