Find out if owning a B&B is for you!
If you’re contemplating starting a bed and breakfast, financing plays a big role. And, if you haven’t found out already, the biggest issue facing those that are thinking about starting a b and b is that banks are not keen on approving loans and/or mortgages for potential B&Bs. The most common reasons banks aren’t interested […]
Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration released a study of 571 travellers’ view on staying in “green” hotels. The number one criteria that influenced their decision-making was a recognized green certification. They also liked the idea of refillable shampoo dispensers, energy-efficient light bulbs, and towel and linen reuse policies. There was support for the idea […]
In many smaller towns (and even some larger urban cities), many bed and breakfasts got started because of special events that brought in a sudden influx of people needing short-term accommodation (think Mardi Gras in New Orleans, The Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta Georgia) – even here in my little town was/is a music festival […]
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this post about dealing with stress, if you are running a b&b or planning on opening a bed and breakfast, you definitely bring your work home with you! And, as you are generally on call 24/7, it is crucial to make sure you take good care of yourself […]
In this two part series, I will be providing you with some tried and true methods for dealing with stress. If you are running a b&b, or planning on opening a bed and breakfast, one of the toughest challenges is the fact that you really don’t have much separation between your work and home life. […]
I have found the biggest roadblock people encounter when planning on starting a bed and breakfast is the lack of communication. In most organizations, a Vision Statement (what we want our successful organization to look like) and a Mission Statement (who we are, what we do and how we do it) is created to ensure […]
There is an ancient Chinese saying that says the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In order to turn your dreams of starting a bed and breakfast into reality you must first turn your ideas from dreams into achievable goals. An effective goal identifies where you want to be. So, if […]
I mentioned gift certificates as a source of revenue in an earlier blog post. They are great for putting money in b and b owners’ pockets as the revenue they generate can help you get through the slower times. Some of the advantages of gift certificates are: they can be personalized; they can be created […]
Since I posted my free book “3 questions everyone who wants to own a bed and breakfast asks – or should!“ I’ve had many people telling me that they relate to my story about how I went about owning a bed and breakfast. Yes, I was scared. Yes, I was frustrated with the fact that […]
Getting the name right for your bed and breakfast will be one of the crucial elements to your business success. Prior to opening your bed and breakfast, you should create a business plan to ensure that you can afford to own and run a bed and breakfast. Once that is complete your business plan is […]