Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kimberly Thomas, Founder of Roam Vacation Rentals Inc., located in Kelowna, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We're a full-circle short-term rental management firm called Roam Vacation Rentals. Our client base is comprised of real estate investors and homeowners operating Airbnbs, VRBOs, and private short-term rentals in the Okanagan area.
Tell us about yourself
My initial background lies in hotel/spa management. I spent many years working alongside my husband in operations and design, running Wolverine Industries, a commercial (and back then also residential) design-build firm. I hold a Bachelor of Commerce, and I also spent three years managing the marketing for Canada for a rapidly growing large-scale franchise. My husband and I started running our own short-term rentals over ten years ago as a side hustle to grow our real estate portfolio and saw great success with our strategy. I decided to turn my side hustle into business as it's where my passion lies. I love sharing my knowledge with real estate investors to help them grow their real estate portfolio more rapidly with the additional passive income/cash flow the short-term rental market offers.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Scaling Roam from 2 listings to 18-20 in 1.5 years. We have now niched into full homes and townhomes, as that's where we see the guest demand in our area. It's also the property type we most enjoy managing.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The short-term rental market and real estate industry are always shifting. Staying on top of the latest trends and data is vital for our success and the success of our clients. It's important we keep our ears to the ground and continue to pivot to accommodate and operate in a fast-moving industry that combines both tourism and real estate.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Build your systems in order to scale effectively. Always be on the lookout for a better way to operate in the best interest of your customers, clients, stakeholders, and community as a whole. Automate yourself out of the day-to-day/busy work-type tasks so that you can focus on what's important. Be on the lookout for burnout and focus on self-care.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://roamvacationrentals.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roamvacationrentals/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roamvacationrentals/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roam-vacation-rentals/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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