S1 E1: Accidentally building a movement.

In the premiere episode of Pretty Smart, hosts Jane Dagmi, Jessica Duce, and Ericka Saurit share the real, never-before-told story of how a single courageous moment at High Point Market sparked an idea that grew into the Vacation Rental Design Summit, a thriving community, and now this podcast.

Through candid storytelling, the trio walks through the shaky beginnings, the late-night Zooms across time zones, the heartbreak of hard decisions, and the unexpected opportunities that followed. You’ll hear how they built something the design industry didn’t even know it needed—and how doing it before they felt ready became their superpower.

If you’re a designer, creative entrepreneur, or someone standing at the edge of a big idea, this episode is your reminder that ordinary isn’t profitable, courage compounds, and sometimes the boldest moves start with simply saying yes.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 — The moment that sparked it all: a nervous pitch at High Point Market.
02:00 — Why Pretty Smart exists and what listeners can expect.
03:30 — How the idea for the Vacation Rental Design Summit was born.
07:00 — Saying yes before knowing how—and finding the right partners.
12:30 — Building the first summit after hours and across three time zones.
17:00 — The “Do you have an exit plan?” wake-up call.
19:00 — Canceling the Summer Escape—and what happened immediately after.
21:00 — How closing one door opened the opportunity in Las Vegas.
23:30 — Why vacation rental design is exploding—and why design actually matters.
35:00 — The standing ovation that made everything worth it.
38:00 — Courage takeaways: just do it, ask the question, take the leap.