From Concrete Condos to Ranch Life: The Mountain Mama Ranch Story

Before she embraced the ranch life, Jessica Zheng was selling condos in Shenzhen. Successful? Sure. But it wasn’t fulfilling.

She called it “marketing endless, identical concrete boxes with no soul.”

Fast forward to today: She’s found her passion running a gorgeous 200-acre farm stay in Virginia featuring mountain views, a wellness garden, a sauna (RIP, that's some subtle foreshadowing for you😉), and a 5-star Superhost rating.

She knocked it out of the park with her very first listing. Here’s how she created Mountain Mama Ranch.

Renovating a Ranch (and Surviving to Tell the Tale)

When Jessica moved back to Virginia during the pandemic, her parents were more than ready to sell the family’s farm. And they had valid reasons. The house was falling apart—rodents in the corners, leaky ceilings, and even the occasional snake in the laundry room. 

Jessica was not ready to let the home's memories and legacy go. So she pitched short-term rentals as a way to save it. She got family support, strapped on her tool belt, and suddenly found herself playing handywoman, designer, and project manager—all at once.

Her vision? Turn a 20-year-old deteriorating farmhouse into a boutique stay that actually has soul and style.

Piece by piece, the rundown ranch transformed: hardwood floors replaced sagging carpet, and each bedroom took on its own personality.

Her proudest design achievements:

• Turning the basement into a speakeasy-style lounge and man cave.
• Her serene wellness garden featuring a cold plunge, hot tub, and sauna.

Jessica’s Airbnb Renovation Survival Guide

Renovations can be brutal. Budgets blow up, deadlines extend. Here are a few tips for surviving an intense renovation from Jessica.

✔️Launch Before You're "Ready"

 Waiting for absolute perfection means you'll never launch.‍

✔️ Blend The Old with the New

 Jessica didn't dump her parents' heavy, classic furniture pieces because they weren’t “trendy”. 

She repurposed them and built an aesthetic and a story around them. This saved a fortune and gave the home a unique, vintage charm you can't replicate.

✔️Turn Obstacles into Opportunities

 What do you do with an ugly, broken in-ground hot tub? If you’re Jessica, you turn it into a massive fire pit. And just because she left China after the pandemic, doesn't mean she couldn't use her connections to source furniture and decor directly from China. She saved a ton without compromising on quality. 

✔️ Call in the Cavalry

When Jessica was stuck on design, she connected with Bella and Levi from the Host Camp community. They helped transform key spaces. Like turning a gloomy sunroom into this guest-favorite showpiece 👇.

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"The community is your lifeline. I panic-posted design questions and got real-time advice from people who’d been there. It saved me thousands."

Finding Her Ranch “Ride-or-Die” Team

Jessica loved to travel, but you can’t run a 200-acre ranch from afar. She needed a team, and she found hers by accident.

When her tractor broke down, local mechanic and former firefighter Eric came to fix it. Hearing the old manager complain about the workload, Eric jumped in: “That sounds like my dream job.”

Jessica hired him and his wife. Today, her 3-person onsite team handles everything from maintenance to guest communication. And yes, even putting out actual fires (more on that later).

When you’re building a team for your STR, look for people who believe in your vision. 

“We really see each other as more than coworkers. 

We’re friends chasing a dream together.”

Taming the Wildlife (AKA Wild Airbnb Guests)

Airbnb hosts know: guests can be delightful…or a bit feral. Jessica’s guest horror stories are now legendary campfire tales.

The “Small” Mariachi Gathering

Jessica’s first-ever booking was for a "small family gathering". But we all know what “small gathering” really means.

It turned into a 40-person fiesta with a full mariachi band in full regalia.

That’s not a joke.  She has the Ring doorbell footage to prove it.

The Great Sauna Fire

Then there was the bachelorette party where her guests managed to set the entire wood-barrel sauna on fire. (Despite clear instructions that only staff could operate it.)

Remember when we said her manager used to be a firefighter? That came in handy very fast.

The guests denied everything...until a White Claw can was found in the ashes. Guests lie. White Claw doesn’t.

Never Skip STR Insurance (And Don’t Trust Guests)

But there’s a silver lining. She’d switched to Proper Insurance just a month before, after other Host Campers gave it glowing reviews. And the recommendation paid off; they covered everything, including lost income.

"Assume your guests are clever toddlers who can’t read. Baby-proof everything, document everything, and get insurance.

90% of the time, things go smoothly: amazing guests, great vibes, no issues. But the other 10%? That small percentage of difficult guests can take up 90% of your energy, headspace, and emotional bandwidth if you let them.”

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Steal Jessica’s Airbnb Automation and Efficiency Tech Stack 

To run an STR without losing your mind, you need to automate and streamline your Airbnb operations. Here’s a peek at the tech stack Jessica swears by to keep the Mountain Mama Ranch running real smooth.

• Hospitable: For automated guest communication.
• ClickUp: For internal task tracking with her team.
• ChargeAutomation: For deposits and upsell add-ons.‍
• ChatGPT: Her "ride-or-die" for everything from writing contracts to designing sauna safety signs.

Mountain Mama Ranch: At a Glance

Location: Amissville, Virginia

The Vibe: A 200-acre private luxury farmhouse blending rustic charm with modern wellness. 

Rating: 5.0 Star Superhost Status (Achieved in just 3 months!)

Sleeps: 16+ guests in  7 beautifully designed bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms (with a gym!)

✨ Our Favorite Features:

• Blue Ridge Mountain views & Texas Longhorn sightings
• Outdoor Wellness Garden with Sauna, Hot Tub & Cold Plunge
• Spacious, fully equipped chef’s kitchen perfect for big feasts and gatherings
• Speakeasy Basement / Game Room Man Cave
• A sun-soaked mountain-view sunroom
• Total Privacy on 200 Acres
• Luxurious Movie Theatre
• Stellar design blending modern style with vintage and local statement design pieces.

The Results: Building an Airbnb Destination Brand

Jessica’s bet on herself paid off big time:

🎯 Occupancy: 100% in July, ~70% over summer

💰 Revenue: $150K+ already, tracking toward $200K+

⭐ Badges: Superhost, ranked top 10% on Airbnb within 4 months

Her first summer was booked solid. With repeat guests and wedding inquiries rolling in before she’d even started marketing. Even more validation that she was building a brand that guests were truly connecting with.

The New American Dream: More Than Income

For Jessica, this journey is about more than revenue. It's about purpose and fulfillment.

"I’ve never felt more aligned with what I do. 

Hosting and building out Mountain Mama Ranch has become the perfect blend of all the things I love.

I get to fully own every win, every lesson. That kind of ownership is deeply empowering."

What’s Next for Mountain Mama Ranch

This is only the beginning for Mountain Mama Ranch!  She’s already got plans in motion for:

• More Unique Stays: Glamping setups, treehouses, and cozy cabins.
• Rustic-Refined Events: Dedicated event spaces perfect for weddings and retreats.
• Beyond the Ranch: Scaling into other vacation rentals in inspiring locations and eventually exploring the micro resort world.

For her, it's not about bookings; it's about legacy and creating deep, lasting memories.

Inspired? You can check out  (or book!) Jessica’s stunning Mountain Mama Ranch listing here. Don't forget to give it a ♥️!

Follow Mountain Mama Ranch on Instagram to keep up with their latest upgrades and adventures.

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Then vs Now: The Power of Finding Your STR Tribe

Jessica’s biggest challenge before joining Host Camp was knowing where to start.

“I had this big dream and a beautiful property, but I was stuck in full-on analysis paralysis, constantly second-guessing myself. I also felt really alone. None of my friends were as obsessed with STRs as I was, and I didn’t know anyone who had taken on something like this.

Joining Host Camp gave me structure, clarity, and most importantly, connection. It helped me move from stuck to in motion. Being surrounded by like-minded hosts made me feel a little less crazy for dreaming big.”

Ready to Rewrite Your Own Story?

You don’t need a decade of experience to start building a new legacy with short-term rentals. You need grit, vision, and a community that has your back.

She found hers in Host Camp. Why not you?

You bring your most ambitious ideas, and we'll bring the strategies and blueprints.

Try Host Camp today for just $1, and we’ll book a free 1-on-1 coaching session to help you start turning those dreams into results. 

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