Coffee Talks with Susannah Peddie from StayGainesville: AirBNB
Meet Susannah Peddie, StayGainesville's leader and owner. Quang Tran from Starter Space
interviews Susannah for The Coffee Talks series: talks with entrepreneurs.
Susannah tells the story of the ups and downs of entrepreneurship in the AirBNB / VRBO / Property Management space. Quang's goal with Coffee Talks is to help students learn that entrepreneurship is not a smooth ride, but to hang in there and learn to pivot.
Our story is a tale of relentless adaptability in response to the ever-changing market landscape. Following the 2008 housing market collapse, Susannah transformed adversity into opportunity: she transformed properties that were struggling to secure long-term renters into fully furnished, short-term rental units. The strategic location of these condos, situated directly across the street from Shands UF Health Hospital, played a crucial role in this pivot.
Susannah didn’t stop there; she broadened her horizons, extending her property offerings to encompass the downtown area and the vicinity of the University of Florida campus. She also diversified the selection, ensuring a wide range of sizes and price points to accommodate everyone’s needs. In partnership with her StayGainesville colleagues, Susannah added two historic inns in the downtown area to her portfolio, providing unique event spaces, classes, and options for single-night stays.
Throughout this journey, Susannah has cultivated an outstanding team, placing a paramount emphasis on customer service excellence. We are excited about the opportunity to welcome you to Gainesville and ensure you have a memorable experience.
Learn how Susannah evolved her company to adapt to an ever-changing business environment. And acquired 2 historic Inns in the process (The Camellia Rose Inn
and The Laurel Oak Inn).
Book your stay with StayGainesville.
Thank you to Afternoon Roasting, Santa Fe CEID, GTEC, StartGNV, Starter Space, and Seven Ashes Productions.
What’s a Coffee Talk?
An inspiring exchange of creative and entrepreneurial minds in our community paired with coffee courtesy of Afternoon Roasting.
Coffee Talks is a weekly series of engaging conversations among the business and creative community brought to you by Santa Fe CIED, GTEC, StartGNV, Starter Space and Seven Ashes Productions. Expect focused talks, curated roundtable discussions, and a chance to network and engage with the people driving changes in Gainesville.
StayGainesville's May 2025 Newsletter
At StayGainesville, every guest experience is special to us — whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime graduation weekend, a cozy family getaway, a visit with a beloved pet, or a spontaneous adventure exploring all the beauty Gainesville has to offer.
We believe that the memories made during your stay are the true heart of what we do — and now, we want to celebrate your story!
Introducing the StayGainesville "Best Memory" Photo Contest — your chance to share your favorite StayGainesville moment and win a prize that helps you make even more memories!
Whether you stayed in one of our historic downtown mansions, a charming Duckpond cottage, or a modern home steps from UF, we want to see and hear about the moments that made your stay unforgettable.
