From Southern Childhood Dreams to Multi-Million Dollar Hotel Ownership

As a little Black girl growing up in the South, Davonne Reaves could never have imagined owning hotels—let alone becoming one of the youngest African American women to co-own multiple hotel properties before turning 40.

That vision became reality in 2020 when Reaves and her former college roommate made history as the youngest African American women to co-own a property within a major hotel chain. She later acquired two additional hotels through the Indiana-based Nassau Investment Group—building a portfolio that now includes co-ownership of hotels and residential real estate totaling $30 million.

Yet, even as her success skyrocketed, she knew she didn’t want to be the only one climbing. “I knew I had to do my part.”

Reaves spent years in the hospitality industry and saw firsthand how commercial real estate—especially hotel ownership—was largely reserved for the wealthy, connected, and already experienced.

“It’s truly an amazing experience and opportunity, but for decades, it’s been out of reach,” says Reaves. “Tapping into this industry changed my financial future and transformed my life. I knew in my heart I had to do my part to help connect others to these types of lucrative investment opportunities.”

A Game-Changing “Ah-Ha Moment”

In 2021, a combination of industry changes and personal conviction led Reaves to create what she wished existed when she first started: a platform that allows people to invest even if they don’t begin with tens of thousands of dollars.

That idea became Vesterr—the first Black-owned, first woman-owned commercial real estate crowdfunding platform in the U.S. that includes hotels.

Introducing Vesterr: “Think GoFundMe for Commercial Real Estate.”

Vesterr allows both accredited AND non-accredited investors to invest in commercial real estate securities starting with as little as $5,000.

“Think GoFundMe, but for commercial real estate investing,” Reaves explains.

Through Vesterr, investors can browse opportunities in hotels, multi-family properties, retail spaces, and more—choosing deals that fit their financial goals, time horizon, and participation level (“hands-on” or “hands-off”).

Vesterr connects investors with owners, provides a Q&A feature for transparency, and supports campaigns with exposure and marketing tools.

Expanding Access—and Belonging

“This platform is really about creating opportunities for all,” says Reaves, “but I also want it to provide a space for people who have not traditionally felt welcome or included—women, people of color, young people. Gone are the days where you had to have tens of thousands of dollars just to get into the game.”

Reaves’ goal is simple: provide access, grow real estate portfolios, and build economic power through ownership.

Client Success: “We Met Our Goal.”

Investor and general partner Amina James recently helped fund a Holiday Inn in Lake Charles, Louisiana through Vesterr: “We met our fundraising goal and it was a successful raise!”James praised Vesterr for investor access, easy onboarding, multiple funding options, customer service, exposure and marketing. “I love that Vesterr is Black woman-owned too!” she added.

Economic Empowerment as a Movement

Whether someone is an experienced investor, a first-time owner, or a developer seeking capital, Vesterr makes commercial real estate financing more accessible and more inclusive than ever.

“Whether you're an owner or developer or an experienced investor,” Reaves says, “Vesterr can assist to make it attainable for you to get funding and add commercial real estate assets to your portfolio. You can have your part of the American dream!”

The Takeaways . . .

1. Ownership is economic power.
Commercial real estate can change income, legacy, and generational wealth.

2. Access determines who gets to participate.
By lowering entry barriers, Vesterr expands opportunity.

3. Technology unlocks equity.
Digital platforms allow ordinary people to join industries once reserved for the wealthy.

4. Representation matters.
Seeing a young Black woman build this platform expands imagination for what is possible.

5. Investing isn’t just for the elite anymore.
$5,000 can get you into a game that once required $50,000–$500,000. Davonne Reaves is not simply buying properties—she’s democratizing ownership. Vesterr reframes investing from something exclusive into something possible, practical, and powerful for everyday people—especially those historically excluded.

This is entrepreneurship with purpose. This is economic empowerment in motion. This is new-school wealth building.

Learn More or Interview Davonne

Email: Media@TheVonneGroup.com

Phone: 404-946-3317

About Vesterr:

Vesterr is an innovative investment platform providing access to commercial real estate securities—including hotels, multi-family properties, and retail—for both accredited and non-accredited investors.

More information: Vesterr.com