Allison Hasler, founder of Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals, turned her passion for hospitality into a thriving business. From running a yacht charter on Kentucky Lake to creating upscale tiny house cabins, she has built a rental portfolio focused on quality and guest experience. With a background in public health and a love for the ever-changing vacation rental industry, she now manages 40 properties.
Can you tell us a little bit about your history?
Our career in hospitality started in 2015 when my husband sold a business. We took our first installment from the business and purchased a 50 ft. Silverton motor yacht on Kentucky Lake as our next business venture: Kentucky Lake Boat Charters- the first and only privately owned pleasure boat chartering company on Kentucky Lake & Lake Barkley. As you can imagine... it was a fun and exhausting season of our life. We learned two things from that venture: 1) We love the hospitality industry and sharing our passions with others. 2) We can do something similar a LOT more convenient than an hour's commute and spending all of our weekends working. So, we decided to sell the yacht and focus on our cabin venture.
After deciding on "tiny house" style cabins, I pledged I would only build a business that I would be willing to spend my own money on staying in —chic, modern, comfortable. Thus, Dam Near Lake of Egypt Cabins, LLC, was launched in 2018. It is a cheeky name for a surprisingly delightful experience (1 mile from Lake of Egypt's dam).
Fast-forward again. Thanks to OwnerRez, we kept the back end of the business a well-oiled machine. We then branched out to help other property owners with their own short-term rentals. Thus, Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals was born, focusing on unique and upscale properties.
What is your background?
My background is in public health, and I spent over 11 years in the field, with a concentrated knowledge in rural health disparities. I spent most of my career in various roles in government entities- local, county, state, and federal government. In 2021, I left my final government role to pursue the property management company full-time. Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals consisted of 8+ short-term rental properties throughout Southern Illinois.
We moved to Southern Illinois in 2005 after I returned home from a military deployment to Iraq. It was an easy decision as my husband and I grew up in central Illinois and what most would think of as Illinois when not picturing Chicago- "the land of corn and beans." But Southern Illinois is very different. It is hilly and beautiful; much of it is covered by Shawnee National Forest. There are wineries and orchards, lakes, hiking, and even wetlands. We would "staycation" in the area when we were dating, so it made sense to move a couple of hours south to enjoy it more.
What do you love the most about the VR business?
I love that no two days are the same. There is always a challenge, a pivot, or a new dynamic to understand. Systems that worked for five properties didn't work for ten, and we still have major operational shifts every five or so properties that we grow. I still love the hospitality part of the business and try to talk to as many visitors as possible, but the VR business is ever-changing, and I find that fascinating.
What do you dislike the most about it?
People management. I laugh as I write that because I have learned so much about business and myself in the years my business has grown. No fantastic property is worth a terrible client (homeowner), and no exceptional cleaner is worth keeping on the team if they have a bad attitude or cause a negative team dynamic. I've had to learn this the hard way. Even in the most rural areas, like my own, you can be selective with who you work with, and that is the beauty of owning your own VR business.
How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?
I use every nook and cranny of the OR system, with the exception of the PM Statements. It was the sole reason I was able to grow from 2 owned properties in 2018 to 40 managed (4 owned) by the end of 2024. Automation and integration are everything.
What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?
I could go on and on about my favorite features. So, I'll keep it to the top 3 in no particular order:
1) Custom fields—Thanks to property custom fields, I have one welcome message for 40 very different properties.
2) Owner Statements—I'm excited for the launch of the "overhaul," but the owner statements—the ability to customize what is shown, upload receipts and other documents to expenses, and create an owner portal for clients to enter—are wonderful.
3) API - I make decisions based on API options with OR. The portfolio is just too extensive now to join a platform or add to my tech stack that doesn't have the capability to integrate with OwnerRez.
From launching a yacht charter to creating upscale tiny house cabins, and growing a portfolio of 40 properties, Allison's journey is a true testament to passion and dedication. Wishing Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals continued success as Allison continues to elevate the vacation rental experience and deliver exceptional hospitality to her guests.