The Women Who Shaped Short-Term Rental History

The dudes got all the headlines and — let's face it — because of ingrained sexism and the traditional old boys' networks, they took an inordinate share of the top jobs, but there were many talented women leaders and entrepreneurs who likewise shaped the history and trajectory of the global short-term rental industry.

These women included Aurelie Lepercq, who ran HomeAway's Europe business for a half-dozen years; Jennifer Hsieh, who incubated and launched Marriott's Homes & Villas; Jeanne Dailey, a property manager who created DestinVacation.com, and the relatively anonymous women who scanned photos to build listings in VRBO founder David Clouse's basement. There are many more.

Many of these women entrepreneurs went on to lead their own short-term rental companies: Lepercq is CEO of Edge Retreats in London, Rhonda Sideris is the founder and President of Park City Lodging in Park City, Utah, and Merilee Karr is the founder and CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group in London and is the chairperson of the UK Short Term Accommodation Association.

Skift documented many of their personal and business stories in the Skift Definitive Oral History of Short-Term Rentals Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Lepercq isn't buying the notion that patriarchy stood in her way.

"In my 16 years in the vacation rentals industry, I have not personally experienced an old boys' network or sexism," Lepercq said in an email over the weekend. "Quite the contrary: The two founders of the leading vacation rentals business I worked with in particular are not only exceptional professionals but also supportive human beings. The Board also had women representation very early on in the journey of the business."

The Edge Retreats CEO, however, acknowledged that the venture capital arena is stacked against women and minorities.