Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Ackerman.
Hi Danielle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I remember being in junior high and selling lollipops to classmates so I could pay for my band trips. I’d buy a box from Costco for around $7, sell them one by one until I had made about $25, then turn around and buy another box. My mom worked two jobs to support our family. Looking back, this was a necessity for me so I could earn myself money for band and not trouble my mom. It did, however, create a need to be independent and sparked my entrepreneurial spirit.
That entrepreneurial spark followed me into adulthood. I sought out leadership programs and eventually participated in a business accelerator called B Launched in Boise, Idaho. Teams were challenged to develop a real business concept and pitch it in a competition that felt a lot like Shark Tank. My team didn’t win, but it planted another seed. For years I found myself dreaming up business ideas, wondering if one of them would eventually become something real.
At the same time, I have always loved meeting people. I’m naturally outgoing, and I genuinely enjoy hearing people’s stories. One day I started reading about Couchsurfing, where people open their homes to travelers simply for the experience. Around that same time, I also discovered Airbnb.
In 2019, I decided to take a leap. I lived in a modest 780 square foot, two bedroom, one bath home in Klamath Falls with an extra bedroom sitting empty. I listed that room on Airbnb for $30 a night, honestly having no idea if anyone would book it. I wasn’t even sure there was much of a travel market in Klamath Falls.
Plenty of people told me I was making a mistake. “As a woman, you’re crazy.” “That’s not safe.” “You shouldn’t let strangers stay in your house.”
I understood their concerns, but I chose to believe there was more good than bad in the world. I trusted my instincts, took reasonable precautions, and hit “Publish.”
Almost immediately, the room stayed booked. Occupancy hovered around 95%, and before long that extra bedroom was paying my mortgage and utilities. What started as an experiment quickly became proof that my idea had real potential.
Like so many businesses, COVID temporarily changed everything. Travel came to a halt, and bookings disappeared almost overnight.
When travel finally began returning, an unexpected opportunity found me. My husband’s coworker owned a home that would otherwise sit vacant for most of the year, only returning once every few months. I suggested turning it into a vacation rental and offered to manage everything. We had a modest design budget, furnished the home thoughtfully, and launched what is now known as Cozy Comfort Minutes From Downtown Klamath Falls.
That property is still welcoming guests today and has earned more than 321 reviews with a 4.95-star rating on Airbnb alone. Seeing that success gave me confidence that maybe this wasn’t just a side hustle anymore.
For the next several years, I managed both my own property, Modern Home in the Heart of Downtown Klamath Falls, and Cozy Comfort Minutes From Downtown Klamath Falls. As those homes continued to perform well, people naturally started asking questions. They wanted to know how I was doing it and how they could create successful vacation rentals of their own.
At first, I thought the answer was education. I invested heavily in creating online courses to teach others how to start and manage short-term rentals. It was an expensive lesson.
As I built my social media presence and connected with more people throughout the community, I noticed something interesting. Most homeowners didn’t actually want to learn how to manage vacation rentals themselves. They wanted someone they trusted to do it for them. That realization completely changed the direction of my business.
By the end of 2023, my portfolio had grown to four homes. It may not sound like much, but those first few properties laid the foundation for everything that followed.
Then came 2024. It was, without question, my biggest year of growth. Word spread. Marketing began working. Referrals started coming in. At one point, my portfolio grew to 15 properties. Growth was exciting, but it was also humbling. I quickly learned that managing vacation rentals is about building systems, leading people, solving problems, and creating an operation that can consistently deliver exceptional experiences for both guests and homeowners.
Fortunately, my background prepared me well. While building my company, I spent years in Operations Management and Human Resources, leading teams for a global organization. I earned my SHRM-CP certification, which gave me a strong foundation in leadership, compliance, hiring, and organizational development. Those experiences became invaluable as I built my own team and learned how to scale a growing business.
Looking back, 2024 was about learning how to become a business owner. As any small business owner knows, it takes a lot of perseverance, tenacity and staying focused.
In 2025, my focus shifted from growth to refinement.
We implemented professional payroll systems, adopted property management software, streamlined our cleaning operations, built formal training programs, documented standard operating procedures, and began paying much closer attention to our financial performance. Some owner partnerships naturally came to an end while new ones began, but overall it was a year of stability. After growing so quickly, we finally had the opportunity to slow down, evaluate what was working, and strengthen our foundation.
Now, in 2026, I finally feel like we’re seeing the results of all those years of hard work.
Our systems are running efficiently, our team has clear processes, and we’re continually finding ways to improve the guest and business partner experience while making operations smoother behind the scenes. We are currently welcoming four new properties at The Running Y Resort, expanding our portfolio to 16.
One of the biggest milestones this year has been rebranding from Stays by Danielle Liana to Avocet Stays. The new name reflects the vision I’ve always had for the company: creating memorable places to stay while showcasing everything that makes Klamath Falls special.
Klamath Falls is truly a hidden gem, and I am grateful to have started my business in this community. I am passionate about supporting our local businesses and directing our guests to support local through our guidebooks and recommendations.
I never imagined that one extra bedroom in my little 780 square foot home would become the beginning of a business. But looking back, every step from the successful ideas to the expensive lessons helped shape the company I’ve built today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all!! Like most small business owners, I’ve learned that growth doesn’t automatically mean profitability. From the outside, adding more properties can look like success, but behind the scenes you’re constantly balancing dozens of moving pieces.
One of my biggest challenges has been making sure the business is financially healthy for everyone involved. My homeowners (business partners) need to see a strong return on their investment. Our cleaning team deserves to be compensated fairly for the incredible work they do. At the same time, supply costs continue to rise, software subscriptions add up, insurance becomes more expensive, and operating expenses are always increasing. My job is to make sure all of those pieces work together while still running a profitable business.
There have absolutely been times when I’ve questioned pricing structures, analyzed our profit and loss statements over and over, and had to make difficult decisions about where we could become more efficient. Being busy isn’t the same as building a sustainable business. Today, I focus just as much on building healthy systems, understanding the numbers, and making thoughtful decisions that allow the business to thrive long term.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I often describe my professional life as having two careers that have grown side by side.
The first is my business, Avocet Stays (Formerly Stays By Danielle Liana), where I specialize in boutique vacation rental management in Southern Oregon. We focus on creating exceptional guest experiences while helping homeowners maximize the performance of their investment properties. Over the years, what started with renting out my extra bedroom has grown into managing a portfolio of homes, building a team, and creating systems that allow us to deliver consistent, high-quality service to our guests staying in The Klamath Basin.
The second is what I call my corporate career, and in many ways it helped facilitate the foundation of how I run my business today.
For several years I worked for a global window and door manufacturer, beginning in Operations Management where I led a team of 17 as an Accounts Payable Operations Manager. I loved that role because it wasn’t just about numbers or processes. It was about developing people. Watching someone grow in confidence, learn new skills, and advance in their career was one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
Eventually, I transitioned into Human Resources, where I found another passion. I genuinely enjoyed walking the manufacturing floor, getting to know employees, listening to their ideas, and finding ways to improve their experience. I always referred to our employees as “the heartbeat of the company” because I truly believe every successful organization is built on the people behind it. I earned my SHRM-CP, a prestigious accolade in the Human Resources universe.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a title or a business milestone. It’s seeing people succeed. Whether that’s helping an employee move from an entry level position into a career they never imagined, mentoring someone through a new opportunity, or helping a homeowner build an additional source of income through their property, I love creating opportunities for others to grow.
I know manufacturing and accounts payable don’t always sound glamorous, but I see them differently. I started my own corporate journey working in a warehouse before taking advantage of an opportunity in Accounts Payable. That one decision changed the trajectory of my career and eventually led me into leadership, Human Resources, and entrepreneurship. Because of that experience, I have a deep appreciation for entry level roles and the doors they can open when someone is willing to learn, work hard, and embrace new opportunities.
If there’s one thing that sets me apart, it’s that I’m endlessly curious and committed to continuous improvement. Whether I’m refining business operations, learning a new marketing strategy, mentoring an employee, or finding ways to create a better guest experience, I’m always looking for ways to grow. I don’t believe excellence happens by accident. It comes from listening, learning, improving, and genuinely caring about the people you’re serving.
At the end of the day, whether I’m leading a team in a corporate setting or welcoming guests through my own business, my purpose is the same: to create meaningful experiences, invest in people, and leave things better than I found them.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Absolutely. I don’t believe anyone builds a successful business alone, and I certainly didn’t!
The first person who comes to mind is my husband, Adam. Entrepreneurship can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be emotionally exhausting. There have been nights when a difficult guest experience, an unexpected problem, or simply trying to juggle everything left me questioning whether I could keep going. Through all of it, Adam has been my constant. He’s my sounding board, my biggest cheerleader, and the person who reminds me why I started whenever I lose sight of the bigger picture. I truly couldn’t have done this without his unwavering support.
The second person is Alissa, our Team Manager and Supervisor. Alissa was my very first employee, joining me back in 2019 when my business was nothing more than renting out my extra bedroom on Airbnb. She’s experienced every stage of this journey alongside me. Anywhere from managing one listing to helping build the systems and team we have today. We’ve celebrated incredible milestones together, worked through difficult seasons, and learned countless lessons along the way. Watching her grow into the leader she is today has been one of the most rewarding parts of building this company, and I have immense trust and gratitude for everything she brings to our team.
I’m equally grateful for every member of our cleaning and co-hosting team. Startups are constantly evolving, and that means processes, technology, and expectations are always changing. My team has embraced that growth with patience, flexibility, and a genuine desire to provide exceptional service. Some of them have been with me for more than two years, and their commitment has helped shape us.
I also have to thank my homeowners and business partners. Every property owner who chooses to work with us is placing a valuable asset into our care. That level of trust is something I never take for granted. Without homeowners believing in my vision and trusting my team to care for their homes, there simply wouldn’t be a business.
Finally, I’m grateful to every guest who has stayed with us over the years. Their feedback, both the glowing reviews and the constructive criticism has helped us grow. They’ve challenged us to continually improve, refine our processes, and raise the standard of hospitality we strive to provide every day.
I’m far from perfect, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. Building this business has been a continuous learning experience. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that success is built through relationships. Every person who has believed in me, challenged me, encouraged me, or trusted me with their home has played a role in making Avocet Stays what it is today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.danielleliana.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avocet_stays/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AvocetStays
