I read a lot of business books. Mostly on running business differently. There are standard ways to run B&Bs, but for the most part, I don't think we do anything by the standards, and that's fine by me.
We had guests recently who basically said that they were cool just hanging out and talking all day, because that's WHY they came to stay with us. My heart burst!
We started out being in business to save the house from foreclosure. We love this house.
But as the years have gone by, and airbnb has become more popular, we are beginning to love being in business so that guests, like our most recent ones, continue to grace us with their presence. When the stay is over, we relish the moments we shared...the stories, the messages, the pleasant/funny/profound conversations. We really do! We talk about guests all the time and we love getting updates from them.
We're in business because community is built in so many different ways. Some people are friends for life, some people are family or coworkers, and some people are guests in our home for a couple days. But in each gathering there is awesomeness. In each story told, there is empathy, positive energy, and interesting adventures. You can't get that in hotels. Each person in their own cube, living in isolation. Not for us.
Sharing a bathroom, a kitchen, and even an entryway creates community in different ways that only contribute to the overall experience. It may simply be an exchange of smiles, but in my experience of travel and now of being a B&B owner, there is only good things to be had by this type of sharing. So that's why we keep doing this.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Playing bigger
In another blog, I talk about playing small not serving me. It's an interesting thing to reflect on because not a lot of people can probably (hopefully?) notice that I play small a lot.
And in the B&B, people don't stay long enough to find that out. But that's a cop-out! Just because a guest only sees a snippet of my life, doesn't mean that I shouldn't be the "big" that I know, or dream, I can be.
Playing bigger speaks to me about how I run the business, how I attract others to the business, how I use my values to build the business, how I market the business and ultimately, how people view the business in their lives.
I know that when I encounter a person, cause, or a business that is out of the ordinary, it impacts me. I know that when great care is taken to improve my experience of life, I feel grateful. I want to pass that info on to the next person. I've read a lot of business books, articles, and websites and there are a lot of people doing this and it warms my heart. That's important to me! That people care, that they want to improve my life, and that they think that's a priority in their business. Me too!
Synergy is always undergoing changes, mostly physical, but in the coming months, we'll be undergoing more non-physical changes. We'll be taking a closer look at why people book with us, what impacts their experience, and how that impact has rippled out in the world. I want more of that in my business and I look forward to that discovery.
If you were a guest of ours feel free to comment if staying with us has changed your life in any way, big or small.
And in the B&B, people don't stay long enough to find that out. But that's a cop-out! Just because a guest only sees a snippet of my life, doesn't mean that I shouldn't be the "big" that I know, or dream, I can be.
Playing bigger speaks to me about how I run the business, how I attract others to the business, how I use my values to build the business, how I market the business and ultimately, how people view the business in their lives.
I know that when I encounter a person, cause, or a business that is out of the ordinary, it impacts me. I know that when great care is taken to improve my experience of life, I feel grateful. I want to pass that info on to the next person. I've read a lot of business books, articles, and websites and there are a lot of people doing this and it warms my heart. That's important to me! That people care, that they want to improve my life, and that they think that's a priority in their business. Me too!
Synergy is always undergoing changes, mostly physical, but in the coming months, we'll be undergoing more non-physical changes. We'll be taking a closer look at why people book with us, what impacts their experience, and how that impact has rippled out in the world. I want more of that in my business and I look forward to that discovery.
If you were a guest of ours feel free to comment if staying with us has changed your life in any way, big or small.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
And we're back!
May is almost over and we've been busy at Synergy!
We've already had several guests come to stay and we're getting more reservations each week. I forget how much I love meeting new people, talking about different cultures, and comparing notes on food, places to visit, and anything else that gets us going.
Baby K has been blending right in, having no problem sharing his home with the lovely folks who grace us with their presence. We just had a few four-legged friends visit too and Baby K loved it! He definitely wanted to pet the dogs and the dogs weren't that into it, but we are learning "gentle" and "nice touch."
The weather is currently leaving something to be desired, but as it always goes with Spring and Summer in Seattle, you never know what you're going to get. And in Burien, our weather is even a bit different from Seattle's, a mere 20 minutes away.
I can't believe it's already about to be June. Time flies!
If you're a past guest, feel free to keep checking back in on here to find out what we're up to (and watch Baby K grow!) and if you are future guest, check out our rooms in the top right corner (the links will take you to our airbnb site).
Oh!
If you have had the pleasure of imbibing Josh's lovely teas and you've been dying to buy some, check out bfullers.com. You can order tea online now and there are samplers and tea sets and a lot of new products.
We've already had several guests come to stay and we're getting more reservations each week. I forget how much I love meeting new people, talking about different cultures, and comparing notes on food, places to visit, and anything else that gets us going.
Baby K has been blending right in, having no problem sharing his home with the lovely folks who grace us with their presence. We just had a few four-legged friends visit too and Baby K loved it! He definitely wanted to pet the dogs and the dogs weren't that into it, but we are learning "gentle" and "nice touch."
The weather is currently leaving something to be desired, but as it always goes with Spring and Summer in Seattle, you never know what you're going to get. And in Burien, our weather is even a bit different from Seattle's, a mere 20 minutes away.
I can't believe it's already about to be June. Time flies!
If you're a past guest, feel free to keep checking back in on here to find out what we're up to (and watch Baby K grow!) and if you are future guest, check out our rooms in the top right corner (the links will take you to our airbnb site).
Oh!
If you have had the pleasure of imbibing Josh's lovely teas and you've been dying to buy some, check out bfullers.com. You can order tea online now and there are samplers and tea sets and a lot of new products.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Getting Synergy Back Online!
After the arrival of our lovely son, Kalev Milo, on August 31, 2012, we have been itching to get back into our B&B world. We miss it so much!
And we are learning that a little one and a B&B need some separation (our living room looked like a Toys R Us showroom for about 5 months) so we are remodeling our basement and moving down there so that guests can still roam free without the fear of stepping on Legos or having to use Lincoln Logs to stir their coffee.
We will definitely be up and running by the summer months and Kalev will be excited to meet all of you while learning the ways of the biz. If you are looking to make a reservation, please contact us and we will set you up.
Synergy B&B has moved things around a bit so that there is a TV room/Business Center (with an iMac and printer) adjacent to the public veranda, adding a third common space to our home, so folks don't only have to congregate in the Great Room. We will have three rooms to rent, all with queen-sized beds and shared bathrooms.
Our Writer's Retreat is getting a makeover (more writer-themed decor, a reading nook, and a beefed up writer's desk) and Northern Light is getting a few upgrades as well.Our third room will become our Feng Shui room, decorated with feng shui information, cures, and themes. We love to educate and share our passions!
In addition to the physical space, we are looking into all-inclusive, themed retreat packages for folks, to stand out from other B&Bs. Feel free to share any ideas you have!
We're still working through www.airbnb.com, but we do hope to branch out into our own website as soon as we get a minute to design it.
Thanks for your interest, support, and of course, thanks for staying with us!
We will definitely be up and running by the summer months and Kalev will be excited to meet all of you while learning the ways of the biz. If you are looking to make a reservation, please contact us and we will set you up.
Synergy B&B has moved things around a bit so that there is a TV room/Business Center (with an iMac and printer) adjacent to the public veranda, adding a third common space to our home, so folks don't only have to congregate in the Great Room. We will have three rooms to rent, all with queen-sized beds and shared bathrooms.
Our Writer's Retreat is getting a makeover (more writer-themed decor, a reading nook, and a beefed up writer's desk) and Northern Light is getting a few upgrades as well.Our third room will become our Feng Shui room, decorated with feng shui information, cures, and themes. We love to educate and share our passions!
In addition to the physical space, we are looking into all-inclusive, themed retreat packages for folks, to stand out from other B&Bs. Feel free to share any ideas you have!
We're still working through www.airbnb.com, but we do hope to branch out into our own website as soon as we get a minute to design it.
Thanks for your interest, support, and of course, thanks for staying with us!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The Easiest Hard Work
When we first started Synergy B&B, we got the usual warnings about self-employment taking a lot of time and being a lot of hard work. That could've derailed this amazing adventure if I listened to my little whiner inside...but luckily I didn't. This summer has already been just as amazing as last summer, but so different!
We have 2-3 rooms going (last year we had 3-4 sometimes, including the suite) and even though we are getting less families (smaller rooms) we are STILL meeting and greeting some of the best guests!
Being about 8 months pregnant now I am often tired after a full day at work (my day job, not the B&B), but something magical happens when I know there's a guest at home or arriving later in the evening, I have this surge of energy! Somehow beds can get made, coffee cake baked, and Seattle/Washington questions answered with fervor. So it must be that this work, this "hard" work, is well-suited to me (and Josh too, to be fair, since he seems to have the same surges I do). We just LOVE to host folks, we love to share about our city, find out places for them to check out, and generally welcome folks into our home.
We still get the question, "How can you have so many strangers in your house?" and I reply that they aren't strangers for more than 5 minutes (sometimes less) and then it's almost like we're old friends in a heartbeat. We seem to attract fascinating, friendly, lovely, gracious folks and we love them all dearly. From businessmen to retirees to folks relocating to Seattle. Dog owners, families, airport transports, coffee experts, and foodies are all among our esteemed guests. We've had several international folks from England, Mexico, India, and Germany so far this year and many more NW locals just passing through.
The Big Question?
What will we do when the Baby comes? Well, that's a great question. We'll take 3 months "off" to get into a rhythm with our new family member, and then depending on how that goes, we'll ease back into the B&B (it usually slows down in the winter anyway). We're working on a remodel that includes soundproofing and creating a more private space for us (to reduce noise, disruption, baby mess, etc) so that we can still operate the B&B as usual. And then come summer 2013, we'll be back in business, baby in tow, excited to meet a whole new group of lovely guests.
We're also entering the year of the garden and have been contemplating some work trade situation so that we can create the ultimate garden experience, which has been our vision since before we even had the B&B. If you have ideas, interest, etc., feel free to communicate with us...:)
So yes, it's a lot of hard work. But it's so much fun!
Looking forward to hosting you soon....
We have 2-3 rooms going (last year we had 3-4 sometimes, including the suite) and even though we are getting less families (smaller rooms) we are STILL meeting and greeting some of the best guests!
Being about 8 months pregnant now I am often tired after a full day at work (my day job, not the B&B), but something magical happens when I know there's a guest at home or arriving later in the evening, I have this surge of energy! Somehow beds can get made, coffee cake baked, and Seattle/Washington questions answered with fervor. So it must be that this work, this "hard" work, is well-suited to me (and Josh too, to be fair, since he seems to have the same surges I do). We just LOVE to host folks, we love to share about our city, find out places for them to check out, and generally welcome folks into our home.
We still get the question, "How can you have so many strangers in your house?" and I reply that they aren't strangers for more than 5 minutes (sometimes less) and then it's almost like we're old friends in a heartbeat. We seem to attract fascinating, friendly, lovely, gracious folks and we love them all dearly. From businessmen to retirees to folks relocating to Seattle. Dog owners, families, airport transports, coffee experts, and foodies are all among our esteemed guests. We've had several international folks from England, Mexico, India, and Germany so far this year and many more NW locals just passing through.
The Big Question?
What will we do when the Baby comes? Well, that's a great question. We'll take 3 months "off" to get into a rhythm with our new family member, and then depending on how that goes, we'll ease back into the B&B (it usually slows down in the winter anyway). We're working on a remodel that includes soundproofing and creating a more private space for us (to reduce noise, disruption, baby mess, etc) so that we can still operate the B&B as usual. And then come summer 2013, we'll be back in business, baby in tow, excited to meet a whole new group of lovely guests.
We're also entering the year of the garden and have been contemplating some work trade situation so that we can create the ultimate garden experience, which has been our vision since before we even had the B&B. If you have ideas, interest, etc., feel free to communicate with us...:)
So yes, it's a lot of hard work. But it's so much fun!
Looking forward to hosting you soon....
Friday, June 1, 2012
Welcome back to Summer at Synergy B&B!
The summer at Synergy B&B is heating up! Well, actually, no, it's drizzly and damp outside, but inside the B&B it's getting all full up. We're looking forward to hosting a whole new group of lovely folks (but former guest friends, you are more than welcome to return!). May was almost entirely full, and June is now starting to book up.
We get a lot of questions about our B&B (stats, when we started, how it works, etc.) so I thought I'd do an informal FAQ right here! We still like to tell all the various stories (part of the B&B fun for us!), but in case you're curious and have a moment to read...
Q: How did you get started?
A: We had several long-term housemates previous to our venture into B&B land, and while that was nice to know who we lived with, we were running out of friends who wanted to be down in Burien. We love our house though, so we were desperately trying to think of ways we could stay there without the added housemate income.
Q: First off, what's Airbnb, and how did you get involved with them?
A: Airbnb is a website that hosts 100,000 listings of places all around the world. We first put up one bedroom (Writer's Retreat) in July 2010 and we got our very first booking in August. Becca found the website pretty randomly (or as she likes to say, "divinely") and has since tried a few other similar sites, but Airbnb was really the best. Well-designed, easy to use, and it seemed to get the results.
Q: Have you had any bad experiences?
A: Ultimately, no. We've had some questionable ones, that we learned from, but overall, we have met and hosted (and even befriended) some of the most awesome people we could ever hope to through this experience of turning our house into a B&B.
We get a lot of questions about our B&B (stats, when we started, how it works, etc.) so I thought I'd do an informal FAQ right here! We still like to tell all the various stories (part of the B&B fun for us!), but in case you're curious and have a moment to read...
Q: How did you get started?
A: We had several long-term housemates previous to our venture into B&B land, and while that was nice to know who we lived with, we were running out of friends who wanted to be down in Burien. We love our house though, so we were desperately trying to think of ways we could stay there without the added housemate income.
Q: First off, what's Airbnb, and how did you get involved with them?
A: Airbnb is a website that hosts 100,000 listings of places all around the world. We first put up one bedroom (Writer's Retreat) in July 2010 and we got our very first booking in August. Becca found the website pretty randomly (or as she likes to say, "divinely") and has since tried a few other similar sites, but Airbnb was really the best. Well-designed, easy to use, and it seemed to get the results.
Q: Have you had any bad experiences?
A: Ultimately, no. We've had some questionable ones, that we learned from, but overall, we have met and hosted (and even befriended) some of the most awesome people we could ever hope to through this experience of turning our house into a B&B.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Grateful
I wanted to own a B&B (well, at least work in one) since I was 13. Someone asked me why that was and I just knew I wanted to meet interesting people and have a small, but important impact on their lives, even if it's just for a little while. I also wanted to be homeschooled (while working in the B&B, of course) so that I would be free to learn what I wanted, especially if a stranger passed through with an awesome career or who was an artist, or who just knew of cool things to check out. I always wanted to work at home and wanted to pick careers with this distinct possibility.
Such is life that I now work full time in an office, but I am so grateful to come home to my house and B&B, and meet new people from all over the world. It's a normal day when stories of places visited and cultural similarities and differences are shared as food is prepared and dishes are washed. Who knew this would be my life after all?
This past year of adventure has changed me. I'm more open, more patient, more forgiving, more compassionate. Sharing quick, intimate moments with people is an amazing gift I am given on a regular basis. To all our guests, thank you! You've taught us more than you know!
Such is life that I now work full time in an office, but I am so grateful to come home to my house and B&B, and meet new people from all over the world. It's a normal day when stories of places visited and cultural similarities and differences are shared as food is prepared and dishes are washed. Who knew this would be my life after all?
This past year of adventure has changed me. I'm more open, more patient, more forgiving, more compassionate. Sharing quick, intimate moments with people is an amazing gift I am given on a regular basis. To all our guests, thank you! You've taught us more than you know!
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