In 2019, Jamie Stark Inlow made the decision to leave her 9-to-5 job in higher education and move to a mini farm in Scottsville, Virginia in order to spend more time with her family. She took on higher education consulting work and a part-time job as a student program coordinator at the University of Virginia. However, she still felt like something was missing from her life.
It wasn’t until she saw the potential in her neighbor’s empty apartment above a barn that Inlow found her opportunity. In June of that year, she turned it into an Airbnb listing. One listing quickly turned into two, and eventually, she founded her own property management business called Be Still Getaways in 2020. The business now manages over 120 rentals and inns in Virginia and brought in nearly $2 million in 2022. It is projected to bring in $3 million this year.
Despite her success, Inlow’s journey wasn’t easy. For the first two and a half years of Be Still Getaways, she had to work all three of her jobs and couldn’t afford to quit or reduce her hours. All of the revenue she earned had to be reinvested into the company. In 2021, she made the decision to hire staff in order to scale up quickly, even though she only paid herself $10,000 that year. The investment paid off and the company finally started generating six figures in revenue. Inlow was able to quit her other jobs and start paying herself a regular salary.
To scale her company, Inlow convinced her neighbor to invest $2,000 in furniture and decor for the apartment, with the agreement to split the profits. When it started booking up quickly, Inlow asked for $110,000 to build and decorate a tiny home on the property, which was also listed on Airbnb. The success of these rentals attracted more business partners and by the end of 2020, Inlow managed about 20 properties. She then hired an operations director and part-time contract workers to help with cleaning, staging, and repairs.
In 2022, Be Still Getaways spent $587,000 on company expenses, with the largest portion going towards staffing. The company paid its eight full-time and 60 part-time workers a combined $439,000. Inlow believes that paying her staff competitive wages is not only important for retention but also for overall morale.
Inlow’s ultimate goal is to scale Be Still Getaways to the point where she isn’t needed on an hourly basis, so she can spend more time with her family. She plans to continue growing the business and eventually wants to own and operate its own commercial property. She also hopes to write a book titled “The Secrets of Short-Term Rentals.”
Despite her success, Inlow still struggles with work-life balance and finding time for herself. She tries to carve out free time by setting her Apple Watch to “Do Not Disturb” and prioritizes travel as a way to unwind and take her mind off work. She believes that taking time to refresh is crucial for avoiding burnout and sees it as a form of market research for her business.