Tim And Tracey Kerin Exclusive Interview - Challenges Reveal The Strength Within You

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Tim and Tracey Kerin are lifelong partners whose entrepreneurial journey began as teenage sweethearts cleaning homes in Washington, D.C., and evolved into building multiple multimillion-dollar businesses and the renowned luxury villa, Essence of Dreams, in Costa Rica. Along the way, they endured financial hardship, sold an engagement ring to make payroll, faced bankruptcy more than once, and overcame countless setbacks through resilience, faith in one another, and an unwavering commitment to keep moving forward. Their perseverance ultimately led to international recognition, including participation in the Oscars Nominees Gift Bag and features in major media outlets, while remaining grounded in philanthropy and creating opportunities for others. Today, the Kerins’ story stands as a powerful reminder that the greatest achievements are often built on the foundations of adversity, partnership, and determination.

Here is the Q&A session we had with Tim And Tracey Kerin.

Tim And Tracey Kerin As Cover Story Interview – July 2026 Magazine Edition

How do you introduce yourself?

If perservierance would define a couple. Let me intorduce you to teenage sweethearts that started cleaning homes as housekeepers with no college education and built several multi million dollar businesses while designing and built a luxury villa in Costa Rica that is now talked about in Hollywood celebrities circles. Tim & Tracey Kerin. Married 44 years and serial entrepreneurs for 37 years.

Struggle – What hardships have you gone through in life?

They started a home cleaning business back in 1989. Cleaning homes in Washington DC. for senators and congressman on Pennsylvania Ave. Parkign their old Lincoln Town Car and draggintghtie rvacuum and buckets down the sidewalks to Market Square. From there they grew the business into cleaning office buildings and had over 135 employees. Back then there was no internet on how to run a business. They were naive in how to run a business. One night we were sitting at the kitchen table and didn’t have enough money to make a payroll to pay their employees. Tracey took off her engagement ring and said, “sell it.” Over the years they both faced a multitude of failures and challenges as entrepreneurs. Even facing banruptcy twice. Each time they kept moving forward, learning from their mistakes.

Each challenge brought them new opportunities. These opportunities kept them moving forward and helped them to build multiple businesses. These successes lead them to the opportunity to building their home in Costa Rica. They never gave up on each other, nor did they ever give up on their businesses. They looked back humble with gratitude that they started as housekeepers and reached the business level success of being associated with the Oscars Nominees Gift Bag promotion with their Costa Rica home. Their real satisfaction is with the philanthropy part of giving opportunities to others that do not have the means or way to dream because of health reasons that were not by their choice. Any hope that they can provide others is meaningful to them.

What do people usually not know about you?

Entrepreneurs who started out cleaning Senators and Congressman’s homes on Pennsylvania Ave at Market Square, built a commercial cleaning business in the Washington DC market remain humbled for the global recognition tied to their Costa Rica home. Over three decades in business together, they have endured significant challenges including selling an engagement ring to make payroll and facing bankruptcy multiple times. Through perseverance, accountability, and unwavering partnership during their 43-year marriage, they continued forward. Never giving up, they now see their selfless efforts reflected in international recognition.

Together, these milestones underscore the emergence and journey of Essence of Dreams as a prestigious private villa experience, a philanthropic platform delivering measurable charitable impact, and a story rooted in resilience, adversity and partnership all combining to form an ultra-luxury hospitality destination positioned for global audiences.

What sets you apart from others?

One of their goals as being entrepreneurs for 35 years is how to be different and find unique opportunities to showcase our brand. But the brand has to be able to operate and stand behind the marketing intent at this level of exposure. They designed and built Essence of Dreams. Located atop a mountain, the highest elevation overlooking the coastal community of Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. The 15,500-square-foot, $9 million dollar estate offers privacy, scale, and full-service hospitality. Guests are supported by a dedicated staff and enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, sweeping mountain ranges, and distant sightlines toward four regional volcanoes.

Distinctive Assets is the Hollywood based marketing company that has been doing this for 18 years with the “Everyone Wins Gift Bag”. Through their selection process they were truly honored to represent Costa Rica and be selected to be 1 of 4 exclusive luxury travel packages in the world to be included in the Oscar Nominees gift bag. Being part of the “Everyone Wins Gift Bag”, has had a media reach of up to 22 million around the world.

They were recently featured on HGTV’s number one show My Lottery Dream home and feauted articles in Forbes and New York Weekly.

What are your upcoming major events?

They reached their pinnacle in life with all our accomplishments. Now it is time to slow down the pace and work towards retirement. Stopping to realize what they built over the years and reflect on their life, appreciate the people that were there to support them though the years and help other seek opprtunities and build their dream.

What expert advice would you like to give?

It is the failures and the challenges that no one wants to face. But it is those failures and challenges that create who you truly are. That each time they faced those challenges, new opportunities came from it and they kept going and going. That is humbling to them and makes them feel grateful for all the mountains they had to climb to realize that they can walk away feeling great and accomplished.

Your social media handles and website links?