Aspiring Inn Sitter

[JBloggs]

"Interim" in my mind speaks filling-in, ie until an innkeeper is hired permanently, not "sitting"

Just sharing how I think of it when I hear it. ie members of this forum who are hired innkeepers to me are interim innkeepers. Just how I read it, not that it is accurate, just mentioning. Innsitter is a briefer period of time, "sitting being a place holder for a short time frame", ie a weekend, or while owners are on holiday.

 

[gillumhouse]

Good Lord! I, Don "the snark" Draper, tried to play peacemaker on that thread???? Too too funny. Sometimes I miss that Toad...
At any rate, to the OP I would start by just asking to volunteer at Inns anywhere you can get to where you live now. Let them know you're interested in moving AWAY to be in the b&b industry so they won't feel competitive. Stay in a cheap hotel and give up a few weekends of your time to shadow, just to get some experience. If you're as hands-on and can-do as you sound then I know you would very quickly go from shadowing to really helping, and there would be no faster way to gain my trust.
I love reading these philosophical threads. Everyone's reasons are so vastly different for doing what we do. I am the anti-cutesy innkeeper, I'm really happy to help you get the most out of your time here and be friendly doing it, but honestly serving or becoming best friends with every guest had no part of the appeal for me. It was about our location, period.
I think one of the reasons I struggle so much a few years in is that I came from being a health care professional, where all I did every day was make people feel better and teach them how to help themselves. Most of the seasonal decorations I own were gifts from clients...I brought stuff home all the time, like every day with the dripping praise. I got to be real friends with them. Then I get here and seems no matter what I do it doesn't suit some people. I've never had my personal best not be good enough until I got here. It's frustrating, but after some honest soul-searching I have to chalk it up to not being able to suit everyone all the time. But it's the biggest factor contributing to our current burnout. I think I will be a hermit after this, I wouldn't be sad to never meet a new person for the rest of my life!.

For me, it is never knowing what will be coming in the door next. I have had mostly really nice people. One couiple has sent a couple of VERY nice cards and notes. I have no clue what will be my next phase - IF I have a next phase. It will probably be something to do with my City but who knows.. I had no idea I was going to be in this City nor once I got here as involved in it as I am. The lady who drew me into rails-to-trails (which I got involved with because it would be good for the B & B I planned to have in the future) and the librarian who took me on as a friend (she freely admits to liking people whose "bubble" os more than a bit off-center), who chose me to walk with on the trail because I was the only person she knew who would bitch her out if she tried to quit, and is now my City Manager. I climbed on my raft and let life take me where it will a long time ago. I found if I was stupid enough to try to steer it, I landed on the rocks right quick!

 

[white pine]

Good Lord! I, Don "the snark" Draper, tried to play peacemaker on that thread???? Too too funny. Sometimes I miss that Toad...
At any rate, to the OP I would start by just asking to volunteer at Inns anywhere you can get to where you live now. Let them know you're interested in moving AWAY to be in the b&b industry so they won't feel competitive. Stay in a cheap hotel and give up a few weekends of your time to shadow, just to get some experience. If you're as hands-on and can-do as you sound then I know you would very quickly go from shadowing to really helping, and there would be no faster way to gain my trust.
I love reading these philosophical threads. Everyone's reasons are so vastly different for doing what we do. I am the anti-cutesy innkeeper, I'm really happy to help you get the most out of your time here and be friendly doing it, but honestly serving or becoming best friends with every guest had no part of the appeal for me. It was about our location, period.
I think one of the reasons I struggle so much a few years in is that I came from being a health care professional, where all I did every day was make people feel better and teach them how to help themselves. Most of the seasonal decorations I own were gifts from clients...I brought stuff home all the time, like every day with the dripping praise. I got to be real friends with them. Then I get here and seems no matter what I do it doesn't suit some people. I've never had my personal best not be good enough until I got here. It's frustrating, but after some honest soul-searching I have to chalk it up to not being able to suit everyone all the time. But it's the biggest factor contributing to our current burnout. I think I will be a hermit after this, I wouldn't be sad to never meet a new person for the rest of my life!.

I think I will be a hermit after this, I wouldn't be sad to never meet a new person for the rest of my life!

Tiny house. Hermit in a tiny house. Hermit in a tiny, paid for house. That's me when we move on.
.

I told DH when we sold our big old stone house. Never again will I live through multi-year rehabs in an old house. I enjoyed no longer having a business, no more paperwork. Now this. Life is strange, very strange, never say never.

 

[bbinnsitters]

"Interim" in my mind speaks filling-in, ie until an innkeeper is hired permanently, not "sitting"

Just sharing how I think of it when I hear it. ie members of this forum who are hired innkeepers to me are interim innkeepers. Just how I read it, not that it is accurate, just mentioning. Innsitter is a briefer period of time, "sitting being a place holder for a short time frame", ie a weekend, or while owners are on holiday..

JB, Thank you for this - I have quoted you on my other forum where they are trying to convince me that I need to change from Inn-sitter to Interim Innkeeper (because it sounds more professional). I like being an Inn-sitter and it has worked for me thus far. I have to explain either term to people when they ask what I do for a living, so I figure "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

 

[EmptyNest]

"Interim" in my mind speaks filling-in, ie until an innkeeper is hired permanently, not "sitting"

Just sharing how I think of it when I hear it. ie members of this forum who are hired innkeepers to me are interim innkeepers. Just how I read it, not that it is accurate, just mentioning. Innsitter is a briefer period of time, "sitting being a place holder for a short time frame", ie a weekend, or while owners are on holiday..

JB, Thank you for this - I have quoted you on my other forum where they are trying to convince me that I need to change from Inn-sitter to Interim Innkeeper (because it sounds more professional). I like being an Inn-sitter and it has worked for me thus far. I have to explain either term to people when they ask what I do for a living, so I figure "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
.

I agree with JB. Inn sitter to me is someone who does it on a short term basis...weekend, week or two as innkeepers take a vacation. Interim innkeeper means I am actually being the innkeeper until someone or something better comes along. More long term...or someone wanting to do it so they can live in different parts of the country etc etc...

 

[egoodell]

Believe it or not, there actually are classes given to learn about the Inn Sitting profession (we really like to call it Interim Innkeeping). If you go to our national website you can get more information. http://interiminnkeepers.net/info/training.

Believe it or not, there actually are classes given to learn about the Inn Sitting profession (we really like to call it Interim Innkeeping). If you go to our national website you can get more information. http://interiminnkeepers.net/info/training

I also don't like "Interim Innkeeping". That does not tell me what you do. "Innsitting" is clear to me. Why change it when it is already clear.
RIki

 

[white pine]

This was EXACTLY me two years ago! We built a smaller, new energy efficient home, hardwood and tile floors on a smaller lot on a fishing lake just outside the state capitol! Lots of naural light, easy to good shopping, airport and a major University. Now it is for sale! Amazing! Never say never!

 

[JBloggs]

Some things you do and get out of your system, like restoring an historic home. Or owning a B&B.

When guests act like "Oh this is your first!" I cringe and usually add something - because I can't help it - that typically you won't find someone who does it twice. Then I explain...
Amazing how guests do not get what we do, even when they are staying here. They have no clue.

 

[Samster]

This was EXACTLY me two years ago! We built a smaller, new energy efficient home, hardwood and tile floors on a smaller lot on a fishing lake just outside the state capitol! Lots of naural light, easy to good shopping, airport and a major University. Now it is for sale! Amazing! Never say never!.

In this case, I'm saying never .... unless I find a different life partner down the road.

 

[Samster]

Good Lord! I, Don "the snark" Draper, tried to play peacemaker on that thread???? Too too funny. Sometimes I miss that Toad...
At any rate, to the OP I would start by just asking to volunteer at Inns anywhere you can get to where you live now. Let them know you're interested in moving AWAY to be in the b&b industry so they won't feel competitive. Stay in a cheap hotel and give up a few weekends of your time to shadow, just to get some experience. If you're as hands-on and can-do as you sound then I know you would very quickly go from shadowing to really helping, and there would be no faster way to gain my trust.
I love reading these philosophical threads. Everyone's reasons are so vastly different for doing what we do. I am the anti-cutesy innkeeper, I'm really happy to help you get the most out of your time here and be friendly doing it, but honestly serving or becoming best friends with every guest had no part of the appeal for me. It was about our location, period.
I think one of the reasons I struggle so much a few years in is that I came from being a health care professional, where all I did every day was make people feel better and teach them how to help themselves. Most of the seasonal decorations I own were gifts from clients...I brought stuff home all the time, like every day with the dripping praise. I got to be real friends with them. Then I get here and seems no matter what I do it doesn't suit some people. I've never had my personal best not be good enough until I got here. It's frustrating, but after some honest soul-searching I have to chalk it up to not being able to suit everyone all the time. But it's the biggest factor contributing to our current burnout. I think I will be a hermit after this, I wouldn't be sad to never meet a new person for the rest of my life!.

I think I will be a hermit after this, I wouldn't be sad to never meet a new person for the rest of my life!

Tiny house. Hermit in a tiny house. Hermit in a tiny, paid for house. That's me when we move on.
.

Our next move will be to a smaller house (but not tiny), almost paid for (there are benefits to having a small mortgage), and new, green construction. I'm tired of big utility bills and drafts.

I'm not interested in ever renovating an old house again - my husband is worn out on that front...totally.
I also have no desire to ever have my own business again. The bureaucracy in this city & State did me in.
I've already found some possibilities in an area we're interested in that meets a lot of our other criteria.

 

[Joey Camb]

Some things you do and get out of your system, like restoring an historic home. Or owning a B&B.

When guests act like "Oh this is your first!" I cringe and usually add something - because I can't help it - that typically you won't find someone who does it twice. Then I explain...
Amazing how guests do not get what we do, even when they are staying here. They have no clue..

My cousin and his wife do it on a regular basis but they are barking mad to be fair. They have built up a good crew so love restoring old places they have been in national newspapers for the projects they have done. (this is my claime to fame)

 

[birdwatcher]

As to the Interim Innkeepers or Innsitters its all the same to me I am an INNKEEPER whether my husband and I take a job as an INNKEEPER either long-term or short term our position is still INNKEEPER cause we are running a Bed and Breakfast and we will do it according to the Owners procedures-sometimes that is harder than owning your own Inn, at least when you own your own Inn you make your own rules as you go along or can make instant decisions whether it was instant or had to think about it.
We are all INNKEPERS first, yes some are business owners. But lets just say that a secretary is a secretary-what kind of secretary doesnt matter-you are foremost a secretary or a dentist or whatever your profession is.
My profession is beign the best Innkeeper there is and that means doing all that pertains to this.