We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hillary Stifler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hillary, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?
Vacations are literally my business. As an innkeeper in a Lake Michigan vacation town, I host people who are typically on vacation. I can see the difference in their stress levels from their arrival to their departure, and many are only staying a couple of days. There is something freeing about being away from responsibilities and being cared for that almost makes you forget you even have any responsibilities. And, in my opinion, this is the only way you can be good at, and enjoy your work – by forgetting about it for a few days. Space is required for new ideas to come through. Problems get worked out when you’re not thinking about them. Giving yourself space gives you a chance to re-connect to yourself, to your loved ones, to nature and even to strangers. And, connection lights people up and lightens people up. So, while I do work every single day (7 days a week) in season (typically June – October), I relish when I can take my own vacation in the off-season. Because I see firsthand how important it is for people. Part of the reason I left the corporate world for my dream of owning a bed & breakfast is because of my love for travel. I love to explore, to see new places, to meet new people, and to adventure without responsibility. I knew taking this job would limit my ability to do this (both financially and time-wise). But, I still make sure to take at least a few vacations every year. I can even say it’s research! Since becoming an innkeeper 2 years ago, I have stayed at a farm B&B in West Virginia, done a yoga retreat in Utah, adventured around South Africa for two weeks, spent a long weekend exploring Portland, and spent a week in Mexico. Every time I return, I feel more excited about doing the work of innkeeping, and am filled with so many new ideas about how to improve my Inn. Plus, the fun of travel sustains me throughout the year so I don’t get jealous of my own guests on their amazing getaways :)
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
After working in marketing in Chicago for 17 years, I took the leap and became my own boss. In April of 2021, I sold my home, quit my job and bought a Bed & Breakfast in a small town near Lake Michigan in Southwest Michigan. It’s been more work, but also more fun than I anticipated. I have no background in cooking, I’ve only ever cleaned up after myself, and I have never been responsible for a yard, let alone a one-hundred-year-old farmhouse. It’s been a learning curve! But, I am succeeding. I cook and serve breakfast every day, manage the property (gardening, maintenance, etc.), manage the social media/marketing, do the cleaning (with a lot of help from others), do the laundry, and all the other things that come along with the job. I was burnt out at my “desk job” and excited about the idea of hosting travelers and creating a space where people can feel cared for enough to actually relax and enjoy themselves. I hardly sit at a desk anymore these days, and I’ve met some lovely & interesting people. The inn is 7 rooms, on about an acre of land, surrounded by beautiful gardens. I pride myself in offering a clean and comfy place to stay, with a phenomenal breakfast! Each room has its own personality, but all are comfy, quaint, and hopefully have all the amenities one could need (and if not, I usually have whatever else is needed). My last job was client facing, so I’ve been able to transfer my skills to this job. People like to feel welcome, seen and heard. I want everyone who walks through these doors to feel welcomed, and have the best time they can, and I do my best to ensure they do.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I knew I wanted to buy a bed and breakfast for a long time – probably 10 years. So, while I didn’t deprive myself of anything, I did all I could to set aside some money here and there so that when the time came, I would be ready. When the time came, I had a nice nest egg and I took the profits from selling my condo in the city (that I owned for 7 years) to put it toward the B&B. I knew I needed to get bank funding, but my situation was unique. My B&B would be a business, but also my home. In talking to banks, they weren’t quite sure how to handle it. Was it a business loan? Or was it a home loan/mortgage? I was also doing this in March of 2021… so basically mid-pandemic. I had a few banks tell me they weren’t making loans on hospitality businesses at the time. I had found the perfect place, and it was priced to sell (the former owners had it “for sale by owner” for 3 years and they were more than ready to retire!). Ultimately, the owners of another local B&B were gracious enough to share with me where they had gotten their loan. I reached out to the local credit union they recommended and ended up getting a business loan to buy the property and the business.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the idea of hustle culture. In my career & adult years, I have always lived in a big city, been an over-achiever and been altogether over-scheduled. I worked full time, earned my MBA part-time, volunteered for various organizations, was president of my condo board and kept up a full-time social calendar. It was great! But, I was exhausted. When I knew I wanted to make a pivot away from my corporate job and into the world of entrepreneurship as a B&B Owner/Innkeeper, I knew the only way I could make it happen was to open up some space in my life to let the opportunities come through. I slowly started stepping away from my volunteer obligations, I started saying no to social invites, and I didn’t say yes to every opportunity that came my way at work. Going from 100 mph to maybe 40 mph is tough because it feels like you’re missing out and that you should be doing more. I really had to unlearn that I had to be busy to feel important or worthy. And, I am still unlearning that today. My line of work is seasonal. I am busy all summer (June – October), and things slow in the off-season. I work every day in-season (that’s Monday – Sunday). So, when things are busy, I need to remind myself that even if everything is not done, it’s okay to take a walk, lay in the hammock or catch the sunset. And, in the winter, I need to remember that it’s okay to spend a few days doing nothing. That my to do list can take a little longer. And, that like the seasons, it will get busy again, and I need to enjoy the slowness & darkness of winter. Unlearning is a work-in-progress, but I’m happy to be a perpetual student, trying my best!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gardengroveinn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gardengroveinn/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/gardengrovebb
- Other: Trip Advisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g42774-d78557-Reviews-Garden_Grove_Inn_Bed_Breakfast-Union_Pier_Berrien_County_Michigan.html
Image Credits
@leoandlaine @windandwavesmedia @gardengroveinn