Hi Creators!
It's Wednesday, which means I have a new Creator Spotlight for you. This spotlight is special because it's all about our Deliverability Specialist (and all around rockstar) alyssa!
She became interested in the vacation rental business and jumped in with her first property. In this spotlight interview, she shares what she's learned, why she decided to pursue this as a side hustle, and more. I hope you enjoy it!
Creator Spotlight: ConvertKit's own Alyssa
🌟Who is a creator that you look up to, or who inspires you, and why?
I was first inspired to start an Airbnb side hustle by Avery Carl. She’s a creator I am inspired by because she constantly shares everything she has learned about running a successful Airbnb business and is very generous with sharing what she knows. I wouldn’t have started a short term rental business without her!
🌟What book are you currently reading?
“Work Won’t Love You Back” by Sarah Jaffe
🌟What are the top 3 productivity apps that you use that help you be successful as a creator?
To run my short term rental business, my top 3 productivity apps are YourPorter, ResortCleaning, and Pricelabs. These help me automate all communication with guests, pricing, and cleaning. Oftentimes, these apps put my side hustle on autopilot.
🌟What are the top 3 skills that you most admire in yourself?
Empathy, organization, and teaching. Sometimes empathy can be a tough skill to have when dealing with customer service and hospitality. I am very impacted by anyone having a negative experience, but I believe it also helps me to be a better host.
🌟In your opinion what is the biggest misconception around creating content?
To me, the biggest misconception is that you have to be an industry-leading expert to speak on a topic. I’ve found that it’s best to create and share at all stages of your journey. Many people will benefit from learning from you in your beginning stages. If you wait until you’re perfect to start sharing, you’ll never share anything.
🌟What advice do you have for others in making their newsletters more engaging for other creators?
I recommend writing in your newsletters as if you’re having an intimate conversation with a friend. While you’re sending out your newsletter to several people at once, for your subscribers it can feel more like a 1:1 interaction. Newsletters are a great opportunity to build a relationship with your subscribers and help them become invested. Share struggles, stories, updates, etc. Be human and remember that your subscribers are humans too!
🌟How has your journey as a creator changed your life for the better?
My journey as a creator has helped give me more flexibility and helped me pursue financial independence. My goal is to continue to build up my Airbnb business to meet or exceed my current salary. Doing so will allow me to be more flexible with my time in the future and retire earlier than I would be able to without my side hustle.
🌟If you could give creators who are just starting out one piece of advice, what would it be?
My advice would be to share what you’re learning and doing in public. It can be intimidating when you’re just starting out because it can feel like you’re sharing into a void, but that’s okay! Just keep showing up consistently and try to provide value. Consistency and quality are a recipe for success but it takes time and hard work. Get comfortable with seeing slow progression and keep creating through it.