FC entrepreneur finds way for visitors to stay locally

Local businesswoman Cassandra Tillman Vaughn is taking part in a cutting-edge hospitality offering for visitors headed to the area — by operating some of the county’s first Airbnb destinations.

Based in San Francisco and founded in 2008, Airbnb serves as an online-driven marketplace for individual or family lodging — primarily home stays for vacations or business trips — in specific locales.

In the past, those looking at coming to Franklin County for gatherings such as a reunion or to do business had no options when it came traditional hotels other than to going to neighboring counties or staying with loved ones.

Tillman Vaughn said she got interested in the concept of opening the service in her community after a great deal of research, and is seeking to grow her business because of its initial success.

“I started out with two houses, which were originally rental properties on McNair Road and had heard about Airbnb, which prompted me to join a Facebook group and I kept hearing from others to ‘take the plunge,’” she said.

“In looking at what it was all about, I saw things were fairly straight forward and since I converted these two properties to Airbnb use, they were booked throughout the end of last year.

And she noted things are quickly filling up for pretty much all of 2022.

Tillman Vaughn said her foray into this particular hospitality sector — as opposed to traditional home rentals — started this past September.

“I guess the biggest surprise in all of this is the number of people who are looking for this kind of housing situation and other Franklin Countians are getting involved in joining the Airbnb movement with houses they have,” she continued.

“Right now, I am in the process of bringing a third house on line for Airbnb use in the Roxie area in the near future. For me, I like the concept of being a small hotelier.”

Tillman Vaughn said her business model involves creating a more personalized stay for her guests in a comfortable home surrounding that features both indoor and outdoor amenities — including washers and dryers, wi-fi and television access, patio seating and functional kitchens down to the pots, pans, dishes and utensils.

Her “Tranquility” unit is fully-furnished three bedrooms-two baths house, which is located on one acre of land with creek frontage a short distance from Meadville.

With the children’s bunk beds in place, the house can sleep up to seven individuals comfortably.

Next door on McNair Road, is the “Bohemian” unit filled with those same amenities, but features a more eclectic interior color palate balanced by beautiful wood.

“What we want for people who stay here is to feel at home,” she said.

“There’s a little something for everyone here ... down to the board games in helping pass free time, especially for children. We try to think of everything to make the experience special.”

Tillman Vaughn said her Airbnb units are also pet friendly — for those weighing up to 50 pounds.

“This is one of the things people using this service look for because they want to travel with their animals and we work to meet that need,” she went on to say.

In terms of day-to-day operations, Tillman Vaughn said there is a learning curve when it came to her becoming part of the Airbnb movement.

“I started out with a rental and they were here for two months,” she added.

“As I read through some of the blogs, I found where I had made some mistakes and assumptions that I have since addressed.

“A person that stays here on a long-term basis has different needs — particularly living supplies — than say someone who is going to stay one or two nights.

“I also learned to take into consideration things like additional closet space and bedding for those living here for an extended period of time. The bottom line is a person in a long-term stay situation uses more things and we have to take care of that in a timely fashion.

“When you have a traditional renter scenario, the landlord provides that individual basically with a place to stay, but, with Airbnb, you play a more hands-on role because you are more like a hotel than anything else.

In building her reputation with the online service, Tillman Vaughn’s listings have garnered inquiries from just about every corner of the United States.

Her “Tranquility” unit has a map of the country with push pins showing where people have come from to stay in Franklin County.

“I think you would be surprised where all we’ve had inquires from since getting started, and the number continues to grow as more and more people learn about us and like what they see,” she said.

“They’re coming to our corner of the world and want to experience the local culture, sightsee and visit family and friends — that’s what I think really sets this apart. They are in a home setting that meets their needs and tastes.”

Travellers use Airbnb’s online listing filters to search for the specific accommodations that are just right for them, such as the number of bedrooms, location and the price for the stay.

Airbnb also utilizes a rating system for guests and hosts allowing for reviews that can also help in the decision-making process.

Tillman Vaughn did not give an indication as to when her Roxie unit would come online for rental, but said she has been pleased with the entire experience and looks forward to what the future holds through her involvement with Airbnb.

“It has been a great experience and you get to meet a lot of great people,” she said.