In this episode, Annie is joined by Jinnie Randolph for a conversation with Cristiana Carpini, founder of the Women in Vacation Rental European Conference (WVREC), and Neely Khan, founder of Kahani.
Together, they explore the value of creating spaces where women can build trust, share openly, and form meaningful relationships that support both personal and professional growth. Cristiana shares the thinking behind WVREC, while Neely reflects on what made the first gathering feel so different and why that environment gave her the confidence to share a deeply personal story publicly for the first time.
They also look ahead to WVREC 2026 in Barcelona, how the event is evolving, and the larger community Cristiana and Neely hope to continue building around it.
Episode Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to the show
02:20 - The story behind the Women in Vacation Rental European Conference
09:23 - Why trust and vulnerability shaped the first WVREC
16:19 - Why Cristiana is keeping the event women-focused
18:28 - How deeper connections can lead to collaboration and opportunity
21:52 - What to expect from WVREC 2026 in Barcelona
24:52 - Cristiana and Neely’s upcoming storytelling project
28:00 - Making the case for investing in professional development
34:27 - What surprised Cristiana most about the first conference
40:31 - Final details for WVREC 2026
Connect with Cristiana:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristiana-carpini-hospitality/
Connect with Neely:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelykhan/
Learn more about WVREC: https://wvrec.eu/
✨ Exclusive Offer to Alex & Annie Listeners:
Build a direct booking site designed to get found and convert with Crafted Stays.
Turn more visitors into direct bookings with less manual work.
👉 Get started: https://craftedstays.co/alexannie/
Thinking about the next chapter for your vacation rental business?
Connect with Monarch Collective to explore what growth could look like with the right platform behind you.
👉 Learn more: https://gomonarch.com/partnerships/
List your professionally managed properties on VacationFinder.com with no listing fees or booking commissions.
👉 Get started: https://partners.vacationfinder.com/alexandannie
#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #hospitality