Balancing Work, Life, Family, & A Thriving Short-Term Rental Business with Lydia Patel

Ever wondered how to successfully manage a short-term rental hundreds of miles away—without losing your sanity or your weekends?

In this episode, I sit down with Lydia Patel, a pharmacist who’s mastered the art of remote property management while balancing a full-time career and family life. Lydia’s story proves that you don’t need to live near your investment to make it thrive—you just need the right systems, people, and mindset to make it work.

From setting up her Florida rental property while caring for a newborn to building a trustworthy team of local professionals, Lydia walks us through the practical steps that turned her long-distance investment into a sustainable success. Her journey is a blueprint for anyone looking to create a business that fits seamlessly into real life, not the other way around.

We explore the exact tech tools and strategies that make remote management possible—from noise monitoring and digital locks to streamlined property management software. But at its heart, this conversation is about more than tools—it’s about resilience, resourcefulness, and redefining what freedom looks like in real estate.

Lydia’s insights will inspire you to think differently about investing, scaling, and balancing it all. Her story is proof that with strategy, systems, and heart, you can manage your business from anywhere and still have a life you love.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[00:52] A short introduction about our guest Lydia Patel, how her hosting journey began, and walks us through the long-distance managing her Florida short-term rental while living full-time in Minnesota

[05:59] Lydia opens up about the steep learning curve and operational surprises of managing her Florida rental remotely right after giving birth

[09:45] Lydia details how she built a dependable remote team by combining local expertise, reliable systems, and open communication

[14:02] Lydia shares how smart technology and integrated systems make remote property management seamless and secure

[19:23] Lydia opens up about overcoming the emotional challenges of managing from afar and learning to let go of control

[24:04] How to turn preventable mistakes into refined systems that strengthen business operations over time

[29:12] Lydia shares the real challenges of juggling motherhood, work, hosting, and the mindset shift that helped her find balance

[32:24] How sharing Lydia’s journey through content creation became an authentic way to give back and connect with others on a similar path

[35:22] Lydia shares how she balances creativity and delegation in managing her content creation process

[39:43] The lightning round

Golden Nuggets:

• “Never make assumptions; look for those opportunities where slip ups happen, and write a process to fill in a gap so that there's no question.”
• “There's something very rewarding about feeling like you're helping someone else. And so if I can share something that I've done, a tip, a helpful trick, a strategy that's been beneficial for me, if I'm able to pay it forward and help someone else.”
• “Slow months are real. Don't panic over it, just budget for it.”
• “Just stay human. Yes, it's a business, but there's a human aspect to it. Whether it's the relationship with your team members, relationship with your guest and