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With International Women’s Day fast approaching, we’re thrilled to highlight eight women to follow in the vacation rental industry in 2026. Each of these women has made their mark in this incredible industry and is well worth following to help you along your own short-term rental journey.
1. Stacey St. John – host of The STR Sisterhood Podcast
Stacey St. John is the kind of leader who makes you feel like you can actually do this. As the host of the STR Sisterhood Podcast, she’s built a community that’s focused on helping short-term rental hosts grow their business without burning out in the process.
What makes Stacey stand out is her real-world experience. She built her own short-term rental business from the ground up. Through the STR Sisterhood Podcast, Stacey creates space for honest conversations about how to manage your properties and the mindset you need to adopt to be successful. She’s especially passionate about empowering women in the short-term rental space and encouraging them to step confidently into ownership and leadership roles. Listeners can catch her at speaking events or even just sharing insights on her podcast.
2. Rachel Gainsbrugh – host of The Luxury Rental Doctor Show
Rachel Gainsbrugh is the host of The Luxury Rental Doctor Show. She’s all about creating five-star, design-forward experiences that allow hosts to appropriately charge premium rates and attract the right guests. With a background in healthcare, she brings a systems-driven, detail-oriented approach to luxury hosting. On her show, she breaks down everything from branding and direct bookings to guest experience and high-end amenities.
She encourages hosts to move beyond chasing high occupancy rates with lots of turnover and instead build properties with a clear identity and an elevated guest experience. It’s about thoughtful design and understanding the psychology of luxury travelers. Through her podcast and community, Rachel challenges hosts to raise their standards and step into the luxury market.
3. Julie George – author of Million Dollar Host
Julie George is the author of Million Dollar Host. She began with a single property and a big goal. Within a relatively short period of time, she turned that one listing into a million-dollar short-term rental business. What makes her journey so relatable is that she’s open about the learning curve, including things like pricing mistakes, operational challenges and the mindset shifts it took to be successful in this extremely competitive industry.
In Million Dollar Host, Julie breaks down the exact steps she used to grow her portfolio, from choosing the right properties to creating standout guest experiences. It offers a lot of real-world advice and actionable steps for hosts. She encourages hosts to treat their rentals like true businesses, not side hustles.
4. Zoey Berghoff – content creator and coach
Zoey Berghoff is an internet personality who has built a following by teaching others how to run a successful short-term rental business. She got her start by diving headfirst into the short-term rental space and learning the business from the ground up. Instead of playing it safe, she focused on understanding market data, guest demand and creative acquisition strategies.
What sets Zoey apart is how open she is about this difficult process. For hosts who are trying to scale or simply break into competitive markets, her insights are grounded in real experience. She’s also a big believer in community and collaboration within the STR world. In addition to online resources, she offers one-on-one coaching opportunities.
5. Jessica Gillingham – founder and CEO of Abode Worldwide
As the founder and CEO of Abode Worldwide, Jessica Gillingham has built a global PR agency that specializes in the short-term rental space. What makes Jessica stand out is her deep understanding of the short-term rental ecosystem. She understands the operators, the tech, the investors and the shifting regulations that shape the industry. That insight allows her team to position brands thoughtfully and strategically.
For hosts and property managers, Jessica’s work is a reminder that visibility matters. Great operations are essential, but so is brand credibility. Through Abode Worldwide, she continues to help hosts better market and brand their businesses.
6. Brianna Amigo – interior design specialist and founder of Brianna Michele Interiors
Brianna Amigo has become a go-to name for hosts who want their properties to stand out in a crowded market. Through Brianna Amigo Interiors, she helps short-term rental owners transform ordinary spaces into listings that make you stop scrolling.
Her approach goes beyond picking pretty furniture. Brianna understands that in the STR world, design directly impacts bookings. She works with hosts to create on-brand interiors that photograph well. Whether it’s a bold, themed property or a high-end, modern retreat, every design choice is made with ROI in mind. What makes her studio especially valuable to hosts is that it’s built specifically around short-term rentals. That means layouts are optimized for guest flow, durability is prioritized and “Instagrammable” moments are intentionally built in.
7. Megan McCrea – founder of The Hospitality Creator
Megan McCrea is a name that’s quickly become synonymous with creativity and strategy in the short-term rental space. As the founder of The Hospitality Creator, Megan helps hosts elevate their properties. She teaches hosts how to create spaces that wow guests from the moment they book. From branding and listing photography to guest communication and property management workflows, her approach covers the full host experience.
What makes Megan stand out is her focus on the modern host. She prioritizes experiences, not just a place to rest your head. The Hospitality Creator is a great place to turn to for general guidance, tools and inspiration.
8. Lydia Patel – YouTuber
Lydia Patel has quietly become one of those YouTube creators that make you feel like you’re learning from a friend who’s already been in the trenches. On her channel, she shares real-world short-term rental content.
What makes Lydia’s videos stand out is how honest and grounded her perspective is. She’s not presenting an ultra‑polished “see how easy it is!” routine. Instead, she talks through the very real challenges this industry faces. Her background as a clinical pharmacist and a parent gives her content an extra layer of relatability as she knows exactly how much we are all trying to balance at one time. Lydia’s channel is packed with step‑by‑step guides, thoughtful strategies and honest lessons learned from hosting herself.
These eight women are proof that the short-term rental industry is full of innovation, creativity and expertise. From building standout properties to sharing practical advice and creating community online, each of these leaders brings something special to the table. Whether you’re a new host or a seasoned professional, you’re sure to benefit from following them!
The post 8 Women to Follow in the Vacation Rental Industry in 2026 appeared first on Vacation Rental Owners & Property Managers Blog – Lodgify.
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