After settling in Florida, Cecilia Ghilardotti turned her love for the coast and her diverse professional background into Maven Vacation Rentals. Starting with a single duplex and growing through word of mouth, she has built a small, curated portfolio focused on care and consistency.
Can you tell us a little bit about your history?
I was born and raised in Argentina and came to the United States at 21 on a Rotary International scholarship to study at Brenau University in Georgia. After the scholarship year ended, I stayed on my own and worked my way through school until I completed my degree in Business Administration with a minor in Music, Opera Performance. Before settling in Florida, I lived in Argentina, Germany, Canada, and different parts of the U.S. Music was also a meaningful part of my early years. I trained in classical singing alongside my academic studies, but my professional career ultimately took a different direction.
What is your background?
Before entering vacation rentals, I spent about ten years in IT and software development as a business analyst. My work focused on understanding user needs, analyzing systems, simplifying workflows, and helping teams make their processes more effective. I worked with companies such as Intel, Alcatel-Lucent, Catalina Marketing, Aaron’s, and BlueGreen Vacations.
Were you always in vacation rentals or property management, or is this a 2nd/3rd career?
Vacation rentals are my second career. My entry into the industry began after I purchased a duplex and decided to experiment with renting one of the units short-term while living in the other. I finally had the time to explore it. The response from guests was strong, and that early experience naturally grew into a small management business. The growth happened entirely through word of mouth. I’ve kept the portfolio intentionally small because I value the level of care and consistency that a boutique operation allows. For me, quality and attention matter more than scaling quickly.
Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located, or did you move there later? If later, what drew you to that area?
No, I’m originally from Argentina. After living in the U.S. and abroad, I eventually chose to settle in Florida. I’ve always been drawn to the ocean in a way that feels less like a preference and more like something essential. The beach is where I reset, find calm, and feel most myself. The climate, the light, and the coastal atmosphere were a natural fit for me, and they continue to inspire the kind of environment I enjoy creating for guests.
What do you love the most about the vacation rental business?
There are two sides to the work that I enjoy equally. One is the creative side. I love shaping spaces that make people feel something, through design, comfort, service, and small touches that elevate the stay. It reminds me in some ways of performing: you craft an experience from start to finish, and the environment becomes a form of expression. Some of my best childhood memories are from family trips to beautiful resorts in Brazil, and that sense of magic and immersion stayed with me. Being able to recreate even a small piece of that for my guests is incredibly fulfilling.
The other side is the strategy. I like understanding how a short-term rental functions as an investment, pricing, patterns, opportunity, seasonality, guest behavior, and risk. There’s a quiet puzzle to it, almost like playing a chess game every day: adjusting the pieces, noticing patterns, and finding ways to optimize performance without compromising safety or guest experience. When those two elements, artistry and strategy, intersect, that’s where the business becomes truly enjoyable for me.
What do you dislike the most about it?
The most challenging aspect is that vacation rentals are still a relatively new industry, and the regulatory structure hasn’t fully matured. Hotels operate with clear and standardized safety requirements, while short-term rentals fall under rules that vary widely from one city to another. Because of that, managers often have to establish their own internal standards for safety, consistency, and risk prevention, things like fire preparedness, pool safety measures, and protocols that protect both the home and the people in it. A clearer, more unified framework would make things safer and more streamlined for everyone involved.
How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?
OwnerRez is the central system I use for organizing my operations. I rely on it for reservation management, messaging workflows, owner statements, expense tracking, reporting, accounting, OTA integrations, and guest communication.
A feature I appreciate is the level of visibility it provides to owners. They can see activity, performance, statements, and revenue details directly in the system, which creates transparency without having to manage separate tools.
What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?
The feature that stands out most to me is the reporting capability. It’s highly customizable and provides a wide range of data points that can be combined in different ways. The flexibility makes it easier to interpret patterns, evaluate performance from multiple angles, and make strategic decisions based on what the numbers reveal. I also value the customization of messaging templates and automations, which help maintain consistency in guest communication while still allowing for personal touches where needed.
With a focus on care, consistency, and thoughtful hospitality, Cecilia has built Maven Vacation Rentals into a standout boutique vacation rental business along Florida’s coast. We look forward to continuing to support her business and finding new ways to help her deliver consistent stays with a personal touch.
