Today we’d like to introduce you to Kory Rankine.
Hi Kory, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I founded Escape in 2013 without prior experience in the short term rental or vacation rental industry, but with a strong foundation in hospitality from my years working at a country club in Greenwich, Connecticut. At the time, the industry was at an inflection point. Airbnb was gaining national attention, and short term rentals were just beginning to emerge as a legitimate segment of the lodging market.
Like many early operators, I faced a steep learning curve and had to learn through trial and error. In hindsight, I often say I wish I had a mentor early on. Instead, I immersed myself in the industry through conferences, podcasts, articles, and any credible source of insight I could access. Midway through our growth, I realized that simply brokering deals would not create meaningful scale or long term profitability. The real advantage in this business comes from controlling the underlying assets. I explored arbitrage as a transitional strategy, which I no longer recommend, and ultimately shifted the company’s focus toward ownership.
In 2020, when much of the market was paralyzed by uncertainty, we took a contrarian approach and acquired three properties. While many investors paused, we saw an opportunity to position ourselves ahead of the recovery. That decision proved pivotal, particularly in Florida, where demand rebounded quickly and Miami remained open while many global destinations were shut down. The short term rental market experienced significant growth, and those early acquisitions became a strong foundation for our portfolio.
Today, we are entering a new phase of growth that requires meaningful capital to execute our vision of becoming fully vertically integrated and significantly expanding our asset base. We have never raised outside capital before, and this will be our first institutional or partner-driven raise. That decision was intentional. I strongly believe that operators should first prove the model with their own capital, develop real operating expertise, and absorb the hard lessons before taking on investor responsibility. By doing so, we are now in a far stronger position to deploy capital efficiently, mitigate risk, and deliver attractive, predictable returns without going through a learning phase on our investors’ dime.
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?
It has been far from a smooth road. Anyone who has operated in this industry understands that short term rentals are not a passive or frictionless business. One of the most significant and ongoing challenges has been regulation. In many major travel markets, evolving and often restrictive policies limit available inventory and create uncertainty around expansion. This is not just a local issue, but a global dynamic that affects nearly every serious operator in the short term rental space.
Operational challenges have also been unavoidable. We have dealt with guest misconduct, including parties and property damage, as well as difficult homeowner situations that can place operators in challenging and sensitive positions. These issues require strong screening systems, clear contracts, disciplined operations, and constant oversight. On top of that, like any entrepreneur, there are the broader realities of management, staffing, vendor reliability, and maintaining service standards while scaling.
What these challenges have done is force us to build more disciplined systems, stronger compliance practices, and tighter operational controls. They have shaped how we structure our business today and why we place such a strong emphasis on asset control, risk management, and professionalized hospitality rather than treating this as a casual or side-income model.
As you know, we’re big fans of Escape. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Escape is a vertically integrated luxury hospitality and real estate platform specializing in high end short term rental properties and curated guest experiences in premier travel destinations, with a strong focus on Miami and other lifestyle driven markets. Founded in 2013, Escape delivers hotel level service within private luxury residences while also managing performance on the underlying assets.
What sets Escape apart is that we are not simply a listing or property management company. We combine professional operations, in house revenue strategy, guest screening, concierge services, and long term asset ownership into a single operating ecosystem. This alignment allows us to deliver consistent guest experiences, stronger homeowner outcomes, and scalable portfolio growth.
We are known for high touch, discreet hospitality for clients who value privacy, space, and personalization, including leisure travelers, corporate groups, and international guests. Brand wise, we are most proud of our reputation for professionalism, reliability, and operational discipline in an industry that is often fragmented and inconsistent. Our long term vision is to build a global luxury hospitality brand supported by owned and managed premium residential assets and proprietary operating systems.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I strongly believe in mentorship, and I currently mentor five individuals who each sought me out and whom I welcomed wholeheartedly. Two are in the short term rental space, while the others come from different industries but share a strong drive for entrepreneurship. I believe in genuine mentorship, not the transactional version that is often marketed on social media as paid “mentorship” programs. Real mentorship is built on real relationships.
There is a quote from Jim Collins’ Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 that I love: “Transactions can bring success, but only relationships make for a great life.” He also says, “If you were to ask each person in the relationship who benefits more, both would say, ‘I do.’” That has been very true in my experience. I benefit from mentoring because it fulfills my sense of purpose and allows me to relive the early stages of entrepreneurship through them. In many ways, it feels like getting a second run at the journey, with more perspective.
My mentees often tell me the value for them is time. Not taking shortcuts in life, but avoiding costly mistakes I made early on. What took me close to a decade to learn, they can often apply in a couple of years because they have guidance, context, and accountability from someone who has already been through it.
My advice to anyone seeking mentorship or meaningful connections is simple: put yourself out there, stay humble, and recognize that there are people who are more experienced and better equipped to help you reach your goals. I genuinely wish I had a mentor earlier in my career, so I try to be that person for others. And I’ll say this honestly and with a smile, I am always open to real mentorship myself, not consulting relationships, but true partnerships built on shared growth and mutual respect.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.escapelux.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koryprankine and https://www.instagram.com/escapelux
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapeLux/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/escapelux/
- Twitter: https://x.com/escapelux
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@escapelux3246
