186. "I Won $100,000 On HGTV!" - Interview with Tatianna Taylor-Tait

0:00Natalie Palmer:Thanks for checking in today to No Vacancy, the podcast, the show for hosts, owners, and operators putting hospitality first. I'm Natalie Palmer, real estate investor, 35-time Airbnb super host, and co-founder of Level Up Your Listing Summit, running my business from home as a wife and mom of four. Let's get into it.

0:38Natalie Palmer:Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another episode of No Vacancy, the podcast. I'm your host, Natalie Palmer. Today, I am welcoming back my international business partner and designer extraordinaire, Tatiana Taylor-Tate. Tatiana, last time you were on the show, we had to discreetly hype up that people may or may not see you on TV soon. And now it's all out in the open. You were one of the stars of season three of Renovation Resort Showdown. It has finally aired. And can you say the big news for anyone who didn't watch? Yeah, for the big news for anyone who didn't watch is I made the short-term rental industry proud by taking home the$100 ,000 prize.

1:27Natalie Palmer:Woo! Yay, Tatia! Oh my gosh, you won season three. You and your partner, Thomas. How did that feel? I just have so much to talk to you about now because yeah, last time you were on, the show hadn't even, the trailer hadn't even come out, so you had to be so secretive about it. And now, not only has the show aired, but we know that you and your partner were the winner. Like, what is it like being on a show? How hard was it to keep this secret? Just tell us everything that you experienced in the last year. It was so funny because like being on the show, absolutely loved every second of it. It was so hard, but so rewarding in the end.

2:10Of course, definitely added bonus that we won, But the experience itself was super rewarding. Being on it and winning in that moment, I honestly could not believe that we were picked. It was down to the wire. Like it could have been anybody's win. And I didn't expect for our name to be called. So if you did watch the episode, you will see that I absolutely dropped to my knees, bawling my eyes out when they called our names. But it was so surreal because they even say all of the production says this to the teams that when they come. So this being the third season, they say, like, you are never going to experience this moment again.

2:55Like, this is such a special time. And the connection that you have with the other castmates is one of a kind. One thing about filming is these are like 12 hour days and the camera is in your face from morning to end, catching every single second. So how do you want? Yeah, that's called a 10 one. If you need to let people know if you need to go take a bathroom break, just so they would shut your mics off. But it was it was so funny because there was one castmate, I think Liz said, she's like, I need to go for a 10-4. And everyone was like, what is that?

3:43So that became like a thing after it. We're like, OK, that's very severe. Then if you need to go for a 10-4.

3:51Natalie Palmer:explosive yeah a 10-1 we can handle but a 10-4 I don't know yeah shut up all the mics but no it was it was so fun everyone became truly best friends like I just before this podcast I was on the phone with Liz and we probably have spent time with each other like flown four different locations just this year to like hang out and meet up. So I'm so grateful for it. It was hard. It was honestly like TV boot camp, I would have to say. We were thrown into it like the first day, cameras in your face, no training, no anything, and you just have to adjust. Let's go back to the beginning. How did you even end up on the show?

4:38Natalie Palmer:How were you cast for this? That's a good question. How did I end up on the show? I feel like that's an answer for like Scott and Brian. But no, we reached out. So, well, actually, the production company, they have like a recruiter and the recruiter slid into my DM. So you guys always be checking your DMs just in case. And originally at first I thought it was a scam. And I was like, yeah, I would. She was like, yeah, you would be great. Like, can you apply for this? And I was like, I'll look at it and like go from there. But I was like telling Nathan, I was like, I think this might be a scam. But if they're going to take my social insurance or security number, then I guess we'll just see what happens and ride for that.

5:22but I applied I called Thomas right away just before applying and saying hey is this something that you would be interested in doing and he said yes without even thinking twice probably regretted it after but we got together and we filmed our audition tape which I think is so funny when we watch it back but we filmed that tape and kind of sent it in and prayed that we would hear back and we did four interviews with them and on the last interview when they were telling us that we got it they played with us first and told us sorry we picked someone else to catch our reactions and you could see I was I was so you could see my heart drop and everything so that was like almost

6:16Natalie Palmer:part of the audition they wanted to know that you could like react to bad news and like how that is so diabolical are you kidding me so if you hadn't reacted and you were just like okay thank you and then like burst into tears after you shut your laptop they'd be like no she's not entertaining enough you had to like bring the the you had to be distraught on the call i called that's diabolical basically i was like you're so mean you said that to them after she said that. Oh my gosh. Okay. So this is so interesting to me. So Thomas, for anyone who didn't watch the show, he's a GC. He's the contractor that you work with on a lot of projects.

7:00Natalie Palmer:So you two were not initially, they'd spotted you, somebody on the recruiting team found your social media, and then it was kind of presented like you can pick the partner that you want to bring on? Yes. So you're allowed to bring, of course, it depends if you, what position you're in. So like Liz, for example, is a builder and she brought on, well, Liz is a builder and designer, but she brought on Shallan to be her designer duo portion. And then, so for me being the designer, they said that I would have to have a builder or a contractor teammate. So knowing that Thomas has the same work ethic because a lot of people say, well, why didn't you pick Nathan?

7:41So Nathan is my husband now, which also sounds weird to say because we just got married. But he is my husband, but he is also a Red Seal carpenter. So carpentry and building is also in his trade. But the reason I did not pick Nathan and I picked Thomas instead is one, I want to stay married. I don't want to argue on national television. And the second being is Thomas and I are both psychopaths when it comes to work. So our work ethic is like nonstop. And I knew that, yes, we get at each other's throats sometimes, but I knew it was something that we would see the end goal and work towards it.

8:23Natalie Palmer:So let me back up quickly, because for anyone who hasn't seen it, the premise of the show is there are four teams. Each team has a designer and a builder. So there's eight of you total. And you guys, basically the hosts, the production, they buy out a resort that has four units. And then each team is designing like a different cabin, right? So there was a season that was like a waterfront lake location. One was like in the woods. Like tell us about your season and what you guys were designing. And like every week it's competition style, right? So you had one week where you're competing on like the primary bedroom.

9:01Natalie Palmer:Next week is like the living room, the outdoor space. So yeah, tell us about your season and the setting and what you were designing. Yeah. So our season took place in Canada. It was in Ontario in Havelock. So it's kind of like a smaller town, but they have beautiful lakefront properties and cabins there. The host, Scott McGilvery, he actually purchased this rundown resort, what it was before, and added the four properties to kind of give it breathe new life and give it love into the space. So him and Brian, who's his co-host, Brian Baumler on there, they kind of tore the whole space down and started framing up and building what was the new lake houses for each team to kind of take over.

9:50So there were four lake houses and every single one of them had a theme. Ours was called Cedar Shore. And then we had Driftwood Dunes, which was Marcy and Melissa and Shalon and Liz. Theirs was called Coral Cove. And then we had Moonlight Bay, which was Taylor and Murdad. So every single house had its own theme. Of course, with my short-term rental background, you better believe we didn't know the location whatsoever ahead of time, but I knew that it was in rural Ontario and that I would probably be leaning into a specific style. So, you know, of course, with the short term rental background, I did as much market research as I could going in, really kind of knowing the aesthetic and style that we would be going for.

10:45And then I think I think we delivered that. But it was cool. Each person's house, you could not see whatsoever into it. They were very private about that. But so the whole time, really the biggest challenge in competition I would have to be, I would have to say is just like the way that it messes with your mind. One minute you think you're on top and the next you're like, I'm questioning everything. Every single choice that I've ever made, it comes down to that moment. And it really depends, like things, if you win or not, can come down to one small choice or one small error. they did this season was different than every single other season so in the sense this season was the biggest winning season that they ever that they've ever done so they every single prod like every single episode and reveal on an area won a prize so there was like ten thousand dollars from wayfair or trips to disneyland or trips to brian bombler's resort in cerula del and then of course the hundred thousand dollar grand prize oh and also a trip back to the resort to experience it and be the first guest oh cool so this was huge it was like over yes you could win a hundred thousand dollars in the end but it was like over a hundred thousand dollars just of prizes that you could win at the same time and with that being said I felt like this season also packed the most like drama and punch with the challenges because they were making us do crazy things like the first day like everyone went out guns a-blazing because we had to like do a scavenger hunt running around the whole property trying to find this code to crack to get the keys to our house and the first people in the house would have just more of an advantage And then, of course, they ended up winning a prize as well.

12:49But that alone was such an experience. In the first episode, I took like a huge tumble. But we did crack the code and get first in our homes, which was a plus.

13:00Natalie Palmer:One thing I thought was really funny at your wedding, you had invited the cast. And I was talking to Marcy, Melissa and Taylor about this. And they were saying that it had aired in Canada before airing in the US. and they were like yeah I had watched the Canada version when it came out and you know everything like there be some sort of dispute or drama or whatever and they would always like resolve it before the commercial break and then they were like I didn't think I had to watch the American version I thought it would be the same and they were like we just watched the American one like just for fun and they said that the American version was way more dramatic like they would like tee it up and then be like but like oh my god and then they'd cut to commercial and then like leave it on a cliffhanger and come back.

13:44Natalie Palmer:I just thought that was so funny. Like the stereotype we have of Canadians is that you guys are just so nice and chill and like drama free. And then the American version was like cliffhanger every time, like bring the drama. I thought that was hilarious that they even like edit it differently. You Americans love your drama. We need it. We thrive on it. I do remember. Okay. Well, actually, before I get into you winning, I want to just talking about the emotions and everything there. But you, it's so interesting because in the first two seasons, they didn't have short-term rental designers, right?

14:20Natalie Palmer:Like I went back and watched, they were just like typical interior designers. But the whole point is you guys are designing a resort. It's renovation resort. So why do you think it finally took them three seasons to cast a short-term rental designer? I think I was actually surprised just like how little people like a lot of people don't know how detailed and how deep our industry actually is. Yeah. And the knowledge that it possesses. A lot of people think just like, oh, Airbnb, they just run that. That's it. But there is so much behind it and behind what we do. And I think that was like a big eye opener for a lot of people.

15:01I had even like production a lot of the time would ask me questions about it because they just didn't understand like that this was a thing. And And that's why I'm so proud to like bring that to light. I honestly won't be surprised if like season four, if they do season four or when they do have it, I wouldn't be surprised that most of the people be short term rental designers.

15:23Natalie Palmer:Yeah. Yeah. And especially like with you. So this is what I wanted to talk about. Like I remember you weren't supposed to. I don't want to like violate your NDA. Obviously, you couldn't tell anybody that you were like on the show. But I did know because it was you were filming when we would have started planning level up stuff. And so you were like, hey, I'm going to be gone and not able to respond and be as responsive. And this is why. So I did know, but you were very secretive. Like I didn't know any details or anything while you were gone. But I do remember you had gotten on a Zoom call with me, I think like the night before they were going to announce the winner or something.

16:00Natalie Palmer:And I kept telling you, I was like, I really think you're going to win. Like you're the only STR designer. I haven't even seen your designs. And And I'm not just saying this to hype you up, but like, yes, it comes with its own expertise. And like you would have been the one that would like understand that. But I don't know if you remember, I didn't want to like get your hopes up in any way. And I remember telling you like, hey, you know, sometimes you don't actually want to win these things. You know, like in The Bachelor, when you're the runner up, that means you get to be the bachelorette next season.

16:29Natalie Palmer:Like maybe you don't want to win. Maybe that's better. I was like trying to like tamper your expectations. but later when I found out you won I was like oh thank god like I'm so happy for her and like yeah I mean I just think that with your your your talent and like your expertise in short-term rentals and vacation rentals like it had to be you so I just thought that was so interesting I went back and watched the first two seasons you know when I found out you were going to be on the third and it was so odd to me that they took this long to get an STR designer right no thank Thank you so much.

17:01I appreciate that. It was honestly so tough because everyone that was there was so talented. And I would even like I could see their eye in certain designs and I'd be like, oh, damn, I really like that. Or there's certain aesthetics that I'm like, I would love for her to design my house. So it's like there it's so hard because like you want to win and you want to compete. But you also have you've gained so much love for the castmates and like for these people. It was probably like the biggest time. Like I like to say that I've done enough self work that I'm pretty aware and strong minded, but it was very like mental, like mentally we struggled.

17:48So many teammates struggled like every day or every week. One castmate was like having a hard time and vice versa. And we'd all kind of uplift each other and kind of like rally to make sure that that person felt confident in what they were doing. And we all took turns doing that. It was funny because every night the place that we were staying was like 25 minutes drive from the actual site. And the place had like a little outdoor barrel sauna and cold plunge. So what we would do is we would do these sauna sessions. so every night we would basically have a therapy session in the sauna with everyone to kind of like just boost morale and make sure that check in that everyone was good because there's days where you're like i feel so good like this is a good choice and then the next day you hear some feedback that just like crushes you and you can't you can't change it and there were so many things like Thomas and I a lot of behind the scenes people don't see this but we had to pivot so many times in the moment which I do pride myself that I am very good at thinking in the moment and like figuring something out but like it was tough some days because either material that we bought didn't work or wouldn't fit that the way that we planned and we'd have to adjust in this in the moment and you feel the pressure of the cameras and you have to really lean into and trust your partner.

19:22We have gotten feedback that Thomas and I looked like the most chill and not like at each other's throats. But I would just like to say we are just very good at keeping that off the camera and dealing, hashing that out later. But no, we were very supportive of each other. And if we did have a hard day like you don't want to hang out with the person every day so we were very aware of like hey if we need some time apart you go to your house I'm going to my house and we'll

19:54Natalie Palmer:we'll reconvene later uh was there any part of the like drama or like tension or suspense we saw that was manufactured like did it ever feel like the producers had to like force a dramatic situation or was it like what you said like it just kind of happened organically like hey this material doesn't fit and the clock is ticking and like yeah I'm just so curious like how much of it was like faked I guess or produced and how much was just the environment like created its own drama I think this production team was very good I would say that everything was real in the sense of like Like I mentioned, you have cameras on you 12 hours a day and they're in your face.

20:38You're like there were a couple moments like I remember I was feeling stressed because it was when Scott came in and started critiquing some of my tile choices and some of my plans that I had in the bedroom. He was right long term, like in the long term, he was right. I couldn't do what I wanted to do in the bedroom because our material wouldn't allow for it. but I was just very one I'm nervous this is my first moment talking to Scott and he's like already saying I don't think this will work and then the second is like Thomas and I are frantically trying to get this done and I'm just feeling all the emotions there and then so Scott leaves and I'm just stressed and I start to cry because I can't hold it in and then all the cameras just run towards me so then it was like it's probably like really talking crying crying over here like get to cedar shore but like that's the thing is like you can't help it and like they got it but obviously i was smart and i started swearing because they can't air me if i'm swearing

21:49Natalie Palmer:they wouldn't just beep it out and leave like you're enraged no but No, it was funny. But the team was so supportive. And like, there's things that are very real, like we're doing all this hard work all day. And then in the middle of it, you're pulled to do like a personal interview. And that's where they're asking like deep questions, like family questions. And that's where we're unloading all the traumas throughout the day. So like, it was very much like a roller coaster of emotions and they have their best interests for you like there's so much support there is a therapist if you need access to it oh wow that breaks like there's so much support and they're doing everything that the best that they can for tv like this is like a small city of people that are like making this production happen and i always felt supported and i felt good but it's just like that struggle of like being put through the ringer of like you're working hard, you're exhausted.

22:48Then you're talking about your like deepest painful moments in your life. And then at the same time, you're like stressed out and you're trying to win. And there's so many like unknown variables. So like that alone was a huge lesson in like how I can manage my emotions and like strengthening my mental state, which I think was like the biggest benefit out of everything. Like I came out of that questioning myself so many times before being like, I don't know if I can do this, but then to come through the other end and like look back on it, it was such a great experience and like learning for myself.

23:29And then the other bonus, I always say like being around, you know, being in that experience and around people like Scott and Brian that are so successful in what they do. That is a master class. I couldn't have paid any single amount of money to get. How long was filming? Two months, two months away from in rural Ontario.

23:53Natalie Palmer:And then what did a typical day look like? Like, were you guys filming seven days a week, like 12 hour days? What did what was your schedule there? so originally you could have weekends off but as things like everyone was doing such intricate designs that they gave the option if you wanted to go back on the weekends to like get ahead or get stuff done that you could do that everybody took that opportunity I think if they didn't take that opportunity they would have been like well I'm gonna lose so yeah we all took that opportunity to do that but it was like a typical morning there's some mornings it depended on your call time.

24:30But I would say most call times started around like our band would leave around 7am, I would say for the most part. But like, we had to do our hair and makeup ourselves. So no glam team. So I got pretty good. Oh my goodness. But like, for me with my hair, I have to curl every single individual curl. So I'm waking if it's a 7am call time, I'm waking up at what is this seven six five like 4 30 in the morning to be able to get ready on time and have like some sort of you know my mom watched it and she like made a comment to me she

25:10Natalie Palmer:was like wow I had no idea that Tatiana's hair like every single head a curl on her head is like so defined like I've just never seen hair that like looks like that that's amazing and I was like, yeah, she did it every single day. And I was like, no, weren't they filming for like two months? And I was like, yes, like, please applaud the dedication to her hair. My mom could not believe it. She just thought that you like woke up that day. She could not imagine that your hair looked exactly the same for every single shot for two straight months of filming. No, we definitely, I definitely needed some hair masks at the end of every week, but it was, I would try to make it last as much as I could.

25:51So before bed, I would always like tie it up in a scarf to try to salvage

25:54Natalie Palmer:what I could preserve. Yeah. And it was so we had to do our own glam, get ready every single day. We had the same outfit. So everyone asks about this is why are you guys wearing the same outfits? That is because of continuity. So it means that the editors will be able to piece specific moments and days and be able to edit them easier than if we were wearing separate outfits or had different hairstyles. Most people, I think I had three versions of my overalls and t-shirts and everyone else, everyone else I think had more than me, but like five versions, but I only had the three because my overalls got sold out on Amazon.

26:39So I had to continue.

26:41Natalie Palmer:I was like doing laundry the most. so knowing so looking back like you guys wore the same thing every single day of filming so that they could piece it together did you find that any of the final editing was like manipulative i don't know if you can like what you can say here i don't want you to throw production under the bus but like did they take anything that was like i said that three weeks before why are they playing that now was there like any to be honest it was so yeah it was so edited so well that i I honestly could not tell. And like, I don't remember what I said or anything. You're like, that probably was a believable reaction to what I had, like that track to how it happened.

27:20I think they definitely just like saved, they saved my cheeky responses to like, I don't swear that for the case.