Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Hatter.
Hi Joshua, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Thank you! I’m excited to be here. My story is an insane one. I’m not shy about my background and am easy to look up these days. But it’s a terrible one. Unfortunately, my father was abusive in every way and ultimately died in prison. Why do I share that? Because at nearly 44 years of age and finding a bit of success in the business world, I’m very cognizant of not only the fact that my voice might mean something to those in need just trying to figure it out but also to see my initial start in life as an enormous strength. Bluntly put, if you’re struggling with others being born on third base thinking they hit a triple, realize that nearly every room you enter you have the opportunity to prove that everyone in that room is simply too soft to beat you. You are much stronger than you think. It doesn’t matter where you start. You can achieve anything you want in life. Hard work and consistent effort matter far more over the very long term than talent and money.
My entrepreneurial journey has been anything but traditional. I was in the corporate world for nearly 20 years, but I always knew I wanted to build something that aligned more deeply with my values — something that offered a chance for real impact, flexibility, and the ability to shape the guest and client experience from start to finish.
That realization led to the founding of Curated Vacation Properties (CVP) in 2016, where we manage unique short-term rentals with an emphasis on hospitality, design, and unforgettable experiences. In 2024, I founded KEYS Collective, a mentorship community for short-term rental operators who are serious about scaling their business the right way—with integrity, systems, and technology.
I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of real estate, technology, and customer experience—and now I get to live in that space every day.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing worthwhile in life is ever easy. Theres an old Elon Musk quote: “being an entrepreneur is like eating glass and staring into the abyss”. Hate him or love him, he’s not wrong. Entrepreneurship is lonely. It’s arguably the most isolating task you can tackle in your life. At the very beginning, you look in the mirror and that’s your entire team. Balancing growth with cash flow – if you don’t raise external capital – is notoriously difficult. Even large publicly traded companies get it wrong time and time again (ie Pelaton during COVID). It’s not for the faint of heart, and going into it you know you have a 97% chance of failure within 5 years. The vast majority of people cannot find success in those odds.
Although I didn’t understand the impacts going through my rough childhood at the time, I now realize that having to endure those circumstances is a massive source of strength. Failure was never an option for me, and I never had a safety net. Having now achieved some level of success and survived the worst hospitality recession in the history of mankind with a global pandemic brings an extreme sense of confidence in myself and a feeling that external forces simply cannot beat me. There are a lot of people in life born on third base and think they hit a triple. I love competing against those people now. They generally fold at any sign of hardship.
You can choose living an easy life early and a hard one later, or you can choose a hard life early and live comfortably forever. We all have that choice to make. It is impossible to avoid hardship or speed bumps in life forever.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I also mentor other aspiring STR and hospitality entrepreneurs through KEYS Collective — we help them build profitable, value-driven businesses. We do that through cohort-based programs, community, and tools that fast-track success without cutting corners. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch our mentees go from overwhelmed to empowered to successful and living their own vision of happiness for themselves and their family.
At Trouvaille Collection, we are transforming ‘mom and pop’ B&Bs into remarkable boutique hotels in Charleston and Savannah. “Trouvaille” is French for “a lucky find” or “a found treasure”, and that’s exactly what we think our properties are for our guests.
Each of our properties combines the very best of Airbnb with the very best from boutique B&Bs and hotels, including:
⬩ Design-forward
⬩ Technology-forward
⬩ Amenity-rich
⬩ Employee-light
⬩ Digital marketing focused (SEO, content marketing, social influencers/connections)
⬩ Premier location in a desination-leisure market.
At CVP, we specialize in managing high-end short-term rentals that deliver a boutique hotel experience with all the charm of a local stay. Our properties are intentionally designed and professionally hosted, with everything from concierge-style services to streamlined guest communication.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
For me, happiness comes from alignment. I feel most fulfilled when I’m living in accordance with my values — clarity, authenticity, adaptability, growth and impact. I’m happiest when I’m leading building something meaningful, spending time with the people I love, and helping others win.
There’s also nothing like seeing one of our 25,000+ guests walk into one of our properties and light up because it’s exceeds all of their expectations. That joy is infectious and our team thrives off it. The same goes for seeing one of our mentees hit their first $1M or finally quit their 9-to-5. That’s what makes it all worth it.
Pricing:
- For KEYS Collective, our mentorship program starts at $500/month or $5,000/year. It’s designed for STR operators who are ready to scale sustainably and intentionally, with support from a team that’s actually done it.
- For property owners looking for management services through CVP, our pricing is custom based on the property and services provided, but we’re happy to chat and see if we’re a good fit. CVP offers turnkey management for short-term rentals in downtown Charleston, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, and Savannah. Check us out at: www.staycvp.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://staycvp.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaghatter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuaghatter
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuahatter/
- Twitter: twitter.com/joshuaghatter
- Other: josh@joshhatter.com or josh@keyscollective.org
