At the age of 21, I met my ex-husband. We started from nothing and had no money. For the next 23 years, I dedicated my life to him, our children, and family. While always remaining cognizant of the importance of my own education and personal success, my first priority was to support my ex-husband and children, helping them to prosper and embody the very best versions of themselves possible. I therefore deliberately chose to be a stay-at-home mother during the course of my marriage. At the same time, however, I yearned to participate in providing financially for our family and was thrilled to discover the perfect avenue in real estate investing. I enthusiastically initiated the acquisition of properties, and we were able to realize a modest amount of passive income. In 2015, I became more creative, lucratively renting some of our properties as Airbnb destinations after the online hospitality industry skyrocketed in popularity. With a fulfilling part-time job and a full-time family, my life was perfect. Or so I thought.

In 2018, I was blindsided when my husband announced that he was leaving our family. My life imploded, emotionally and financially. After filing for legal separation, I became painfully aware that my husband was not whom I had thought he was at all. During the course of our union, I had entrusted him with all of our financial affairs, comfortable in the knowledge that he would have our best interests at heart. Unfortunately, this did not turn out to be the case. While I had labored at caring for our family and managing all maintenance of our joint properties, he was secretly arranging for solitary control of all of our finances, including bank accounts, business records, and numerous other assets acquired during the many years of our marriage. Shocked and stunned at the realization that the children and I were in grave financial danger, I faced the reality that I had no access to any source of funds, leaving me unable to pay even for water and electricity, much less an attorney to help me navigate my options. Luckily, my wise investment in a personal Airbnb business proved to be a lifesaver; it was only through that that I was able to survive the financial crisis of my divorce.

Through this experience, I learned the absolute importance of being financially independent. Even what may seem to be the most certain of circumstances can change drastically, often in the blink of an eye. For this reason, launching a business or being an entrepreneur is a can-do strategy to increase your income while strengthening your personal financial control. Unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way. I have now vowed to help others learn from my story, and desire to show them how Airbnb can be the answer.

"....Real estate cannot be lost or stolen, nor can it be carried away. It is about the safest investment in the world...."

Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd U.S. President)

Airbnb is an excellent way to raise your income, develop your own business, earn passive income, and become financially independent while still allowing you the time to do what you love – like being a professional, awesome, stay-at-home mother! What’s more, you can make money on Airbnb without owning property, so no need to worry about huge capital investments. In fact, Airbnb can let you increase your income through managing someone else’s property. With Airbnb, you too can become financially independent and feel secure in the knowledge that you can protect your future.

"Airbnb is an economic revolution that is quietly turning millions of people into part-time entrepreneurs."

Forbes (American Business magazine)