Why Quiet Leaders Are Building the Foundation of Hospitality with Heather Fillmore of StayLuxe
April 7, 2026
Heather M Fillmore, cofounder and CEO of StayLuxe Properties in Park City, Utah, joins host Lynell Gordon for a candid conversation about what it really means to run an intentionally small vacation rental business with purpose and integrity. Heather brings a distinctive combination of expertise in staging, styling, photography, and copywriting to her boutique portfolio of luxury vacation homes, and in this episode she shares the values and frameworks that guide every decision she makes.
From redefining unreasonable hospitality to challenging the industry's obsession with door count, Heather offers a refreshing perspective on success, leadership, and grace. She also explores what it means to lead as an introvert in an industry that tends to reward the loudest voices and why quiet, consistent action is actually building the foundation of hospitality.
This episode is sponsored by RentalGuardian
Heather M Fillmore, cofounder and CEO of StayLuxe Properties in Park City, Utah, joins The Vacation Rental Show for an honest and insightful conversation about intentional small business ownership, values-led leadership, and what it truly means to succeed in the vacation rental industry. Heather has built a reputation as an expert in staging, styling, photography, and copywriting, and she brings that same depth of perspective to every topic covered in this episode.
What You'll Learn:
- Why running an intentionally small vacation rental business is a strategic choice, not a limitation, and what it takes to sustain it with excellence
- How to redefine unreasonable hospitality using a simple two-sentence framework: be generous with surprises, be consistent with rules
- Why success in vacation rentals has nothing to do with door count or revenue numbers and everything to do with how you show up each day
- What introvert leadership looks like in an industry that defaults to loud, conference-driven networking and how to thrive on your own terms
- Why vacation rental photography and real estate photography are fundamentally different disciplines and what operators lose when they treat them the same
- How to give yourself grace as a small operator, embrace the permission to start over in the middle, and build a business that aligns with your values
About Heather M Fillmore: She is the cofounder and CEO of StayLuxe Properties, a boutique luxury vacation rental management company based in Park City, Utah. With seven years of experience in the vacation rental industry, Heather has made a name for herself through her meticulous attention to staging, styling, photography, and copywriting. She is passionate about creating inviting spaces that allow guests to immediately relax and connect, and she supports her local community through ongoing charitable contributions. Heather is also an author and a contributor to the hospitality industry anthology A Hospitable Host.
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Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Sofia Rossato of Inhabit, and many more.
Check out the three most downloaded episodes:
- Vacation Rental Stories: Episode 63 - Driving Innovation and Partnership
- Homeowners Become Family with Michael Godfrey, Owner of Michael’s Vacation Rentals
- Life in Maui as a Property Manager with Scott Jordan, Owner of Maui Life Realty
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