For episode #10 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Kenni Ball, the hired innkeeper for the Wallingford Victorian Inn in Wallingford, CT, who discusses her love for hospitality and what it’s like to be an outsourced innkeeper.
While we assume that all innkeepers own and operate their properties, there are B&Bs out there that rely on outsourced talent to manage the day-to-day work.
This is the case with the Wallingford Victorian Inn, which is a property that is taking advantage of a talented young professional who has a deep passion for hospitality and pleasing guests.
For the past two years, Kenni (who is currently 25 years-old) has managed the property for the owners, but she is not your run-of-the-mill employee. Since the age of 13, she has worked in the B&B arena, and officially became an innkeeper at the ripe old age of 19. She also did a brief stint at a larger hotel, but found the B&B lifestyle more suited to her personality and work style.
As a result, she enjoys interacting and helping Wallingford Victorian Inn guests to build great memories from their stays, and be the face of the property.
She also believes that her real world experience – as opposed to studying hospitality in a university setting – has allowed her to better advance her career. In terms of growth, she ultimately wants to own and operate her own B&B.
In this podcast, Kenni shares her innkeeper story:
- Kenni’s background and how she got into the hospitality arena. (:52)
- Why Kenni finds herself to be more suited for B&Bs, as opposed to larger hotel chains. (2:20)
- How she learned how to be an innkeeper through hands-on experience. (4:33)
- The challenges and opportunities she has as a 25-year-old innkeeper. (6:42)
- What drew Kenni to the Wallingford Victorian Inn and the dynamics of her day-to-day work. (8:42)
- Kenni’s longer-term goal of owning her own B&B. (13:20)
- Kenni’s suggestions for what innkeepers should look for when outsourcing talent like her. (18:22)
We would like to thank Kenni for sharing her innkeeper story. You can learn more about the Wallingford Victorian Inn by visiting their website.
