What would your life look like if you actually designed it on purpose—down to how you spend your mornings, who you work with, and where you pour your creative energy?

In this episode, I sit down with certified Airbnb stylist and designer Erica Egner, whose journey from a burnt-out graphic designer to a thriving short-term rental entrepreneur is a masterclass in intentional living.

We talk about:

1. How Erica and her husband worked backward from a vision of freedom to escape the 9-to-5 commute and daycare cycle
2. The story of a scruffy 1970s A-frame in Washington that transformed Erica from a DIY novice into a soulful hospitality expert
3. Why Erica is choosing to keep her boutique co-hosting portfolio small to protect her boundaries and her "people-pleaser" tendencies
4. How graphic design principles translate into physical spaces to guide a guest’s eye, and their experience, through a home
5. The power of plugging into mentors and communities to build systems and avoid the chaos of figuring it out alone.

But this isn't just about beautiful interiors. It’s about alignment. Erica pulls back the curtain on the grit and creativity required to turn a tired space into a high-performing rental that guests describe as "healing." You’ll hear how she navigated the transition from remote design work to full-time hospitality, and why she views her business not as a machine, but as an engine for the life she actually wants to lead.

If you’ve ever felt like your business is dictating your life instead of the other way around, this conversation will give you the permission—and the plan—to start designing your exit. Get ready to align your daily actions with your biggest vision.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[01:01] A short introduction about our guest Erica Egner, how she got started into the world of short term rental, and how it has changed her life

[03:35] Erica explains how shared values around time, freedom, and family guided major life and career decisions with her partner

[07:05] Erica describes how patience, research, and shared values guided conversations around starting in short-term rentals

[12:09] How reframing the short-term rental as an easy family escape helped Erica’s husband embrace the idea

[13:28] Erica reflects on how applying design fundamentals in a real-world renovation revealed a natural shift toward interior design

[17:23] How foundational design training shaped the way Erica approaches interior design in short term rentals

[18:28] Erica describes how methodical pacing and hands-on involvement defined her co-hosting growth and journey

[22:56] Erica explains how proximity, standards, and fit now guide her co-hosting client decisions

[24:28] Erica shares how learning to set boundaries became essential to protecting her time and energy, and

[27:20] How designing Erica’s own short-term rental revealed a clear and natural entry point into the interior design world

[31:40] How learning from others helped Erica avoid overwhelm and keep moving forward instead of giving up

[34:19] Erica outlines how timing, self-awareness, and life stage have shaped how she integrates work she loves with family life

[36:05] Erica reflects on how intentional daily actions, not luck, are what ultimately shaped the life she and her partner built

[39:43] The lightning round

Golden Nuggets:

1. “I am learning about how to have boundaries for myself, and also just that having those boundaries really makes you better at doing your job, and so you have to have them.”
2. “Each of us can accelerate our growth, whether it is growing our businesses or just growing our knowledge and expanding opportunities by knowledge hacking.”
3. “If you have a goal, and that's what you're working for, and every single decision you make is wondering if that's in alignment with this goal, then it's not luck. You're doing the right thing.”
4. “When we have our daily actions in alignment with our goals, the things that are important to us, when those are aligned, that is exactly how we reverse engineer what it is that we want.”

Let’s Connect:

Website : https://perennial.style/about

https://perennialstays.rentals/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/perennialstyle_wa

https://www.instagram.com/perennialstays.rentals/

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