Where it all began : The Hideaway
The one that started it all. You can do it!
How We Found (and Built) The Hideaway – Our First STR From the Ground Up
By the Founder of Sasquatch STR Consulting & Author of
The Northwoods STR Playbook: Profitable Airbnb Investing for the Rural Midwest
We Weren’t Trying to Start a Business—Just Chasing a Feeling
When I first stumbled across short-term rentals, I wasn’t chasing a portfolio. I was chasing peace.
I was burned out in sales, dreaming about a quieter life in the woods. At the time, I was obsessed with BiggerPockets and Robuilt, and I was knee-deep in podcasts about freedom and passive income. But honestly? I didn’t have a master plan.
I just wanted a place to store my ice house and escape from the chaos.
But what started with a search for stillness became something way bigger. It became The Hideaway—our first Airbnb, our first hands-on rehab, and the first proof that this crazy STR idea could actually work.
The Property No One Wanted
I talk about this in the book, but The Hideaway was disgusting when we found it.
The listing photos were awful. The smell was worse. There was mold, mice, outdated everything—you name it. But it was tucked in a quiet spot surrounded by trees. It felt like the kind of place people dream about getting away to.
Most people would’ve walked away.
I saw a blank canvas.
I made an offer. Got it. And then rolled up my sleeves.
DIY Rehab: Every Dollar Earned, Every Hour Invested
We didn’t have a crew. We didn’t have a big budget.
What we had was a lot of grit and a few hundred bucks a month to slowly rehab the place ourselves.
We painted, trimmed, patched, scrubbed, installed—sometimes late at night after work, and every single weekend.
As I say in The Northwoods STR Playbook, this business doesn’t reward perfection.
It rewards intention, hustle, and heart.
The Magic Ingredient: My Wife’s Design Eye
I’ll be honest—if I had done the design alone, it would’ve turned out like a wood-paneled bachelor pad. But this is where my wife shines.
She’s not just good at design—she’s intuitive. She picked a color palette that made the space feel calm and cozy. She sourced vintage pieces that made it feel lived-in, not staged. Every blanket, every shelf, every texture made it feel like home.
Guests feel that energy. They mention it in reviews all the time.
The Hideaway doesn’t work because it’s big or fancy—it works because it’s curated, personal, and peaceful.
The Hideaway Wasn’t a Flex—It Was a Foundation
We launched it on Airbnb with no expectations. We just wanted to cover the mortgage and maybe get a few weekends booked.
Instead, it exploded.
• We became Superhosts quickly.
• The property consistently booked out weekends year-round..
That success gave us the blueprint—and the belief—to keep going.
Why This Matters (For You)
I share this story in the book because most people think you need a perfect property to start.
You don’t.
You need:
• A property with bones
• A quiet location with access to fun
• A design that tells a story
• And a willingness to learn, fix, and evolve
That’s what The Hideaway gave us—and that’s what I help others build now through Sasquatch STR Consulting.
Want to Start Your Own Hideaway?
📘 Read the full story in The Northwoods STR Playbook – it’s the blueprint I wish I had when I started.
📞 Book a strategy call – I’ll help you vet a property, plan a rehab, or design an Airbnb from scratch.
🧰 Grab my Rural STR Checklist – it’s the exact framework I use to find peaceful, profitable cabins all across the Midwest.
The Hideaway didn’t change our life because it was perfect.
It changed our life because we were willing to believe in it when no one else would.