As an owner/operator of “Ripples on the Creek” (a rural tourist facility in northern New South Wales Australia), I speak to a lot of people who visit our property. Our property incorporates cabins, a café/restaurant and the breeding of alpacas. However, just about everyone I speak to tell me that they have always had the dream of opening their own B&B.
You may be one of those who share this dream - and why not? Certainly starting up a B&B is relatively easy and provides a fabulous lifestyle. However, it is not for everyone!
I know of a number of people who have realized their dream of opening a B&B only to find that they absolutely hate it and have simply closed their doors - having spent a lot of time and money setting it up in the first place.
So what does it take to run your own B&B and how do you know if it will be right for you before spending heaps of time and money pursuing this dream?
The Hospitality Industry
It's not called the hospitality industry for nothing and like any business in the service industry, running a bed & breakfast requires good interpersonal skills and the desire to always exceed your customers' expectations. However more so than any other sector of the hospitality industry, running a B&B is all about your relationship with your guests.
A successful B&B operator ensures that guests leave feeling happier and more relaxed than when they arrived, taking great memories away and the desire to return.
The reason for this is two fold. Firstly, you want guests to come back again and also to tell their friends about you so that they want to come and stay too. Secondly, and just as importantly, this is where the “job satisfaction” of running a B&B comes from. It is a wonderful feeling knowing that you have done everything you can to ensure your guests have had an enjoyable and memorable experience at your property and for me, without this the financial rewards just aren't worth it.
The Lifestyle
Running a B&B is a great lifestyle business. It means working from home, managing your own time and having the flexibility of having a nap in the afternoon or sitting in the sun and reading a book if you choose. However, this idyllic lifestyle does come at a cost. You have to be prepared to share your life with strangers and welcome them into your home so that they feel a part of your family.
Not everyone who opens a B&B is prepared for this “invasion of privacy”. So in order to determine if you have the right personality to run a B&B I have put together this questionnaire for you to complete.
Questionnaire - Answer yes or no to the following:
- Do you enjoy meeting new people?
- Do you find it east to make conversation with people you've just met?
- Are you happy to share information about yourself and your family with people outside your circle of friends?
- Will you go out of your way to make others feel welcome and at home?
- Can you put on a “happy face” regardless of your mood or how you are feeling?
- Do you generally have a happy disposition?
- Do you have a good sense of humour?
- Are you interested in hearing about other peoples' lives and hearing their stories?
- Do you put others needs above your own?
- Are you prepared to do physically hard work and to clean up after other people?
Questionnaire Results
If you answered YES to all, or at the very least most of the above questions, then you definitely have the right personal qualities to open a B&B. However, don't forget that running a B&B is a family concern and although your partner and children may not be directly involved with the day to day running they will come into contact with your guests so it is equally important that they are comfortable welcoming “strangers” into their home too.
Obviously, this is just one of many considerations before leaping into starting up your own B&B. However, I believe it is a crucial factor to consider right up front and one that many people tend to overlook.
