Working in a bed and breakfast as an apprentice can offer a reality view into daily inn operations and provide a stable research background. Financial institutions will question would-be innkeepers as to what they know about running a bed and breakfast and what research they’ve performed. It gives you credibility when putting together a business plan and asking for financial assistance, if you can provide a solid research background. Operating a B&B also offers a "stay at home" business for women which can be beneficial to the single or married entrepreneur.
Our consulting business was developed when we began receiving many "How do I...?" phone calls and walk-ins, inquiring about the business side of innkeeping. We felt that the time spent with these individuals was taking away from our necessary inn operations. The seminar "Starting Your Own Bed & Breakfast Inn" was developed in 1989 by demand for this service.
Aspiring innkeepers are curious about the industry and are most times unsure whether they really want to open a B&B. We give them a basic overview and provide practical information on setting up, operating, marketing, and planning. An average of one or two students in a class of 12 will go on to start their own bed and breakfast. While the seminars are sponsored by the local community college, instructing at the bed and breakfast provides our students with a chance to experience the inn atmosphere up-close.
We have also coordinated aspiring workshops in conjunction with Colorado B&B conferences. Additional consulting is offered on an hourly basis for those requesting individual attention and specific needs.
Existing inns and bed and breakfast associations should be used as research and education resources. We recommend that aspiring innkeepers stay at B&B inns whenever they travel, offer to pay the innkeepers to set aside time for consulting, and gain information on inn operations by critically viewing each property as to their personal likes and dislikes of features.
State and local organizations create an invaluable support system regarding networking, sharing common issues, education and quality assurance. Attending state association conferences will offer a wealth of information to would-be innkeepers. When Welling and I saw the need for bed and breakfast networking in 1987, we founded Colorado's B&B association, Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers of Colorado. Since that time, the association’s annual Colorado conference has become a great educational tool for both aspiring and current innkeepers.
In addition, the educational benefits of association membership is an important one. Most associations have implemented affiliate or associate memberships so aspiring innkeepers can join even if they don’t yet own a B&B. This should be a consideration if you're contemplating a move to a particular state. It will keep you in the mainstream of that state's B&B information network.
We love our innkeeping careers and are happy that we took the time to research our dream before starting out. It is extremely important for the aspiring innkeeper to consider in advance what it takes to run a successful B&B. Asking some well-placed questions and doing some research will put aspiring innkeepers on the track to being great future innkeepers or just great inngoers, depending on the final decision. Are you ready to start your own bed and breakfast inn? Come and discover the inns and outs!
Many thanks to Sallie Clark for submitting this article. Sallie and her husband Welling can be contacted at Holden House Bed and Breakfast Inn in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on the web at www.holdenhouse.com.