Beyond The Booking - Local Lodging Interview

Create the Demand, Don't Wait for It": How Jaci Salewske Built Local Lodging Into a Wisconsin Lake Country Favorite

On growing a team, earning owner trust, and turning northern Wisconsin lake life into memories guests never forget.

In this interview of Beyond the Booking, I sat down with Jaci Salewske, Operations Director of Local Lodging, based in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

What started in 2023 as a way to help local lake-community property owners share their spaces with guests has grown into a full team, and Jaci's story is a great look at what that growth actually takes.

Jaci came into vacation rentals from a background in healthcare administration, and she talks openly about the early days of wearing every hat: guest messaging, cleaning schedules, owner calls, all of it.

The turning point came in stages, bringing on Nichole Lueth as Guest Experience Specialist, then Erica Kusilek as Sales & Property Manager, and learning, as Jaci puts it, "what my strengths are, and what are some things that maybe someone else should take over."

That same honesty carries into how she earns a new owner's trust.

Handing a property over to someone else is rarely simple, especially when it's been in the family for years.

Jaci's approach: be upfront about the bumps ahead, and make sure owners know they're trusting a whole team, not just her.

Some of the best moments in our conversation had nothing to do with systems at all, they were about guests.

A group from St. Louis asking specifically about loons, then sending Jaci a photo of a bald eagle that landed nearby.

Four separate guest groups sharing pregnancy announcements and proposals in one August alone.

"It's really unique, it's special," Jaci said, "and I think it's often overlooked."

That love for northern Wisconsin runs deep for her, she grew up in the Eau Claire area, and her own father grew up on a lake that once had five or six resorts on it.

Looking ahead, Jaci and her team are focused on two things: adding more unique properties, and creating demand for Wisconsin's off-season instead of waiting for it, think retreat experiences, girls' weekends, and small touches like grocery drop-off for guests.

"Instead of waiting for demand to come to you," she said, "we're trying to create that demand."

Watch the full conversation above to hear the rest of Jaci's story, from the moment she knew she needed a team, to her vision for what's next at Local Lodging.