Bed and Breakfast Owners

High School

Because you'll essentially be maintaining a home as a bed and breakfast owner, you should take family and consumer science courses. These courses can prepare you for the requirements of shopping and cooking for a group of people, as well as budgeting household finances. But a bed and breakfast is also a business, so you need to further develop those budgeting skills in a business fundamentals class, accounting, and math. A shop class, or some other hands-on workshop, can be very valuable to you; take a class that will teach you about electrical wiring, woodworking, and other elements of home repair. English and speech classes will help you to communicate with your customers. Classes in a foreign language, such as Spanish, will help you to communicate with customers who do not speak English as their first language. Computer science-related classes will help you learn how to create and manage databases, design Web sites, and otherwise use computers and the Internet to promote your business. Finally, you will need to be constantly marketing your business to potential customers, so be sure to take as many marketing and advertising classes that are available.

Postsecondary Training

As a bed and breakfast owner, you're in business for yourself, so there are no educational requirements for success. Also, no one specific degree program will better prepare you than any other. A degree in history or art may be as valuable as a degree in business management. Before taking over a bed and breakfast, though, you may consider enrolling in a hotel management, a vocational school program, and associate's degree program, or small business program at your local community college. Such programs can educate you in the practical aspects of running a bed and breakfast, from finances and loans to health and licensing regulations.

If you enroll in a formal hospitality management program, you will likely be required to participate in an internship at a hotel or bed and breakfast. You might work as a desk clerk, restaurant manager assistant, or in another department. Participating in an internship is an excellent way to learn more about the field. You can also volunteer at a hotel or bed and breakfast to get an idea of the jobs that are available.

Opportunities for part-time jobs and internships with a bed and breakfast are few and far between. Bed and breakfast owners can usually use extra help during busy seasons, but can't always afford to hire a staff. But some do enough business that they can hire a housekeeper or a secretary, or they may have an extra room to provide for an apprentice willing to help with the business.

Other Education or Training

The Association of Lodging Professionals offers webinars and other educational opportunities to its members. Visit https://www.alplodging.org for more information. Additionally, members can participate in Hospitality Huddles, monthly one-hour educational web conferences that focus on topics such as marketing, financial management, technology, guest communications, human resources, guest experience, housekeeping, and breakfast prep. Visit https://www.alplodging.org/hospitality-huddles to learn more.