What happens when a corporate finance guy from Boston decides he’s done working for someone else — and bets on short-term rentals?
Sean Bakhtiari grew up in New Hampshire, studied finance at Providence College, and spent 9 years in Boston’s financial district working in sales, marketing, and client experience. He loved the work — but always knew he wanted to build something of his own.
So he bought his first STR. Then a second. Then started building a management company.
At 12 properties, he hit a wall. He was good at business development and client relationships. But systems, operations, and scale? Not his strengths. That’s when a serendipitous call from Chris changed everything.
Today, Sean and Chris co-run Seacoast to Summit Vacation Rentals — a boutique STR management company serving the New Hampshire seacoast, lakes and mountains region, and North Shore of Massachusetts. They manage 120+ properties, almost entirely on referrals, with virtually no paid marketing.
In this episode, Sean and Chris pull back the curtain on:
- How they identified each other as the right partner (and what 3 things you need to align on before you sign anything)
- Sean’s “help first, never sell” philosophy — and why it’s responsible for most of their growth
- Why they’ve said no to 10+ deals in the last 3 months (and why that’s the right call)
- The two fears they stay up at night thinking about as they scale
- How to delegate without feeling like you’re losing control
- What it takes to keep your team culture intact as you grow
- Why boutique hotels might be the next frontier for this business
This is a rare episode — a founder bringing on his business partner and pulling off the veil on how a real, values-driven STR company actually works at scale.
Sean Bakhtiari’s Bio
Sean Bakhtiari is the co-owner and founder of Seacoast 2 Summit Vacation Rentals, a leading New England short-term rental management company overseeing more than 120 vacation rental properties across the region. In addition to operating one of the area’s top rated vacation rental companies. Sean is also the founder of The Bakhtiari Group, a top-performing real estate sales team serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.
As an active short-term rental investor himself, Sean brings firsthand experience in acquisition, client experience, design, and hospitality operations, helping property owners maximize returns while creating exceptional guest experiences. His work sits at the intersection of real estate, hospitality, and investment strategy throughout the New England coastal and mountain markets.
Connect with Sean