Starting a Vacation Cabin Rental Business
Interview with Eureka Sunset Founder Becky Halper
Eureka Sunset is a unique and specialized vacation rental destination in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Meet the founder Becky Halper and hear about the keys to her success.
Eureka Springs is a beautiful vacation destination in Arkansas.
That beauty derives in part from the location but in large part due to the hard work of entrepreneur, Becky Harper, who was kind enough to take part in one of our entrepreneur interviws.
Becky, tell us about your vacation rentals business. What are you doing exactly?
I rent out cabins, complete with luxury Jacuzzi's, for any type of lodging getaway. Also I am an ordained minister and I perform wedding ceremonies for my guests.
When did you start your business?
I started Eureka Sunset in 2005. There was an existing lodge here with 3 rooms available for rent but I added 3 spacious cabins.
What were you doing before this, and is this your first business?
I was a realtor and this property was on the market at the time.
Who are your main competitors? How do you compete against them?
There are many other lodging businesses in the area because this is a tourist destination of sorts. I have defined my niche by going way above and beyond to provide guests with a very personal, one of a kind experience.
How has your experience in running the business been different from what you expected?
One of the positive things has been that I have met many, many people on a personal basis that are wonderful people. A negative aspect is the large amount of freedom and personal time dedicated that is necessary to running a successful business.
What have you done that has been very effective in helping to grow the business?
I expanded the number of cabins and put a large amount of time and energy into making this a very personable experience for guests.
What advice would you give to somebody else who wanted to start a similar business?
Go into it treating the business like you were the customer. Think of everything that you would want if you were the customer.
Thank you for your time, Becky. These are great ideas for any entrepreneur to apply to their business.
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