Hotels are the workhorses of the tourism industry. A tolerance of long hours, working weekends and out-of-season personal holidays; a strong work ethic; and an eagerness to please are essential to the makeup of a successful hotelier. Meet these demanding criteria and you can enjoy a business where every day is different and the rewards lie in making people happy.
Owning a restaurant, in many ways, requires the same approach as owning a hotel. Every step needs to be treated as part of a performance, as many patrons consider the experience to be as important as the food. An owner will usually be working long hours, and along with the strong work ethic, they’ll need to have an eagerness to please a tendency to adapt to any role in front of them.
The best bed and breakfasts and guest houses are run by sociable owners with a ‘nothing is a problem’ attitude. They can offer cosiness and a warm, personalised service that hotels simply cannot match. This is the kind of business that can make your property work for you and help you to generate a good income.
A business that operates online will give you the opportunity to keep your overheads low and your customer base wide. An internet business will, oftentimes, give you the flexibility to work the hours you choose at the locations that you choose.
The cafe market has grown significantly in the last decade and could still double over the next 15 years. A cafe is best owned by a perfectionist. Distilling the ingredients, staff, and ambience into a mix that is ‘just so’ is the defining goal of independent cafe culture.
Coffee shops offer a cozy and relaxed atmosphere that can serve as community hubs, making them ideal for entrepreneurs who like to bring people together. They can be strong investments due to their potential for high profit margins on specialty drinks and pastries, and can generate loyal, repeat customers by fostering a sense of community.
Owning a pub can be a fun as well as lucrative route to entrepreneurship. You’ll need to manage drinks, coordinate bar and kitchen staff and deal with inebriated customers – and all during evenings and weekends. But for many people, however, these challenges are all part of the fun – along with working in an environment characterised by merriment.