What happens when life takes you somewhere you never expected—and asks you to build something new from what’s left?

In this episode of the STR Sisterhood, I’m joined by Kristen Sluiter, a former educator, writer, and short-term rental owner whose journey into real estate began when she unexpectedly became the caregiver for her parents.

This conversation goes much deeper than short-term rentals. Kristen shares openly about caregiving, grief, losing her parents and brother, and rebuilding after a devastating house fire. Through all of it, she’s discovered something powerful about herself: she’s capable of handling far more than she once realized.

And that perspective has shaped the way she approaches her business, too.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How an unexpected season of caregiving led Kristen into real estate and eventually short-term rentals
• Navigating grief, loss, and major life transitions
• Rebuilding after a house fire—and how the literal process of rebuilding became part of healing
• Why difficult seasons don’t define who you are
• What to do when your STR business leaves you exhausted and overwhelmed
• Why hospitality doesn’t mean you have to make everyone happy
• Setting clear boundaries with guests and sticking to them, even when it feels uncomfortable
• Trusting yourself to handle the unexpected

One of Kristen’s simplest pieces of advice may also be the one you need most: Keep going.

When you’re in the middle of something difficult, it can feel like this is simply how life—or your business—is going to feel forever.

But it won’t.

You can have hard days. You can admit when you’re overwhelmed. You can set boundaries. You can make mistakes and deal with the unexpected without allowing any of those things to define you.

And perhaps most importantly, you can remind yourself of something Kristen’s parents instilled in her: There’s nothing you can’t do—but you don’t have to do it all.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[01:15] A short introduction about our guest Kristen Sluiter and how she got into the short term rental space

[04:03] Kristen opens up about caregiving, grief, and the unexpected beauty she found in being present for her mom’s final moments

[12:00] Kristen explains how her parents’ love of travel, her connection to hospitality, and her experience with grief inspired her to turn a family property into a short-term rental

[15:41] How a 20-acre property evolved into an off-grid short-term rental and how Kristen used creativity, persistence, and available resources to make it work

[24:23] Kristen explains how her perspective shifted from simply sharing a unique property to treating her short-term rental as a true hospitality business

[29:40] Kristen shares the three biggest challenges of operating an off-grid short-term rental, from managing utilities to setting guest expectations and maintaining a remote property

[34:00] Kristen explains how local relationships and word-of-mouth helped her build a reliable team for her remote, off-grid property

[35:13] How surviving a devastating house fire changed Kristen’s perspective on resilience, possessions, anger, and what she is capable of rebuilding

[41:51] Kristen encourages women to keep going, embrace difficult moments, and remember that what happens to them does not define who they are

[46:51] The lightning round

Golden Nuggets:

• “You could be as prepared as you want to be, but you're not really going to learn it until you do it.”
• “Keep going. You can't know what you don't know. There's something about you, that for whatever reason this thing happened.”
• “If you feel like you need to cry, curl up in a ball and cry. Do it. We're gonna be better off because of it.”
• “You don't have to bend over backwards to make somebody happy.”
• “There's nothing you can't do, but you don't have to do it all.”

Let’s Connect:

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