Why did you open a B&B or become an Innkeeper?

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Samster

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I thought about posting a poll for this question but there are just too many options. It was mentioned in another thread that an innkeeper didn't buy a B&B because they liked serving people. So, that begs the question: Why did you want to be an innkeeper? Fame and fortune?
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Pay for the restoration of an historic property? Cook and garden? Meet people from all over the globe? Simply earn a living in your own home?
This should be interesting.... :)
 
We did this because it was something we could do together after spending almost all of our time apart working in corporate. Hubs is a workaholic and this was the only way I could get to see him on a daily basis. The other options were a grocery store/gas station or a diner. This way, I get to live in a million dollar home a mile from the beach and I can meet people from everywhere. The other 2 options had me living over a gas station or a diner. That's just not me.
 
To take what we'd learned from our hospitality careers and put it to work for ourselves! Making big money never factored into it....good thing too.....a small B&B will never make big money! I think too many innkeepers go into this with a focus on the financial side, thinking bout the big money to be made.
 
A lot of people ask us if owning a B&B was our life long dream....we look at each other and smile. We were looking for a career change for the DW who had spent the last 33 years on a ladder on construction sites, bathrooms and kitchens hanging wallpaper. She just wanted to work from home. We were able to put the financing together and now she works from our wonderfully historic home!
 
To take what we'd learned from our hospitality careers and put it to work for ourselves! Making big money never factored into it....good thing too.....a small B&B will never make big money! I think too many innkeepers go into this with a focus on the financial side, thinking bout the big money to be made..
Little Blue said:
To take what we'd learned from our hospitality careers and put it to work for ourselves! Making big money never factored into it....good thing too.....a small B&B will never make big money! I think too many innkeepers go into this with a focus on the financial side, thinking bout the big money to be made.
A lot of people tell us this is exactly what they want to do when they retire......we look at each other and smile again and go onto tell them that this is NOT a job for retirement - not a 9 unit size place anyway!
 
A lot of people ask us if owning a B&B was our life long dream....we look at each other and smile. We were looking for a career change for the DW who had spent the last 33 years on a ladder on construction sites, bathrooms and kitchens hanging wallpaper. She just wanted to work from home. We were able to put the financing together and now she works from our wonderfully historic home!.
rrh said:
A lot of people ask us if owning a B&B was our life long dream....we look at each other and smile. We were looking for a career change for the DW who had spent the last 33 years on a ladder on construction sites, bathrooms and kitchens hanging wallpaper. She just wanted to work from home. We were able to put the financing together and now she works from our wonderfully historic home!
We get that question, too...'lifelong dream'. If the guests seem like they have a sense of humor I'll say, 'Yup, lifelong dream to spend my days cleaning house.' Then I explain we kind of just fell into it as something to do together. If they know the PO's and say that it was THEIR lifelong dream, it's tricky. They wonder why someone who had 'serving people' as their dream job burned out in 3 years and someone who 'fell into it' is still happy as can be and bumbling along 5 years later not much worse for the wear.
 
It seems many of us (not all) come to Innkeeping as corporate refugees from a variety of industries. My background is Equine Sciences. The senior partners here are active in other industries. Major owners of this business, but working real jobs elsewhere. I my have the smallest $ investment here, but I am the hands on/live in for the B & B. This brings a lot of diversity (not to mention, business savvey and a few BIG egos) to the business. One is a broadway set designer, one is a French trained Chef, one with a NYC fashion background).
The idea was to start small and see if we could make a go of it. Then flip it for something larger. The game plan was 5 years and that was in 1997.
 
It seems many of us (not all) come to Innkeeping as corporate refugees from a variety of industries. My background is Equine Sciences. The senior partners here are active in other industries. Major owners of this business, but working real jobs elsewhere. I my have the smallest $ investment here, but I am the hands on/live in for the B & B. This brings a lot of diversity (not to mention, business savvey and a few BIG egos) to the business. One is a broadway set designer, one is a French trained Chef, one with a NYC fashion background).
The idea was to start small and see if we could make a go of it. Then flip it for something larger. The game plan was 5 years and that was in 1997..
FD...given the chance to do it over from the beginning, would you still have done the partnership, knowing what you know now?
 
This has been a terrific learning experience and I do not regret my involvement one bit. I would, however, (knowing now what I wish I had known then) have gotten involved with some different operating parameters in place. With the current state of the economy, I am grateful for what I have. The chef has 2 restaurants, plus a catering business and is having a hard go and is very forthcoming about it, so I can't really complain....well, I do complain and you are all very kind about putting up with me. Thanks.
 
More than one reason:
  1. work with my DH and stop travelling all the time. I was never home.
  2. live in a cool historic house in an awesome town with lots of stuff to do.
  3. be my own boss and detox from corporate jobs.
My own personal opinion is that if you get into this life purely for the enjoyment of people, you will burn out quickly. I used to work in human resources and did a lot of recruiting. When a candidate told me s/he wanted to be in HR because s/he wasa people person, I knew to keep on looking. Very, very nice people have very, very not-nice aspects to their behaviors and/or personalities, and you get to see them all in this job (and in HR).
 
It was a chance to stay home with my children, live in a beautiful home in a beautiful setting, let me express my love of cooking and gardening, and the chance to serve others. All good. And now that my dh doesn't travel and works nearby, it's even better. For us, it has been a dream come true.
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Because DW was relentless!.
Masochist and a glutton for punishment.
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Total sidetrack...hubs cannot spell 'gluten'. So, whenever someone has a gluten allergy he puts on their rez form (in the notes section they can read) 'glutton'. If I don't catch it before it gets printed and handed to the guest to sign I have a little song and dance I have to do.
 
So I could bake, make beds, pick up after everyone, and clean clean toilets everyday!
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Actually a friend of mine started a workshop about running a B & B...the first ever done in OH. I was so intrigued by the idea and knew with my background in H. Ec. that I could do it. I ended up helping teach some workshops as well, started staying in B & B's and knew I could do it...so about 15 years later when I retired..we did it. Of course I planned and saved for it ...so was well prepared when we started. Unfortunately...all that cooking, baking, and cleaning wore me out by year 6....so I retired again...but I wouldn't have traded the experience for anything.
 
Because DW was relentless!.
Masochist and a glutton for punishment.
.
Total sidetrack...hubs cannot spell 'gluten'. So, whenever someone has a gluten allergy he puts on their rez form (in the notes section they can read) 'glutton'. If I don't catch it before it gets printed and handed to the guest to sign I have a little song and dance I have to do.
.
What's wrong with being glutton intolerant? I wouldn't be offended.
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I was told many years ago by a very wise man to not turn your hobby into a career. I think this is a problem with many innkeepers, they think what they enjoy as hobbies will make a good career, then they hate it. Hate the people, hate the whole thing.
On the same token, we become innkeepers and give up our own time and hobbies and in so doing this we starve ourselves of what WE need. I have not heard it rallied over and over on this forum yet like the old forum - but it used to be said "take care of yourself first" and "make sure your own quarters are nice and not buried with business stuff, ironing, etc so you have a place to retreat to."
I am sure there was other advice about this that MOST innkeepers do not adhere to and think they can just make do. Our well being depends on having our OWN space, having it as nice as possible, not the last care of the inn. Your loved ones get the raw end of the deal when you give give give to guests and burn out. Take care of you!
 
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