1. Sustaining Entrepreneurship in a Global Economy
Jeanna Stavas
Owner/Operator/Innkeeper
“Hospitality Extraordinaire”
Serving Your customer
Just a little statistic for you –
In 2007, 692
This year – current count is 934 in 2008,

2. Transition It’s a lifestyle, but it’s my business
Prepare your plan
Have passion and have fun!
Why else are you doing this?
Use what you know
And what others know
It’s a lifestyle, it’s my business
Prepare a plan – you’ve GOT to have a plan or how else will you get there? Or show others how you’re going to get there? And KNOW when you got there or ended up somewhere else. I chose something that gives me a great lifestyle (meet people, get to cook, garden, etc. But I also have financial responsibilities and need to support myself and want the business to support itself.
Have passion and have fun!
Why else are you doing this? Truly think about what it is you’re getting yourself into. I LOVE to get up in the morning and “go to work”…and yes, it is work. You may think it’s all easy because you’re such a great person to work for, but YOU better enjoy what you’re doing because no one else is going to make you get up in the morning and go do it…
Use what you know
And what others know
What did you do before? Can you glean any information or experience from that? I brought a lot of experience from my previous career, acquisition, from my travels and just know that I asked a lot of innkeepers and B&B owners a lot of questions before and after I got into this. Other biz owners, too.

3. The Product and the Customer
Find your niche
Set your standards
Know your customer (& your Market)
Ask for feedback
Make improvements
Thank your customers
Why is your product special? What does it offer that others do not?
Set your standards - you need to define what YOUR standards are and your quality level – give yourself something to be measured by
Get to KNOW your customer – who are they? Where do they come from? How did they find you? What do they want? why are they buying YOUR product? what is it they are coming for? Remember, can you really be everything to everyone?
Feedback is critical - Ask your customers for suggestions and comments, face to face or via comment card or anonymous
Take the feed back seriously and implement their suggestions or changes – continually work to improve, build on what you already have – Now Serving Dinner
Thank them – follow up, respond, thank you, Pine Rewards – 10th night free
Sustaining…. current customer is best customer and best marketer, 30% repeat customers

4. The Owner Be there Prioritize and organize Exceed their expectations
Share your business
Give back
Network
You are owner, the business and you need to get personal – be available and be in the moment. If you’re on the phone with them – be on the phone with them, if they are standing there in front of you or walk into your shop – be there, greet them, give them your full attention.
Remember, many of us are only one person and cannot do it all! You will never get it all done!
Prioritize where your time and your skills are best spent – mowing the lawn?
Continually work to organize what has to be done, guidelines, operational “procedures” – so you can delegate it and so you remember what you did the last time
Don’t just MEET their expectations, go the extra mile – over deliver – do the unexpected. On my website, online reservations
Give back to the community, to the industry, get involved and be willing to help out/assist others. Tell your story (share your knowledge), serve on committees or boards – I’m very involved NABB and local community and I realize if we grow our industry and community, I will prosper as well.
If you can’t meet their needs, partner with someone that can. Celebration package, golf package
Other lodging – motels, Conf. center, other B&Bs
Network and partner –

5. Contact Me: Jeanna M. Stavas
Owner/Operator/Innkeeper/“Hospitality Extraordinaire”
Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast
2018 6th Ave, Nebraska City, NE
Serving Your customer
Just a little statistic for you –
In 2007, 692
This year – current count is 934 in 2008