This week, we’re highlighting Julie Andrews and Stephen Parsons, co-founders of Beach Boutique Rentals. Based on Anna Maria Island, Julie and Stephen built their business with a focus on genuine relationships and quality over quantity. With OwnerRez supporting their day-to-day operations, they’ve grown their business to over 70 properties while maintaining a hands-on, boutique approach.
Can you tell us a little bit about your history?
Beach Boutique Rentals was co-founded by Julie Andrews and Stephen Parsons on Anna Maria Island with the goal of doing vacation rental management a little differently. From the beginning, the focus was on quality over quantity and on building genuine relationships with property owners. What started as a small, hands-on operation has grown into a curated portfolio of thoughtfully managed homes, while still keeping that original boutique feel intact.
What is your background?
Our background is rooted in working closely with people and paying attention to the details that matter. From the beginning, we’ve focused on clear communication, staying organized, and being thoughtful in how we manage both homes and relationships. That foundation continues to shape how Beach Boutique Rentals operates today, with a strong emphasis on trust, consistency, and care.
Were you always in vacation rentals or property management, or is this a 2nd/3rd career?
Vacation rentals became a later career for both of us. We first entered the space as property owners, managing our own vacation rentals and learning the business from that perspective. That hands-on experience gave us a clear understanding of what owners need and what truly makes a management partnership successful, which eventually led to the creation of Beach Boutique Rentals.
If a later career, what did you do before?
Before vacation rentals, we both came from education backgrounds, Stephen in elementary education and Julie in higher education. While those careers were very different from property management on the surface, they required strong communication, organization, adaptability, and the ability to manage many moving parts at once. Those people-first skills transferred in meaningful ways and continue to guide how we run Beach Boutique Rentals today.
Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located, or did you move there later?
Julie originally grew up in Buffalo, New York, and always dreamed of living on Anna Maria Island, a goal she eventually made a reality. Stephen is originally from Virginia and, like many people, was drawn to the area for the lifestyle and warmer climate.
What do you love the most about the vacation rental business?
What we love most is the combination of hospitality and ownership. Every home is personal, and being trusted to care for it while also creating a great guest experience is incredibly rewarding. No two days are the same, and the work stays engaging because it’s always about people, not just properties.
What do you dislike the most about it?
The biggest challenge is that the work never really turns off. Vacation rentals operate 24 hours a day/7 days a week, and issues don’t always happen at convenient times. That constant responsibility can be demanding, but it also reinforces the importance of being prepared and having strong systems in place.
How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?
We use it in just about every way possible. OwnerRez is the main platform we rely on to run the day-to-day side of our business. We use it to manage reservations, calendars, guest communication, and owner reporting, all in one place. Having everything centralized helps us stay organized, avoid small issues turning into bigger ones, and maintain consistency as our portfolio grows. It supports the way we like to operate: professional behind the scenes, while still keeping the experience personal for owners and guests.
What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?
It’s honestly hard to pick just one most useful feature, because OwnerRez offers so many tools that work well together. That said, right now we’re especially loving the new Rezzy AI rollout, who we’ve renamed Rezzie, the Beach Boutique Rentals AI Assistant. She’s been handling after-hours guest inquiries and helping keep communication flowing when our team is offline. She’s already been a huge help, and it’s impressive how quickly she continues to learn and improve.
In a short amount of time, Julie and Stephen have gone from vacation rental owners to running a thriving vacation rental business. We look forward to seeing Beach Boutique Rentals continue to grow in 2026.
