The Guesty Features That Took My Side Hustle to Seven Figures

When I started my short-term rental (STR) business, I had one property and big dreams. I thought it’d be the perfect side hustle: a little extra cash for my family, a chance to host and connect with travelers, and some flexibility to explore my creative side. What could go wrong?

Well, that single property quickly grew to two, then three, then four. The rest is history. I went from an aspiring side hustler to a full-time STR manager, juggling multiple properties. At first, the growth was exciting—the constant challenges, the lessons, the learning curve. My husband and I even began to feel the calming effects of a little extra cash. But soon after, I found myself buried under the weight of guest messages, cleaning schedules, pricing adjustments, and all the other little details that come with running and maintaining an STR business. And did I mention we have two very young kids?

As I hurtled straight toward burnout, the dream of scaling this business started to feel like it was slipping through my fingers. I wanted to grow but didn’t want to lose the joy of hosting and creating memorable experiences for my guests. I was so exhausted from managing the properties I had that the idea of expanding seemed impossible.

Then came Guesty. I can honestly say it saved my business. This is how Guesty helped me scale my business so I could continue to enjoy doing what I love without sacrificing my time and sanity.

Streamlining Everything with Guesty’s Unified Dashboard

Before Guesty, I juggled multiple platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, and I was all over the place. I spent so much time trying to keep up with the operational tasks that I missed out on the best parts of this business—designing beautiful spaces and finding new properties.

Guesty’s unified dashboard solved all of this. Everything I needed was in one place—bookings, messages, cleaning tasks—all synced up and ready to manage. With just a few clicks, I could navigate my entire operation with clarity, and I no longer felt like I was chasing my tail. I started looking for new properties and finding design and content inspiration online, which I didn’t have the time to do before. Guesty made managing the day-to-day a breeze, and suddenly, scaling didn’t feel so impossible.

Automated Messaging: No More Late-Night Texting

Anyone in the STR business knows guest communication can quickly take over your life. Between answering questions, sending check-in instructions, and following up on reviews, I never fully unplugged from the hustle.

Guesty’s automated messaging rescued my dwindling free time. I customized and scheduled messages for check-ins, reminders, and review requests. Once it was set up, I could just let it run—no more late nights spent answering messages or worrying about missing something important. The automation gave me the freedom to focus on creating spaces and building the business without feeling like I was on call 24/7.