Opening Your Doors.African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. innkeepers share the ups and downs ups and downs pl.n. Alternating periods of good and bad fortune or spirits. ups and downs Noun, pl alternating periods of good and bad luck or high and low spirits of operating a bed-and-breakfast THE IDEA OF OWNING AND MANAGING A bed-and-breakfast or country inn may seem like a practically effortless way to run a business from the convenience of your own home. After all, you're basically hosting a few guests overnight, baking muffins and brewing the morning coffee. You can put those empty rooms to use and, with your people skills and business background, this endeavor might provide the perfect transition into retirement. If that scenario matches your concept of being an innkeeper An individual who, as a regular business, provides accommodations for guests in exchange for reasonable compensation. An inn is defined as a place where lodgings are made available to the public for a charge, such as a hotel, motel, hostel, or guest house. , don't open up those rooms just yet. The reality is that running a bed-and-breakfast inn (a home used primarily for lodging where breakfast is served) or a country inn (a lodging that serves breakfast plus an additional meal) is no different than running any small business. The financial preparation, market savvy, customer service expertise and entrepreneurial finesse fi·nesse n. 1. Refinement and delicacy of performance, execution, or artisanship. 2. Skillful, subtle handling of a situation; tactful, diplomatic maneuvering. 3. basic to any venture are just as vital in this one. In fact, the job is far from glamorous. You're on call 24 hours a day as concierge, chef, repairperson re·pair·per·son n. A repairman or repairwoman. , receptionist, maid, host and entertainer, and you probably won't get wildly rich doing it. You'll probably occupy the smallest room in your house to make guests more comfortable, and weekends will be anything but leisurely. But if you're business-minded and self-motivated, genuinely enjoy the company of others and have a creative knack for decorating, cooking and making others feel as if they've arrived in paradise, then this could be the business for you. SIZING UP THE MARKET "It's a tremendous opportunity for African Americans, who have not yet made a dent in the marketplace," says Monique Greenwood, proprietor of the Akwaaba Mansion in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . "Traditionally, when you think of a bed-and-breakfast, you think of a countryside inn in a quaint little town," says Greenwood. Frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: with the lack of lodging options for visiting family members, she and her husband, Glenn, decided to open their own B&B. "We're finding a niche in our own neighborhood." Lauren Craniotes, tourism liaison for the Upper Manhattan Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Empowerment Zone, says that B&Bs can fill a need in America's suburbs and cities. "There's currently no hotel in Harlem," she explains. "But strong potential exists for lodging opportunities in the area's historic brownstones, especially now that Harlem is experiencing its second renaissance." In fact, the return in popularity of cities as tourist destinations A tourist destination is a city, town or other area the economy of which is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions or visitor attractions and possibly some "tourist traps". has contributed to a 42% increase since 1994 in the number of inns located in urban areas, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a recent industry study of bed-and-breakfast/country inns by the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII PAII Professional Association of Innkeepers International PAII Pulse Accumulator Input Interrupt ) based in Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara is a city in California, United States. It is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 92,325. . Currently, B&Bs represent a $5 billion industry. What's more, the increasing interest in heritage tours nationwide--one of the fastest-growing segments of the booming tourism market--makes the idea even more appealing. The Washington, D.C.-based Travel Industry Association of America says that 45% of African American travelers choose to stay in hotels, motels and B&Bs. Yet fewer than 50 of the 30,000 B&Bs and country inns nationwide are known to be black-owned, says Doris L. Clark, president of the African American Association of Innkeepers International and innkeeper of the Twin Oaks Twin Oaks may refer to any of the following:
Another upside is that business travelers and meeting planners, seeking more personal service, are opting to stay in B&Bs; they now occupy 24%-28% of all rooms at B&Bs and country inns. YOUR FUTURE AS AN INNKEEPER Can this venture work for you? "If you buy an existing inn and weigh the numbers, it's a serious business opportunity," says Pat Hardy, co-executive director of PAII. "If you don't buy an existing inn," explains Clark, "you'll struggle to get a customer base. With an existing inn, you can turn that inn into yours," she says. B&Bs, like other businesses, are responding well to the nation's strong economy. This year, 50 million travelers chose to stay in B&Bs--double 1994 figures. From 1994 to 1996, the average B&B increased its operating profit Operating profit (or loss) Revenue from a firm's regular activities less costs and expenses and before income deductions. operating profit See operating income. by 34% on a per available room basis (before owner-operator compensation, mortgage, depreciation and income taxes). Revenue per available room increased nearly 27%. Operating profit for country inns grew 8.6%. Still, getting out of the starting blocks start·ing block n. 1. Sports a. An apparatus that braces a runner's feet at the start of a race, consisting of two angled supports adjustably mounted on a rigid frame that is usually anchored to the track. b. will take some time. "The first three years, you're looking at negative cash flow, but then you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. During the fifth year you'll be on track," says Hardy. Here's a quick look at some of the expenditures: renovations and interior decorating, marketing, food and beverage F&B is a common abbreviation in the United States and Commonwealth countries, including Hong Kong. F&B is typically the widely accepted abbreviation for "Food and Beverage," which is the sector/industry that specializes in the conceptualization, the making of, and delivery of foods. , layover lay·o·ver n. A short stop or break in a journey, usually imposed by scheduling requirements. Noun 1. layover - a brief stay in the course of a journey; "they made a stopover to visit their friends" stopover, stop and accountant fees, a computer for bookkeeping bookkeeping, maintenance of systematic and convenient records of money transactions in order to show the condition of a business enterprise. The essential purpose of bookkeeping is to reveal the amounts and sources of the losses and profits for any given period. , insurance, taxes and the monthly mortgage. Labor costs can comprise 25%-40% of expenses. Generally, total operating expenses Operating expenses The amount paid for asset maintenance or the cost of doing business, excluding depreciation. Earnings are distributed after operating expenses are deducted. (including telephone, repairs, cleaning and daily maintenance) will range from 40%-55% of actual gross revenues. Put into perspective, a B&B can be quite an undertaking. "It's not a quick, get-in, get-out business," warns Hardy. "It's one for the long haul Long distance. Long haul implies traversing a state or a country. Contrast with short haul. . If you're persistent, you'll be financially successful," she says. "Most people who get in the business are not looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a big-time money maker. They've already made money in their careers (most proprietors are well traveled, well educated, and middle to upper class) and want to have an independent life," she says. Having a corporate background doesn't help as much as having a small business background, she notes. It also helps to hear from people who've been there before investing your time and money. Here's what they say you'll need to guide you smoothly into the business. Take the time to research the industry and your market. Bed-and-Breakfast Reservation Services World-Wide, based in San Angelo, Texas San Angelo is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green CountyGR6, Texas, United States. It is also the principal city of the "San Angelo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area" that includes all of Irion and Tom Green county. , suggests that before diving in headfirst head·first also head·fore·most adv. 1. With the head leading; headlong: went headfirst down the stairs. 2. Impetuously; brashly. , you visit inns in your area of interest, examine current and pending economic trends, know the demographics and talk to the local chamber of commerce and convention and visitors bureau about the market. Four years before Greenwood purchased the Akwaaba Mansion, she visited inns in Cape May Cape May, city (1990 pop. 4,668), Cape May co., S N.J., on Cape May peninsula and the Atlantic Ocean; settled in the 1600s, inc. 1857. One of the nation's oldest beach resorts, it became known in the mid-19th cent. , New Jersey, the "capital of B&Bs." "I stayed in at least 10 different inns and kept a journal of everything I loved and hated." Later she attended a weeklong intensive training conference for aspiring innkeepers. Then, in 1993, when she spotted an unoccupied Victorian mansion near her home, she was prepared for the opportunity. While staying in touch with the owner for two years, she "studied every inch of that house, collected furniture and decided what would go into the spaces." When all the loose ends were tied up, "I had all of my furniture bought and was ready to go." Plan your strategy. Like Greenwood, you'll have to think about how you envision your business. What clientele will you target? Will your family be involved? Will you quit your full-time job? An excellent way for you to put all of this into perspective is to attend classes and conferences. That will give you a chance to network and hear firsthand first·hand adj. Received from the original source: firsthand information. first what it really takes to pull this off. Contact the African American Association of Innkeepers International (800-696-8633; www.african american inns.com) and the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (805-569-1853; www.paii.org), which offer resource materials and sponsor classes and conferences. Get a copy of So You Want to Be An Innkeeper (Chronicle Books, 1996), a widely recommended text. You'll also need to consider whether you are going to buy a home, an existing inn or use your own home. Develop your financial plan. When you've done that due diligence Research; analysis; your homework. This term has caught on in all industries, because it sounds so "wired." Who would want to do analysis or research when they can do due diligence. See wired. , you'll need to formulate your business plan, including a summary of your goals, a property/business description, a marketing plan, details about operations and management and financial projections. Show this plan to suppliers, business contacts and your banker--this will help you to secure a loan, which worked for Clark. Her bank was willing to loan her 80% of the $232,000 cost. Greenwood, on the other hand, used her own savings and qualified for a $20,000 loan from the local Neighborhood Housing Service to help cover the $225,000 price tag. Restoration for the 1860 mansion totaled $100,000. "We had to work out of our own pockets," recalls Greenwood. Workmen from the local community pitched in with free or discounted services. "The plumber (programming, tool) Plumber - A system for obtaining information about memory leaks in Ada and C programs. http://home.earthlink.net/~owenomalley/plumber.html. worked for a quarter of the price," she says. Your neighbors may cut you a break when the time comes Adv. 1. when the time comes - at the appropriate time; "we'll get to this question in due course" in due course, in due season, in due time, in good time to restore or decorate the home. Thoroughly understand licensing, zoning and permits. You'll need to register your business with the state to ensure that no other business is operating with your name and alert the state to expect tax revenue. When you register, ask about other requirements, including licenses, permits, and fire, building and health codes. The government can shut you down if you fail to meet any of these prerequisites. Be prepared to attend a zoning board meeting. You'll need to meet area and state ordinances. "Every city is different," says Greenwood. "New York, for example, doesn't spell out what is required, so I had to go to the building department court to get the record straight about what was legal and illegal." One neighbor erroneously complained that her inn was illegally based. Jumping through the zoning hurdle--as Clark found--can be costly and time-consuming. After she obtained a special permit from the zoning board of appeals to operate the inn, a neighbor objected and filed, an appeal. The neighbor even sent Clark a letter suggesting that she "look for a guest house in Oak Bluffs ... where most of the African Americans of the Island reside and visit." After three years of appeals that reached the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Clark won the case. "Expect every obstacle that can legally be put together," she warns. Work out the details. You'll have to think about what services your B&B will provide. Will you have whirlpools? Shared baths? What will you charge? How many employees will you have? All of this will go into your daily operating costs operating costs npl → gastos mpl operacionales . You'll also need to think about your policies on children, pets, smoking and reservations. Brush up on your bookkeeping skills--you'll need to maintain excellent records. A home computer will help you not only with accounting, but also with reservations, a guest database, inventory and tax records. Contact your potential suppliers (for food, office equipment, sheets and towels) and owners with a similar property for estimates on what they spend per year. If you're purchasing an existing B&B, simply ask the current owners for a breakdown of expenses and their current income statement. You'll also need to be clear on what you'll spend on taxes, which vary from state to state. Typically, your guests will be required to pay a sales tax sales tax, levy on the sale of goods or services, generally calculated as a percentage of the selling price, and sometimes called a purchase tax. It is usually collected in the form of an extra charge by the retailer, who remits the tax to the government. or a rooms and meals tax. You'll pay taxes on any profit your B&B earns. Your legal structure (sole proprietorship A form of business in which one person owns all the assets of the business, in contrast to a partnership or a corporation. A person who does business for himself is engaged in the operation of a sole proprietorship. , partnership, etc.) will also affect your taxes. Develop your unique style and fulfill your dream. Samuel Boynes, proprietor of L'Hotel Boynes on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, restored his B&B after Hurricane Marilyn Hurricane Marilyn was the fifteenth tropical depression and thirteenth named storm of the unusually busy 1995 Atlantic hurricane season, following closely on the heels of Hurricane Luis. Hurricane Marilyn was the worst storm to hit the Virgin Islands since Hurricane Hugo of 1989. all but destroyed it. He was determined to rebuild it in the style of the original 1785 building. "The insurance companies thought in terms of replacement, not restoration," he recalls. But sticking to his vision was essential. "Restoration is my product," he says. "It's being able to deliver that step-back-in-time experience that I could only get if I made the place as authentic as could be." Many B&Bs have a Victorian-style decor. Some African American innkeepers are starting to develop an Afrocentric look, with art and antiques that reflect the culture. Another part of your personal style will be reflected in the breakfast you serve. Some innkeepers will hire a cook to make elaborate spreads, others will serve a continental breakfast in bed. It's up to you. Clark, for example, makes her own homemade home·made adj. 1. Made or prepared in the home: homemade pie. 2. Made by oneself. 3. Crudely or simply made. Adj. 1. granola. Market your business. Once you've addressed the details, including securing your property, you'll need to get the word out, even as early as a year before you're ready to open. "When I was thinking about running a B&B and started looking for houses, I should have gotten a phone number placed in the Yellow Pages," says Clark. "When my business opened, I was a year behind." Clark advertised in the Black Pages in cities from Boston to Washington, D.C., wrote to all of the national black newspapers and sought out travel guides and other general media outlets. Press releases, open houses and theme weekends, as well as brochures and personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. stationery are other popular marketing tools. Plugs from the local convention and visitors bureaus, chamber of commerce and local guidebooks can also be a boon for business. But nothing has been as cost-effective for Clark as word of mouth and the Internet. "I used to spend $12,000 a year on advertising," she says. "Now I spend $700." Your clientele will depend in part on where you're located. In a tourist area, like New Orleans New Orleans (ôr`lēənz –lənz, ôrlēnz`), city (2006 pop. 187,525), coextensive with Orleans parish, SE La., between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) by water from the river mouth; founded , you may attract mostly white visitors. If you're in a nontourist urban area, the majority of guests may be locals looking to get away for a weekend of pampering, like 60% or so of Greenwood's clientele. Black tourists are becoming more receptive to the idea of staying in a B&B. "There had been some apprehension about staying in someone's home--not being sure how we'd be received," says Greenwood. But now that black innkeepers are more visible, black clients are more willing to stay in their facilities. Network with other innkeepers--one of your greatest resources. "Find a local innkeeper to be your mentor or pay someone to do consulting," says Hardy. "If you're considering another city, find innkeepers in that city and ask them questions. Offer to take them out to dinner; see how they jumped through the government hoops. Let them be part of your consulting team." Open your doors. Finally, keep in mind that you want to give your guests a memorable experience so they'll come back. Fresh linens and towels, clean rooms, attention to detail, a positive attitude and good food are all part of the equation. "You have to be friendly, not mind people coming in and out of your house and love to cook and clean," says Clark. "Love the hard work and have a sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour ." RELATED ARTICLE: Resource Guide for B&B Owners For more information on what it takes to run a bed-and-breakfast or country inn, take note of the following. Books: So You Want to Be an Innkeeper by Mary Davies, Pat Hardy, Jo Ann M. Bell, Susan Brown Susan Brown (December 12 1958 - ) is the minister for Dornoch Cathedral and as such is the first woman preacher to take charge of a Cathedral in the United Kingdom. She has officiated at the weddings between Madonna and Guy Ritchie and Ashley Judd and Dario Franchitti. , Third Edition. Chronicle Books, $14.95 The Upstart Guide to Owning and Managing a Bed-and-Breakfast by Lisa Angowski Rogak, Dearborn Publishing Group, $15.95. Newsletters: InnQuest P.O. Box 1162 Brattleboro, VT 05301 Inn Times 2101 Crystal Plaza Arcade, #246 Arlington, VA 22202 Conferences: African American Association of Innkeepers International February 26-27, 1999 Apache Canyon Ranch New Mexico For information and brochure, call 800-696-8633 Professional Association of Innkeepers International March 26-29, 2000 Hyatt Hotel Hilton Head, SC For information, call 805-569-1853 RELATED ARTICLE: African American Innkeepers The following list includes members of the African American Association of Innkeepers International. Access their home pages on the Internet at www.africanamericaninns.com. E-mail the organization at africanamericaninns@iname.com. DORIS CLARK TWIN OAKS INN ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD P.O. Box 1767 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 800-696-8633 e-mail: dclark@vineyard.net KEN & HELENE BARNETT LAGNIAPPE GUEST HOUSE 1925 Peniston St. New Orleans, LA 70115 800-317-2120 JOHN & HERRETT PARKER PARKER GARDEN B&B East St. Louis, IL 62205 888-298-3834 T.C. & AVA BOWERS APACHE CANYON RANCH 4 Canyon Dr. Canoncito, NM 87026 800-808-8310 LEE HENDERSON JOHNSON HENDERSON HOUSE B&B 1544 Atcheson St. Columbus, OH 43203 614-258-3463 BARBARA J. LAWRENCE CAPE BABS COTTAGE 23 Blueberry Lane East Falmouth, MA 02536 888-811-2280 CREAMOLA WILKINGS-MANNING BLUE ROSE B&B 1811 Ninth St. Anacortes, WA 98221 360-293-5175 PAM PULLMAN SOMEWHERE B&B 2049 Sidney St. Louis, MO 63104 800-730-2726 GLENN & DOROTHY DODDS BONNEVUE MANOR 33 Beaty Ave. Toronto, Ontario M6K 3B3 416-536-1455 MONIQUE GREENWOOD & GLENN POGUE AKWAABA MANSION 347 McDonough St. Brooklyn, NY 11233 718-455-5958 LOUISE HERMAN-MUHAMMAD SUNNYSIDE B&B 1116 Terrace St. Muskegon, MI 49442 616-726-3827 DANIEL AND MONICA EDWARDS MOREHEAD MANOR 914 Vickers Ave. Durham, NC 27701 888-437-6333 e-mail: moreheadmanor@aol.com ANDREA DISMOUNT & DELAEY ROBINSON AUNT NEA'S INN One Nea's Alley St. George's, Bermuda GEO5 441-297-1630 www.auntneas.com LESTER & FRANCOISE RODDY THE WOODS HOUSE BED-AND-BREAKFAST 333 North Main St. Ashland, OR 97520 800-435-8260 e-mail: woodshe@mind.net JESSIE SMALLWOOD LA MAISON 1740 Jackson Ave. New Orleans, LA 70113 888-840-2331 LEIGHTON & BARBARA WATSON LA TIENDA INN 455 W. San Francisco St. Santa Fe, NM 87501 800-889-7611 |
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