We recently connected with Randi Zucker and have shared our conversation below.

Randi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Preparation is the key to success.

My biggest takeaway to anyone launching a business: Research! Take your time to properly research all aspects of your business. Even then, you’re going to hit walls that you never thought would be there. Find the right mentors to follow and join numerous online groups where you can search and ask questions.

We are in the process of launching a chain of boutique vacation rentals across Florida called Isla Palma, with our first 6-key building in Singer Island called Isla Palma Singer Island. It’s a huge undertaking for us and took a lot of capital, people and planning. I’m simplifying this process, but here are the steps I took which can be applied to most businesses.

1. RESEARCH! I came across an off-market building where the owner was interested in selling as his father was getting old and unable to care for the place. I researched the area to see if I was getting a good deal. I used software to analyze similar sold buildings and also the rental market in the area to gauge how much income this building could generate if I turned the units into rentals. I also spoke with numerous General Contractors to see how much it would cost to renovate the building (plus an added 15% for unforeseen circumstances). During this time, I joined numerous Facebook Groups like AirBNB groups and real estate groups, followed influencers on Instagram like Grant Cardone and read books on the subject of owning apartment buildings and vacation rentals. My husband and I attended conferences and networking events where we’ve found great mentors.
2. BUSINESS PLAN! We proceeded with our idea to buy a building and turn the units into vacation rentals. So, we created a simple business plan outlining objectives, costs, revenue projections, competitors, staffing and partnerships, and marketing needs.
3. PAPERWORK! You need to file proper paperwork such as LLCs, EIN numbers, sales tax documents, hotel licenses and much more. Many businesses require certain certifications and licenses so speak with your advisors, accountants and attorneys to make sure you’re filed properly.
4. TEAM WORK! Get to work. Be strategic in who you hire and you must learn how to work well with others on a shared goal. We have a lot of people with different work ethics and personalities on our team such as electricians, plumbers and installers who need to all come together to complete the project.
5. TIMELINES! Timing is everything. You need to have written action steps with projected dates of execution and completion. For example, we had a snafu where we had hired our painters before we were done with the stucco work and had to send them home. You need to have written timelines in place and be prepared to reschedule tasks.
6. PARTNERSHIPS! You are not an expert in everything. You need to outsource and focus on what you’re most valuable in. We decided to outsource the property management, hotel bookings and concierge services. We want to stay focused on what we’re good at (real estate, remodeling and design).
7. USER EXPERIENCE! See in the eyes of your customer. As you get closer to launching your business, you need to run user experience testing. We had family and friends stay at our units to give us valuable feedback during the process. We frequently try to act like a “tourist” in our own building and try to see the area with fresh eyes. As a business owner knee deep in your own idea, it can be hard to step back and see your product or service in the eyes of your customer, but it’s extremely important to do so without bias.
8. MARKETING! Study your competitors to see how they’re marketing themselves. Study their websites, social media and how they appear on Google search. Observe what images, languages, colors and hashtags they use. Create a branding kit with a logo, font guide, color schemes and mantra. Create a basic marketing plan that can evolve with time.
9. LAUNCH! Create a plan to launch. Will you do a formal announcement with a press release and event? Host a party both in person and virtual? Will you do a soft open to work out kinks before a formal opening? Have a strategy on how you’d like to debut your business to the world.

Randi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For the last decade, I have been a marketing consultant for high-profile individuals and businesses. I am the founder of numerous ventures including HomeschoolRoomies.com, a social network to help homeschooling families, as well as Nip Envy, a line of women’s intimate comfort wear.

Thrust into balancing children at home and work due to Covid, I was forced like millions of other parents to re-evaluate my career choices to accommodate a more flexible schedule that’s rewarding financially and spiritually. Teaming up with my husband, a real estate professional and remodeler, “Isla Palma” vacation rentals was born.

We are combining his skills of finding undervalued diamonds in the rough with my eye for design and user experience to create boutique lifestyle vacation rentals throughout Florida.

I want vacationers to know that we poured every ounce of our hearts into designing out properties. I’ve literally slept many nights with bandages and ointment on my finger from working so hands-on with remodeling Isla Palma units.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

There are no straight paths in scaling a career. It happens serendipitously. My husband and I started flipping homes roughly 8 years ago as side hustles. I was working long hours consulting for a media company, while he had a full-time job as a commodities trader. Over the years, neighbors at the homes we were renovating would notice how we accomplished incredible transformations of properties, and would ask us if they could hire us to consult in the remodeling of their homes. This flipping side hustle evolved into us opening a design consultancy business which we still have today called A+R Home Designs. We then both went full time into real estate, flipping homes and consulting others in remodels.
During Covid, South Florida real estate sky rocketed. We slowly found ourselves unable to purchase undervalued homes with enough profit in there to flip. Then we thought about all the homes we sold over the years and if we had only kept them long-term, we would have made a fortune if we sold now during this market. A lightbulb came on to stop flipping properties and start holding properties.

Isla Palma Singer Island was born as we love the idea of renovating and this time we get to keep it, enjoy the units ourselves and let others enjoy them too by renting them out.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I remember when we bought our first investment property. I believe I was 24 years old and literally scraped together every last dollar I had. We didn’t tell any of our family or friends that we wiped out our bank accounts. For several months we were living off popcorn and Ramen noodles. I remember I had black roots and played it off like I was trying to be trendy (as I couldn’t afford my blonde highlights ). Today, with two children to support, I would not recommend wiping out your bank account. The best time to take risks is when you’re young.

Contact Info:

• Website: islapalmasingerisland.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/islapalmasingerisland
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/islapalmasingerisland
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/islapalmasingerisland

Image Credits
Vacasa