How you approach the mentor demonstrates how you will approach real estate investing.

But it is all about being able to demonstrate that you have used and had the intent of using that property for investment.

But since this is mixed use and a single structure, they'll default to other ways to demonstrate correct intent (rental income,  depreciation, length of hold, etc.) 

Or could you demonstrate that it was always a short-term rental from the beginning simply based on your listings + the several guest stays in the following year(s) during auditWithout specific guidance, I would take a risk-based approach, and call it an STR if the intent and preponderance of the subsequent actions suggests it from the service date.Is there a tax court case that establishes this?

I plan to self-manage it, should be able to easily demonstrate 100 hours and no one works more than me on it, and keep the stays under 7 days.

Keep in mind if you need to use two jobs to qualify for a conventional loan, the borrower will need to demonstrate two years of holding those two jobs simultaneously. 

While personal credit may also be evaluated, particularly if a company member holds at least 25% ownership, demonstrating sufficient liquidity is equally crucial.

They have clearly demonstrated that.Oh Ken....

Logo does not change it unless you can demonstrate that the logo is ordinary and necessary (the underpinnings to any business / rental deduction).Overall you need to be wary of unreasonableness.

Consider this a motivation to build a robust portfolio and demonstrate your capabilities through actual results.